Moses
موسى
The prophet named most often in the Quran. Saved from the water as a child, he received Allah's speech by the fire, confronted Pharaoh, parted the sea, and received the Torah. His account with al-Khidr teaches the limits of human knowledge.
Each step links to the passage of the Quran that recalls it.
To save him from Pharaoh, who has the Israelites' boys killed, his mother entrusts him to the river, inspired by Allah: “We will return him to you.”
وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحْزَنِىٓ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ …Taken in by Pharaoh's household, he is saved by Pharaoh's wife: “A joy for me and for you; do not kill him.” Then he is returned to his mother to be nursed.
وَقَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّى وَلَكَ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ …As a man he strikes an Egyptian who was fighting an Israelite, and the man dies. Threatened, he leaves Egypt in fear: “My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people.”
فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٢١He waters the flock of two young women, then withdraws to the shade to pray. He marries one of them and stays for years with their father.
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ ٢٤On the way back he sees a fire near the mount. As he approaches, he is called: “I am your Lord. Remove your sandals.”
فَلَمَّآ أَتَىٰهَا نُودِىَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ ١١ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكَ فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ١٢He is given two signs: his staff becomes a serpent, his hand comes out white and shining. He asks for his brother Aaron as support.
فَأَلْقَىٰهَا فَإِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَىٰ ٢٠With Aaron he goes to Pharaoh, commanded to speak to him gently, and asks for the release of the Israelites.
ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ٤٣ فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ ٤٤On the festival day the sorcerers cast their ropes; Moses's staff swallows them. The sorcerers fall prostrate: “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.”
فَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَـٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ ٧٠Pursued with his people to the shore, he strikes the sea with his staff: it parts, each side like a great mountain.
فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ ۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ٦٣Pharaoh and his army follow them in, and the waters close over them. His body is preserved as a sign for those who come after.
فَٱلْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ ءَايَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا لَغَـٰفِلُونَ ٩٢On the mount, after forty nights, he receives the Tablets, bearing instruction on all things. In his absence, some of the people worship a golden calf.
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْأَلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مَّوْعِظَةً …He sets out to meet a servant of Allah who had been given knowledge, and learns from him that divine wisdom exceeds what man can see.
قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا ٦٦by Mishary Al Afasi