Mūsā and Pharaoh · 1 of 5Sent to Pharaoh with the staff and the hand (20:17-23).
About
The prophet who spoke with Allah (Kalīm Allāh) and the most frequently mentioned in the Qur'an. Raised in Pharaoh's house, he was sent to free the Children of Israel, given clear signs, and received the Torah. One of the resolute messengers.
The name
Kalīm Allāh — the one to whom Allah spoke (4:164)
Source: Qur'an
The story, as the Qurʼan tells it
- The beginningBorn under Pharaoh, who was slaughtering the sons of the Children of Israel; his mother was inspired to cast him into the river, and Pharaoh's own household raised him.
28:4-13
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
- The callAt the burning bush Allah spoke to him and sent him to Pharaoh: 'Go, both of you, and speak to him gently.'
20:9-24
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ
20:42-44
ٱذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَأَخُوكَ بِـَٔايَٰتِى وَلَا تَنِيَا فِى ذِكْرِى
- The signThe staff that became a serpent, the hand that shone white, and the sea that parted for his people.
20:17-23
وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
7:107-108
فَأَلْقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
26:63
فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ ۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍۢ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
- The testPharaoh's magicians, the plagues, the pursuit to the sea; then his people worshipped a calf while he was on the mountain.
20:65-70
قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلْقِىَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ
7:133
فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلْجَرَادَ وَٱلْقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَٰتٍۢ مُّفَصَّلَٰتٍۢ فَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ قَوْمًۭا مُّجْرِمِينَ
20:85-91
قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ
- The outcomeThe Children of Israel were delivered, Pharaoh drowned, and Mūsā received the Torah on the tablets.
10:90
۞ وَجَٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغْيًۭا وَعَدْوًا ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدْرَكَهُ ٱلْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتْ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓا۟ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
7:145
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْأَلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مَّوْعِظَةًۭ وَتَفْصِيلًۭا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍۢ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا۟ بِأَحْسَنِهَا ۚ سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ دَارَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ
2:53
وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
The lesson'My Lord, expand my chest and ease my task' — the one to whom Allah spoke still asked for help before every step. 20:25-28
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى
4:164
وَرُسُلًۭا قَدْ قَصَصْنَٰهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلًۭا لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ ۚ وَكَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ مُوسَىٰ تَكْلِيمًۭا
Duʿāʾ — in their own words
Mūsā when commanded to go to Pharaoh · 20:25-28رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى وَيَسِّرْ لِىٓ أَمْرِى وَٱحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِى يَفْقَهُوا۟ قَوْلِى
Rabbi shraḥ lī ṣadrī, wa-yassir lī amrī, wa-ḥlul ʿuqdatan min lisānī, yafqahū qawlī
My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease for me my task, and loosen the knot from my tongue so they may understand my speech.
Mūsā alone in Madyan after watering the flock · 28:24رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
Rabbi innī limā anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqīr
My Lord, I am in need of whatever good You send down to me.
Mūsā after the man of Egypt died at his blow · 28:16رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى
Rabbi innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfir lī
My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.
Relationships
BrotherHis brother and helper
AdversaryThe tyrant he was sent to
CompanionThe servant of Allah he travelled with
Key appearances
Tap a reference to read the āyah — Arabic with English beneath.