The Story of Pharaoh and Prophet Musa (Moses) عليه السلام

In ancient times, in the land of Egypt, there lived a powerful ruler known as Pharaoh. He was the king of Egypt, and his kingdom was strong, wealthy, and full of grand buildings, monuments, and temples. The Nile River flowed through the land and brought life to the soil, allowing the people to grow crops and live in great comfort. But Pharaoh was not just a ruler; he was a very proud and arrogant man. He believed that no one was greater than him, and he demanded that people treat him as a god. He would say to the people, “I am your lord. I am the one who controls your life.” The people feared him greatly and obeyed him because they did not want to face his punishment.

In Egypt, there also lived a group of people called the Children of Israel. They were descendants of the Prophet Jacob (Ya’qub) and believed in one God. However, Pharaoh did not allow them to live freely. He turned them into slaves. They worked day and night making bricks, building large structures, carrying heavy stones, and doing difficult tasks without rest. Their lives were full of suffering, but they continued to pray to Allah, asking Him to send someone to rescue them.

One night, Pharaoh saw a frightening dream. In the dream, he saw that a fire came from the houses of the Children of Israel and spread across Egypt, destroying everything except their homes. He woke up scared. He called his advisers and asked them about the meaning of the dream. They told him that a boy would soon be born among the Children of Israel, and this boy would grow up to challenge him and destroy his kingdom. Pharaoh became terrified and angry. So he ordered that every baby boy born to the Children of Israel must be killed. This cruel order brought sadness and fear among the people. Mothers cried, fathers felt helpless, and families prayed for protection.

During this difficult time, a baby boy was born in one of the families of the Children of Israel. This baby was Prophet Musa (Moses). His mother feared for his life, but Allah placed peace and guidance in her heart. She was inspired by Allah to put the baby in a small basket and place the basket on the waters of the Nile River. Although her heart was full of pain, she trusted Allah and did exactly as she was guided. The basket floated gently on the river. It did not sink or get lost, because Allah was protecting it.

The basket floated all the way to the palace of Pharaoh. Some of the royal servants saw the basket and brought it inside. When Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah, saw the baby, her heart filled with love and compassion. She said to Pharaoh, “Do not kill this child. Let him live. He may bring us happiness.” Pharaoh allowed it, and the baby was raised in the royal palace like a prince. No one knew that this baby was the same child that Pharaoh feared.

As the baby grew, he needed to be fed. But he refused to drink milk from any of the nurses in the palace. Allah made it so that only his real mother’s milk would satisfy him. So they brought Musa’s mother to the palace to nurse him. In this way, Allah reunited mother and child and protected Musa right in the home of the very man who wanted him dead.

Musa grew up strong, wise, and kind. He lived in the palace, but he never forgot his people, the Children of Israel. One day, when he was a young man, he saw an Egyptian guard beating a man from the Children of Israel. Musa wanted to defend the weak man, so he pushed the guard to stop him. But the guard fell to the ground and died. Musa had not intended to kill him, but people began to talk about the incident. Fearing punishment, Musa left Egypt and traveled far away into the desert.

After many days of travel, Musa reached a place called Madyan. There he saw some women struggling to draw water from a well. He helped them. Their father was a kind old man. He welcomed Musa into his home, and later, Musa married one of his daughters and worked there as a shepherd. He lived peacefully in Madyan for years.

Then one night, while Musa was traveling with his family, he saw a bright light on a mountain. He went toward the light and there he heard the voice of Allah speaking to him. Allah told him that He had chosen him as a messenger. Allah commanded Musa to return to Egypt and call Pharaoh to the truth and to free the Children of Israel from slavery. Musa felt afraid, and he said he was not a strong speaker. Allah told him that his brother Haroon (Aaron) would help him.

So Musa and Haroon returned to Egypt. They went to Pharaoh and told him that they were messengers from the Lord of all creation. They asked Pharaoh to believe in Allah and to stop oppressing the Children of Israel. But Pharaoh refused. He laughed, mocked Musa, and said, “I am the only god here.” Musa showed miracles from Allah: his staff turned into a living snake, and his hand shone with light. But Pharaoh claimed that Musa was using magic. He called the best magicians to challenge Musa. The magicians threw ropes that looked like snakes through tricks, but when Musa threw his staff, it became a real snake and swallowed their illusions. The magicians realized that this was not magic but a true miracle. They fell to the ground and said, “We believe in the Lord of Musa and Haroon.” Pharaoh became angry and punished them, but their faith remained strong.

Pharaoh still refused to believe, so Allah sent punishment upon Egypt. The river turned into blood. Frogs covered the land. Lice caused sickness and discomfort. Locusts ate the crops. Darkness spread across the region. Each time, Pharaoh promised to change, but when the punishment was lifted, he returned to his pride.

Finally, Musa was ordered by Allah to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. They left at night. When Pharaoh learned of their escape, he gathered his army and chased them. Musa and his people reached the Red Sea. They were trapped. The sea was in front of them and Pharaoh’s army behind them. The people were frightened, but Musa said, “My Lord is with us.” Allah commanded Musa to strike the sea with his staff. The sea split into two walls of water, and a dry path appeared. The people crossed safely. Pharaoh and his army followed, but when they were in the middle, the sea closed and they drowned.

As Pharaoh was dying, he said, “I believe in the Lord of Musa,” but it was too late. Allah preserved his body as a sign for future generations, a reminder that arrogance leads to destruction and that Allah’s power is greater than any king.

Thus, the story of Musa teaches us that truth will always defeat falsehood, that faith can overcome fear, and that Allah protects those who trust in Him.

Questions from this:

1. When Pharaoh ordered the killing of all baby boys, how do you think the parents of the Children of Israel felt? If you were in their situation, what would you do?

2. How did the mother of Prophet Musa (Moses) find peace and faith in her heart, even while placing her baby in the river? What lesson about trust and belief does this teach us?

3. If you were in the place of Prophet Musa, when you went to Pharaoh’s palace and he rejected your message, how would you find courage and patience?

4. During the moment at the middle of the sea, when huge walls of water were on both sides and people were crying out in fear of the army, what would you think? Why is faith important in such moments?

5. Pharaoh believed in the end, but it was too late. What lesson does this teach us about arrogance and the importance of time?