Story of Prophet Musa (Moses, Pbuh)

Story of Prophet Musa (Moses, Pbuh)

Qur’anic Verses About Prophet Musa (PBUH):

  1. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:51-54):
    • Arabic: وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ
    • Translation:
      “And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him, while you were wrongdoers.”
    • This refers to the incident when Prophet Musa went to Mount Sinai for forty days to receive the commandments, and in his absence, some of his people started worshipping the golden calf.
  2. Surah Al-A’raf (7:103-105):
    • Arabic:
      ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِم مُّوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِۦ فَظَلَمُوا۟ بِهَاۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
    • Translation:
      “Then We sent after them Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, but they were unjust toward them. So see how was the end of the corrupters.”
    • This refers to the moment when Musa was sent to Pharaoh with clear signs and miracles, but Pharaoh and his people rejected the message.
  3. Surah Taha (20:9-14):
    • Arabic:
      وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
    • Translation:
      “And has the story of Moses reached you?”
    • This passage begins the story of how Musa was called by Allah at the burning bush, commanding him to go to Pharaoh and deliver His message.
  4. Surah Al-Qasas (28:7-9):
    • Arabic:
      وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِۖ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحْزَنِىٓ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
    • Translation:
      “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.'”
    • This refers to the early life of Musa when his mother, fearing for his safety, placed him in the river, where he was found by Pharaoh’s wife.
  5. Surah Ash-Shu’ara (26:10-15):
    • Arabic:
      وَإِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبُّكَ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱئْتِ ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
    • Translation:
      “And [mention] when your Lord called Moses, [saying], ‘Go to the wrongdoing people.'”
    • This is the moment when Allah commanded Musa to go to the people of Pharaoh and convey the divine message.
  1. Surah Al-Qasas (28:10-14):
    • Arabic:
      وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَٰرِغًا إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِى بِهِۦ لَوْلَآ أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
    • Translation:
      “And the heart of Moses’ mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.”
    • This verse discusses how the mother of Prophet Musa was deeply distressed after casting him into the river but was reassured by Allah.
  2. Surah Al-Qasas (28:15):
    • Arabic:
      وَدَخَلَ ٱلْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَـٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ وَهَـٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦۖ فَٱسْتَغَٰثَهُ ٱلَّذِى مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ عَلَى ٱلَّذِى مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ فَوَكَزَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
    • Translation:
      “And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and killed him. Moses said, ‘This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy.'”
    • This verse refers to an incident from the early life of Musa where he unintentionally killed a man from the Egyptians while defending an Israelite.
  3. Surah Taha (20:77-79):
    • Arabic:
      وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًۭا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًۭا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًۭا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ
    • Translation:
      “And We had inspired to Moses, ‘Travel by night with My servants, and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken, nor be afraid.'”
    • This verse narrates the escape of the Israelites from Pharaoh, when Allah parted the sea for Musa and his people.
  4. Surah Al-Qasas (28:44):
    • Arabic:
      وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلْغَرْبِىِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
    • Translation:
      “And you were not on the western side when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses.”
    • This verse indicates that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not witness the events of Musa but was informed by Allah about them.
  5. Surah Al-Baqarah (2:67-71):
  • Arabic:
    وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا۟ بَقَرَةًۭ ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًاۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
  • Translation:
    “And [recall] when Moses said to his people, ‘Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow.’ They said, ‘Do you take us in ridicule?’ He said, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant.'”
  • This refers to the incident when the Israelites were commanded by Allah through Musa to sacrifice a cow as part of resolving a murder case.

Sahih Hadith About Prophet Musa (PBUH):

  1. Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 60, Hadith 6):
    • Narrated Abu Huraira (RA):
      “The angel of death was sent to Moses. When he came to Moses, Moses slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to his Lord and said, ‘You have sent me to a servant who does not want to die.’ Allah said, ‘Return to him and tell him to place his hand over the back of an ox, and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life.’ Moses said, ‘O Lord! What will happen after that?’ Allah replied, ‘Then death.’ Moses said, ‘Let it come now.’ So Moses requested Allah to let him die close to the Holy Land so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it.” Abu Huraira added, “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ‘If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road.'”
    • Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1339.
  2. Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2372):
    • Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
      “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘When the Prophet Moses went to meet his Lord, the people said, ‘By Allah, Moses has died!’ Then Allah returned his soul while he was walking, and he (Moses) said: ‘O Allah! The Children of Israel call me dead!’ And Allah said: ‘They are wrong.'”
    • Reference: Sahih Muslim, The Book of Virtues of Companions.
  3. Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 55, Hadith 610):
    • Narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA):
      “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘On the night of my Ascension to the Heaven, I saw Moses who was a tall brown man, looking like one of the men of Shanu’a tribe.'”
    • Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 3407.

  Sahih Muslim (Hadith 162):

  • Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
    “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘The strong are not the ones who defeat others in wrestling, but the strong are the ones who control themselves when angry.’ He then mentioned the story of Prophet Musa when he grabbed the beard of his brother Harun (Aaron) out of anger because the Israelites had worshipped the calf.”
  • Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtue.

  Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 55, Hadith 613):

  • Narrated Abu Huraira (RA):
    “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam, ‘You are Adam whose mistake expelled you from Paradise.’ Adam said, ‘You are Moses whom Allah selected for His message and spoke to you directly, yet you blame me for something decreed before my creation.’ Thus Adam out-argued Moses.'”
  • Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6614.

  Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 55, Hadith 619):

  • Narrated Abu Huraira (RA):
    “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘On the night of Isra and Mi’raj (the night journey), I met Moses. He was a tall brown man, similar to the men of the tribe of Shanu’a. He was praying in his grave.'”
  • Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 3438.

  Sahih Muslim (Hadith 327):

  • Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
    “The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘The people will be struck unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, and I will be the first to regain consciousness. I will see Moses holding on to the side of the Throne of Allah.'”
  • Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith.

The Birth of Prophet Musa (PBUH) and His Early Life:

  • Prophet Musa (PBUH) was born during a time of great oppression in Egypt. The Pharaoh of that time, fearing that the growing number of Israelites would threaten his rule, ordered the killing of all newborn male children of the Israelites. The Qur’an recounts how the mother of Musa was inspired by Allah to protect her child by placing him in a basket and setting it adrift in the Nile River. Allah reassured her that her child would be safe and would one day return to her (Qur’an 28:7).
  • The basket-carrying baby Musa was discovered by the wife of Pharaoh, Asiya, who, unlike her tyrannical husband, was a compassionate and pious woman. She convinced Pharaoh to adopt the child, and Musa was raised in the royal palace as a prince of Egypt. Meanwhile, his biological mother was hired as his wet nurse, and by the will of Allah, Musa refused to accept milk from any other woman (Qur’an 28:12-13).
Story of Prophet Musa (Moses) (Pbuh)

Musa’s Early Adulthood and His Exile:

  • As Musa grew older, despite being raised in Pharaoh’s household, he remained aware of his true identity as an Israelite. One day, while visiting the city, Musa witnessed an altercation between an Israelite and an Egyptian. In an attempt to defend the Israelite, Musa struck the Egyptian, accidentally killing him. Fearing the consequences of his actions, Musa fled Egypt to the land of Midian (Qur’an 28:14-21).
  • In Midian, Musa came across a group of women struggling to water their flock at a well. He assisted them, and as a result, was invited to their home by their father, Prophet Shu’ayb (Jethro), who later offered one of his daughters in marriage to Musa. Musa accepted, and after spending several years in Midian working for Shu’ayb, he set off with his family to return to Egypt (Qur’an 28:22-29).

The Divine Revelation at the Burning Bush:

  • On his journey back to Egypt, Musa encountered a remarkable event at Mount Sinai (also called Mount Tur). He saw a fire and approached it, expecting to find warmth for his family. However, Allah spoke to him directly from a burning bush, commanding him to remove his sandals as he was in a sacred valley (Qur’an 20:9-12). It was here that Musa received his first divine revelation. Allah appointed him as His messenger and instructed him to confront Pharaoh and deliver the Israelites from oppression.
  • Musa expressed his concerns about facing Pharaoh, as he had a speech impediment and feared for his life due to the earlier incident. Allah reassured him and granted him his brother Harun (Aaron) as an assistant and co-prophet (Qur’an 20:25-36).

Musa’s Confrontation with Pharaoh:

  • Upon returning to Egypt, Musa and Harun went to Pharaoh’s court to deliver Allah’s message. They asked Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery and to believe in the One true God. Pharaoh, in his arrogance, mocked Musa and dismissed his message. To prove that he was a prophet, Musa performed miracles by Allah’s will, such as turning his staff into a serpent and turning his hand radiant white when he placed it inside his garment (Qur’an 7:103-108).
  • Despite these clear signs, Pharaoh and his chiefs accused Musa of sorcery. Pharaoh challenged Musa to a contest with the most skilled magicians of Egypt. On the appointed day, the magicians threw their ropes and staffs, which appeared to turn into serpents. However, by Allah’s power, Musa’s staff transformed into a real snake and devoured their illusions. Recognizing the truth, the magicians immediately believed in Allah, but Pharaoh, in his fury, threatened to punish them (Qur’an 20:56-73).

The Exodus and the Parting of the Red Sea:

  • Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites, and in response, Allah sent a series of plagues upon Egypt, such as locusts, frogs, lice, and the turning of the Nile’s water into blood. Each time, Pharaoh promised to release the Israelites if the punishment was lifted, but he would go back on his word once the hardship was removed (Qur’an 7:130-133).
  • Finally, Allah commanded Musa to lead the Israelites out of Egypt by night. Pharaoh and his army pursued them, but when they reached the Red Sea, Allah performed one of the most famous miracles in history. He commanded Musa to strike the sea with his staff, causing it to part and create a dry path for the Israelites to cross. Pharaoh and his army followed them into the sea, but as soon as the Israelites reached safety, the waters closed, drowning Pharaoh and his soldiers (Qur’an 26:60-66).

Musa and the Israelites in the Wilderness:

  • After escaping Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the desert. Despite the many miracles they witnessed, they frequently doubted and disobeyed Allah and Musa. When they complained of thirst, Allah instructed Musa to strike a rock with his staff, causing twelve springs to gush forth, one for each tribe. When they complained of hunger, Allah provided them with manna and quails from the heavens (Qur’an 2:60-61).
  • However, the Israelites were not always obedient. When Musa went to Mount Sinai to receive the Torah (divine commandments), some of the Israelites, in his absence, reverted to idol worship and created a golden calf. Musa returned, furious at their betrayal of Allah, and condemned their actions (Qur’an 7:148-151).

Musa’s Trials and Leadership:

  • Musa faced many trials while leading the Israelites. They often questioned his authority and were reluctant to follow his commands. When Musa instructed them to enter the Promised Land (Palestine), they refused, fearing the powerful inhabitants. As a consequence of their disobedience, Allah decreed that they would wander in the wilderness for forty years (Qur’an 5:20-26).
  • Despite the difficulties, Musa remained a steadfast leader. He was devoted to his mission and often pleaded with Allah for guidance and forgiveness on behalf of his people.

The Death of Prophet Musa (PBUH):

  • Musa (PBUH) continued to lead the Israelites until his death. According to Islamic tradition, he passed away before entering the Promised Land. In a famous Hadith, it is mentioned that Musa asked Allah to allow him to die near the Holy Land, at a distance of a stone’s throw from it (Sahih Bukhari 1339). He was buried at an unknown location, but his legacy as a prophet of immense patience and perseverance remains significant in Islamic teachings.