IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date: 06.09.

2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU, ALIGARH (CLASS X)

Story of Hazrat Musa (alayhi salaam) Part 1

Hazrat Musa (as) was a great Prophet of Allah. Allah loved Musa (as) dearly, and has mentioned
him more than any other Prophet in the Qur’an. Allah even spoke to Musa (as) directly, which is a
huge honour. Because of this Musa (as) is also known as ‘Kalimullah,’ which means ‘to whom Allah
has spoken.’
Hazrat Musa (as) as a baby
Musa (as) was born in Egypt, and was a direct descendant of Hazrat Ibrahim (as). Hazrat Musa (as)
was born into the tribe of Banu Israel, also known as the Children of Israel. The Banu Israel
descended from Hazrat Yusuf (as), who was born in Palestine but later made his home in Egypt.
The Banu Israel are said to have been favoured
by Allah. But Pharaoh, the King of Egypt,
treated them badly. He was a cruel King and
the Banu Israel suffered under his rule.
Once, Pharaoh had a dream that a baby boy
would be born into the Banu Israel, and that
boy would one day kill Pharaoh. Pharaoh
became frightened, and to stop the dream
coming true he ordered his soldiers to kill all
the baby boys born to the Banu Israel.
After Hazrat Musa (as) was born, his mother
was terrified that Pharaoh’s soldiers would find
and kill her baby. But Allah showed Musa (as)’s
mother a dream in which He guided her to put
him into the River Nile. When Pharaoh’s
soldiers came to search the house, Musa (as)’s
mother quickly put him into a wooden basket and put the basket into the river. The water carried
the baby away. Hazrat Musa (as)’s mother was scared for her baby, and although it was hard for
her to watch him drift away, she believed Allah would look after him.
Hazrat Musa (as)’s mother sent her daughter to follow the basket. Eventually, the basket washed up
from the River Nile right near Pharaoh’s palace. The guards at the palace found the baby and took
him to Pharaoh’s wife, Asiyah.
Asiyah was a kind woman and as soon as she saw the baby, she loved him. She asked Pharaoh not to
kill the baby and instead to let her adopt him. Pharaoh agreed.
Asiyah sent her maids out to find a wet-nurse who could breast-feed baby Musa (as). Through the
will of Allah, Musa (as) rejected all the wet-nurses who came forward. Finally, Hazrat Musa (as)’s
sister came forward and said she knew of a woman who could feed the baby, but kept it a secret
that the woman was Musa (as)’s mother.
When Hazrat Musa (as)’s mother began to feed him, he accepted her milk. Through Allah’s mercy,
Musa (as)’s mother, who had placed her trust in Him and watched her baby drift away down the
River Nile, was reunited with her child as his wet-nurse. Musa (as) would be taken to his mother’s
home everyday so that she could feed him.
Musa (as)’s exile from Egypt
IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date: 06.09.2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU, ALIGARH (CLASS X)

The years passed. Hazrat Musa (as) lived in Pharaoh’s palace as a prince, and became a big and
incredibly strong young man. One time, Musa (as) was walking through town and came across two
men who were fighting. One man was from Banu Israel and the other man was an Egyptian. The
man from Banu Israel called out to Musa (as) to help. Musa (as) intervened and struck the Egyptian
to stop the fight. But, Musa (as) was so strong that the man died from a single blow.
Musa (as) did not mean to hurt the Egyptian. He was filled with deep sorrow and begged Allah to
forgive him for what had happened.
The next day, Musa (as) was out walking again and came across the same man from Banu Israel who
was fighting with another Egyptian. Again, the man from Banu Israel called on Musa (as) to help. This
time, Musa (as) recognised that the man was a troublemaker, and said no to the man. At this
comment, the man from Banu Israel deliberately shouted loudly
‘Are you going to kill me like you killed the man yesterday?’
The news quickly reached the Pharaoh that Hazrat Musa (as) had killed a man. The Pharaoh and
his chiefs planned to kill Musa (as) as punishment, but a kind man warned Musa (as) and told him
to leave Egypt before he could be arrested.
Musa (as) left Egypt quickly, and travelled to a far away town called Madyan. It was a long and difficult
journey. When Musa (as) arrived in Madyan, he saw a well with many shepherds around it, watering
their animals. There were two women near the well with their animals but they were not able to get
any water because of all the other shepherds pushing before them. Seeing that they needed help,
Musa (as) drew water from the well for the two women.
The two women went home to their father and told him what had happened. Their father wanted to
reward this kind man and invited Musa (as) to his home and offered him a job. Later, one of this
man’s daughters married Musa (as).
Musa (as) spent ten years in Madyan working for his father-in-law. Although he was happy there, he
missed his family in Egypt. He wanted to see them again, so he set off on a journey back to Egypt
with his wife.
Allah speaks to Hazrat Musa (as)
During the journey back to Egypt, Hazrat Musa (as)
and his family lost their way. The wandered in the
dark until they spotted a fire. Musa (as) went to
investigate in the hope that the people near the fire
would direct him towards Egypt, and perhaps give
him some burning wood to keep his family warm.
When Hazrat Musa (as) approached the fire, he saw
that it was actually a burning tree. As the tree
burned, it became greener instead of turning to ash.
Musa (as) was amazed, and it was at this point that
Allah called out to Musa (as) and informed him that
he was a Prophet of Allah.
Allah told Hazrat Musa (as) to go to Pharaoh and invite him to Islam. Pharaoh was evil, and
tormented the Banu Israel. Allah wanted Pharaoh to free His servants, and not to behave cruelly
toward them anymore.
IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date: 06.09.2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU, ALIGARH (CLASS X)

Musa (as) used to speak with a stammer. He was worried that he would not be able to speak to the
people properly, and asked Allah to provide him with support from his brother Harun (as). Allah
granted Musa (as) his prayer and strengthened him through his brother. In this way, Musa (as)’s
brother, Harun (as), also became a Prophet of Allah.

***
IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date: 06.09.2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU, ALIGARH (CLASS X)

Story of Hazrat Musa (alayhi salaam) Part II

Hazrat Musa (as) and Pharaoh

When Hazrat Musa (as) arrived in Egypt, he went to Pharaoh to deliver his message from Allah. Pharaoh was arrogant, and
mocked Musa (as). Pharaoh believed that he was a God, and threatened to punish Musa (as) if he did not stop spreading
the message of the one, true Allah.
Hazrat Musa (as) showed Pharaoh and his chiefs two miracles that he had been granted by Allah.
The first miracle was that Musa (as) threw his staff on the ground. When he threw the staff, Allah turned it turned into a
snake. When Musa (as) picked up the snake, it turned back into a staff.
Second, Hazrat Musa (as) put his hand inside his garments. When Hazrat Musa (as) removed his hand, it emerged bright
and shining white.
Despite seeing these two miracles, Pharaoh still did not believe and accused Musa (as) of being a magician. Pharaoh
challenged Musa (as) to a competition against the best magicians in Egypt. The contest began with the magicians first
throwing their sticks and ropes that appeared to turn into moving snakes. But this was just a trick of the light; the sticks
and ropes were not real snakes. Musa (as) then threw his staff. Through Allah’s power, the staff actually turned into an
even bigger snake and swallowed up all other ropes and sticks.
The magicians recognised the miracle of Allah and fell down in prostration saying “We have believed in
the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Musa and Harun.”
Pharaoh became angry when he heard this. He worried that people would start to follow Musa (as) and Harun (as), and
stop believing in him as a God. Pharaoh knew he had to stop this, and set about causing more harm and suffering for the
people of Banu Israel. Throughout all of this, Musa (as) told them to be patient.
Because Pharaoh refused to let the Banu Israel free, Allah sent severe trials to the people of Egypt. Still, Pharaoh refused.
IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date:
06.09.2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU,
ALIGARH (CLASS X)

The parting of the Red Sea

Finally, Hazrat Musa (as) was commanded by Allah to make preparations for the Banu Israel to leave
Egypt and go to Palestine. The Banu Israel left secretly and quickly one night, so that Pharaoh could
not stop them. But Pharaoh found out, and before the hundreds and hundreds of people could
reach Palestine safely, Pharaoh gathered his army and sped behind them.
Hazrat Musa (as) and the Banu Israel headed east towards Palestine and reached the Red Sea at
sunrise. They saw that the army of Pharaoh was chasing them, but they were trapped. There was no
way to cross the Red Sea.
Hazrat Musa (as) stood in front of the Red Sea and Allah commanded him to strike the sea with his
staff. When he did this, a great miracle occurred. The mighty Red Sea parted in the middle, the
waves rose like mountains on either side of the Banu Israel and a path appeared for them to walk
safely to the other side.
The sea stayed parted until Musa (as) and the Banu Israel had crossed it safely. When Pharaoh and
his army were in the middle of crossing, Allah commanded the sea to come together. The
mountainous waves came crashing down on Pharaoh and his army. At the last moment, Pharaoh
cried out that he believed in Allah and the message of Musa (as). But it was too late for him to
believe, and he drowned.
The Banu Israel freed
The Banu Israel were finally free from the tyrant Pharaoh. They travelled with Musa (as) toward
Palestine, because Allah wanted them to settle in Jerusalem. When the Banu Israel reached Palestine,
they found it was occupied by another tribe who did not believe in Allah.
Through Musa (as), Allah ordered the Banu Israel to take back Jerusalem from the disbelievers. But
the Banu Israel had lived too long as slaves in Egypt. Now they were cowardly and said
“We will not go into Jerusalem until the people have left.”
They also said to Musa (as)
“You go with your Lord and fight these people.”
Hazrat Musa (as) was very upset with the words and actions of the Banu Israel, because after
everything Allah had done for them, they were not obeying Him. Because the Banu Israel did not
do as Allah had commanded, they lost their way in the desert. For forty years the Banu Israel
wandered in circles around the desert, but could not find their way back to Jerusalem.
During this time in the desert, Musa (as) had a special meeting with Allah. First, Hazrat Musa (as) had
to fast for forty days, to purify himself in order to meet Allah. He left his brother Harun (as) in
charge of Banu Israel.
On this second meeting with Allah, Musa (as) asked Allah to grant him the gift of seeing the Almighty
instead of just hearing Him speak. Allah told Musa (as) that he did not have the strength to see Allah.
However, Musa (as) insisted.
Allah told Musa (as) that He would show a part of Him on a nearby mountain. When the light of
Allah struck, the mountain crumbled to dust and Musa (as) fainted. When Hazrat Musa awoke, he
realised how mighty and great Allah was, that the mere light of Allah’s being could destroy an entire
mountain.
IRAM FATMA (PGT-PTT) (SHIA THEOLOGY) Date: 06.09.2020
SAIYYID HAMID SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, AMU, ALIGARH (CLASS X)

Allah gave guidance for the Banu Israel to Musa (as), which was written down on two tablets made of stone.
When Hazrat Musa (as) returned to his people, he found them worshipping a golden calf that they had built
whilst he was away. Musa (as) was so angry at what he saw that he threw down the tablets.
The Banu Israel had committed a great sin by worshipping an idol. Worshipping anything other than Allah is the
worst thing a believer can do, and the Banu Israel received a severe punishment from Allah for it. Later, Musa
(as) prayed to Allah to forgive his people and Allah accepted the prayer of Musa (as).
The Qur’an tells us many stories of Musa (as) and his people, the Banu Israel. Hazrat Musa (as) faced many
challenges to free his people from Pharaoh and take them to Jerusalem, but he never reached the holy land.
When Hazrat Musa (as) passed away, he asked to be buried close to the city of Jerusalem, so that he could be
near it even if he had not entered it during his lifetime. May Allah’s peace be upon him.

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