The prophet mentioned most in the Quran. Raised in Pharaoh's palace, he faced Pharaoh, and the sea opened.
كَلَّا ۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
His story
His mother put him in a box on the river to save him from Pharaoh, and the river carried him into Pharaoh's own house 28:7-9. He was raised there.
As a young man he struck an Egyptian in a fight to help a man of his people, and the man died. He did not mean to kill. He said immediately: "My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me", and Allah forgave him 28:15-16.
He fled to Madyan with nothing. At a well he watered the flock of two women who were waiting, then sat in the shade and said: "My Lord, I am in need of whatever good You send down to me" 28:24. Within the hour he had a home, work and a wife.
At the burning bush Allah spoke to him and sent him to Pharaoh 20:11-24. He was afraid and had trouble speaking, so he asked: "My Lord, expand my chest, ease my task, untie the knot from my tongue" 20:25-28, and asked for his brother Harun as his helper. Allah told them both to speak to Pharaoh gently 20:44.
With the sea in front of them and Pharaoh's army behind, his people said: we are caught. Musa said: "No! My Lord is with me. He will guide me" 26:61-62. The sea split 26:63.
When he came back from the mountain and found his people worshipping a calf, he was furious. He threw down the tablets and grabbed his brother by the head 7:150. When his anger calmed, he picked the tablets back up 7:154 and prayed for forgiveness for himself and his brother 7:151.
Moments
- 01
The river
Pharaoh was killing the baby boys of the Children of Israel. Allah inspired Musa's mother: nurse him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear or grieve. We will return him to you. She did. Pharaoh's own household picked him up, and he refused every nurse until his sister guided them to his mother. A mother's trust, and Allah's promise kept.
- 02
A blow in anger
As a young man, Musa saw a man from his people fighting an Egyptian, and struck the Egyptian with his fist, and the man died. Musa had not meant it. Straight away he said: "This is from the work of Shaytan," and: "My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me." And Allah forgave him.
- 03
At the well of Madyan
He fled to Madyan with nothing. At the well he saw shepherds watering their flocks and two women holding theirs back. He asked what was wrong, watered their flock for them, then sat in the shade and prayed. One of the women came back shyly with her father's invitation, and he found a home, work and a wife.
- 04
The burning bush
Travelling with his family, Musa saw a fire on the side of the mountain and went towards it hoping for warmth or guidance. A voice called him: "O Musa, I am your Lord. Remove your sandals, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa." Then: "Indeed, I am Allah. There is no god except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance."
- 05
Speak gently
Allah sent Musa and Harun to Pharaoh, a man who claimed to be a god and slaughtered children. The instruction was: "Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle words, so that perhaps he will remember or fear." Gentleness, even to him.
- 06
The sea
The Children of Israel left at night, and Pharaoh's army caught up with them at sunrise. "We are caught!" they said. Musa said: "No! My Lord is with me, He will guide me." Allah told him to strike the sea with his staff, and it split, each part like a great mountain. They walked through on dry land.
- 07
With al-Khidr
Musa, who had spoken with Allah, travelled to the meeting of the two seas to find a servant of Allah who had been given knowledge from Him. "May I follow you so that you teach me?" On the journey, three things happened that Musa could not bear in silence, until the man explained the wisdom behind each one. A great prophet, still a student.
What he did when…
Musa's anger was real, and the Quran does not hide it. He came back to find his people worshipping a calf, threw down the tablets and grabbed his brother by the head. Then he calmed down, picked the tablets back up, and prayed: "My Lord, forgive me and my brother." He asked forgiveness for himself first.
The sea was in front of them and Pharaoh's army was behind. His people said: "We are surely caught." There was no way out that anyone could see. Musa said: "No! My Lord is with me, He will guide me." And the sea opened.
Musa was nervous about speaking. He knew his tongue was not smooth, and he was being sent to the most powerful man on earth. He did not pretend to be confident. He prayed: "My Lord, expand my chest, ease my task, and untie the knot from my tongue so they understand my speech." And he asked for his brother Harun to help him.
He had fled his country, he was alone, homeless and penniless, and he had just helped strangers with the last of his strength. He sat in the shade and prayed: "My Lord, I am truly in need of whatever good You send down to me." Soon after, help came walking towards him.
Musa was sent to the worst tyrant on earth, a man who killed children and called himself a god. The instruction from Allah was not to curse him. It was: "Speak to him with gentle words, so that perhaps he will remember or fear." If gentleness was owed even to Pharaoh, it is owed to everyone.
Exhausted, a stranger with nothing, he saw two women holding back their flock at the well while the shepherds crowded in. He asked what was wrong, watered their flock for them, and only then sat down in the shade. He did not wait to be asked, and he did not ask for anything back.
A great prophet, and he still travelled to learn from someone else: "May I follow you so that you teach me some of the right guidance you have been taught?" He was told he would not be able to be patient, promised he would, and then struggled to be patient, like any student. Being great never stopped him learning.
He fled Egypt alone, afraid, looking over his shoulder, and prayed as he went: "My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people." When he turned towards Madyan, a land he did not know, he said: "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right path." Fear and hope, in the same few steps.
His words, for you to keep
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
If your child carries this name
موسى Musa
Musa is a name of strength and honesty. A Musa can be angry. He must also be the first to calm down, pick up what he dropped, and say sorry.
Sources on this page
Quran 7:150-154Quran 18:60-82Quran 18:60-70Quran 20:9-24Quran 20:25-28Quran 20:25-32Quran 20:42-44Quran 20:43-44Quran 26:60-66Quran 26:61-62Quran 26:62Quran 28:7-13Quran 28:15-16Quran 28:21-22Quran 28:22-28Quran 28:23-24Quran 28:24
Quran meanings are given in plain English, close to the Arabic. Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com.