Moses 12

(20:77-79)(26:52-63)(14:5)(44:22-29)(10:90-92)(4:18)

          Before the court was adjourned, the courtiers saw two men hurriedly leaving the court.  One was calm and melancholy, as if all the weight which had overwhelmed him was suddenly removed, leaving him sad but wise. The other was annoyed and furious, stamping his feet in uncontrolled anger. Both disappeared at the corner of the veranda— one to the right, the other to the left.  They were Pharaoh and the man who had dared to oppose Pharaoh in the full court.

          Pharaoh, in his mind, was knitting a net of ruses and tricks to entrap and destroy the man completely.  Fortunately, he was unsuccessful in his wicked designs, and God saved the man.  However, it became apparent that Pharaoh would not allow the Israelites to leave Egypt.  No reason or advice could prevail upon him to see the coming destruction. 

He was so conscious of his forces and means of waging war that he refused to listen to any advice.  He was extremely proud and arrogant, and thought himself to be invincible.  Pharaoh sent many messengers to various parts of his country and declared, “Do not pay heed to people who talk in favor of Moses. He is nothing compared to me, only having a few worthless slave members in his party. Being a poor man, he can do nothing for you.  I, Pharaoh of Egypt, have countless means to bestow favors on my nation, so follow me.”         Exactly at that time God also passed a decree in which He took away the beautiful gardens, bubbling springs, treasures, and high places of honor in the community of nations from Pharaoh and gave them to Moses and his nation. The Quran gives this transformation the name of ayam ul allah, the day of God.  Whenever an oppressed nation gets freedom from the oppressors, it is called ayam ul allah.

God sent a revelation to Moses and told him to leave Egypt at night with the Israelites, to take them away from the darkness of slavery to the light of freedom.  He also revealed that they were going to be followed. This revelation guided Moses to the safe route across the sea where it was shallow and covered with reeds.  The Israelites quietly left Egypt in the star-lit night and followed the revealed path.  They reached the bank of the sea when it was receding.

At dawn, when the Egyptians came to take the Israelites for work, they found the cage empty, and the birds were flying in the clear blue sky. The news of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt infuriated Pharaoh beyond control.  “What?  These few insignificant, worthless slaves dared to leave Egypt without permission from me – the mighty ruler of the land.  I will capture them and bring them back, and inflict such punishments on them and their leaders that they will never venture to take such a step again.”  After this declaration, he ordered his chief commander to gather the chariots, best forces, and all the equipment needed for capturing the Israelites.  When everything was in order, according to his heart’s satisfaction, he ordered them to pursue the fugitive nation.

The Israelites, tired by the long journey at night, saw a terrible scenario.  In front of them was a foaming sea; behind them was a sea of angry forces and equipment from Pharaoh, and both of them were surging up to engulf them.  They shouted in fear, “We are lost forever!”  Moses replied, “No, it cannot happen because God is with us.”   Consequently, he entered the shallow sea as revealed to him.  The water of the sea was at the low ebb at that time, so Moses and his nation crossed the sea safely.

When Pharaoh arrived at the bank of the sea, the Israelites had crossed it.  Pharaoh knew that it was the only chance for him to seize the Israelites; otherwise they could scatter in the desert and it would not be possible to capture them.  Without critically examining the condition of the sea, he ordered his forces to cross over and capture the Israelites.  As Pharaoh and his forces entered the sea, it was rising.  A tidal surge rose; the ruthless waves of the sea swallowed all the pride, arrogance, equipment and forces of Pharaoh, and broke them into pieces in front of his eyes.  When Pharaoh was about to drown, he shouted, “I believe in Allah!” But it was not a belief; it was fear of death, so it had no value. Pharaoh also died with his forces, but his body was saved by God to be a symbol or sign (aya) for the coming generations.