\nThe\npharaoh who ruled Egypt was a tyrant who oppressed the descendants of\nJacob (pbuh), known as the children of Israel (Bani Israel). He used\nevery means to demean and disgrace them. They were kept in bondage\nand forced to work for him for small wages or nothing. Under this\nsystem the people obeyed and worshipped the pharaoh, and the ruling\nclass carried out his orders, thereby authorizing his tyranny and\ncrazy whims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe\npharaoh wanted the people to obey him only, and to believe in the\ngods of his invention. Perhaps, during that time, there were many\nclasses of people who did not believe in or practice polytheism;\nhowever, they kept this to themselves and outwardly did as they were\nexpected to do, without revolting or revealing themselves to anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThus,\nsuccessive dynasties came to Egypt and assumed that they were gods or\ntheir representative or spokesmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nYears\npassed, and a despotic king, who was adored by the Egyptians, ruled\nEgypt. His king saw the children of Israel multiplying and\nprospering. He heard them talking about a vague vision that one of\nIsrael’ s sons would dethrone the pharaoh of Egypt. Perhaps this\nvision was only a daydream that persisted within the hearts of the\npersecuted minority, or perhaps it was a prophecy from their books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAnother\ntradition states that it was Pharaoh himself who had the vision. Ibn\n‘Abbas narrated: “Pharaoh saw in his vision a fire, which came\nfrom Jerusalem and burned the houses of the Egyptians, and all Copts,\nand did not do harm to the children of Israel. When he woke up, he\nwas horrified. He then gathered his priests and magicians and asked\nthem about this vision. They said: “This means a boy will be\nborn of them and the Egyptian people will perish at his hands.’ That\nis why Pharaoh commanded that all male children of the children of\nIsrael be killed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nEither\nway, this vision reached the ears of the Pharaoh. He then issued a\ndecree to slay any male child that would be born to the children of\nIsrael. This was carried out until the experts of economics said to\nPharaoh: “The aged of the children of Israel die and the young\nare slaughtered. This will lead to their annihilation. As a result,\nPharaoh will lose the manpower of those who work for him, those whom\nhe enslaves, and their women whom he exploits. It is better to\nregulate this procedure by initiating the following policy: males\nshould be slaughtered in one year but spared to live the next year.”\nPharaoh found that solution to be safer economically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMoses’s\nmother was pregnant with Aaron (pbuh) in a year that boys were\nspared; thus she gave birth to the child publicly and safely. During\na year in which boys were to be slain, she gave birth to Moses\n(pbuh); thus his birth caused her much terror. She was afraid he\nwould be slain, so she nursed him secretly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAllah\nthe Almighty revealed: These\nare Verses of the manifest Book (that makes clear truth from\nfalsehood, good from evil, etc.). We recite to you some of the news\nof Moses and Pharaoh in truth, for a people who believe (those who\nbelieve in this Quran, and in the Oneness of Allah). Verily, Pharaoh\nexalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening\n(oppressing) a group (children of Israel) among them, killing their\nsons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsideen\n(those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnd\nwe wished to do a favor to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the\nland, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors, and to\nestablish them in the land, and We let Pharaoh and Haman and their\nhosts receive from them that which they feared. And We inspired the\nmother of Moses, saying: “Suckle him (Moses), but when you fear\nfor him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve.\nVerily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of\n(Our) Messengers.” (Ch 28: 2-7 Quran).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nNo\nsooner had the divine revelation finished that she obeyed the sacred\nand merciful call. She was commanded to make a basket for Moses. She\nnursed him, put him into the basket, then went to the shore of the\nNile and threw it into the water. Her mother’s heart, the most\nmerciful one in the world, grieved as she threw her son into the\nNile. However, she was aware that Allah was much more merciful to\nMoses than to her, that He loved him more than her. Allah was his\nLord and the Lord of the Nile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHardly\nhad the basket touched the water of the Nile than Allah issued His\ncommand to the waves to be calm and gentle while carrying the child\nwould one day be a prophet. She instructed her daughter to follow the\ncourse of the basket and to report back to her. As the daughter\nfollowed the floating basket along the riverbank, she found herself\nright in the palace grounds and saw what was unfolding before her\neyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nbasket came to rest at the riverbank, which skirted the king’s\npalace. The palace servants found the basket with the baby and took\nit to the Pharaoh and his queen. When the queen beheld the lovely\ninfant, Allah instilled in her a strong love for this baby. Pharaoh’s\nwife was very different from Pharaoh. He was a disbeliever; she was a\nbeliever. He was cruel; she was merciful. He was a tyrant; she was\ndelicate and goodhearted. She was sad because she was infertile and\nhad hoped to have a son. Hardly had she held the baby than she kissed\nhim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nwas much amazed when he saw his wife hugging this baby to her breast.\nHe was much astonished because his wife was weeping with joy,\nsomething he had never seen her do before. She requested her husband:\n“Let me keep the baby and let him be a son to us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah said; Then\nthe household of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them\nan enemy and a cause of grief. Verily! Pharaoh, Haman, and their\nhosts were sinners. And the wife of Pharaoh said; “A comfort of\nthe eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he maybe of a\nbenefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceived\nnot (the result of that). (Ch 28:9 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nqueen summoned a few wet nurses to suckle the baby Moses, but he\nwould not take any of their breasts. The queen was distressed and\nsent for more wet nurses. Moses’s sister was also worried, as her\nbaby brother was without milk for a long time. Seeing the queen’s\nanxiety, she blurted that she knew jut the mother who would suckle\nthe child affectionately. They asked her why she was following the\nfloating basket. She said she did so out of curiosity. Her excuse\nsounded reasonable, so they believed her. They ordered her to rush\nand fetch the woman she was talking about. Her mother also was\nwaiting with a heavy heart, worried about the fate of her baby. Just\nthen her daughter rushed in with the good news. Her heart lifted and\nshe lost no time in reaching the palace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nthe Almighty narrated: And\nthe heart of the mother of Moses became empty (from every thought,\nexcept the thought of Moses). She was very near to disclose his\n(case, the child is her son), had We not strengthened her heart (with\nFaith), so that she might remain as one of the believers. And she\nsaid to his (Moses’s) sister: “Follow him.” So she (his\nsister) watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived\nnot.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnd\nWe had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him,\nuntil she (his sister came up and ) said: “Shall I direct you to\na household who will rear him for you, and sincerely they will look\nafter him in a good manner?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\ndid We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and\nthat she might not grieve, nor that she might know that the promise\nof Allah is true. But most of them know not. (Ch 28:10-13 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAs\nthe child was put to her breast, he immediately started suckling.\nPharaoh was astonished and asked; “Who are you? This child has\nrefused to take any other breast but yours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHad\nshe told the truth, Pharaoh would have known that the child was an\nIsraelite and would have killed Moses instantly. However, Allah gave\nher inner strength and she replied: “I am a woman of sweet milk\nand sweet smell,and no child refuses me.” This answer satisfied\nPharaoh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nFronward,\nshe was appointed as Moses’s wet nurse. She continued to breast-feed\nhim for a long time. When he was bigger and was weaned, she was\nallowed the privilege of visiting him. Moses was raised in the palace\nas a prince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnd\nwhen he attained his full strength, and was perfect (in manhood), We\nbestowed on him Hukman (Prophethood, right judgment of the affairs)\nand religious knowledge (of the religion of his forefathers, Islamic\nMonotheism). And thus do We reward the Muhsineen (good-doers).”\n(Ch 28:14 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nhad granted Moses (pbuh) good health, strength, knowledge, and\nwisdom. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and\njustice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOne\nday in the main city, he saw two men fighting. One was an Israelite,\nwho was being beaten by the other, an Egyptian. On seeing Moses, the\nIsraelite begged him for help. Moses became involved in the dispute\nand, in a state of anger, struck a heavy blow on the Egyptian, who\ndied on the spot. Upon realizing that he had killed a human being,\nMoses’s heart was filled with deep sorrow, and immediately he begged\nAllah for forgiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nhad not intended to kill the man. He pleaded with Almighty Allah to\nforgive him, and he felt a sense of peace filling his whole being.\nThereafter Moses began to show more patience and sympathy towards\npeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nnext day he saw the same Israelite involved in another fight. Moses\nwent to him and said: “You seem to be a quarrelsome fellow. You\nhave a new quarrel with one person or another each day.” Fearing\nthat Moses might strike him, the Israelite warned Moses: “Would\nyou kill me as you killed the wretch yesterday?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nEgyptian with whom the Israelite was fighting overheard this remark\nand reported Moses to the authorities. Soon thereafter, as Moses was\npassing through the city, a man approached and alerted him: “O\nMoses, the chiefs have taken counsel against you. You are to be tried\nand killed. I would advise you to escape.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nknew that the penalty for killing an Egyptian was death. Allah the\nExalted recounted: And\nhe entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he\nfound there two men fighting, one of his party (his religion, from\nthe children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his\nown party asked him for help against his foe, so Moses struck him\nwith his fist and killed him. He said, “This is of Satan’s\ndoing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nsaid: “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.”\nThen He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most\nMerciful.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nsaid: “My Lord! For that with which You have favored me, I will\nnever more be a helper for the Mujrimeen (criminals, disobedient to\nAllah, polytheists, sinners, etc.)!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\nhe became afraid, looking about in the city (waiting as to what will\nbe the result of his crime of killing), when behold, the man who had\nsought his help the day before, called for his help again. Moses said\nto him: “Verily, you are a plain misleader!” Then when he\ndecided to seize the man who was an enemy to both of them, the man\nsaid: “O Moses! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a\nman yesterday? Your aim is nothing but to become a tyrant in the\nland, and not to be one of those who do right.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnd\nthere came a man running, from the farthest end of the city. He said:\n“O Moses! Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about\nyou, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am to you of those who give\nsincere advice.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\nhe escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: “My\nLord! Save me from the people who are Zalimeen (polytheists, and\nwrong-doers)!” (Ch 28:15-21 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nleft Egypt in a hurry without going to Pharaoh’s palace or changing\nhis clothes. Nor was he prepared for traveling. He did not have a\nbeast of burden upon which to ride, and he was not in a caravan.\nInstead, he left as soon as the believer came and warned him of\nPharaoh’s plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\ntraveled in the direction of the country of Midian, which was the\nnearest inhabited land between Syria and Egypt. His only companion in\nthis hot desert was Allah, and his only provision was piety. There\nwas not a single root to pick to lessen his hunger. The hot sand\nburned the soles of his feet. However, fearing pursuit by Pharaoh’s\nmen, he forced himself to continue on. He traveled for eight nights,\nhiding during the day. After crossing the main desert, he reached a\nwatering hole outside Midian where shepherds were watering their\nflocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nNo\nsooner had Moses reached the Midian than he threw himself under a\ntree to rest. He suffered from hunger and fatigue. The soles of his\nfeet felt as if they were worn out from hard walking on sand and\nrocks and from the dust. He did not have any money to buy a new pair\nof sandals, nor to buy food or drink. Moses noticed a band of\nshepherds watering their sheep. He went to the spring, where he saw\ntwo young women preventing their sheep from mixing with the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsensed that the women were in need of help. Forgetting his thirst, he\ndrew nearer to them and asked if he could help them in any way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nolder sister said: “We are waiting until the shepherds finish\nwatering their sheep, then we will water ours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nasked again: “Why are you waiting?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nyounger one: “We cannot push men.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nwas surprised that women were shepherding, as only men were supposed\nto do it. It is hard and tiresome work, and one needs to be on the\nalert. Moses asked: “Why are you shepherding?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nyounger sister said: “Our father is an old man; his health is\ntoo poor for him to go outdoors for pasturing sheep.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\n(pbuh) said: “I will water the sheep for you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nWhen\nMoses approached the water, he saw that the shepherds had put over\nthe mouth of the spring an immense rock that could only be moved by\nten men. Moses embraced the rock and lifted it out of the spring’s\nmouth, the veins of his neck and hands standing out as he did so.\nMoses was certainly strong. He watered their sheep and put the rock\nback in its place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nreturned to sit in the shade of the tree. At this moment he realized\nthat he had forgotten to drink. His stomach was sunken because of\nhunger. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah described this event: And\nwhen he arrived at the water of Midian (Midyan) he found there a\ngroup of men watering their flocks, and besides them he found two\nwomen who were keeping back their flocks. He said: “What is the\nmatter with you?” They said: “We cannot water (our flocks)\nuntil the shepherds take their flocks. And our father is a very old\nman.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSo\nhe watered their flocks for them, then he turned back to shade, and\nsaid: “My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You\nbestow on me!” (Ch 28:22-24 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nyoung ladies returned home earlier than usual, which surprised their\nfather. They related the incident at the spring which was the reason\nthat they were back early. Their father sent one of his daughters to\ninvite the stranger to his home. Bashfully, the woman approached\nMoses and delivered the message. “My father is grateful for what\nyou have done for us. He invites you to our home so that he may thank\nyou personally.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nwelcomed this invitation and accompanied the maiden to her father.\nMoses could see that they lived comfortably as a happy and peaceful\nhousehold. He introduced himself and told the old man about the\nmisfortune that he had befallen him and had compelled him to flee\nfrom Egypt. The old man comforted him: “Fear not, you have\nescaped from the wrong-doers.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses’s\ngentle behavior was noticed by the father and his daughters. The king\nman invited him to stay with them. Moses felt at home with this happy\nhousehold, for they were friendly and feared Allah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOne\nof the daughters suggested to her father that he employ Moses, as he\nwas strong and trustworthy. They needed someone like him, especially\nat the water hole, which was visited by ruffians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nfather asked her how she could be sure of his trustworthiness in such\na short time. She replied: “When I bade him to follow me to our\nhome, he insisted that I walk behind him so he would not observe my\nform (to avoid sexual attraction).”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nold man was pleased to hear this. He approached Moses and said: “I\nwish to marry you toone omy daughters on condition that you agree to\nwork for me for a period of eight years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThis\noffer suited Moses well, for being a stranger in this country, he\nwould soon have to search for shelter, and work. Moses married the\nMidianite’s daughter and looked after the old man’s animals for ten\nlong years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah recounted: Then\nthere came to him one of the two women, walking shyly. She said:\n“Verily, my father calls you that he may reward you for having\nwatered our flocks for us.” So when he came to him and narrated\nthe story, he said; “Fear you not. You have escaped from the\npeople who are Zalimeen (polytheists, disbeliveers, and\nwrong-doers).” And said one of them (the two women): “O my\nfather! Hire him! Verily, the best of men for you to hire is the\nstrong, the trustworthy.” He said: “I intend to wed one of\nthese two daughters of mine to you, on condition that you serve me\nfor eight years, but if you complete ten years, it will be a favor\nfrom you. But I intend not to place you under a difficulty. If Allah\nwills, you will find me one of the righteous.” He (Moses) said:\n“That is settled between me and you whichever of the two terms I\nfulfill, there will be no injustice to me, and Allah is Surety over\nwhat we say.” ( Ch 28:25-28 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nTime\npassed, and he lived in seclusion far from his family and his people.\nThis period of ten years was of importance in his life. It was a\nperiod of major preparation. Certainly Moses’s mind was absorbed in\nthe stars every night. He followed the sunrise and the sunset every\nday. He pondered on the plant and how it splits and soil and appears\nthereafter. He contemplated water and how the earth is revived by it\nand flourishes after its death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOf\ncourse, he was immersed in the Glorious Book of Allah, open to the\ninsight and heart. He was immersed in the existence of Allah. All\nthese became latent within him. The religion of Moses (pbuh) was the\nsame as that of Jacob (pbuh), which was Islamic monotheism. His\nforefather was Jacob (pbuh) the grandson of Abraham (pbuh). Moses\n(pbuh), therefore, was one of the descendants of Abraham (pbuh) and\nevery prophet who came after Abraham was one of Abraham’s successors.\nIn addition to physical preparation, there was a similar spiritual\npreparation. It was made in complete seclusion, in the middle of the\ndesert, and in the places of pasture. Silence was his way of life,\nand seclusion was his vehicle. Allah the Almighty prepared for His\nprophet the tools he would need later on to righteously bear the\ncommands of Allah the Exalted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nOne\nday after the end of this period, a vague homesickness arose in\nMoses’s heart. He wanted to return to Egypt. He was fast and firm in\nmaking his decision, telling his wife: “Tomorrow we shall leave\nfor Egypt.” His wife said to herself. “There are a thousand\ndangers in departing that have not yet been revealed.” However,\nshe obeyed her husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nhimself did not know the secret of the quick and sudden decision to\nreturn to Egypt. After all, he had fled from their ten years ago with\na price on his head. Why should he go back now? Did he look forward\nto seeing his mother and brother? Did he think of visiting Pharaoh’s\nwife who had raised him and who loved him as if she were his mother?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nNo\none knows what went through Moses’s mind when he returned to Egypt.\nAll we know is that a mute obedience to Allah’s destinies impelled\nhim to make a decision and he did. These supreme destinies steered\nhis steps towards a matter of great importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nleft Midian with his family and traveled through the desert until he\nreached Mount Sinai. There Moses discovered that he had lost his way.\nHe sought Allah’s direction and was shown the right course. At\nnightfall they reached Mount Tur. Moses noticed a fire in the\ndistance. “I shall fetch a firebrand to warm us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAs\nhe neared the fire, he heard a sonorous voice calling him: “O\nMoses, I am Allah, the Lord of the Universe.” Moses was\nbewildered and looked around. He again heard the strange voice. “And\nwhat is in you right hand, O Moses?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nShivering,\nMoses answered: “This is my staff on which I lean, and with\nwhich I beat down branches for my sheep, and for which I find other\nuses.” (This question was asked so that Moses’ attention would\nfocus on the staff and to prepare him for the miracle which was to\nhappen. This was the beginning of Moses’s mission as a prophet\n-pbuh).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\nsame voice commanded him: “Throw down your staff!” He did\nso, and at once the staff became a wriggling snake. Moses turned to\nrun, but the voice again addressed him: “Fear not and grasp it;\nWe shall return it to its former state.” The snake changed back\ninto his staff. Moses’s fear subsided and was replaced by peace, for\nhe realized that he was witnessing the Truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nNext,\nAllah commanded him to thrust his hand into his robe at the armpit.\nWhen he pulled it out, the hand had a brilliant shine. Allah then\ncommanded Moses; “You have two signs from Your Lord; go to\nPharaoh and his chiefs, for they are an evil gang and have\ntransgressed all bounds.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHowever,\nMoses feared that he would be arrested by Pharaoh, so he turned to\nAllah saying: “My Lord! I have killed a man among them and I\nfear that they will kill me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nassured him of his safety and set his heart at rest. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAlmighty\nAllah narrated this event: And\nhas there come to you the story of Moses? When he saw a fire, he said\nto his family: “Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire, perhaps I can\nbring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the\nfire.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAnd\nwhen he came to it the fire, he was called by name: “O Moses!\nVerily! I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred\nvalley, Tuwa. And I have chosen you. So listen to that which is\ninspired to you. Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the\nright to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and offer prayers\nperfectly, for My Remembrance. Verily, the Hour is coming – and My\nWill is to keep it hidden – that every person may be rewarded for\nthat which he strives. Therefore, let the one who believes not\ntherein (in the Day of Resurrection, Reckoning, Paradise and Hell\netc) but follows his own lusts, divert your therefrom lest you\nperish. And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\nsaid: “This is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat\ndown branches for my sheep and wherein I find other uses.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nsaid: “Cast it down, O Moses!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\ncast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nsaid: “Grasp it, and fear not, We shall return it to its former\nstate, and press your right hand to your left side, it will come\nforth white and shining, and without any disease as another sign,\nthat We may show you some of Our Greater Signs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“Go\nTo Pharaoh! Verily! He has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and\ndisobedience, and has behaved as an arrogant, and as a tyrant).”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me\nself-confidence, contentment, and boldness). And ease my task for me;\nand make loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (remove the\nincorrectness of my speech) that they understand my speech, and\nappoint for me a helper from my family, Aaron, my brother; increase\nmy strength with him, and let him share my task (of conveying Allah’s\nMessage and Prophethood), and we may glorify You much, and remember\nYou much, Verily! You are of us Ever a Well-Seer.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nsaid: “You are granted your request, O Moses! And indeed We\nconferred a favor on you another time before. When We inspired your\nmother with that which We inspired, saying: “Put him (the child)\ninto the Tabut (a box or a case or a chest) and put him into the\nriver (Nile), and then the river shall cast it up on the bank, and\nthere, an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his shall take him.’ And I\nendured you with love from Me, in order that you maybe brought up\nunder My Eye, when your sister went and said; “Shall I show you\none who will nurse him?’ So We restored you to your mother, that she\nmight cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a\nman, but We saved you from a great distress and tried you with a\nheavy trial. Then you stayed a number of years witthe people of\nMidian. Then you came here according to the term which I ordained\n(for you), O Moses!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“And\nI have Istana’tuka (chosen you for My Inspiration and My Message) for\nMyself. Go you and your brother with My Ayat (proofs, lessons,\nverses, evidences, signs, revelations, etc), and do not, you both,\nslacken and become weak in My Remembrance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“Go,\nboth of you, to Pharaoh, verily, he has transgressed all bounds in\ndisbelief and disobedience and behaved as an arrogant and as a\ntyrant. And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or\nfear Allah.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThey\nsaid: “Our Lord! Verily! We fear lest he should hasten to punish\nus or lest he should transgress all bounds against us.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nHe\n(Allah) said: “Fear not, Verily! I am with you both, Hearing and\nSeeing. So go you both to him, and say: “Verily, we are\nMessengers of your Lord, so let the children of Israel go with us,\nand torment them not; indeed, we have come with a sign from your\nLord! And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! Truly, it\nhas been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies\n(believes not in the Oneness of Allah, and in His Messengers, etc),\nand turns away’ (from the truth, and obedience of Allah).” (Ch\n20:9-48 Quran).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\n(pbuh) and Aaron (pbuh) went together to Pharaoh and delivered their\nmessage. Moses spoke to him about Allah, His mercy and His Paradise\nand about the obligations of monotheism and His worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nlistened to Moses’ speech with disdain. He thought that Moses was\ncrazy because he dared to question his supreme position. Then he\nraised his hand and asked: “What do you want?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nanswered: “I want you to send the children of Israel with us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nasked: “Why should I send them, as they are my slaves?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nreplied: “They are the slaves of Allah, Lord of the Worlds.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nthen inquired sarcastically if his name was Moses. Moses said “Yes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n“Are\nyou not the Moses whom we picked up from the Nile as a helpless baby?\nAre you not the Moses whom we reared in this palace, who ate and\ndrank from our provisions and whom our wealth showered with charity?\nAre you not the Moses who is a fugitive, the killer of an Egyptian\nman, if my memory does not betray me? It is said that killing is an\nact of disbelief. Therefore, you were a disbeliever when you killed.\nYou are a fugitive from justice and you come to speak to me! What\nwere you talking about Moses, I forgot?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nknew that Pharaoh’s mentioning his past, his upbringing, and his\nreceiving Pharaoh’s charity was Pharaoh’s way of threatening him.\nMoses ignored his sarcasm and explained that he was not a disbeliever\nwhen he killed the Egyptian, he only went astray and Allah the\nAlmighty had not yet given him the revelation at that time. He made\nPharaoh understand that he fled from Egypt because he was afraid of\ntheir revenge upon him, even though the killing was an accident. He\ninformed him that Allah had granted him forgiveness and made him one\nof the messengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAllah\nthe Almighty revealed to us part of the dialogue between Moses (pbuh)\nand Pharaoh: Allah\nsaid: “Nay! Go you both with Our Signs, Verily! We shall be with\nyou, listening. And when you both come to Pharaoh, say: “We are\nthe Messengers of the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that\nexists), and So allow the children of Israel to go with us.””<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid to Moses: “Did we not bring you up among us as a child ?\nAnd you did dwell many years of your life with us. And you did your\ndeed which you did (the crime of killing a man) and you are one of\nthe ingrates.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “I did it then, when I was an ignorant (as regards my Lord\nand His Message). So I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord\nhas granted me Hukman (religious knowledge, right judgments of the\naffairs and Prophethood), and appointed me as one of the Messengers.\nAnd this is the past favor with which you reproach me, and that you\nhave enslaved the children of Israel.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid: “And what is the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all\nthat exists)?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nreplied: “Lord of the heavens, and the earth, and all that is\nbetween them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid to those around: “Do you not hear what he says?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid: “Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a\nmadman!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “Lord of the east, and the west, and all that is between\nthem, if you did but understand!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid: “If you choose an ilah (a god) other than me, I will\ncertainly put you among the prisoners.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “Even if I bring you something manifest (and convincing).”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPharaoh\nsaid: “Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!”\n(Ch 26:16-31 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nThe\ndegree of the conflict expressed in this dialogue reached its apex;\nthus, the tone of dialogue changed. Moses used a convincing\nintellectual argument against Pharaoh. However, Pharaoh escaped from\nthe circle of dialogue based on the logic and began a dialogue of\nanother type, a type which Moses could not bear to follow; a dialogue\nof menacing and threatening. Pharaoh deliberately adopted the style\nof the absolute ruler. He asked Moses how he dared to worship Allah!\nDid he not know that Pharaoh was a god?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nAfter\ndeclaring his divinity, Pharaoh asked Moses how he dared to worship\nanother god. The punishment for this crime was imprisonment. It was\nnot permitted for anyone to worship anyone other than the Pharaoh.\nMoses understood that the intellectual arguments did not succeed. The\ncalm dialogue was converted from sarcasm to mentioning charity, then\nto scorn, then to the threat of imprisonment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nMoses\nsaid: “Even if I bring you something manifest and convincing.”\nPharaoh said; “Bring it forth, then, if you are of the\ntruthful!” So Moses threw his stick, and behold, it was a\nserpent, manifest. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white\nto all beholders! (Ch 26:30-33 Quran)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The pharaoh who ruled Egypt was a tyrant who oppressed the descendants of Jacob (pbuh), known as the children of Israel (Bani Israel). He used every means to demean and disgrace them. They were kept in bondage and forced to work for him for small wages or nothing. Under this system the people obeyed and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,86],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prophets","category-ulul_azmi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1881"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1882,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881\/revisions\/1882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syahadah.laailahaillallah.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}