accompanying Ramadan Day 13

Moses – Mûsâ 2

The mission given to Moses

Bible

The Lord said, I have seen the miserable state of my people in Egypt…I mean to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and bring them…to a land where milk and honey flow… I send you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt.”

Moses said to God, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”  “I shall be with you”, was the answer.

                                                         (Exodus 3:7-12)

Moses goes to Pharaoh and delivers the message from the Lord: “Let my people go.” Pharaoh only increases the burden of the people (Cf. Ex. 5:1.14. On account of the obduracy of Pharaoh, Egypt is afflicted by plagues (Cf. Ex. 7:8 – 11:10). The Passover, the freedom from slavery in Egypt, with the crossing of the sea takes place (Ex. 12:1-15:21). Then comes the march through the desert (Ex. 15:22 – 18:27).

Qur’an

Moses is sent to Pharaoh as ‘a messenger from the Lord of all the Worlds’.

He is asked to give a sign – his staff becomes a snake – and is treated as a sorcerer. Pharaoh is not convinced:

Pharaoh asked: “What is this Lord of the Worlds?” Moses replied: “He is the Lord of the heavens and earth and everything between them. Forefathers…Lord of the East and West and between them. If you would only use your reason… But Pharaoh said [to him], “If you take any god other than me, I will throw you into prison.”

                                                       (Q 26:23-29)

At the signs that Moses works, the sorcerers of Egypt believe:  

The sorcerers fell to their knees and said, “We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of Moses an Aaron, but Pharaoh said, “How dare you believe in Him before I have given you permission?”

                                                        (Q 7:120-123)

Pharaoh’s counsellors act in a different way:

The leaders among Pharaoh’s people said to him, “But are you going to leave Moses and his people to spread corruption in the land and forsake you and your gods?” He replied, “We shall kill their male children, sparing only the females: We have complete power over

them (Q 7:137).

The plagues of Egypt are remembered:

        We inflicted years of drought and crop failure on Pharaoh’s people…

We let loose on them the flood, locusts, lice, frogs, blood – all clear signs. They were arrogant, wicked people. They would say, whenever a plague struck them, “Moses, pray to your Lord for us by virtue of the promise He has made to you: if you relieve us of the plague, we will believe you and let the Children of Israel go with you,” but when We relieved them of the plague…- lo and behold! - they broke it.

                                                             (Q 7: 130, 133-135)

Then We revealed Our will to Moses, “Leave with My servants at night for you will be pursued!”… Pharaoh and his people pursued them at sunrise. And as soon as the two sides came within sight of one another, Moses’ followers said, “We shall definitely be caught.”

Moses said, “No, my Lord is with me: He will guide me,” and We revealed to Moses: “Strike the sea with your staff.” It parted – each side like a mighty mountain – and We brought the others to that place: We saved Moses and all his companions, and drowned the rest. There truly is a sign in this, though most of them do not believe: your Lord alone is the Almighty, the Merciful (Q 26:52-68).

We can admire Moses’ trust in God.