THE PROPHET SULAIMAN (peace be upon
him)
The Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) was the youngest son of the Prophet Dawud
(peace be upon him). He was born at Jerusalem. The name of his mother was
Saba. As he was a talented fellow with versatile gifts, his father made
him his heir. After the death of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) he ascended
the throne of Judia on account of his sagacity, power of judgement, right
understanding and spiritual insight. The Holy Qur'an says:
"And We verily gave
knowledge to Dawud and Sulaiman and they said: praise be to Allah Who has
preferred us above many of his believing sons"
. (27: I5)
The Prophet Sulaiman Makes Sound Decisions:
The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was endowed with the quality of
giving sound decision in complicated cases. Once a dispute arose between
two persons. They were present before the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him).
One of them said: Sir, the sheep of that person have trampled over my crops.
They have grazed and caused me a considerable loss. It must be compensated
by the owner. The shepherd was very poor. He had nothing except sheep and
the damage done to the crops exceeded the price of the sheep. The Prophet
Dawud (peace be upon him) ordered the defaulter to give his sheep to the
owner of the land as reparation. Sulaiman, the teen-aged child was listening
to the judgement of his father. He, respectfully, spoke out: Dear father,
undoubtedly, your decision is correct but it will be handed over to more
appropriate if all the sheep are the plaintiff for the utilisation of their
milk and wool only. The respondent should be directed to render services
to the owner of the field until the condition of the damaged fields restores
to the normal position. When it is done, sheep must be given back to the
shepherd. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) appreciated this novel way
of awarding justice and the Holy Qur'an speaks very highly of him:
"And Dawud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon) when they gave judgement concerning
the field, when people's sheep had strayed and browsed therein by night;
and We were witnesses to their judgement. And We made Sulaiman to understand
(the case); and unto each of them We gave judgement and knowledge."
(21: 78, 79)
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Prevalence over Wind:
The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) inherited many virtues from his
illustrious father. He was endowed with special gifts. Wind was made subservient
to him and he could easily perform long journey in the twinkling of an eye.
The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"And unto Solomon (We gave)
the wind, whereof the morning course was a month's journey and the evening
course a month's journey, and We caused the fount of copper to gush forth
for him, and (We gave him) certain of the jinn who worked before him by permission
of his Lord. And such of them as deviated from Our command, them We caused
to taste the punishment of flaming fire."
(34:12)
"So We subjected the wind to his
power, setting fair by his command withersoever he intended"
(38:36)
"And unto Sulaiman We subdued
the wind in its raging. It flows by his order towards the land which We
had blessed And of every thing We are aware."
(21:81)
The Prophet Dawud Perceives the Speech of the Birds:
The Prophet Sulaiman peace be upon him) was gifted with the knowledge of
understanding the speech of birds, animals and insects. He was also capable
to talk to them. The Holy Qur'an testifies to it in the following Verses:
"He (Sulaiman) said: O' People! We have been taught the language of the birds
and have been given (abundance) of all things; this is indeed grace manifest
(from Allah)."
Jinns are Subdued to Him:
He was also given the power over Jinns and Devils. He utilised them in his
service. They carried out his orders ungrudgingly and were punished when
they became refractory The Holy Qur'an affirms:
"We gave (Sulaiman) certain of the Jinns who worked before him by the permission
of his Lord. And such of them as deviated from Our command, We caused to
taste the punishment of flaming fire to them. They made for him what he
willed; synagogues, images, basin-like reservoirs and cooking cauldrons
fixed into the ground. Give thanks, 0' House of David! Few of my bondsmen
are thankful."
(24: 12, 13)
In another Verse the Holy Qur'an says: "And before Sulaiman were marshalled
his hosts--of Jinns, and men and birds and they were all in order and ranks."
(21: 17)
It is stated that the Jinns were subjugated to the Prophet Sulaiman (peace
be upon him) to help him in the construction of the Holy Temple - Baitul
Muqaddas (Masjid Aqsa).
Ardent Lover of Horses:
The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was also a great lover of horses.
They constituted an essential part of his army. When they returned after
a mission, he would give them strokes of affections on ankles and necks.
The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) did so in approbation of their
loyalty and high speed.
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The Incident of the Queen of Saba:
The area which now comprises Yemen and is known as Saba was ruled by a queen.
It was a prosperous kingdom. The queen enabled its people to attain a high
degree of civilisation. One day Hud informed the Prophet Sulaiman (peace
be upon him) of the flourishing kingdom of Saba. It said:
"The ruler of Saba is the queen upon whom, God has bestowed His unlimited
favours. Her throne is magnificent. She is depraved. The inhabitants of
her kingdom worship the sun and the moon. They do not make obeisance to
Allah and refrain from thanking Him Who has created all these objects." Sulaiman,
the Prophet of Allah and the King wrote a letter and handed over to Hud to
be conveyed to the queen of Saba. He warned her not to be arrogant of her
power. He advised her to submit to God and abide by His Commandments. The
queen read this letter and was much puzzled. As she was a prudent lady,
she called her chiefs and sought their counsels. Some proud chiefs suggested
to fight tooth and nail against the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him)
whereas the others left the matter for her to decide. The Holy Qur'an says:
''She said: O' chiefs! Advise me in this affair for I never decide an affair
until you are in my presence. They said: We are endowed with strength and
ale possessors of mighty powers but the command is thine. Therefore see
what you will command."
(27:29-33)
The queen did not like to embroil her country into war because it would cause
destruction. She thought of a plan and arranged for precious gifts for the
monarch. She planned to germinate cordial relations and pacify her warlike
subjects by using this device. But wealth had no value for the Prophet Sulaiman
(peace be upon him). He was annoyed at the delivery of the presents. He
returned them with harsh words and said to the messenger:
"I do not hanker after wealth. I, therefore, attach no importance to there
Costly gifts. I wish that the queen and his followers should submit to God
and follow the true faith. I shall invade your country if the queen does
not come to me in submission.''
After some time the King marched with an army and passed through the Valley
of Ants on his way to the kingdom of Saba. In the Valley he overheard the
conversation among the terrified ants who hurried towards their holes for
fear of being crushed under the feet of the marching army. The King was
moved to pity and learnt the lesson to protect the life and honour of the
humble creatures. He thought that the queen and his people are just like
humble ants. They should not be trampled upon and killed to win Fame in
the world. An account of this incident is related in the following Verses:
"At length when they came
to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: 0' ants! Get into your holes lest
Sulaiman and his hosts crush you without knowing it. Thereupon he smiled
at her speech and he said: 0' my Lord! So order the that I may be grateful
for Your favours which You have bestowed upon me and my father and that I
may work the righteousness that will please Thee and admit me by Your grace
into the ranks of Your righteous servants.''
(27: 18, 19)
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The King did not proceed further because he did not like the massacre which
would result in case of clash between two armies. His aim was to reform
the queen and the inhabitants of Saba. He desired to bring them to the right
path. He wished to save the depraved people from seduction.
When the queen got wind of an expected attack of the Prophet Sulaiman (peace
be upon him) she proceeded towards him to patch up differences. When the
King came to know of her departure, he ordered one of the Jinns to bring
the magnificent throne of the queen in the twinkling of an eye. The command
was obeyed immediately. When the queen arrived at the court of Prophet Sulaiman
(peace be upon him) after a long journey, she was asked to identify her throne.
She recognised the throne and said:
"I am already aware of your power and majesty. I have come to you as your
submissive servant."
The Holy Qur'an states:
"So when she arrived she
was asked: Is it your throne? She said: It was just like this and we were
given the knowledge before it and we were already submissive and he diverted
her from the worship of others besides Allah, for she was Sprung of a people
that have no faith."
(7:4L, 43)
The queen was taken to the lofty palace. Its floor was made of slabs of
polished glass that deceived the eyes and looked like water. The queen tucked
up her shirt to pass through it. She was reminded that that was not water.
She then realised that reality did not lay at the surface and it needed
eyes to see. According to the Holy Qur'an she said:
"O' my Lord! I have indeed
wronged myself; I do submit with Sulaiman to the Lord of the Worlds."
(27:45)
The queen of Saba felt penitence and accepted the religion of God. The Prophet
Sulaiman (peace be upon him) ruled for thirty years. He died at the age
of eighty-nine years. After his death Rohoboam, his son became a king.
He led a luxurious life and yielded to pleasure seeking temptations. The
people revolted against him and soon the glorious chapter of the reign of
Prophet Dawud's family came to an end.
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THE PROPHET ILYAS (peace be upon him)
After the death of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) his kingdom was dismembered.
There was virtually the rule of Satan all around. The religious people
were mocked at. The ruler of Somaria killed a large number of learned people.
When the evil reached the saturation point, God sent the Prophet Ilyas (peace
be upon him) to reform mankind during the reign of the king Ahab of Israel.
He tried his best to save the people from polytheism. He forbade them to
worship the Tyrian Bal. He advised the people to ward off evil and worship
One God. When his efforts bore no fruit he suddenly appeared before the
king and foretold him that severe draught and famine would overtake his kingdom.
He added that the Tyrian Bal would be powerless to avert it. The people
paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways. The prophecy of
the Prophet Ilyas (peace de upon him) turned out to be true and whole of
the kingdom came under the sway of famine. The people began to starve.
After three years the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) supplicated to show
mercy to the famine stricken people. They acknowledged the authority of God
and felt penitence. Soon after the rain ended the draught and God lifted
his curses After this he was directed by God to call upon al-Yasa to be his
successor. The Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) did so in obedience to
His command and disappeared mysteriously. The Holy Qur'an makes mention
of Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) in the following Verses:
"And commemorate Ismail, Ilyas
and Dhul Kifl. Each of them was the companion of the good."
(38:48)
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THE PROPHET AL-YASA (ELISHA)
(peace be upon him)
Al-Yasa has been mentioned twice in the Holy Qur'an:
And commemorate Ismail, Elisha
and Dhul-kifl; each of them was of the company of! the good.
(58:48)
And Zachariah and John
and Jesus and Ilyas all in the ranks of the righteous; and Ismail and Elisha
(Al-Yasa) and Jonas and Lot; each have We preferred above the nations. (To
them) and their fathers and progeny and brethren, We chose them and We guided
them to a straight way.
(6: 85-87)
The commentators give no account of him except that he was the son of Ukhtub.
The Bible says that his father was Shaphat.
Al-Yasa was the cousin and spiritual successor of the Prophet Ilyas (peace
be upon him).
One day Ilyas (peace be upon him) passed through the fields while the owner
(Al-Yasa) was busy in ploughing. No sooner had the owner seen the Prophet
than he abdicated his own work and approached Ilyas (peace be upon him) in
hot haste. Al-Yasa began to follow him. The Prophet was much surprised
and remarked: Why do you accompany me after leaving your own work? Al-Yasa
retraced his steps and fetched his ox. He slaughtered it, lit the fire and
cooked the beef. He fed Ilyas, his companions and many other guests to seek
the pleasure of Allah. The Prophet was much pleased with the host for his
sincerity, hospitality and righteousness. When Ilyas(peace be upon him)
was about to depart, Al-Yasa expressed his keen desire to live in the company
of his honourable guest during the rest of his life and serve him whole heartedly
as a humble servant. As the noble attitude of Al-Yasa had enamoured Ilyas
(peace be upon him), the latter accorded him permission without hesitation.
When the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) was on his death-bed, he wished
to bid him farewell. AL-Yasa was not prepared to leave him. Then Ilyas
(peace be-upon him) asked him to express any of his desires to be fulfilled.
Al-Yasa said: I wish that Allah may bestow blessings upon me in the same
way as He has blessed you. The Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) supplicated
and invoked blessings of Allah upon his successor. His prayer was granted.
Allah chose Al-Yasa as His Prophet after the death of Ilyas (peace be upon
him). He derived spiritual magnificence from the company of his guide and
became the favourite of Allah.
After some time he proceeded to Yariha to preach the religion of Allah.
The inhabitants of that locality gave him a warm reception. At that time
they were under the spell of starvation. The land was barren and water was
not available. Al-Yasa (peace be upon him) supplicated to Allah to show
mercy to the famine-stricken people. His prayer was granted and Allah showered
his bounties upon them.
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THE PROPHET MUSA (peace be upon him
The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and his family settled in Egypt. They
were called the Israelites. Gradually they increased in number and gained
considerable power. These Israelites did not intermingle with other native
people. They remained isolated and were considered as foreigners in Egypt.
Cruel Act of Pharaoh in respect of Israelites:
At that time Egypt was ruled by the king Fir'aun (Pharaoh). He was arrogant,
tyrant and powerful. He thought himself to be god. In their kingdom the
people led miserable lives. They were forced to work as slaves. They were
chained and whipped if they refused to work. The Israelites were looked
down upon in that society. They suffered badly due to destitution and indigence.
Some of them grew weak and died of starvation. When Pharaoh noticed that
the Israelites were increasing in number, he was much alarmed. He held discussions
with his counsellors on this topic. They decided that Israelites should
be snubbed. They should not be allowed to become powerful and supreme in
the land. They planned to oppress and persecute them in different ways.
Pharaoh ordered that all male children born in the families of the Israelites
should be put to death. This tyrannical act of Pharaoh against the Israelites
has been described in the following Verses of the Holy Qur'an:
"Surely Fir'aun exalted himself
in the land and divided its people into parties, oppressing one party from
among them by killing their sons and sparing their women. Surely he was
one of the mischief-makers."
(28:3, 5)
When the people heard those terrible orders they were much upset. The soldiers
started complying with the orders of their king. Whenever they got wind
of the male baby born to any family, they would yank him out of his mother's
arms. They did not care for the feelings of the crying mothers. They used
to throw the infants mercilessly into the river. It was an awful act of
cruelty but no one dared to disobey the orders of Pharaoh because every one
was much scared of him. Many innocent babies were drowned in this way and
numerous unfortunate parents expressed lamentations over the death of their
dear ones.
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The Prophet Musa (Moses) Enclosed into Chest and Cast into the River:
In that era one of the Israelite woman gave birth to a male baby who was:
extremely beautiful. The mother thought that the soldiers of Pharaoh would
soon find him out. They would throw him to the fish in the river. God revealed
to her to be patient and not to be frightened. She was communicated the
glad-tidings that her son would become an Apostle. The newly born baby was
named Musa (Moses). He was very attractive. His mother fed and concealed
him for a few months. When she was unable to hide him any longer, God guided
her saying:
"And We revealed to
Musa's mother saying: Give him suck. When you fear for him, cast him into
the river and do not fear nor grieve, surely We will restore him to you and
make him one of the apostles."
(28: 7)
The same direction is expressed in other Verses:
"Call to mind the
occasion when We revealed to your mother: Put him into the chest and cast
it down into the river, then the river shall throw him on the shore; then
shall take him up to one who is an enemy to Me and enemy to him and I cast
down upon you love From Me and that you may be brought up before My eyes."
(20:38-39)
When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) had attained the age of a few months,
his mother got made a very tight box. She put a blanket in the box. She
lifted her affectionate son and kissed him again and again. She put him
in the box with tears in her eyes. Her heart was beating violently. She
pushed the box into the water when it was still dark. The box moved slowly
on the surface of the water. His sister watched the box at a distance but
the mother went back home wailing and sobbing. She was full of anxiety due
to the separation of her beloved baby.
The Prophet Musa's sister was hiding from place to place along the shore
of the river. She was constantly watching the box and praying for the safety
of her brother. The box went on moving and gradually came near the shore.
Some People were washing their clothes at the shore. By chance they saw
the box floating slowly. They waded through the water and picked up the
box. They were greatly surprised to see a beautiful infant enclosed in the
box. He had a smiling countenance.
The Prophet Musa Grows up in Pharaoh's House:
The people took the box to Pharaoh and his family. All of them were full
of excitement. The Prophet Musa's sister followed them but no one recognised
her. The wife of Pharaoh fell in love with the baby. She decided to make
him her own son:
"And Fir'aun's wife
said: Joy of the eye to me and to you, do not slay him, may be he will be
useful to us or we may take him for a son. But they knew not what they did.''
(28: 10)
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) became awfully hungry. He began to
cry out of hunger. The baby was handed over to a woman who was appointed
to nurse him. He did not take her breast and kept on weeping. Every one
was in a fix what to do. The sister of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him)
who was standing near remarked: May I bring a woman whom the baby requires?
She was directed to go immediately and call her. She rushed towards her
house and informed her mother of the whole situation. She requested her
mother to accompany her to Pharaoh's house. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him) was still crying due to hunger. The mother gave him her breast. He
was much pleased and drank milk to his heart's content. Pharaoh's wife requested
the mother of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to stay with them and nurse
him. The Holy Qur'an states:
"So We restored him
to his mother that her eyes might be refreshed and that she might not grieve
and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true but most of them
do not know."
(28: 13)
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was brought up in Pharaoh's house like
a prince. His mother was taking care of him and he was the apple of her
eye. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) learnt a great deal about Pharaoh
and his indecent ways of life. He came to know about his cruel treatment
towards Israelites. Although he led a luxurious life yet deep inside his
heart he had pains.
An Egyptian is Killed by Prophet Musa:
One day he saw an Israelite fighting hard with one of the men of the King.
They were shouting and hitting each other. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him) appeared on the scene. He tried to pacify them. When he saw that the
Egyptian was not going to spare him in spite of several requests, he lifted
up his stick and hit the man of the King. The man became dizzy and fell
to the ground with a bang. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and his
companions stepped forward to support the man but he was limp like a rag.
Soon after he passed away.
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The Prophet Musa Repents:
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) felt sorry for what had happened. It
was an accidental and not intentional act. One blow of the stick is quite
insufficient to cause the death of a person. His head was twirling. He
called his action as a devil's doing who misled human beings. He realised
his mistake and prayed for Divine protection. The Holy Qur'an states:
"He found therein
two men fighting, one being of his party and the other of his foes and he
who was of his party cried out to him for help against him who was of his
enemies. Musa struck him with his fist and despatched him. He said: This
is of the devil's doing; surely he is an open enemy leading astray. He
said: My Lord: Surely l have done harm to myself, so, You should protect
me."
(18: 18)
The Prophet Musa's Migration and Marriage:
Soon the news of the murder of a man spread far and wide. The people flew
into a rage. They hatched a plan to kill the Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him). He became scared and was directed to migrate to another place. The
Holy Qur'an states:
"A man came running from the remotest part of the City. He said: 0' Musa
Surely the Chiefs are consulting together to slay you. Therefore, begone
at once. Surely I counsel you as a friend."
(28:19)
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) packed up his luggage and left Pharaoh's
house in the pitch dark when every one was enjoying a sound sleep. He reached
Madian after a long tiresome journey. He sat down to take rest near a watering
place.
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) saw two young girls waiting at a distance.
Their sheep were standing near the spring for drinking water. The Prophet
Musa (peace he upon him) thought that the girls needed some help. Although
he was tired and hungry yet he wished to help them. He went up to the girls
and asked if they needed help. The girls were modest and bashful. They
said that they were waiting so that the shepherds might go away. The Prophet
Musa (peace be upon him) drove the sheep to the spring to drink water.
It was a kind act of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). The girls expressed
a deep sense of gratitude for this favour. They took their sheep and proceeded
towards their house. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went back to rest.
He became depressed and prayed to Almighty Allah to help him. In the meanwhile
two women came to him and said:
"My father invites
you so that he may give you the reward of your having watered for us."
(28:25)
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) accompanied them. When be entered the
house, he introduced himself politely; Soon after he dined with the members
of the family. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was asked to stay with
them. The time passed on happily. One day the master of the house said:
"I desire to marry
one of these two daughters of mine to you on the condition that you should
serve me for eight years but if you complete ten, it will be of your own
free will, and I do not wish to be hard on you. If Allah pleases, you will
find me one of good. He said: This will be an agreement between you and
me. whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there shall be no wrong doing to
me and Allah is a witness of what we say."
(28:27, 28)
According to the agreement Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) got married to
one of the girls of that family. He took care of the farm and the sheep
efficiently. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) had been away from his
family for many years. He missed his kith and kin. One day he set out on
a journey from Madian. His family accompanied him.
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The Call of Prophet Musa to Prophet-hood:
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) crossed the sandy desert and reached
the mountain, Tur. He perceived a brilliant light from a distance. The
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) thought that to be fire land reached near
it to warm himself. All of a sudden a voice was-heard from the right side
of the Valley. It uttered:
"Surely. I am your
Lord: so put off your shoes because you are in the sacred Valley which is
blessed twice I have chosen you; so hearken to what shall be revealed: Verily,
I am Allah, there is no god but I, therefore serve-Me-and keep up prayers
for My remembrance."
(10: 22)
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was puzzled and scared. The thing which
looked like fire was not fire in the real sense of the word but it was the
reflection of the glory of God. It was a moment of great honour for the
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him).
Some Miracles of Prophet Musa:
God commanded Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to throw the stick that was
in his hand on the ground. He threw the stick in compliance with the orders.
To his surprise he saw the stick moving like a long wiggling snake and it
greatly scared him. He thought that it was going to bite him. God directed
the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) not to lose courage and pick up the
snake. He obeyed and caught hold of the terrible looking snake. When he
touched it, it was restored to its former shape. The Prophet Musa (peace
be upon him) was much amazed to see those happenings.
Soon afterwards God ordered the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to thrust
his hand into his armpit. He did so. When he took out his hand, it was
shining white when he put his hand back into his armpit and pulled it out
it had been changed into its normal position.
Allah, the Almighty made the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to perform
those miracles so that he might feel better and become sure of the existence
of Allah and His power. He was going to derive benefits out of such miracles
in future.
The Prophet Musa Settles in Egypt Again:
Allah commanded the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to go to Egypt to deliver
the Israelites from Pharaoh and reform his depraved people. The Prophet
Musa (peace be upon him) was not good at arguing. He had an impediment in
his tongue to speak freely. He sought permission from Allah to take his
brother Prophet Harun with him as an aider because he was an eloquent speaker.
The permission was immediately granted.
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The Prophet Musa Argues with Pharaoh:
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) settled with his family in Egypt. They
went to Pharaoh to argue with him. They conveyed him the message of Allah
but he made fun of them. He did not lose heart and kept on preaching. The
king and his people were not convinced. Finally in desperation, the Prophet
Musa (peace be upon him) said: 0' King! Do you like me to show you that my
message is true? He replied in affirmative with an unbelieving smile on his
face. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) threw his stick on the ground
and it changed its shape as a terrible looking snake. The people were wonder-struck
and got scared of it. When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) picked it
up, it became a stick again. Every one was much amazed. Then the Prophet
Musa (peace be upon him) put his hand in his armpit. When he got it out,
his hand was shining brilliantly. The Holy Qur'an states:
"Then he threw down
his staff and lo! it was an obvious serpent. And he drew forth his hand
and lo! it appeared white to the beholders."
(26:32)
The Prophet Musa Contests with Magicians:
The Chiefs said that the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was an enchanter.
He intended to turn the minds of the people. Pharaoh was much worried.
He feared lest people should begin to follow him. He fixed a special day
for contest between the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and other magicians.
He sent collectors in various parts of the country to bring enchanters
to hold competition and prevail upon the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him).
He promised to reward the winners.
On the appointed day thousands of people gathered there. There was a great
deal of excitement. Every one was eager to see the performances of the magicians
of the king and the miracles of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). First
of all the royal magicians threw their sticks. They moved and looked like
snakes from a distance. They deceived the eyes of the people and frightened
them. The people were much surprised. They appreciated the magicians for
their astonishing performances. Soon after the Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him) cast his stick. The stick became a hungry serpent by the order of Allah.
It wiggled and moved like a dart. It devoured every moving stick that the
magician had thrown. The spectators were much impressed. Some of the priests
thought that such miracles could be done only by the order of Allah. Most
of the magicians drew back humiliated and prostrated themselves adoring.
They said: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds; the Lord of Prophet Musa
and Prophet Harun (peace be upon them).
On seeing this state of affairs Pharaoh was much worried. He became mad
with rage because his men were inclined to follow the Prophet Musa peace
be upon him) and adopt his new religion. He threatened them of dire consequences.
He said:
"I shall certainly
cut off your hands and your feet on opposite side, then I will crucify you
altogether.
(7: 124)
Persecution of Prophet Musa slid his followers:
Pharaoh and his men began to persecute the followers of Prophet Musa (peace
be upon him). The Israelites remained patient. They began to worship and
glorify God in their homes. They kept praying to God. They said:
"O' Our Lord! Make
us not subject to persecution of the unjust people, and deliver us by Your
mercy from the unbelieving people."
(20: 86)
When the Israelites were under the burden of hardships and sufferings, Allah
ordered the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to leave the area with his followers.
He promised to save them. In compliance with the Commandment of Allah the
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) directed his people to migrate secretly
to another place.
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The Prophet Musa Leaves Egypt:
When it was dark, a scanty band of the Israelites left Egypt. They took
all precautionary measures to escape from the eye-sight of the guards. They
moved as fast as they could with firm conviction that they would he saved
by Allah. Next day the residence of the Israelites were found desolate and
without hustle and bustle. Pharaoh was informed. He lost his temper and
sent heralds to chase the absconders. He wanted to take revenge of his disgrace.
He ordered his soldiers to arrest the Israelites and bring them back. When
the followers of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) were near the sea-shore,
they heard the sound of the hoofs of their horses. They were much frightened.
They thought that they would be overtaken and punished by the enemies.
The Sea Splits and Pharaoh is Drowned:
When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and his followers were being chased
Allah revealed this order to him:
"Strike the sea with the rod; and it clove asunder and each part become like
a large mountain."
(26: 60)
The water of the sea went up high with the great uproar. The bottom of the
sea turned into dry land. It was an amazing miracle. The people could hardly
believe their eyes. The Israelites ran desperately and went far ahead.
Pharaoh and his huge army chased them in hostility. There was a great uproar
again. The water from both the sides poured. It rushed over Pharaoh and
his soldiers. They were completely drowned. The Holy Qur'an relates this
incident in the following Verses:
"And We made the children
of Israel to pass through the sea, then Fir'aun and his hosts followed them
in hostility and for oppression until when drowning overtook him, he said:
I believe that there is no god but He in Whom the children of Israel believe
and I am of those who submit. What now! said God, and indeed you have been
rebellious and was of the mischief makers. But this day We save you in your
body so that you may be a sign to those after you and most surely most people
are heedless of Our Signs".
(20:90-92)
The body of Fir'aun is still present in the Egyptian Museum as an admonitory
sign to those who are transgressors.
When Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and thousands of his followers got
rid of Pharaoh, they expressed a deep sense of gratitude to Allah. They
had witnessed an impressive miracle. Now they were free to live according
to the teachings of Allah.
The Prophet Musa Receives Instructions:
Allah commanded Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to go to a certain mountain
for austerity. He had to stay there for forty days. During this period
Allah, the Almighty gave a lot of religious knowledge to Prophet Musa (peace
be upon him). He gave him the tablets which contained ten Commandments.
One day he (Musa) said:
"My Lord! Show me
Thyself so that I may look upon Thee. He said': you cannot bear to see Me
but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then you will
see Me. When his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain He made it crumble
and Musa fell down in swoon. When he recovered, he said: Glory be to You:
I turn to You and! am the first of believers".
(7:142)
At the end of the appointed time Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went to
his people to tell them about the revelations which he had received.
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Israelites Worship the Calf:
The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was much grieved to know that his followers
had become addicted to praying to the cow instead of Allah. Whenever his
brother Prophet Harun (peace be upon him) forbade them to do so, they made
fun of him. Sometimes they tortured him. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him) tried hard to uproot this form of idolatry from the hearts of the Israelites.
Some men who had gone astray, repented but most of them insisted on worshipping
a cow. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said to his people:
"Surely, Allah commands
you that you should sacrifice a cow."
(2: 67)
Most of them did so hesitatingly but the others refused. The Prophet Musa
(peace be upon him) kept on conveying the people the new message of God.
Another Miracle:
One season came there was hardly any rain. It overtook the people with draughts
and diminution of fruit. There was an acute shortage of water and food.
The people began to die of starvation. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon
him) prayed to Allah and He provided them with eatables. Water was not available
in the area. They approached Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) for help.
He prayed to Allah for a miracle. Allah directed the Prophet to hit a special
high cliff with his stick. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) touched
the cliff saying: By the name of our Lord, Almighty Allah. At once the water
gushed forth. There were twelve places in that cliff from which sprang out
cool clear water. The people were much amazed at the sight of this wonderful
miracle. The Holy Qur'an states:
"And when Musa prayed
for drink for his people, We said: Smite with your staff the rock, and there
gushed out therefrom twelve springs so that each tribe knew their drinking
place: Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly
making mischief in the earth."
(2: 60)
The Israelites were of twelve branches each a descendant of a son of Prophet
Ya'qub (peace be upon him). So each branch came to drink from one of the
springs of water from that cliff. The people drank water to their hearts
content. They do not have to shove and push for the water because Allah
gave them twelve springs.
Israelites Win Victory and Prosper:
After staying in the desert for some time Prophet Musa (peace be upon him)
planned to proceed towards the blessed land, Palestine. The Prophet Musa
( peace be upon him) sent twelve men in advance to go and had a bird's eye
view of the blessed land. They came back after many days. They told him
that there were fertile farms and green trees. There was plenty of water.
It made every one eager to go there. It was also reported that the owners
of the blessed land were strong and brave. They had invincible armies.
It was impossible to capture that land without fighting. The Israelites
were much terrified because they were weak and armless. The Prophet Musa
(peace be upon him) and a small group of Israelites wished to fight tooth
and nail whereas most of them did not agree to fighting. Some of them said
to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him): You go with your God and fight against
them. We will stay here and wait.
As the years passed, they increased in number. They gained strength gradually.
They formed a small army of their own and marched with faith in their hearts
towards the rich blessed land. They fought hard and became victorious in
the battle. They became the rulers of Palestine. The inhabitants of that
land lived with them in peace and harmony. Allah showered favours on Israelites
and they began to prosper wonderfull.
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