Musa (pbuh) was raised like a prince. He had the best education. The Pharaoh probably intended him to become his advisor, or his successor. Musa (pbuh) lived in lavish surroundings, but was not arrogant or vain. He treated
everyone fairly. He also hid his distain for the cruel treatment of Banu Israel.
One day Musa (pbuh) happened by two men who were fighting. One was an Israeli and the other was an Egyptian. He came forward trying to end the brawl. Musa (pbuh) saw that the Egyptian was not going to let up, he lifted his stick and hit him. The man staggered and fell to the ground. Musa (pbuh) and his companions stepped forward to support the man but he was limp like a rag. With that one hit, he had killed the man. Musa (pbuh) was horrified.
Once in his home he began to think about the events. He was sure that this must be the work of a devil. one hit should have never taken down that man. He prayed for Divine protection and forgiveness of Allah. Allah forgave him.
This news of the death had quickly reached the elite circle of leaders. They instantly agreed that Musa (pbuh) was a trader and was conspiring with the Israelites. They decided upon a public trial, having him killed for murdering an Egyptian. Musa (pbuh) was informed of the plot and escaped into the Sinai Desert. Musa (pbuh) prayed to Allah to save him from his pursuers.
Musa (pbuh) was resting by a well watching the Shepard's water their herds. He noticed two young and beautiful woman waiting patiently by the water. They had been waiting a long time for the men to finish. Frustrated at the way they we're being treated Musa (pbuh) approached them and offered his service. He led the animals to water. The women were grateful for his help and explained to him that their father was old and unable to do the work.
When the girls returned home and told their father of Musa (pbuh) and how he had helped them, their father was impressed by his manners. He sent one of his daughters to bring the man to his home. The old man asked Musa (pbuh) about his travels. Then after hearing the fascinating story of Musa (pbuh) and noticing his gentle behavior, He asked him to stay with them. He provided Musa (pbuh) with a home and work and then offered him marriage to one of his daughters.
He lived with the family for about ten years, leading a simple and happy life. He cared for the sheep and goats. Musa (pbuh) enjoyed the simple solitude of the desert as they grazed. He also spent many enriching hours in deep conversation with his father-in-law. As the years passed, Musa (pbuh) never forgot, how his people were suffering back home, and longed to free them.
By the end of those ten years Musa (pbuh) had become very home sick. He approached his wife and told her his plans. They would leave in the morning for Egypt. After briefly reassuring her fears, they left the next morning traveling through the desert until he reached Mount Sinai. At nightfall they reached Mount Tur. Musa (pbuh) noticed a fire in the distance. He told his family to stay in their tents and that he would get fire to warm them.
He traveled threw the dark finding a small bush on fire. Musa (pbuh) approached cautiously. A voice suddenly called out to him. Here is the conversation narrated in the Quran
[020.011] And when he reached it, he was called by name: O Moses! [020.012] Lo! I, am your Lord, So take off your shoes, you are in the holy valley of Tuwa. [020.013] And I have chosen you, so hearken unto that which is inspired. [020.014] Lo! I, am Allah, There is no God save Me. So serve Me and establish worship for My remembrance. [020.015] Lo! the Hour is surely coming. But I will to keep it hidden, that every soul may be rewarded for that which it strived to achieve. [020.016] There for, let not him turn away from the thought of it who believeth not therein but follows his own desire, lest thou perish. [020.017] And what is that in your right hand, O Moses ? [020.018] He said: This is my staff whereon I lean, and wherewith I bear down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses. [020.019] He said: Cast it down, O Moses! [020.020] So he cast it down, and lo! it was a serpent, gliding. [020.021] He said: Grasp it and fear not. We shall return it to its former state. [020.022] And thrust your hand into your armpit, it will come forth white without hurt. That will be another token. [020.023] That We may show you of Our greater portents, [020.024] Go to Pharaoh! Lo! he hath transgressed the bounds. [020.025] Moses said: My Lord! relieve my mind [020.026] And ease my task for me; [020.027] And loose a knot from my tongue, [020.028] That they may understand my saying. [020.029] Appoint for me a henchman from my folk, [020.030] Aaron, my brother.[020.031] Confirm my strength with him [020.032] And let him share my task, [020.033] That we may glorify Thee much [020.034] And much remember Thee. [020.035] Lo! Thou art ever Seeing us. [020.036] He said: Thou art granted thy request, O Moses. [020.037] And indeed, another time, already We have shown thee favors, [020.038] When we inspired in thy mother that which is inspired, [020.039] Saying: Throw him into the basket, and throw it into the river, then the river shall throw it on to the bank, and there an enemy to Me and an enemy to him shall take him. And I endued thee with love from Me that you be trained according to My will, [020.040] When thy sister went and said: Shall I show you one who will nurse him ? and we restored thee to thy mother that her eyes might be refreshed and might not sorrow. And thou didst kill a man and We delivered thee from great distress, and tried thee with a heavy trial. And thou didst tarry years among the folk of Midian. Then you came by My will by My providence, O Moses, [020.041] And I have spoke to you Myself. [020.042] Go, with your brother, with My tokens, and be not faint in remembrance of Me. [020.043] Go, both of you, unto Pharaoh. Lo! he hath transgressed the bounds. [020.044] And speak unto him a gentle word, that peradventure he may heed or fear.
Musa (pbuh) hurried down from the mountain and told his wife what had happened. She acknowledged that Musa (pbuh) was indeed the Prophet of Allah. He told her to go back to her fathers land, he had to get his brother. Musa (pbuh) hurried on to Egypt, and to the house of his father, and spoke to his brother alone and told him of the words of Allah. Harun (pbuh) was pleased and exhilarated to be a part of it.
Musa (pbuh) and Harun (pbuh) went to Pharaoh. Musa (pbuh) told him of Allah, the One God, His teachings and His way of life. The Pharaoh's face shown his contempt for Musa (pbuh). He asked Musa (pbuh) what he wanted. Musa (pbuh) told him that he wanted the children of Israel to leave with them. The pharaoh thought that Musa (pbuh) had gone mad. He asked him what he wanted with them, that they are slaves to the Egyptians. Musa (pbuh) replied that they are only slaves to Allah.
Growing increasingly angry, the Pharaoh asked Musa (pbuh) if his name is Musa? Musa (pbuh) said yes. The Pharaoh asked him if he was the Musa whom his people picked up from the Nile as a helpless baby? If he was the Musa that was raised in the palace, that he stood in now. Who he had showered wealth and charity on. The same Musa (pbuh) who is a fugitive for killing and Egyptian man. His voice grew more irritated and he asked him sarcastically what was it that they we're talking about.
Musa (pbuh) ignored his sarcasm and explained what had happened with the man, and that he fled from Egypt out of fear of revenge. It had been an accident, and Allah had forgiven him and made him one of the messengers.
Only Allah had the right to judge him and the Pharaoh himself was committing the worst crime. Musa (pbuh) showed the Pharaoh that by the will of Allah he could produce a blinding brilliance from his hand. The Pharaoh said it was simple magic and called for his magicians. The magicians chanted and threw sticks and ropes to the ground making the people present believe they were snakes. Musa (pbuh) threw his staff to the floor. It became a serpent, swallowing the smaller snakes. The Pharaohs magicians became alarmed, testifying that this was no magic that it was the power of Musa's (pbuh) God. The Pharaoh was outraged. He told the magicians they must be in league with Musa (pbuh) and they would be punished severally for their crime.
The pharaoh decided to punish Musa (pbuh) and sent out another decree. He ordered that the male children be killed, just as he had done before. Musa (pbuh) told his people to pray for Allah to save them. The people started to complain saying that Musa (pbuh) had only brought them trouble. Musa (pbuh) told his people that Allah will test them.
Some time passed and Allah sent down his punishment over the Pharaoh and his people. The people suffered many torments including filling all drinking water with a reddish substance that made it look like blood. Unseasonable floods ripped threw Egypt and destroyed homes. Great swarms of locust infected the crops. With each new plague the Pharaoh begged Musa (pbuh) to end it and that he would listen to Musa (pbuh). As soon as the plague would end he would deny Musa (pbuh).
In the mean time Asiyah, Musa's (pbuh) foster mother and the pharaoh's wife, had been witnessing the meetings between Musa (pbuh) and her husband. She was convinced that Musa (pbuh) was a Prophet of Allah and that what he was saying was true. So in front of her husband she declared her beliefs. The Pharaoh was so outraged that he had her tortured. It is said that Allah sent angels to protect Asiyah from the pain. When she died she became a shaheed, or a Martyr for the sake of Allah.
The Pharaoh was at a breaking point. He was going to have Harun (pbuh) and Musa (pbuh) killed. Allah sent the warning to Musa (pbuh). Musa (pbuh) instructed his people to gather all of their belonging and leave their homes before sun rise. He told them to gather outside the city. When they had all gathered they headed for the red sea.
When the sun rose the next morning, the Pharaoh received reports that no work was being done in the city, because the Israelis were gone. He went mad with his rage and mounted his chariot, accompanied by his fastest men, they went after Musa (pbuh). At the red sea he caught up with them.
Many of the followers of Musa (pbuh) lost faith and began to blame him for their situation. Musa (pbuh) ignored them and prayed to Allah for help, having faith in Allah supreme. He struck the water with his staff, right down the center, all the way to the other side a huge gorge opened up with towering walls made from water. Musa (pbuh) and the Israelis fled into the river heading for the other side. Outraged the Pharaoh and his people fled down the path to the sea and also into the watery valley. As soon as the last Israeli was out of the harms way the water let loose crashing upon the Pharaoh and his army. They were all drowned.
Musa (pbuh) led them into the desert of Sinai. A short way into the trip the people began to blame Musa (pbuh) for their shortage of water, food and shelter. They implored him to make idols to worship. Musa (pbuh) was furious and warned them that the act was absurd. He prayed to Allah to help them find water.
Musa (pbuh) left Harun (pbuh) in charge of the people while he went to the mountain. He bid them to obey Harun (pbuh), just as they had obeyed him. Musa (pbuh) then left for the heights of Mount Sinai. He returned to the location in which he had received his miracles from Allah. Taking off his shoes he knelt down on the ground. He prayed to Allah for guidance. Allah bestowed upon Musa (pbuh) the laws for his people to follow. Musa (pbuh) begged Allah to reveal himself to Musa (pbuh). Allah agreed to shed a ounce of His Divinity upon him. As soon as he spoke this, a pure white blinding light struck the mountain across from him and pulverized it. Musa (pbuh) fainted and when he recovered he begged Allah to forgive him.
In Musa's (pbuh) absence Harun (pbuh) was unable to persuade them from sinning. A man named Samiri had led them astray. He had suggested that they make a idol of their own. They melted down their jewelry and plates in a fire and molded a golden calf. They began to perform their ritual dancing and acts of immorality that they had grown accustomed to.
When Musa (pbuh) entered the camp and saw what they had done he was furious. He turned his furry on Harun (pbuh) and asked him what had happened. Harun (pbuh) tried to tell him, that they would not listen. Musa (pbuh) addressed his people asking why they had done this. They replied that Samiri, was the one who told them to do it. When Musa (pbuh) asked him why, he simply replied that he felt like it. Musa (pbuh) ordered him from the camp. Musa (pbuh) melted the calf into small pieces and commanded that his people throw them into the sea. [020.097] (Moses) said: Then go! and lo! in this life it is for thee to say: Touch me not! and lo! there is for thee a tryst thou canst not break. Now look upon thy god of which thou hast remained a votary. Verily we will burn it and will scatter its dust over the sea.
Once the camp was back in order, Musa (pbuh) and a group of seventy men headed for Mount Tur to ask Allah his forgiveness. The mountain quaked and Musa (pbuh) begged for forgiveness. After some time Allah forgave them explaining that, His forgiveness was greater then His anger.
Musa (pbuh) led his people in the direction of Palestine. Soon after his people began to complain about traveling. Musa (pbuh) divided the people into twelve tribes, so they would be more organized. The leaders of the twelve tribes addressed Musa (pbuh) about their lack of water. Allah commanded Musa (pbuh) to strike a rock with his staff. When he did, twelve springs rushed from the rock. [007.160] We divided them into twelve tribes, nations; and We inspired Moses, when his people asked him for water, saying: Smite with thy staff the rock! And there gushed forth there from twelve springs, so that each tribe knew their drinking-place. And we caused the white cloud to overshadow them and sent down for them the manna and the quails (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith we have provided you. They wronged Us not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.
Allah commanded that they sacrifice a cow, they gave Musa (pbuh) a horrible time showing that they still were non believers.
Musa (pbuh) led his people to Palestine. He commanded the people to attack a city of idol worshipers, whom Allah wanted to punish. The people of the land were healthy and strong, this deterred the Israelis they refused to go against the inhabitants. Nothing that Musa (pbuh) said would change their minds. Musa (pbuh) was at a loss, he prayed to Allah again for help.
He returned to the people of Israel and told them they we're to return to the desert. Musa (pbuh) sad hearted led his people south, this would be where his brother passed away. Musa (pbuh) continued to lead his people enduring himself their condemned suffrage. They were not allowed to reenter the holy city for another forty years.
Musa (pbuh) continued his teachings and traveling. He used the time to teach the oneness of Allah and to write the Taurah, (laws for them to follow). Musa (pbuh) tried to teach his people obedience to Allah and to treat any Prophet that would come after him with respect.
At the end of the forty years, Musa (pbuh) once again led his people north, they we're camping along the banks of the river Jordan. He pointed to the land and told them that this was the land their people had rejected years before. After Musa (pbuh) death and around the year 1200BCE they returned to Palestine. Peace be upon Musa.