IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
And We inspired the mother of Musa (Moses), (saying): “Suckle him [Musa (Moses)], 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.”
Then the household of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief. Verily! Fir’aun (Pharaoh), Haman and their hosts were sinners.
And the wife of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) said: “A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceive not (the result of that).
And the heart of the mother of Musa (Moses) became empty [from every thought, except the thought of Musa (Moses)]. She was very near to disclose his (case, i.e. the child is her son), had We not strengthened her heart (with Faith), so that she might remain as one of the believers.
And she said to his [Musa’s (Moses)] sister: “Follow him.” So she (his sister) watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived not.
And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him, until she (his sister came up and) said: “Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and sincerely they will look after him in a good manner?”
So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allah is true. But most of them know not.” Surah 28 verses 7-13
Lessons gained:
This incident is part of a lengthy narration knows an “hadithul futun” which is reported from Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu’anhuma) and is recorded with a reliable chain in the following books:
The story behind this “knot” is that as an infant Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) lived with his own mother who used to suckle him and was paid for her services by the Pharaoh. When he was weaned, the Pharaoh and his wife ‘Asiya ؓ adopted him, and took him away from his mother. One day Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) caught hold of the Pharaoh’s beard and slapped him on the face. Another version has it that he was playing with a stick and with it he struck the Pharaoh on his head. The Pharaoh was enraged and made up his mind to put him to death. His wife ‘Asiya ؓ tried to pacify him and said, “0 King! Why do you take this matter so seriously? After all he is merely a child who does not understand things. You can test him if you like and you will find that he cannot distinguish between good things and bad things”.
Thereupon, the Pharaoh ordered two trays to be brought. One was filled with live coal and the other with jewellery. It was expected that the child would be attracted by the brightness of the burning coal and reach for it because children are not normally drawn towards jewellery which is not as bright. This would have convinced the Pharaoh that what Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) did was nothing more than the act of an innocent child. But Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was no ordinary child. Allah Ta’ala had chosen him to be a prophet whose instincts were unusual from the very moment of his birth. He put forth his hand to reach out for the jewellery instead of the coal, but Jibra’il (علیہ السلام) turned his hand away and placed it in the tray containing coal. He picked up a piece of burning coal and put it in his mouth and so burned his tongue. The Pharaoh was thus fully satisfied that the action of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) was not due to mischief but the result of a child’s inability to distinguish between good and bad for himself. This incident caused an impediment in his speech which has been called عُقْدَةً (knot) in the Qur’an, and Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) prayed to Allah Ta’ala to make loose this knot. (Mazharl and Qurtubi)
Lessons gained:
وَاللَّهُ غالِبٌ عَلىٰ أَمرِهِ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ
“…And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.” 12: 21
قالَ رَبِّ اشرَح لي صَدري
[Musa (Moses)] said: “O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, contentment, and boldness).
وَيَسِّر لي أَمري
وَاحلُل عُقدَةً مِن لِساني
“And make loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (i.e. remove the incorrectness from my speech) [That occurred as a result of a brand of fire which Musa (Moses) put in his mouth when he was an infant]. [Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. 16, Page 159].
يَفقَهوا قَولي
“That they understand my speech,
وَدَخَلَ المَدينَةَ عَلىٰ حينِ غَفلَةٍ مِن أَهلِها فَوَجَدَ فيها رَجُلَينِ يَقتَتِلانِ هٰذا مِن شيعَتِهِ وَهٰذا مِن عَدُوِّهِ ۖ فَاستَغاثَهُ الَّذي مِن شيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذي مِن عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ موسىٰ فَقَضىٰ عَلَيهِ ۖ قالَ هٰذا مِن عَمَلِ الشَّيطانِ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُضِلٌّ مُبينٌ
قالَ رَبِّ إِنّي ظَلَمتُ نَفسي فَاغفِر لي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفورُ الرَّحيمُ
“And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he found there two men fighting, – one of his party (his religion – from the Children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Musa (Moses) struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: “This is of Shaitan‘s (Satan) doing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy.” He said: “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.” Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” 28: 15-16
Prophet Musa (AS) eventually migrated to Madyan.
Lessons gained:
Musa (AS) had to run away from Egypt because he was being prosecuted for killing a man. As he left Egypt to migrate to another land, he made a du’a to Allah:
فَخَرَجَ مِنها خائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قالَ رَبِّ نَجِّني مِنَ القَومِ الظّالِمينَ
So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: “My Lord! Save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)!” 28: 21
Musa (AS) migrated to Madyan. He trusted that Allah will Guide him:
عَسىٰ رَبّي أَن يَهدِيَني سَواءَ السَّبيلِ
“It may be that my Lord guides me to the Right Way.” 28: 22
Musa (AS) helped 2 girls to water their flocks of animals and made an important du’a
رَبِّ إِنّي لِما أَنزَلتَ إِلَيَّ مِن خَيرٍ فَقيرٌ
“My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!” 28: 24
Then Allah Granted him
Lessons gained:
5 du’a of desperation:
أَنّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرحَمُ الرّاحِمينَ
“Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.”
Musa (AS) travelled with his family from Madyan back to his home country. He saw a light and told his wife that he wanted to ask for directions or for warmth. He spoke to Allah directly. (28: 29 onwards). Allah Made him a Prophet and Gave him 2 Mu’jizat (Miracles) – his stick turned to a snake and his arms can turn white. Allah Ordered Prophet Musa (AS) to go to Egypt and do da’wah to the pharaoh. Due to his speech impediment, he requested for his brother Harun to also be a prophet and assist him, which Allah Granted.
Lessons gained:
فَقولا لَهُ قَولًا لَيِّنًا لَعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَو يَخشىٰ
“And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allah.” 20: 44
This clearly shows:
The pharaoh was confident that his magicians and sorcerers would defeat Prophet Musa (AS) but Allah will always Help the believers and truth will always prevail. When Allah’s Mu’jizat defeated the falsehoods and magic, the sorcerers immediately prostrate to Allah because they knew what they saw from Allah’s Mu’jizat was no ordinary thing. That was the truth. Allah Guided them to Islam. The pharaoh threatened to crucify them but the sorcerer’s faith did not waiver. They made an important du’a:
رَبَّنا أَفرِغ عَلَينا صَبرًا وَتَوَفَّنا مُسلِمينَ
“Our Lord! pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.” 7: 126
Lessons Gained:
وَقُل جاءَ الحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الباطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ الباطِلَ كانَ زَهوقًا
And say: “Truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism or this Qur’an or Jihad against polytheists) has come and Batil (falsehood, i.e. Satan or polytheism, etc.) has vanished. Surely! Batil is ever bound to vanish.” 17: 81
This verse was recited when the idols around the ka’bah were destroyed when the Muslims conquered Makkah.
Prophet Musa (AS) eventually was able to persuade the Bani Israel, who were slaves in those days, to follow him and start a new life worshipping Allah. Under the pharaoh they can never worship Allah. So, Prophet Musa (AS) was fulfilling his mission to free the children of Israel from slavery and eventually lead them to practise Islam until his death. The pharaoh of course was pursuing them with his army and Prophet Musa (AS) came to the end of the Red Sea. Allah then Ordered him to use the stick and the sea parted, another of Allah’s Mu’jizat. After Prophet Musa (AS) and the Bani Israel reached the other side of the Red Sea on land, Allah Drowned the pharaoh and his army. Allah Promised to preserve the body of the pharaoh:
فَاليَومَ نُنَجّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكونَ لِمَن خَلفَكَ آيَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثيرًا مِنَ النّاسِ عَن آياتِنا لَغافِلونَ
“So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Ayaat” 10:92
So today we can see the pharaoh’s body preserved in a museum in Cairo, Egypt, under “Ramses II”.
Lessons Gained:
So when Allah Promised the believers Jannah if we repent and do good righteous deeds, we will be in Jannah with His Mercy and Will:
إِلّا مَن تابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صالِحًا فَأُولٰئِكَ يَدخُلونَ الجَنَّةَ وَلا يُظلَمونَ شَيئًا
جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ الَّتي وَعَدَ الرَّحمٰنُ عِبادَهُ بِالغَيبِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كانَ وَعدُهُ مَأتِيًّا
Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad ), and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught.
(They will enter) ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which the Most Beneficent (Allah) has promised to His slaves in the unseen: Verily! His Promise must come to pass. 19: 60-61
