Firaun and Musa (Pharaoh and Moses)

Firaun (Pharaoh) is the term used for the ancient rulers of Copts (native Egyptians) who were mainly located in the modern-day Egypt. It was foretold that an Israelite would bring about Firaun’s death. In order to save himself, Firaun ordered that all Israelite children be killed every alternate year. In the year Prophet Musa (Moses) was born, the children were scheduled to be killed according to Firaun’s order. God had a different plan, however, as Musa’s mother was told by God to set him adrift in the Nile so that he could be saved from killing. As her luck would have it, Firaun’s wife found Musa afloat in a basket and decided to raise him as her own. The infant Musa, however, refused to be breastfed by any other woman. This made way for calling his own mother who entered the palace under the guise of a wet nurse.

When Musa matured in the course of years and God made him a Prophet, Firaun grew suspicious about him due to various events that surfaced. This made Musa run away as he had murdered an Egyptian in a fight against an Israelite. Later, he was given a magical staff by God and with that he approached Firaun and asked him to convert to monotheism but he refused. Firaun did not take him as a prophet and asked for a proof. Musa hit his staff on the floor which turned into a snake. Firaun then called his magicians thinking that they would expose Musa as a pretender but when the magicians produced their snake, it was gobbled by Musa’s snake. Even though this incident resulted in the growth of Musa’s followers, Firaun still refused to accept monotheism as a faith. When all measures failed, Musa beseeched God to punish the non-believers.

Tormented by Firaun incessantly, Musa decided to flee from his land. When he was leaving with his followers for the river Nile in order to cross it and reach another land, Firaun came to know about this and followed them to the river. On reaching the banks of river, Musa struck the water with his staff following which twelve paths emerged on the surface of the river allowing them to escape. When Firaun and his army reached and entered the river, they got drowned as the paths closed. It is a story that tells how arrogance and pride fall flat in the face of unwavering faith in God. The stories of Firaun appear in the Quran and the Bible with certain differences.

Reference: Jab khade honge ye sab Firaun mulzim ki tarah/Wo adaalat jo lagegi roz-e-mahshar dekhna (Murtaza Barlas), Kaata’ti hai sehr-e-sultani ko jab Musa ki zarb/Sitwat-e-Firaun ho jaati hai az khud gharq-e-aab. See: https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/karl-marx-wamiq-jaunpuri-nazms?lang=ur

Firaun (Pharaoh) is the term used for the ancient rulers of Copts (native Egyptians) who were mainly located in the modern-day Egypt. It was foretold that an Israelite would bring about Firaun’s death. In order to save himself, Firaun ordered that all Israelite children be killed every alternate year. In the year Prophet Musa (Moses) was born, the children were scheduled to be killed according to Firaun’s order. God had a different plan, however, as Musa’s mother was told by God to set him adrift in the Nile so that he could be saved from killing. As her luck would have it, Firaun’s wife found Musa afloat in a basket and decided to raise him as her own. The infant Musa, however, refused to be breastfed by any other woman. This made way for calling his own mother who entered the palace under the guise of a wet nurse.

When Musa matured in the course of years and God made him a Prophet, Firaun grew suspicious about him due to various events that surfaced. This made Musa run away as he had murdered an Egyptian in a fight against an Israelite. Later, he was given a magical staff by God and with that he approached Firaun and asked him to convert to monotheism but he refused. Firaun did not take him as a prophet and asked for a proof. Musa hit his staff on the floor which turned into a snake. Firaun then called his magicians thinking that they would expose Musa as a pretender but when the magicians produced their snake, it was gobbled by Musa’s snake. Even though this incident resulted in the growth of Musa’s followers, Firaun still refused to accept monotheism as a faith. When all measures failed, Musa beseeched God to punish the non-believers.

Tormented by Firaun incessantly, Musa decided to flee from his land. When he was leaving with his followers for the river Nile in order to cross it and reach another land, Firaun came to know about this and followed them to the river. On reaching the banks of river, Musa struck the water with his staff following which twelve paths emerged on the surface of the river allowing them to escape. When Firaun and his army reached and entered the river, they got drowned as the paths closed. It is a story that tells how arrogance and pride fall flat in the face of unwavering faith in God. The stories of Firaun appear in the Quran and the Bible with certain differences.

Reference: Jab khade honge ye sab Firaun mulzim ki tarah/Wo adaalat jo lagegi roz-e-mahshar dekhna (Murtaza Barlas), Kaata’ti hai sehr-e-sultani ko jab Musa ki zarb/Sitwat-e-Firaun ho jaati hai az khud gharq-e-aab. See: https://www.rekhta.org/nazms/karl-marx-wamiq-jaunpuri-nazms?lang=ur