Who Was Prophet Musa (AS) in Islam
The Journey Across the Sea
I have often that carries a true light to worship Allah Almighty. With the Torah, a sacred scripture revealed in Egypt, Mosesborn in a year when Firaun ordered the killing of every male child to protect his throne—was hidden by his mother, who cradled Prophet Musa (AS) in her arms and placed him in a basket on the divine currents of the Nile toward the shore where Firaun’s wife, Asiya bint Muzahim, awaited.reflected on how Allah SWT sent His messengers with a message for all people of the world.
The story of PropHearing this story from elders, I imagined Asiya, desperate for a baby boy, going to her husband to convince him to keep the child under the protection of the Queen in the castle of the Pharaoh.
Later, the household of Pharaoh picked him up, not knowing he would be an enemy bringing grief to Pharaoh, Haman, and hosts, the sinners. His wife even called him a comfort to the eye, hoping for benefit, to adopt him as a son, but could perceive not the result. The Holy Quran, affirms the truth of Prophet Musa (AS) mission and heritage a Messenger, Prophet, chosen to lead on the path of the Almighty.het Musa (AS) guiding Bani Israel is one
Childhood of Prophet Musa (AS)
I often imagine how it must have felt to be born in such a setting, where stories from literature come alive, and every birth carried both hope and danger.Prophet Musa (AS) Pharaoh once had a dream of fire from Jerusalem that burned his kingdom, sparing only the Israelites. Another tale speaks of a little boy who grabbed his crown and destroyed it. When he was informed that a male among the children could overthrow him, he gave orders for the killing of every newborn.
This prediction, as experts in economics within Prophet Musa (AS) court would advise, risked the manpower needed for his reign. They would suggest a cruel cycle—infants killed one year, spared the next. Aaron was born in the spared year, while Musa came in the year of death, a fact that shaped the fate of nations.
Incident of the Nile
In Islamic tradition, the early life of Moses begins with the courage of his mother, Jochebed, who suckled him secretly during a dangerous period when lives were at risk. Fearing he might be caught, she trusted God, who instructed her to place the baby in a wicker basket and set it adrift on the Nile. That moment speaks deeply to me—it was a surrender shaped by faith, not despair.
The River Story
Her daughter was told to follow the course of the ark and report back as it floated along the riverbank, until it was discovered by the Pharaoh’s wife, Asiya. She convinces the Pharaoh to adopt the child and soon ordered wet nurses to care for him. Yet the baby refuses to be breastfed, for God forbids it—setting the stage to reunite him with his true mother.
His sister worries but appears before the Pharaoh, informs him she knows a solution, and offers to help.After being questioned, she promises to bring the woman being discussed—their own mother. She feeds him with relief, and thereafter is appointed as Prophet Musa (AS) nurse. I imagine that moment a quiet victory, love restored, and the child who would one day face the Red Sea safely back in her arms.
The Firawn’s Vision
Over the years, stories of Firaun’s cruelty have been told, but I was struck when I heard about a dream that changed history. It spoke of the children of Israel and how one would dethrone him. This vision, whether a daydream in the hearts of the oppressed or a prophetic glimpse foretold in sacred books, shaped the destiny of nations.
The Fear that Shaped a Tyrant
As Ibn Abbas (AS) narrates in tradition, the Pharaoh saw a fire from Jerusalem that burned the houses of the Egyptians and the Copts, yet caused no harm to the Israelites. When he woke, horrified, Prophet Musa (AS) gathered priests and magicians and asked for meaning. They told him a boy would be born who would cause them to perish at his hands.
Murdering the Children of Israel
From the very start, the Holy Quran mentioned the cruelty of Firaun, who summoned his army to slaughter every male newborn among the children of Israel.
The Ruthless Policy
After hearing this command, economic advisors of the state warned that if the aged would die and the young were slain, it would cause annihilation of manpower—those who work, those Prophet Musa (AS) enslaves, and the women he exploits. They suggested a way to regulate this procedure with a policy—males to be killed one year and spared to live the next year.
The Fanatical Hunt
But Firaun grew fanatical. Prophet Musa (AS) assigned security agents and spies the duty to seek out pregnant women and kill them on the spot if they gave birth to a boy. This fear and tyranny set the stage for the miraculous escape, when the sea parted and Musa led his people to freedom.
When Prophet Musa (AS) and Aaron stood in the court of the mighty Pharaoh, they began to proclaim their prophethood and call him to the God the Quran narrates about the One who gives every form and guides all creation. I can almost picture the moment the Pharaoh inquires about past generations, and Prophet Musa (AS) calmly shares the knowledge that only the Lord of the worlds holds.
Prophet Musa (AS) replies spoke of the heavens, the earth, and everything between. But the Pharaoh reminds him of his childhood, the killing of a man he once committed in ignorance. Now forgiven and guided, he faced false accuses of being mad, along with threatens to imprison him if he continues to deny the true god of Egypt.
With unwavering resolve, Moses informs the Pharaoh of the manifest signs he has been given. When demands to see them, he throws his staff to the floor, and it becomes a serpent. Then he draws out his hand, which shines a bright, white light.
The counselors quickly advises that it’s sorcery, giving advice to summons the best sorcerers in the kingdom. The Pharaoh challenges him to a battle with his magicians, asking him to choose a day. Moses wisely chose a public festival, setting the stage for a test that would change.
Journey Before the Sea
In Prophet Musa (AS) adulthood, the Quran tells how Moses once lived in a city where an Egyptian was hurting an Israelite. From my readings of the Bible and Islamic accounts, and even a mention of Sam’ana in some narrations, I learned how he intervenes to give assistance, but the dispute leads to anger and the man’s death.
Prophet Musa (AS) repents to God that day, yet the event reminds him of the weight of manslaughter, even if it was not intended. When it was reported to the Pharaoh, he gave orders to have Moses killed, so he flees into the desert, alerted of the coming punishment.hisame man would lead his people as they crossed the Red Sea, proving that even painful beginnings can prepare someone for a destiny written long before.
Prophethood of Prophet Musa (AS)
Call to prophethood
The Call and Mission Musa (AS)
Prophet Musa (AS) is informed of his selection as a prophet with the obligation of prayer and remembering the Day of Judgment. Ordered to throw his rod, it became a snake, then instructed to hold it. He was told to insert his hand into his clothes, which when revealed shines a bright light signs for the Pharaoh. He must invite him to worship one God. Moses expresses fear and requests to heal his speech impediment and grant Aaron as a helper.
Miracles Prophet Musa (AS)
Miracle 1: Turning the Stick into a Snake
Standing in the castle of the Pharaoh, Prophet Musa (AS) came to invite him to Islam and stop the enslavement of the people of Bani Israel, yet his call was rejected. The Messenger of Allah SWT humbly showed miracles that were beyond magic, but the Firaun summoned the greatest magicians in the land to compete.
On the stage they set in the courtyard, I can almost picture how they stood side by side, their ropes and sticks thrown to the ground, where they murmured a spell and made them move like snakes. Then Musa’s staff magically turned into something huge, crawled forward, and ate their tricks, a sight so extraordinary it transcended the realm of human skill — a divine miracle and a declaration of faith in the Almighty, which some wholeheartedly embraced as the religion revealed in the Holy Quran
Miracle 2: Mann O Salwa
One of the most amazing blessings given by Allah SWT to the righteous people of Bani Israel was Mann O Salwa. According to narrations, the Bani Israelites asked the Prophet to pray for a special meal to satisfy their hunger. From Jannah, Mann came as a dew drop-shaped, sweet food, whiter than snow and tasting like honey, while Salwa, a Quail bird, was roasted and eaten.
These foods were a great blessing and a treat for the believers, as the children of Israel were delivered from their enemy, summoned to the right side of Mount Sinai, and sent down this miraculous sustenance. The Holy Quran mentions this in 20:80, reminding us how Moses and his people were cared for even in difficult times.
When the people recalled their past and asked for other food, the Lord reminded them that the earth produces what they need, like herbs, cucumbers, corn, lentils, garlic, and onions. Yet, Moses warned them not to trade the better blessings for a meaner thing, teaching us gratitude for what we receive
The Path to Freedom
Life in Egypt was hard for the Israelites. When God decrees punishments, they come with great force — floods that demolish dwellings, swarms of locust that destroy crops, pestilence of lice that make life miserable, and toads that croak and spring everywhere. Even drinking water turned into blood, yet the humiliation only fueled Pharaoh’s defiance. I often think about how such signs, if seen today, would shake anyone’s heart.
Dividing the sea
The Israelites had escaped Egypt but were soon pursued by the Egyptians until they stopped at the seafront. I can imagine the fear when they would exclaim to Moses that they might be overtaken by the Pharaoh and his army. In that moment, God commands him to strike the Red Sea with his staff, instructing the people not to fear being inundated or drowning in the sea water.
The Sea Opens
Upon striking the sea, it split, forming a path for them to pass through. The Pharaoh witnesses the sea dividing, but it soon closes in. As he is about to die, he tries to proclaim belief, yet it is rejected by God. In an authentic hadith, Angel Gabriel shoved sand into his mouth to prevent words that could forgive his insincerity. The Quran says his body became a sign and warning for all generations.
Their journey to the Promised Land continued, but they saw people worshipping idols and made a request for their own idol to worship. Moses refuses, warning that polytheists would be destroyed by God. They were given manna and quail as sustenance, yet they pray for the earth to grow lentils, onions, herbs, and cucumbers. During travel, they suffered a lack of water until God commanded him to strike a stone; upon impact, twelve springs flowed, one for each tribe.
In Islamic tradition, they are assured that God is observing, and must inform Pharaoh to free the enslaved. Sent to preach and confront the ancient ruler, they are validated as chosen messenger and Prophet. At Mount Ṭûr, God drew him near, speaking directly. Appointed with his brother, as mentioned in Surah Maryam, he is spoken to by Allah without Angel Gabriel, earning the title Kaleem Allah, the Speaker of God.When I reflect on the story of Prophet Musa (AS) leading the Bani Israelites out of Egypt, I see a powerful lesson
The Death of Firawn
As the journey progressed, something felt wrong. Firaun gathered his army and marched to stop the enslaved people from fleeing. Soon, the children of Israel saw the vicious army moving forward, and with the Red Sea in front and the avenging army behind, there was no way out. I imagine the fear and stress that Prophet Musa (AS) and his companions must have felt.
Then, by the command of Allah SWT, Prophet Musa (AS) struck the sea with his staff. A fierce wind blew, dividing the sea into two dry paths—a miraculous pathway for the Children of Israel to walk across safely.