The Story of Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām): His Birth,

Struggles, Miracles and Victory over Pharaoh on

the Day of ‘Āshūrā’
By Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid

All praise is due to Allāh, Lord of all creation. May

Allāh extol the mention of the Prophet in the highest
company of Angels and may the peace and blessings
of Allāh be upon him, his family, his Companions and
all those who follow him diligently till the Day of
Judgement.
The stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an provide
mankind with immense lessons and especially for
those who possess knowledge and insight. Allah (the
Most High) stated:
ً َ R mَ ْ ُ‫ٌ ﱢ‬ َ [ َ R ْ َR
‫ﺎن َﺣِﺪﻳﺜﺎ‬W ‫ﺎِب ۗ َﻣﺎ‬nَ‫ اﻷﻟ‬k] ِ ‫ة ﻷو‬cَ ْd ‫ ﻗَﺼِﺼِﻬْﻢ ِﻋ‬Z] ِ ‫ﺎن‬W ‫ﻟﻘﺪ‬
‫ٍء‬Š َ[ ْ ‫ﻟﺬي َﺑ‬€‫ٰى َوَﻟ ٰـ|ﻦ َﺗْﺼﺪﻳَﻖ ا‬cَ َx ‫ْﻔ‬vُ
ْ َ‹ ‫ﱢﻞ‬W‰ ‫ِﻪ َوَﺗْﻔِﺼ‡َﻞ‬vْ‫َﺪ‬vَ „ … ِ ِ
] َ ُ ُْ ْ َ’ ً َ ْ ََ ً ُ َ ِ
‫وﻫﺪى ورﺣﻤﺔ ﻟﻘﻮٍم ﻳﺆِﻣﻨﻮن‬
“There was certainly in their stories a lesson for
those of understanding. Never was the Qur'an a
narration invented, but a confirmation of what was
before it and a detailed explanation of all things and
guidance and mercy for a people who believe.”
(Yusuf: 111)

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 The Children of Israel and Pharaoh’s Oppression
From the greatest of these stories that Allah informs
us of is the story of the Messenger to whom Allah
spoke directly, the Kaleem of Allah, the Mūsā or
Moses (‘alaihi salām). Allah mentions the life and
trials of this great and noble Prophet throughout the
Qur’an. Allah, the Most High, said:

‫ﻒ‬ُ ‫ﻠَﻬﺎ ﺷَ‡ًﻌﺎ َ¨ْﺴَﺘْﻀﻌ‬R‫أْﻫ‬R ‫ ا ْ َﻷْرض َوَﺟَﻌَﻞ‬Z[ ‫إﱠن ﻓْﺮَﻋْﻮَن َﻋَﻼ‬

َ Rِ ُ ‫ِ ُ ﱠ‬ َ ُ ¢ َ R ُ ]َِ
ِ
ْ ً َ َِ
‫ﺎن‬W ‫َﺴﺎَءﻫْﻢ ۚ ِإﻧﻪ‬³ِ ²] …ِ ‫ْﺴﺘْﺤ‬°َ‫ﺬﱢﺑﺢ أْﺑﻨﺎَءﻫْﻢ َو‬vُ ‫ﻃﺎِﺋﻔﺔ ﱢﻣﻨُﻬْﻢ‬
ْ m
‫ِﻣَﻦ اﻟُﻤﻔِﺴِﺪﻳَﻦ‬
“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and
made its people into factions, oppressing a group
among them (the Children of Israel), slaughtering
their new-born sons and keeping their females
alive. Indeed, he was from the corrupt.” (Al-Qasas:
4)
So, they were the Children of Israel who were the
offspring of Ya’qūb (‘alaihi salām), the son of Ishāq
(‘alaihi salām), the son of the Khalīl (the close friend)
of Allah, Ibrāhīm (‘alaihi salām). The Prophet Yusuf
(Joseph) the son of Jacob was buried in Egypt. They
were the best of the people on earth in that time. So,
this oppressive, brutal unbeliever, the Pharaoh,
enslaved them, debased them and made them lowly

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and used them to carry out the lowliest of chores.
The Children of Israel believed that that from the
progeny of Ibrāhīm (‘alaihis-salām) a child would be
born who would destroy the Pharaoh and his
kingdom. It is said that the tiding was given to Sārah,
the wife of Ibrāhīm (‘alaihis-salām) when she passed
through Egypt and its king tried to misbehave with
her. As-Suddī narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu
‘anhumā), also Murrah from Ibn Mas’ood
(radiyallāhu ‘anhumā), and also other Companions
that Pharaoh had a frightening dream wherein he
saw a fire coming from the direction of Jerusalem
which burned the Copts of Egypt and their homes
but did not harm the Children of Israel. Pharaoh
gathered all his priests, soothsayers and magicians
so they could interpret his dream. They told him,
“There will be a boy born among these people who
will destroy the people of Egypt.” It was due to this
that Pharaoh ordered the killing of all the new-born
boys, and he spared the girls.
When the Copts complained to Pharaoh that the
population of the Israelites was diminishing due to
the numerous killings, that their slave manpower
was reducing and feared they would have to carry
out their own duties, the Pharaoh found for them a
solution. He decreed that the boys born in one year
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were to be killed, and the boys born in the following
year were to be spared. It is said that Mūsa’s brother
Hārūn (‘alaihimas-salām) was born in a year of
pardon and Mūsā’s (‘alaihis-salām) was born in a
year of killing.
But the plan of this disbeliever did not help him
against the Decree of Allah (the Most High). Pharaoh
did whatever he could to ward off the birth of Mūsā
(‘alaihis-salām). He would send men and midwives
who would regularly check up on the pregnant
women of the Israelites and keep track of their
delivery dates. So, no believing woman gave birth
except that the people of Pharaoh would slay him
that very moment.

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 The Birth of Mūsā and his Concealment
When Mūsā’s mother (may Allah’s be please with
her) become pregnant, the normal signs of
pregnancy did not show on her. When she gave birth,
she became fearful. So, Allah, the Most High, stated:
mRَ R َ ْ َ َ R ْ R َ ُ ‫ﱢ‬‰ R َْ َ ْRَ
‫ أن أْرِﺿِﻌ‡ِﻪ ۖ ﻓِﺈذا ِﺧﻔِﺖ ﻋﻠْ‡ِﻪ ﻓﺄﻟِﻘ‡ِﻪ‬Š ٰ ‫ أم ﻣﻮ‬kٰ ‫وأوﺣﻴﻨﺎ إ‬
َ‫ﻠﻮُە ﻣﻦ‬‰‫ﻟْ‡ﻚ َوَﺟﺎﻋ‬R‫ ۖ إﱠﻧﺎ َراﱡدوُە إ‬Ë[‫ َوَﻻ َﺗْﺤَﺰ‬Z[‫ﻟَ‡ﱢﻢ َِوَﻻ َﺗَﺨﺎ‬m‫ ا‬Z[
ِ ِ ِ ِ ]ِ ]ِ
„ َ[ ‫ﻟ ُ ِﻤ ]ْﺮَﺳ ِﻠ‬m‫ا‬
…ِ
“And We inspired to the mother of Moses, ‘Suckle
him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the
river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We
will return him to you and will make him [one] of
the messengers.’” (Al-Qasas 28:7)
She was commanded by Allah to place him in a small
covered box because they lived on the banks of the
river Nile, and to tie a rope to it and tether it to her
house. So, whenever she feared for the safety of
Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām), she would cast him out into
the River Nile in the box and pull the rope to bring
him back in after the danger had passed. However,
the rope came apart and the box floated downriver
to the palace of Pharaoh.
َ َ ‫ً ﱠ‬ َُ R َ ‰ َ َ ُ َ ََm َ
‫وا َوَﺣَﺰﻧﺎ ۗ ِإن ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮن‬Ø‫ﻓﺎﻟﺘﻘﻄﻪ آُل ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮن ِﻟَ‡|ﻮن ﻟُﻬْﻢ ﻋﺪ‬

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 َ[ ‫ﺎُﻧﻮا َﺧﺎﻃﺌ‬WR ‫َوَﻫﺎَﻣﺎَن َوُﺟُﻨﻮَدُﻫَﻤﺎ‬
„ …ِ ِ
“And the family of Pharaoh picked him up [out of
the river] so that he would become to them an
enemy and a [cause of] grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and
Hāmān and their soldiers were deliberate sinners.”
(Al-Qasas 28:8)
When they opened the box, they found a baby boy.
When the glance of the wife of the Pharaoh passed
over him, she fell in love with the baby in front of her,
and her heart instantly became attached. When the
Pharaoh arrived, she pleaded with him that the child
be spared.
‰ َ R ’ [ ْ َ ُ ‫ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ﱠ‬Rَ ْ R َ َ
ٰ َ ‫ َوﻟَﻚ ۖ ﻻ َﺗْﻘُﺘﻠﻮُە َﻋ‬k] „
Ý Ü … ‫ﻋ‬R ‫ﻋﻮ َن ﻗﺮَت‬R ‫اﻣﺮأت ِﻓﺮ‬R ‫وﻗﺎﻟِﺖ‬
َ ْ َ ُ ً ‫ﱠ‬ َ َ
‫أن َﻳﻨﻔَﻌﻨﺎ أْو ﻧﺘِﺨﺬُە َوﻟﺪا َوﻫْﻢ ﻻ َ¨ﺸُﻌُﺮون‬
“And the wife of Pharaoh said, ‘[He will be] a
comfort of the eye for me and for you. Do not kill
him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt
him as a son.’ And they perceived not [what was to
be].” (Al-Qasas 28:9)

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 The Wife of the Pharaoh, her Torture and Death
So, Allah granted Āsiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, the
child, and she loved him and cared for him. Later,
when Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) called her to Allah, she
accepted Islam and worshipped Allah alone, for
which the Pharaoh punished and tortured her and
eventually killed her.
ْ R َ ْ َ َ َ R ُ € ’ ً َ ُ € َ َ َ[ َ
‫ َﻣﺜﻼ ﻟﻠِﺬﻳَﻦ آَﻣﻨﻮا اْﻣَﺮأت ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮن ِإذ ﻗﺎﻟﺖ َرﱢب‬â ‫ب ا‬á‫و‬
َ َ َ َ ‫ ﱠ‬m [ ً َ َ
‫ ِﻣﻦ ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮن َوﻋَﻤِﻠِﻪ‬²] [ ِ ‫ اﻟَﺠﻨِﺔ َوﻧﱢﺠ‬Z] ِ ‫ﺘﺎ‬äْ‫ ِﻋﻨﺪك َﺑ‬k] ِ ‫ﻦ‬¢‫اْﺑ‬
„ َ[ ‫ﻈﺎﻟﻤ‬€‫ﻟَﻘْﻮم اﻟ‬m‫ ﻣَﻦ ا‬²[‫َوَﻧﱢﺠ‬
…ِِ ِ ِ ]ِ
“And Allah presents an example of those who
believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, My
Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and
save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me
from the wrongdoing people.’” (At-Tahrīm 66:11)
Salmān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “The wife of the
Pharaoh was punished by [the heat of] the sun.
When they would leave her there [alone], the
angels would come and shade her with their wings,
and she would be able to see her house in Jannah.”1
Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) said: “The Pharaoh

1 Ibn Abi Shaybah 13/331; Ibn Jareer 23/115;

Authenticated by Al-Hākim 2/496 and Al-Bayhaqi 1237.
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hammered four nails into the hands and feet of his
wife. When they left her in that state, the angels
َ َ
would come and shade her. She said, ‫ ِﻋﻨﺪك‬k] ِ ‫ﻦ‬¢‫َرﱢب اْﺑ‬
‫ َ ﱠ‬m [ ًَْ
‫ اﻟﺠﻨِﺔ‬Z] ِ ‫ﺘﺎ‬ä‫‘ ﺑ‬My Lord, build for me near You a house
in Paradise.’ So, her house was shown to her in
Paradise.”2
Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said that Allāh’s
Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said, “The
best of the women of Paradise are: Khadeejah bint
Khuwaylid, Fātimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint
‘Imrān and Āsiyah bint Mazāhim the wife of the
Pharaoh.”3

2 Abu Ya’lā 6431; Al-Bayhaqi 1238 as a saying of Abu Rāfi’

and the mention of Abu Hurayrah was dropped by him. Al-
Hāfidh Ibn Hajr said: It is authentic as a saying of the
Companion, see Al-Matālib Al-Āliyah 9/62.
3 Ahmad 4/409, 5/77, 113 (2668, 2901, 2957); At-Tabarāni

11928; Al-Hākim 3/185 – and the verifiers of the Musnad

of Ahmad said: Its chain of narration is sahih.
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 Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) is Restored to his Mother
So, when Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) was adopted by the
wife of the Pharaoh, Āsiyah (may Allah be pleased
with her), he would not take the milk of any woman.
So, the palace sent out midwives along with baby
Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) searching for a wet-nurse
whose milk he would accept. Whilst they were out,
the sister of Mūsā saw him and recognised him. So,
she said, “Shall I guide you to a household who will
take care of him for you?” So, the people of the
palace were delighted. And the mother of Mūsā
(‘alaihis-salām) took hold of him and suckled him.
This was the Decree (Qadr) of Allah that Mūsā would
be returned to his mother who missed him dearly,
and that his life would be spared and protected by
Allah, the Most High:
َ ْ ‫ ﱠ‬R R َ َ َ َ ُ َ ََ ْ R ‫ﱢ‬‰ ٰR ُ َْ َ ََ
‫ﻨَﻬﺎ َوﻻ ﺗْﺤَﺰن َوِﻟﺘْﻌﻠَﻢ أن َوﻋﺪ‬R ‫ ﺗﻘﱠﺮ ﻋْﻴ‬ì ‫ أﻣﻪ‬k‫ﻓﺮددﻧﺎە إ‬
َ ُ R ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َï m ‫ ِ َ ] ﱞ َ َ ٰ ﱠ‬€ ِ
‫ﻌﻠﻤﻮن‬v ‫ﻫﻢ ﻻ‬cî ‫ ﺣﻖ وﻟ ـِ|ﻦ أ‬â ِ ‫ا‬
“So, We restored him to his mother that she might
be content and not grieve and that she would know
that the promise of Allah is true. But most of the
people do not know.” (Al-Qasas 28:13)

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 Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) Grows up, Kills an Egyptian
Unintentionally and Leaves Egypt
By the time Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) reached
adulthood, he had some influence in Egypt due to his
connection to the Pharaoh and his entourage. He
would travel through the land as the Pharaoh
travelled and he wore the garments that he would
wear, he rode as he rode.
One day, Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) left the palace
without the knowledge of its people and walked into
the town, and he saw two men fighting each other.
One of them was from the Children of Israel (his own
people) and the other was from their enemy, from
the people of the Pharaoh, an Egyptian. So Mūsā
helped the one he saw to be correct and struck the
Egyptian which resulted in his death. Mūsā (‘alaihis-
salām) felt deep regret for what he had done as he
did not intend to kill the Egyptian. He supplicated to
Allah, seeking forgiveness for his action and Allah
forgave him.
ُ ُ‫ُ ﱠ‬R َ ََ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ R R [‫َ َ َ ﱢ ﱢ‬
‫ ﻓﻐﻔَﺮ ﻟﻪ ۚ ِإﻧﻪ ﻫَﻮ‬k] ِ ‫ ﻓﺎﻏِﻔْﺮ‬Ý ] ِ ُ ‫ﻧ َﻔ‬m ‫ ﻇﻠﻤﺖ‬Ë] ‫ﻗﺎل رب ِإ‬
‫اﻟﻐﻔﻮُر اﻟﱠﺮِﺣ‡ُﻢ‬
“He said, ‘My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself,
so forgive me,’ and He forgave him. Indeed, He is
the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Al-Qasas 28:16)
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Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) then fled from Egypt “when a
man came from the farthest end of the city,
running. He said, ‘O Mūsā, indeed the chiefs are
conspiring to kill you, so leave! Indeed, I am to you
of the sincere advisors.’” (Al-Qasas 28:20)

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 Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) Travels to Madyan and
Marries the Daughter of a Righteous Man
So Mūsā left for the land of Madyan and remained
there for ten years in the service of a righteous man.
He came into the service of that man after he helped
two of his daughters draw water from a well for their
flock. Allah states that Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) said to
them: “What is the matter?” The women said, “We
cannot draw water until the shepherds have gone
away, and our father is a very old man.” So, he drew
water for them, and then went to sit in the shade
and said, “My Lord! I am in need of any good You
may send to me.” (Al-Qasas 28:23-24) The
shepherds would place a huge stone over the well
after they had watered their flock, so Mūsā (‘alaihis-
salām) moved the rock due to the strength Allah had
given him. When the women came home, they
relayed the story to their father, so he sent one of
them back to fetch him. “Then one of the two
women came to him, walking bashfully. She said,
‘My father invites you that he may reward you for
drawing water for us.’” (Al-Qasas 28:25) After Mūsā
was honoured by the father, one of the daughters
said, “O my father! Employ him for a wage.” (Al-
Qasas 28:26) She praised him for being strong and
trustworthy.

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Ibn ‘Abbās and ’Umar stated: When she said that, her
father asked her, “How do you know that he is
strong and trustworthy?” She replied, “He lifted a
rock that no less than ten people could lift. And
when I led him home by walking in front of him, he
said, ‘Walk behind me. When you need me to
change the path, throw a pebble on that path and I
will know to change direction.’” This shows the
chivalry of Mūsā, his chastity and his respect for
women.
He shepherded and cared for his flock for ten years
and married one of his daughters. The old man said,
“I intend to marry to you one of my daughters
provided you serve me for eight years. However, if
you complete ten, that will be grace from you. I do
not wish to place hardship upon you. If Allah wills,
you shall surely find me a righteous man.” (Al-Qasas
28:27)
Ibn Mājah wrote a chapter in his Sunan, “The
chapter of employing a person for food.” Then he
reported that the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi
wassallam) recited Sūrah Al-Qasas and said, “Mūsā
(salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) engaged himself in
employment for eight or ten years for his moral
decency and chastity, and for food in his stomach.”

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Some of the scholars (from the mufassirīn) have
speculated that the righteous man was the Prophet
of Allāh, Shu’ayb (‘alaihis-salām) who was in
Madyan, but that is unlikely, and Allah knows best.
Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) fulfilled the term of ten years.
Bukhārī reported from Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr that he said,
“A Jew came to me and asked, ‘Which of the two
terms did Mūsā serve?’ I said, ‘I will not know until
I ask the most knowledgeable person among the
Arabs.’ So, I came to Ibn ‘Abbās and asked him. He
replied, ‘He fulfilled the best of it which was the
longer of the two.’”

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Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) Returns to Egypt and Meets
Pharaoh After Receiving Revelation
So, after ten years in Madyan, he travelled with his
family heading towards Egypt. It was during this
journey that Allah (the Most High) ennobled him
with Revelation and spoke to him directly.
€ ً َ َ Rَ ُ َ َ َْ ً
‫ُﻞ َوُرُﺳﻼ ﻟْﻢ‬nْ‫َوُرُﺳﻼ ﻗﺪ ﻗَﺼْﺼﻨﺎﻫْﻢ ﻋﻠْ‡ﻚ ِﻣﻦ ﻗ‬
m َ َ ُ ُ € َ €R َ َ ْR َ ْ ُ ْ ُ ْ َ
‫ِﻠ‡ًﻤﺎ‬ö‫ ﺗ‬Šٰ ‫ ﻣﻮ‬â‫ﻠﻢ ا‬õ‫ﻧﻘﺼﺼﻬﻢ ﻋﻠ‡ﻚ ۚ و‬
“And We sent messengers about whom We have
related their stories to you before and messengers
about whom We have not related to you. And Allah
spoke to Mūsā directly.” (An-Nisā 4:164)
Allah commanded him to go to Pharaoh with signs
and the proofs. Allah said to him: “O Mūsā, I am the
Lord of the worlds. Throw down your staff. So,
when he saw it quivering like a snake, Mūsā fled. ‘O
Mūsā! Come back and fear not for you are in safety.
Put your hand in your pocket and it will come out
shining white without blemish and draw your hand
close to your side to be free from fear. These are the
two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs
for indeed they are a wicked people.’” (Al-Qasas:
28:30-32) The Pharaoh, however, was an arrogant
and haughty man who would say, “I am your Lord,
Most High.” Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) came to him and
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invited him to worship Allah:
َ[ ‫ﻟﻤ‬R‫ﻟَﻌﺎ‬m‫َﻗﺎَل ﻓْﺮَﻋْﻮُن َوَﻣﺎ َرﱡب ا‬
„ …ِ ِ
“Pharaoh said, ‘And what is the Lord of the
worlds?’”
َ[ ‫ﻛﻨُﺘﻢ ﱡﻣﻮﻗﻨ‬‰ ‫َﻨُﻬَﻤﺎ ۖ إن‬äْ‫َﻗﺎَل َرﱡب اﻟﱠﺴَﻤﺎَوات َوا ْ َﻷْرض َوَﻣﺎ َﺑ‬
„ …ِ ِ ِ ¢ ِ
“Mūsā said, ‘The Lord of the heavens and earth and
whatever is between them if you should be
convinced with certainty.’”
َ َ َ َR ُ R َ
‫ْﺴﺘِﻤُﻌﻮن‬ø ‫ﻗﺎَل ِﻟَﻤْﻦ َﺣْﻮﻟﻪ أﻻ‬
“Pharaoh said to those around him, ‘Do you not
hear?’” So Mūsā responded again:
َ[ ‫ُﻢ ا ْ َﻷﱠوﻟ‬û‰‫ﺎﺋ‬úَ‫ْﻢ َوَرﱡب آ‬ö‰ù‫َﻗﺎَل َ ﱡر‬
„ …ِ ِ
“Mūsā said, ‘He is your Lord and the Lord of your
ancient forefathers.’” Pharaoh was dumbfounded
and responded with an insult:
ٌ ُ R ‰ R ‰ € ‰R ‫ﱠ‬ َ
‫ْﻢ ﻟَﻤْﺠﻨﻮن‬ö‡ْ‫ُﻢ اﻟِﺬي أْرِﺳَﻞ ِإﻟ‬ö‫ﻗﺎَل ِإن َرُﺳﻮﻟ‬
“Indeed, your 'messenger' who has been sent to
you is mad.” So Mūsā replied to him again:
َ ‰ َ ُ ‰ َ ْ m ْ‹ َ m ‫َ َ َ ﱡ‬
‫ﻨُﻬَﻤﺎ ۖ ِإن ﻛﻨﺘْﻢ ﺗْﻌِﻘﻠﻮن‬äْ‫ﺮِب َوَﻣﺎ َﺑ‬¢‫ِق َواﻟَﻤﻐ‬ü
¢ ‫ﻗﺎل رب اﻟﻤ‬
“Mūsā said, ‘He is the Lord of the east and the west,
16 | abukhadeejah.com
and all that is between them if you could only
understand!’” So, when he was defeated, he
threatened Mūsā:
َ[ ‫ﻟَﻤْﺴُﺠﻮﻧ‬m‫ﻠﱠﻨَﻚ ﻣَﻦ ا‬R‫ي َ َﻷْﺟَﻌ‬cْ ‫„ اﱠﺗَﺨْﺬَت إَﻟ ٰـًﻬﺎ َﻏ‬
„ [ þ ِ ‫ﻟ‬R ‫َﻗﺎَل‬
…ِ ِ ¢… ِ ¢
“Pharaoh said, ‘If you take a god other than me, I
will surely place you among those who are
imprisoned.’”
But Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) did not stop. He brought
more and more verses and signs, each one greater
than the previous. The Pharaoh tried hard to
extinguish the call (da’wah) of Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām).
He was arrogant, haughty and certain of his strength
and power. He would not let-up on Mūsā (‘alaihis-
salām) nor did he ease his tyranny on the Children of
Israel, the Muslims. He said, “Am I not better than
him who carries no respect and yields no power –
who can hardly express himself in speech.” (Az-
Zukhruf: 51)

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Accusations of Sorcery and the Great Challenge on
the Day of the Festival of Adornment
Pharaoh gathered all the great magicians of the
kingdom of Egypt – and Egypt at that time was land
renowned for the sciences of magic and the greatest
magicians were in the service of the Pharaoh. The
chiefs accused Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) and his brother,
the Prophet Hārūn (‘alaihis-salām) of being
magicians, “Verily! These are two magicians. Their
object is to drive you out from your land with magic
and overcome your chiefs and nobles. So, devise
your plot, and then assemble in line. And whoever
overcomes this day will be indeed successful.”
(Tāhā: 62-63) Pharaoh said, “Have you come to drive
us out of our land with your magic, O Mūsā! We
shall also bring magic to match yours. So, make
between us and you an appointment, which we will
not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place
assigned.” Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) responded, “Let
the encounter be on the Day of the Festival of
Adornment, and let the people be assembled after
the sun has arisen.” (Tāhā: 57-59) This was the best
day for Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) because all of the
people would be gathered in one place. So, they
gathered in great numbers with the Pharaoh, his
ministers and his people.

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So, it began! “The magicians of the Pharaoh said, ‘O
Mūsā! Either you throw first, or shall we be the first
to throw?’ He said, ‘Rather, you throw.’ And
suddenly by their magic, their ropes and staffs
seemed to him they were moving [like snakes].’ So,
Mūsā sensed a fear in himself. Allah said, ‘Fear not!
Surely, you will have the upper hand.’ Throw that
which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that
which they have made. That which they have made
is only a magician’s trick, and the magician will
never be successful, no matter whatever amount of
skill he may attain.’” (Tāhā: 65-69) So the truth was
established. When Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) cast down
his staff it turned into a huge snake such that the
people started to flee. His staff came to the ropes
and sticks of the magicians and started devouring
them with short quick movements, one by one. The
people were in shock and the magicians left in
bewilderment. “The magicians of Pharaoh fell down
in prostration and said, ‘Now we believe in the Lord
of Hārūn and Mūsā.’ Pharaoh called out, ‘You dare
believe in him before I have given you permission!
Surely, he is your chief who taught you the magic. I
shall cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides
of your body and I will have you crucified on the
trunks of palm trees. And then you will certainly
know which of us is more severe in punishing, and
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more lasting.’” (Tāhā: 70-71)
Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr, Ikrimah and Al-Awzā’ee stated:
When the magicians fell in prostration in Allah’s
worship, they were shown their palaces and homes
in Paradise being made ready and decorated for
them, so they were not frightened by the threat of
the Pharaoh.
Ibn ‘Abbās said: They started the day as magicians
and they were martyred in the last part of the day as
innocent souls.

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 A Series of Plagues upon Pharaoh and his People
Then Allah sent to the disbelievers a host of trials and
afflictions, “So We sent upon them the flood and
locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct
signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal
people.” (Al-A’rāf 7:133)
The locusts did not spare any of their crops, nor their
fruits. Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr said that the lice were tiny
black insects. The frogs were found everywhere; in
their food, water and dishes; even as they lifted food
to put it in their mouths. All their water was mixed
with blood, even when they drew it from the Nile.
Yet none of these trials afflicted the Muslims, the
Children of Israel. This was another proof of the
truthfulness and Prophethood of Mūsā and his
brother Hārūn.

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 The Exodus from Egypt and the Search for the
Bones of the Prophet Yūsuf (‘alaihis-salām).
None of this was enough for the arrogant Pharaoh
and his evil followers. So, when the affair reached its
limits, and the Pharaoh persisted in his persecution,
tyranny and rejection of the truth, Allah revealed to
Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) that he was to leave Egypt by
night with all of Banī Isrā’īl (Children of Israel). So,
they left out heading to Shām.
Al-Hākim reports from Abu Mūsā Al-Ash’arī
(radiyallāhu ‘anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu
‘alaihi wassallam) stopped off on a journey and was
hosted by a Bedouin (i.e. a dweller of the desert) who
honoured him and looked after him. So, the Prophet
(salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said to him, “O dweller
of the desert, ask of me for your needs.” The man
replied, “O Messenger of Allah, just a camel to ride
and a goat that my family can milk.” He repeated it
twice. So, Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi
wassallam) said to him, “You were not able to be like
the old woman among the Children of Israel.” The
Companions (radiyallāhu ‘anhum) asked, “Who is
the old woman among the Children of Israel?” He
replied, “Mūsā intended to lead the Children of
Israel quickly away [in the night] but he got lost on
the way. So, the scholars among the Children of
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Israel said, ‘We will narrate to you that the Prophet
Yūsuf (‘alaihis-salām) took from us a covenant by
Allah that we were not to leave from Egypt (Misra)
unless we take his bones with us.’ Mūsā asked,
‘Which of you knows where the grave of Yūsuf is?’
They answered, ‘No one knows where the grave is
except an old woman from the Children of Israel.’
So, they sent him to her. He said, ‘Show me the grave
of Yūsuf (‘alaihis-salām).’ She replied, ‘By Allah, I
will not tell you until I know that I will be with you
in Paradise.’ Mūsā was not pleased with what he was
being asked. So, it was said to him, ‘Give her what
she has requested.’ So, he did that, and she went to
a small lake. She said, ‘Drain away this water.’ When
they had done that, she said, ‘Dig here.’ When they
dug, they found the bones of Yūsuf. After they lifted
out his bones, their path was as clear as the
brightness of the day.”4

4 Reported by Al-Hākim in Al-Mustadrak 2/624, no. 4088.

He stated, “This hadith has an authentic chain of
transmission though Bukhāri and Muslim did not report it.”
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 The Fury of the Pharaoh, the Pursuit and the
Parting of the Sea into Twelve Paths
When Pharaoh realised what had happened, he
became enraged. He gathered his army in order to
hunt down and kill every last one of the Children of
Israel. He called upon all the townships, sending
messengers to them saying, “They are small in
number and they have made us furious.” So, they left
out in pursuit of the Children of Israel and finally
caught up with them as the Sun was setting. By that
time the Children of Israel had reached the sea and
when they turned they saw the army of Fir’awn (the
Pharaoh) – and nothing remained for them in their
minds except their own slaughter.
َ ‰ ْ R ‫ ْ َ ُ ُ َ ٰ ﱠ‬R َ َ َ ْ َ m َ ََ ‫ ﱠ‬Rَ
‫ﻮن‬î‫ ِإﻧﺎ ﻟُﻤﺪَر‬Š‫ﻓﻠﻤﺎ ﺗﺮاءى اﻟﺠﻤﻌﺎِن ﻗﺎل أﺻﺤﺎب ﻣﻮ‬
“And when the two hosts saw each other, the
people of Mūsā said, ‘We are sure to be
overtaken.’” (Ash-Shu’arā 26:61) That is because
they had come to the end of their path at the shores
of the sea. There was nowhere for them to go: An
ocean in front of them, a vast army behind them,
mountains to their right and left so they complained
to Mūsā in desperation, “We are sure to be
overtaken.” Meaning: we are going to be killed. So,
their Messenger, the truthful, the trustworthy and

24 | abukhadeejah.com
believed said to them:
َ ِ ‫ﱠﻼ ۖ إﱠن َﻣ‬WR ‫َﻗﺎَل‬
‫ﻦ‬¢‫ َﺳَﻴْﻬِﺪﻳ‬Ë] ‫ ﱢ‬d ‫ َر‬$] ِ
“No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.”
(Ash-Shu’arā 26:62) And Allah, the Most High, said:
َ R َ َ Rَ َ m َ ْ[ R ٰ َ ُ ٰ R َ ْ َ ْ R َ
‫ﺎن‬ö‫ْﺤَﺮ ۖ ﻓﺎﻧﻔﻠﻖ ﻓ‬nَ‫َﻌَﺼﺎك اﻟ‬ú‫ب ﱢ‬á ‫ أن ا‬Š‫ ﻣﻮ‬k‫ﻓﺄوﺣﻴﻨﺎ ِإ‬
َ m ْ ‫ ﱠ‬R ْ ِ‫ ﱡ‬‰
¢
‫ﺎﻟﻄﻮِد اﻟﻌِﻈ‡ِﻢ‬W ‫ﻞ ِﻓﺮٍق‬W
“Then We inspired Musa saying, ‘Strike the sea with
your staff.’ And it parted, and each separate part of
that sea water became like the huge, firm mass of a
mountain.” (Ash-Shu’arā 26:63)
So, when he struck the sea with his staff, it parted
into twelve paths, one for each of tribes of Banī
Isrā’īl, that led straight through to the other side of
the sea with water as high as a mountain on each of
the sides. From the mercy of Allah upon them, there
was not left on the seabed even a puddle or slippery
mud. They walked through quickly and in haste.
Pharaoh and his army hesitated in amazement and
then followed – the arrogance of these unbelievers
was still not humbled in the face of this great miracle.
When Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) exited from the other
side along with the last of his people, and the whole
army of the Pharaoh was still on the path on the

25 | abukhadeejah.com
seabed, Allah collapsed the mountains of the sea-
water upon them and drowned them all. And then
He continued to punish them in the Barzakh, and
then He will punish them even more severely in the
Hereafter.
َُ َُ َ ُُ Rَ َ ُ ‫ﱠ‬
‫ْﻮَم ﺗﻘﻮُم اﻟﱠﺴﺎﻋﺔ‬%َ ‫‡ﺎ ۖ َو‬Ø‫ِﺸ‬R ‫وا َوﻋ‬Ø‫ﻮن ﻋﻠْﻴَﻬﺎ ﻏﺪ‬R ‫ْﻌَﺮﺿ‬vُ ‫اﻟﻨﺎُر‬
َ m ‫َ َ َ ﱠ‬ ‰ ْ
‫أدِﺧﻠﻮا آَل ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮن أﺷﺪ اﻟَﻌﺬاِب‬
“They are exposed to the Fire morning and evening.
And the Day the Judgement it will be said, ‘Make
the people of Pharaoh enter the severest
punishment.’” (Ghāfir 40:46)

26 | abukhadeejah.com
‘Āshoorā: The Day of Victory and the Drowning of
Pharaoh and his Final Plea!
When the drowning overtook Pharaoh, he called out.
Allah said:
ْ ُ ُ ُ َ ْRَ m َ ْ ‫ إ‬²[ِ‫َوَﺟﺎَو ْ َزﻧﺎ ﺑ َﺒ‬
‫ﻐً‡ﺎ‬úَ ‫ن َوُﺟﻨﻮدُە‬R ‫َﻌُﻬْﻢ ِﻓْﺮﻋْﻮ‬nَ‫ْﺤَﺮ ﻓﺄﺗ‬nَ‫‡َﻞ اﻟ‬R ‫)اِﺋ‬
‫ُ ﱠُ َ َ َ ﱠ‬ َ ُ َm ُ R ْ َ ِ ] ِ َْ
‫ آَﻣﻨﺖ أﻧﻪ ﻻ ِإﻟ ٰـﻪ ِإﻻ‬R ‫ﻪ اﻟﻐَﺮق ﻗﺎَل‬î‫ ِإذا أدَر‬²ٰ ‫ﱠ‬x ‫َوﻋﺪًوا ۖ َﺣ‬
َ[ ‫ﻟُﻤْﺴﻠﻤ‬m‫)اﺋ‡َﻞ َوأَﻧﺎ ﻣَﻦ ا‬ ْ َُ ْ ََ €
„ …ِِ ِ ِ َ ‫ِﻪ ﺑﻨﻮ ِإ‬úِ ‫اﻟِﺬي آﻣﻨﺖ‬
“And We took the Children of Israel across the sea,
and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in
tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook
him, he said, ‘I believe that there is no deity except
that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I
am of the Muslims.’” (Yunus 10:90) Allah responded:
ْ m َ ‰ َ َ َ َْ َ ْ
‫ﻨﺖ ِﻣَﻦ اﻟُﻤﻔِﺴِﺪﻳَﻦ‬î‫ُﻞ َو‬nْ‫ﺖ ﻗ‬+ْ ‫آﻵن َوﻗﺪ ﻋَﺼ‬
“Now O Pharaoh?! While you had surely disobeyed
Him before and were of the corrupt ones?” (Yunus
10:91)
The Prophet Muhammad (salallāhu ‘alaihi
wassallam) said: “Jibreel said to me, ‘If only you
could have seen me when I took the mud from the
seabed and shoved it into his mouth fearing that
the Mercy of Allah might still save him.” But the fate
of the Pharaoh was already sealed and inscribed into

27 | abukhadeejah.com
the Preserved Tablet 50,000 years before the
creation of the Heavens and Earth, and Allah knew
he would be a wicked, unbelieving tyrant.
Look at this amazing story and look at the lessons
therein, may Allah have mercy on you. Look at what
occurred and how the aid of Allah came to the
believers who trusted in Him and remained patient.
Allah made manifest truth over falsehood.
That was the tenth day of Muharram. And this was
the day of ‘Āshoorā’, the day that Mūsā (‘alaihis-
salām) was given victory over Pharaoh. Bukhāri
reported from Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) that:
َ ُ m ََ m ‫ ﱡ‬d ‫َﻗِﺪَم اﻟﱠﻨ‬
‫ ﻋﻠ‡ﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ اﻟَﻤِﺪﻳﻨﺔ َواﻟَﻴُﻬﻮد ﺗُﺼﻮُم‬- ,‫ ﺻ‬²
َ َ Rَ R َ َ ‰ ََ ]ِ ُ َ
.‫ﻋْﻮن‬R ‫ ِﻓْﺮ‬,R ‫ ﻋ‬Šَ‫ﻋﺎﺷﻮَراَء ﻓﻘﺎﻟﻮا ﻫﺬا َﻳْﻮٌم ﻇَﻬَﺮ ِﻓ‡ِﻪ ُ َﻣﻮ‬
‫ﱡ‬ ُْ
‫ِﻪ أﻧﺘْﻢ أَﺣﻖ‬úِ‫ ﻋﻠ‡ﻪ وﺳﻠﻢ ﻷ ْﺻَﺤﺎ‬- ,‫ ﺻ‬² ‫ ﱡ‬d ‫َﻓَﻘﺎَل اﻟﱠﻨ‬
َ ْ ]ِ
‫ ِﻣﻨُﻬْﻢ ﻓُﺼﻮُﻣﻮا‬Šَ‫ُﻤﻮ‬úِ
When the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam)
arrived in Madinah, the Jews were observing the fast
of ‘Āshoorā’ (on the 10th of Muharram) and they
said, “This is the day when Mūsā became victorious
over Pharaoh,” So, the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi
wassallam) said to his Companions, “You Muslims
have more right to Mūsā than them, so observe the

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fast on this day.”5
So, it is recommended to fast this day in gratitude to
Allah, the Most High. Mūsā (‘alaihis-salām) fasted on
this day in gratitude to Allah and the Prophet
Muhammad (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) fasted it
and he informed his Companions that they should
fats this day. He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said, “I
hope/anticipate that Allah will forgive the sins of
the year that has passed.” 6 A Muslim, however,
should also fast the day before it so as to differ from
the Jews. The Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi
wassallam) said, “If I remain alive till next year,
surely, I will [also] fast on the ninth.” 7 And in a
narration reported by Ahmad and Ibn Khuzaymah,
he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wassallam) said, “Fast a day
before it or after it and differ from the Jews.”
References:
Qasas Al-Anbiyā’ of Ibn Kathīr (d. 774H); Al-Khutab
Al-Mimbariyyah of Al-Fawzān, 1/141-146; Ad-Durr
Al-Manthoor fī At-Tasfīr bil-Ma’thoor of As-Suyūti (d.
911H) Surah At-Tahrīm, vol. 14, pp. 595-598.

5 Bukhāri, no. 4680.

6 Muslim, no. 1162.
7 Muslim, no. 1134, 134.
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