Prophets of Banī IsrāʾīlQur'an

Mūsāعليه السلاممُوسَىٰ

Al-Baqarah Al-Aʿrāf Ṭā Hā Al-Qaṣaṣ Al-Shuʿarāʾ

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 · 20:25-28

رَبِّ 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 · 28:24

رَبِّ 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 · 28:16

رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى

Rabbi innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfir lī

My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.

Relationships

BrotherHārūnHis brother and helper

AdversaryFirʿawnThe tyrant he was sent to

CompanionAl-KhiḍrThe servant of Allah he travelled with

Key Qurʼan appearances

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See how Mūsā connects to every other figure in the Qurʼan.

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