الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
The story of Musa (AS) ranges across several surahs of the Qur’an. It is the longest and most detailed story of a prophet mentioned in the Qur’an.
Islam teaches that all prophets came to their people with the same proclamation, “O my people, worship Allah, you have no other god but Him.” (Hud, 11:50). We should know that Qur’an is a book of guidance. It is not a book of history. However, it does contain historical information. Allah asks us to reflect and contemplate on the stories of the prophets in order that we may take lessons from them. Musa (AS)’s story contains many lessons for humanity.
Musa (AS) was born into one of the most politically charged times in history. The Pharaoh of Egypt was the dominant power figure in the land. He was so incredibly powerful that he referred to himself as God and nobody was inclined or able to dispute this. He said, “I am your lord, most high”, (an-Nazi’at, 79:24)
Pharaoh exerted his authority and influence over all the people in Egypt. He used the strategy of divide and rule. He set up class distinctions, divided the people into groups and tribes, and set them against one another. The Jews, the children of Israel, were put at the lowest level of Egyptian society. They were the slaves and servants. Musa’s family was from amongst the children of Israel.
Egypt at the time was the known world’s superpower. The ultimate power rested in the hands of very few – Pharaoh and his trusted ministers.
According to the Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir the children of Israel talked vaguely about one of their nation’s sons arising to topple Pharaoh’s kingdom. Perhaps it was just a persistent daydream from an oppressed people, or even an ancient prophecy but the story of Musa begins here – a longing for freedom coupled with a tyrannical king’s dream.
The people of Egypt were influenced by dreams and the interpretation of dreams. Dreams featured prominently in the story of prophet Yusuf, and once again, in the story of Musa (AS), the fate of the children of Israel is affected by a dream.
Pharaoh dreams that a child from the children of Israel grows to manhood and seizes his throne. True to his character, Pharaoh reacts arrogantly and gives the order that all male children born to the children of Israel be killed. His ministers however perceive that this would lead to the complete extinction of the children of Israel and economic ruin for Egypt. How, they ask, would the empire function without slaves and servants? The order is changed; the male children are killed in one year but spared in the next.
Pharaoh becomes so fanatical that he sends spies to seek out pregnant women. If any woman gives birth to a male child, he is immediately put to death. When Musa’s mother becomes pregnant with the child destined to lead the children of Israel out of bondage, she conceals her pregnancy. However, Allah wished to do a favor to those who were weak and oppressed, and pharaoh’s plans are thwarted.
The scene is set, and the child is born. The winds of change begin to blow and Allah demonstrates that humans may plan and scheme but He Alone is the best of planners. Musa was born in a year in which the sons of the children of Israel were put to death the moment they were born. Imagine the sense of fear that permeated every aspect of life under such conditions. Pregnancy was not an event to be celebrated and cherished but a source of fear and insecurity.
Musa’s birth must have made his parents’ hearts filled with both joy and fear simultaneously. What were they to do now, how would they conceal a newborn baby? Musa’s mother was a righteous woman, pious and God fearing, therefore in her hour of need she turned to Allah and He inspired her to take some actions: Allah said: “And we inspired the mother of Musa saying, suckle him, but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (our) Messengers.” (al-Qasas, 28:7).
Musa’s mother had just spent the last few months concealing her pregnancy for fear that her child would be put to death, now as she holds him to her breast, Allah inspires her to cast him into the river. Her initial reaction must have been that such an action would be condemning the child to certain death, but she put her trust in Allah.
She made a waterproof basket, placed her tiny son inside, and cast him into the river. Ibn Kathir narrates that as the basket touched the water the raging current became calm and gentle, sweeping the basket silently downstream. Musa’s sister was instructed by her mother to slip silently through the reeds and follow the basket on its journey.
The basket courses down the Nile River, passing houses, boats, and people, unnoticed until it stops at Pharaoh’s palace. Musa’s sister watches in fear, as someone from Pharaoh’s household removes the basket from the river. Musa was cast into the river to escape certain death and now his resting place is the palace of Pharaoh. This is surely too much for a mother to bear, however events about to unfold will demonstrate that the promise of Allah is true.
Baby Musa was taken to Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh. Asiya. In contrast to her arrogant, tyrannical, husband, she was a righteous, merciful woman. Allah opened her heart and Asiya looked down up on the tiny baby and felt overcome by her love for him. The royal couple did not have a child and were unable to conceive a child. This little baby awakened Asiya’s motherly instincts. She asked her husband to accept the child into the family.
Possibly, against his better judgment, Pharaoh accepted the child into the family. Far from abandoning him, Allah set Musa up as a royal son of Egypt, and provided him with the strongest human support in the land. Asiya and Pharaoh now had a son, who was now protected by the very person who had sought to kill him.
Asiya summoned wet nurses to the palace, but the tiny child refused to suckle. This was a cause of great distress. The royal palace was in turmoil, and no one noticed the presence of Musa’s sister amongst the servants. She gathered all her courage and stepped forward offering a solution. She said she knew of a woman who would suckle the child affectionately. Why would the royal household take the advice of an unknown child, but this was Allah’s plan that they would take heed to what she says. So, she was ordered to rush and fetch the woman.
Musa’ mother was in her home. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that her heart was empty and that she was about to reveal herself. Allah relieved her of her torment when her daughter rushed into the house relating the story of what had happened to Musa. Mother and daughter lost no time returning to the palace. When Musa was handed to his real mother, he settled immediately and began to suckle. It is reported that the household, including Pharaoh himself, was astonished. Pharaoh asked the woman who she was and she replied, “I am a woman of sweet milk and sweet smell, and no child refuses me.” Pharaoh accepted this answer, and thus Musa was returned to the arms of his mother while he was raised in the palace as a prince of Egypt.
The first 45 verses of Surat al-Qasas (‘the Stories’) focus solely on the story of Musa (AS). It is from here that we learn about the strength and piety of his mother, and how Allah rewarded her righteousness and trust in Him by returning her son. Some scholars believe that Musa and his mother returned to their home among the Children of Israel, others including Ibn Kathir believe that Musa and his mother lived in the palace while she was breast feeding him and that as he grew up she was allowed the privilege of visiting him.
The Qur’an and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad (S) are silent about this period of Musa’s life, although it would be fair to say that by the time Musa (AS) was a man, he probably knew about his origin and identified himself with the children of Israel.
The Prophetic traditions describe Musa as a tall, well-built, dark skinned man with curly hair. Both his character and physique are described as strong.
We will discover in the story of Musa that he was a forthright man. He believed in speaking his mind and standing up for the weaker members of society. Whenever he witnessed oppression or cruelty, he found it impossible to stop himself from intervening.
It is narrated that one day while walking in the city; Musa came upon two men fighting. One was an Israelite and the other an Egyptian. The Israelite recognized Musa and cried out to him for help. Musa stepped into the fight and struck the Egyptian one ferocious blow. He immediately fell to the ground and died. Musa was overcome with grief. He was aware of his own strength but did not imagine that he had the power to kill someone with one blow. He immediately repented to Allah and begged for His forgiveness, and Allah forgave him. And Musa vowed that for this great divine favor, he will never help criminals, disobedient to Allah.
Either because the streets were relatively deserted or because the people had no wish to be involved in a serious assault, the authorities had no idea that Musa was involved in the skirmish. However, the next day Musa saw the same Israelite man involved in yet another fight. He suspected that the man was a troublemaker and approached him to warn him about such behavior.
The Israelite saw Musa walking towards him and became afraid, he called out, “Would you kill me as you killed a person yesterday?” The man’s opponent, an Egyptian heard this remark and rushed away to report Musa to the authorities. Later on that day, Musa was approached by a person who informed him that the authorities were planning to arrest him and possibly put him to death for the crime of killing an Egyptian.
Musa immediately left the borders of the city. He did not take the time to return to his home to change his clothes or prepare provisions. Musa strode into the desert towards Midian, the country that lay between Syria and Egypt. His heart was filled with fear and he was afraid that he would turn around and see the authorities pursuing him. He walked, and walked, and continued walking till his shoes got worn out on the rough desert ground and the hot sand burned the soles of his feet. He was exhausted, hungry, thirsty, and bleeding but he forced himself to continue until he came to a watering hole. Musa threw himself under the shade of a tree.
The smell of water and the shade of the trees must have seemed like paradise on earth. Musa however was not alone in his newfound paradise; the waterhole was surrounded by shepherds watering their flocks.
Death in the dry dusty heat of the Egyptian desert should have been the likely outcome of Musa’s journey. But we learn the fundamental truth that if a believer submits fully to Allah’s will, Allah will provide for him from unimaginable sources.
There are verses in Surat at-Talaq that tell us: “…And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from sources he never could imagine. Allah will suffice for those who put their trust in Him. Indeed, Allah will achieve His purpose. Indeed, Allah has set a due measure for everything.” (Qur’an 65:2-3)
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Mufti Menk – Lessons from the Stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an (https://muslimahlifestyle.com/lessons-stories-prophets-quraan-mufti-menk-creation-of-aadam-as/)
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Lives of the Prophets (https://www.kalamullah.com/anwar-alawlaki.html)
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
