Moses
In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...
( , )
is a prominent
prophet and messenger of
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
and is the most frequently mentioned individual in the
Quran
The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
, with
his name being mentioned 136 times and his life being narrated and recounted more than that of any other
prophet
In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
.
[Annabel Keeler, "Moses from a Muslim Perspective", in: Solomon, Norman; Harries, Richard; Winter, Tim (eds.)]
''Abraham's Muslims in conversation''
, T&T Clark Publ. (2005), pp. 55–66. Apart from the Quran, Moses is also described and praised in the
Hadith
Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
literature as well. He is one of the most important prophets and messengers within Islam.
According to the Quran, Moses was born to an
Israelite
Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age.
Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...
family. In his childhood, he is put in a basket which flows towards the
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
, and is eventually discovered by Pharaoh's (
Fir'awn) wife (not named in the Quran but called
Asiya
Asiya bint Muzahim () was, according to the Qur'an and Islamic tradition, the wife of the Pharaoh of the Exodus and adoptive mother of Moses.
Asiya is first mentioned in Surah Al-Qasas in the Quran, identified as Bithiah in the Jewish tra ...
in
Hadith
Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
), who takes Moses as her adopted son. After reaching adulthood, Moses then resides in
Midian
Midian (; ; , ''Madiam''; Taymanitic: 𐪃𐪕𐪚𐪌 ''MDYN''; ''Mīḏyān'') is a geographical region in West Asia, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia. mentioned in the Tanakh and Quran. William G. Dever states that biblical Midian was ...
, before departing for Egypt again to threaten the Pharaoh. During his prophethood, Moses is said to have performed many miracles, and is also reported to have personally talked to God, who bestows the title 'Speaker of God' () upon Moses. The prophet's most famous miracle is dividing the Red Sea, with a miraculous staff provided by God. After Pharaoh's death, Moses and his followers travel towards the Promised Land and the prophet dies within sight of the land. Moses is reported to have met
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
in the seven heavens following his ascension from
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
during the
Night Journey ().
[, ] During the journey, Moses is said by Muslims to have repeatedly sent Muhammad back, and request a reduction in the number of required daily prayers, originally believed to be fifty, until only the
five obligatory prayers remained.
Moses is viewed as a very important figure in Islam. According to Islamic theology, all Muslims must have faith in every prophet and messenger of God, which includes Moses and his brother
Aaron
According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Aaron ( or ) was an Israelite prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of Moses. Information about Aaron comes exclusively from religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament ...
. The life of Moses is generally seen as a spiritual parallel to the life of Muhammad, and Muslims consider many aspects of the two individuals' lives to be shared.
Islamic literature also describes a parallel relation between their people and the incidents that occurred in their lifetimes; the
exodus of the Israelites from ancient Egypt is considered to be similar in nature to the
migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina as both events unfolded in the face of persecution—
of the Israelites by the ancient Egyptians, and
of the early Muslims by the Meccans, respectively. His revelations, such as the
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (), or the Decalogue (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were given by YHWH to Moses. The text of the Ten ...
, form part of the contents of the
Torah
The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () ...
and are central to the
Abrahamic religions
The term Abrahamic religions is used to group together monotheistic religions revering the Biblical figure Abraham, namely Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The religions share doctrinal, historical, and geographic overlap that contrasts them wit ...
of
Judaism
Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
and
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
. Consequently,
Jews
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
and
Christians
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
are designated as "
People of the Book
People of the Book, or ''Ahl al-Kitāb'' (), is a classification in Islam for the adherents of those religions that are regarded by Muslims as having received a divine revelation from Allah, generally in the form of a holy scripture. The clas ...
" for Muslims and are to be recognized with this special status wherever
Islamic law
Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...
is applied. Moses is further revered in Islamic literature, which expands upon the incidents of his life and the miracles attributed to him in the Quran and hadith, such as his direct conversations with God.
Generally, Moses is seen as a
legend
A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...
ary figure by biblical scholars, some of whom consider it possible that Moses or a Moses-like figure existed in the 13th century BCE.
Life
Childhood
In Islamic tradition, Moses was born into a family of
Israelites
Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age.
Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...
living in
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. Of his family, Islamic tradition generally names his father
Imran
Imran, also transliterated as Emran ( ''ʿImrān'') is an Arabic name. The name Imran is found in the Quranic chapter called Family of ʿImrān (''āl ʿImrān'').
It may refer to:
Given name
* Imran, father of Mary in the Quran: see Joachim ( ...
, corresponding to the
Amram
In the Book of Exodus, Amram (; ) is the husband of Jochebed and father of Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
In the Holy Scriptures
In addition to being married to Jochebed, Amram is also described in the Bible as having been related to Jochebed ...
of the
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;["Tanach"](_blank)
. '' Levi
Levi ( ; ) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's third son), and the founder of the Israelites, Israelite Tribe of Levi (the Levites, including the Kohanim) and the great-grandfather of Aaron ...
as his ancestor. Islam states that Moses was born in a time when the ruling Pharaoh had enslaved the Israelites after the time of the prophet
Yusuf
Yusuf ( ') is a male name meaning " God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning " YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name Yosef and the English na ...
(Joseph). Islamic literature states that around the time of Moses's birth, the Pharaoh had a dream in which he saw fire coming from the city of
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, which burned everything in his kingdom except in the land of the Israelites. Another version says that the Pharaoh dreamed of a little boy who caught the Pharaoh's crown and destroyed it, although there is no authentic Islamic reference to whether the dreams actually occurred. When the Pharaoh is informed that one of the male children would grow up to overthrow him, he orders the killing of all newborn Israelite males in order to prevent the prediction from occurring.
Experts of
economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
in Pharaoh's court advise him that killing the male infants of the Israelites would result in loss of
manpower
Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ...
.
Therefore, they suggest that male infants should be killed in one year but spared the next.
Moses's brother,
Aaron
According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Aaron ( or ) was an Israelite prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of Moses. Information about Aaron comes exclusively from religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament ...
, was born in the year when infants were spared, while Moses was born in the year when infants were to be killed.
Incident of the Nile

According to Islamic tradition,
Jochebed
According to the Bible, Jochebed (; , lit. ' YHWH is glory') was a daughter of Levi and the mother of Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. She was the wife of Amram, as well as his aunt. No details are given concerning her life. According to Jewish legend ...
, Moses's mother, suckled him secretly during this period. When they were in danger of being caught, God
instructed her to put him in a wicker basket and set him adrift on the
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
. She instructs her daughter to follow the course of the ark and report back to her. As her daughter follows the ark along the riverbank, Moses is discovered by the Pharaoh's wife,
Asiya
Asiya bint Muzahim () was, according to the Qur'an and Islamic tradition, the wife of the Pharaoh of the Exodus and adoptive mother of Moses.
Asiya is first mentioned in Surah Al-Qasas in the Quran, identified as Bithiah in the Jewish tra ...
, who convinces the Pharaoh to adopt him. When Asiya ordered wet nurses for Moses, Moses refuses to be breastfed. Islamic tradition states that this is because God forbids Moses from being fed by any wet nurse in order to reunite him with his mother. His sister worries that Moses has not been fed for some time, so she appears to the Pharaoh and informs him that she knows someone who can feed him.
After being questioned, she is ordered to bring the woman being discussed.
The sister brings their mother, who feeds Moses, and thereafter, she is appointed as the wet nurse of Moses.
Historicity
Prophethood
Test of prophecy
According to
Isra'iliyat hadith, when Moses is on the Pharaoh's lap in his childhood, he grabs the Pharaoh's beard and slaps him in the face. This action prompts the Pharaoh to consider Moses as the Israelite who would overthrow him, and the Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses. The Pharaoh's wife persuades him not to kill him because he is an infant. Instead, he decides to test Moses.
Two plates are set before young Moses, one containing
rubies
Ruby is a pinkish-red-to-blood-red-colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphi ...
and the other glowing coals.
Moses reaches out for the rubies, but the angel
Gabriel
In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), Gabriel ( ) is an archangel with the power to announce God's will to mankind, as the messenger of God. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran. Many Chris ...
directs his hand to the coals. Moses grabs a glowing
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal i ...
and puts it in his mouth, burning his tongue.
After the incident, Moses suffers a speech defect, but is spared by the Pharaoh.
Escape to Midian and Marriage

After having reached adulthood, according to the Quran, Moses is passing through a city when he comes across an Egyptian fighting with an Israelite. The Israelite man is believed to be Sam'ana, known in the
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
to be a
Samaritan
Samaritans (; ; ; ), are an ethnoreligious group originating from the Hebrews and Israelites of the ancient Near East. They are indigenous to Samaria, a historical region of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah that ...
, who asks Moses for his assistance against the Egyptian who is mistreating him. Moses attempts to intervene and becomes involved in the dispute.
Moses strikes the Egyptian in a state of anger, which results in his death. Moses then repents to God, and the following day, he again comes across the same Israelite fighting with another Egyptian. The Israelite again asks Moses for help, and as Moses approaches the Israelite, he reminds Moses of his
manslaughter
Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
and asks if Moses intended to kill the Israelite. Moses is reported, and the Pharaoh orders Moses to be killed. However, Moses flees to the desert after being alerted to his punishment.
According to Islamic tradition, after Moses arrives in
Midian
Midian (; ; , ''Madiam''; Taymanitic: 𐪃𐪕𐪚𐪌 ''MDYN''; ''Mīḏyān'') is a geographical region in West Asia, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia. mentioned in the Tanakh and Quran. William G. Dever states that biblical Midian was ...
, he witnesses two female shepherds driving back their flocks from a well.
[ Moses approaches them and inquires about their work as shepherds and their retreat from the well. Upon hearing their answers and about the old age of their father, although his identity is contested, generally accepted to be Prophet Shuaib, Moses waters their flocks for them.] The two shepherds return to their home and inform their father of Moses. They then invite Moses to a feast. At that feast, their father asks Moses to work for him for eight years in return for marriage to one of his daughters. Moses consents and works for him for ten years.
Preaching
Call to prophethood
According to the Quran, Moses departs for Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
along with his family after completing the contracted time period. During their travel, as they stop near At-Tur, Moses observes a large fire and instructs the family to wait until he returns with fire for them. When Moses reaches the Valley of Tuwa
The holiest sites in Islam are located in the Middle East. While the significance of most places typically varies depending on the Islamic sect, there is a consensus across all mainstream branches of the religion that affirms two cities as havi ...
, God calls out directly to him from the right side of the valley from a tree, on what is revered as '' Al-Buq‘ah Al-Mubārakah'' ("The Blessed Ground") in the Quran. Moses is commanded by God to remove his shoes and is informed of his selection as a prophet, his obligation of prayer and the Day of Judgment. Moses is then ordered to throw his rod, which turns into a snake, and later instructed to hold it. The Quran then narrates Moses being ordered to insert his hand into his clothes and when he revealed it, it shines a bright light. God states that these are signs for the Pharaoh, and orders Moses to invite Pharaoh to the worship of one God. Moses expresses his fear of Pharaoh and requests God to heal his speech impediment and grant him Aaron as a helper. According to Islamic tradition, both of them state their fear of Pharaoh, but are assured by God that He would be observing them and commands them to inform the Pharaoh to free the Israelites
Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age.
Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...
. Therefore, they depart to preach to the Pharaoh.
The Quran states that Moses was sent by God to confront the erstwhile (pharaoh) of ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
and to guide the Israelites
Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age.
Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...
, who were enslaved by the former. The Quran directly validates Moses and Aaron as prophets chosen by God:
Because he is the only Prophet to be directly spoken to by God (evidenced in , " ..and to Moses, Allah spoke directly"), whereas the others would communicate through Angel Gabriel, Moses is titled ''Kaleem Allah'' ("Speaker of God").
Arrival at Pharaoh's court
When Moses and Aaron arrive in the court of Pharaoh and proclaim their prophethood to the Pharaoh, the Pharaoh begins questioning Moses about the God he follows. The Quran narrates that Moses answers the Pharaoh by stating that he follows the God who gives everything its form and guides them. The Pharaoh then inquires about the generations who passed before them, and Moses answers that knowledge of the previous generations is with God. The Quran also mentions the Pharaoh questioning Moses: “And what is the Lord of the worlds?” Moses replies that God is the lord of the heavens, the earth and what is between them. The Pharaoh then reminds Moses of his childhood with them and the killing of the man he has done. Moses admits that he has committed the deed in ignorance, but insists that he is now forgiven and guided by God. Pharaoh accuses him of being mad and threatens to imprison him if he continues to proclaim that the Pharaoh is not the true god. Moses informs him that he has come with manifest signs from God. When the Pharaoh demands to see the signs, Moses throws his staff to the floor, and it turns into a serpent. He then draws out his hand, and it shines a bright white light. The Pharaoh's counselors advises him that this is sorcery
Sorcery commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), the application of beliefs, rituals or actions employed to manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces
** Goetia, ''Goetia'', magic involving the evocation of spirits
** Witchcraft, the ...
, and on their advice he summons the best sorcerers in the kingdom. The Pharaoh challenges Moses to a battle between him and the Pharaoh's magicians, asking him to choose the day. Moses chose the day of a festival.
Confrontation with sorcerers
When the sorcerers come to the Pharaoh, he promises them that they would be among the honored among his assembly if they won. On the day of the festival of Egypt, Moses grants the sorcerers the chance to perform first and warned them that God would expose their tricks. The Quran states that the sorcerers bewitch the eyes of the observers and cause them terror. The summoned sorcerers throw their rods on the floor, and they appear to change into snakes by the effect of their magic. At first, Moses becomes concerned witnessing the tricks of the magicians, but is assured by God to not be worried. When Moses does the same his rod, the serpent devours all the sorcerers' snakes. The sorcerers realize that they have witnessed a miracle. They proclaim belief in the message of Moses and fall onto their knees in prostration despite threats from the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh is enraged by this and accuses them of working under Moses. He warns them that if they insist in believing in Moses, he would cut their hands and feet on opposite sides, and crucify
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...
them on the trunks of palm trees for their betrayal of the Pharaoh. The magicians, however, remain steadfast to their newfound faith and die as believers.
Exodus
Plagues of Egypt
After losing against Moses, the Pharaoh continues to plan against Moses and the Israelites, ordering
meetings with the ministers, princes and priests. According to the Quran, the Pharaoh is reported to have ordered his minister, Haman, to build a tower so that he "may look at the God of Moses". Gradually, the Pharaoh begins to fear that Moses may convince the people that he is not the true god, and wants to have Moses killed. After this threat, a man from the family of Pharaoh, who had years ago warned Moses, comes forth and warns the people of the punishment of God for the wrongdoers and reward for the righteous. The Pharaoh defiantly refuses to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. The Quran states that God decrees punishments
Punishment, commonly, is the imposition of an undesirable or suffering, unpleasant outcome upon an individual or group, meted out by an authority—in contexts ranging from child discipline to criminal law—as a deterrent to a particular actio ...
over him and his people. These punishments come in the form of floods that demolish their dwellings, swarms of locust
Locusts (derived from the Latin ''locusta'', locust or lobster) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they b ...
that destroy the crops, pestilence of lice
Louse (: lice) is the common name for any member of the infraorder Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera was previously recognized as an order, until a 2021 genetic study determined th ...
that makes their life miserable, toads that croak and spring everywhere, and the turning of all drinking water into blood. Each time the Pharaoh is subjected to humiliation, his defiance becomes greater. The Quran mentions that God instructs Moses to travel at night with the Israelites and warns them that they would be pursued. The Pharaoh chases the Israelites with his army after realizing that they have left during the night.
Dividing the sea
Having escaped and now being pursued by the Egyptians, the Israelites stop when they reach the seafront. The Israelites exclaim to Moses that they would be overtaken by Pharaoh and his army. In response, God commands Moses to strike the Red Sea
The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
with his staff, instructing them not to fear being inundated or drowning in sea water. Upon striking the sea, the sea is split by God, forming a path that allows the Israelites to pass through. The Pharaoh witnesses the sea dividing alongside his army, but as they also try to pass through, the sea closes in on them. As he is about to die, Pharaoh proclaims belief in the God of Moses and the Israelites, but his belief is rejected by God. One authentic hadith mentions that Angel Gabriel shoved sand into Pharaoh's mouth to stop him from saying anything more, fearing God would forgive him despite his insincerity. The Quran states that the body of the Pharaoh is made a sign and warning for all future generations. As the Israelites continue their journey to the Promised Land, they come upon people who are worshipping idols. The Israelites request to have an idol to worship, but Moses refuses and states that the polytheists would be destroyed by God. They are granted manna
Manna (, ; ), sometimes or archaically spelled Mahna or Mana, is described in the Bible and the Quran as an edible substance that God in Abrahamic religions, God bestowed upon the Israelites while they were wandering the desert during the 40-year ...
and quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy.
Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...
as sustenance from God, but the Israelites ask Moses to pray to God for the earth to grow lentils, onions, herbs and cucumbers for their sustenance. When they stop in their travel to the Promised Land due to lack of water, Moses is commanded by God to strike a stone, and upon its impact twelve springs came forth, each for a specific tribe of the Israelites.
Years in the wilderness
Revelation of the Torah
After leaving Egypt, Moses leads the Israelites to Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai, also known as Jabal Musa (), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is one of several locations claimed to be the Mount Sinai (Bible), biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the sacred scriptures of the thre ...
(''Tur''). Upon arrival, Moses leaves the people, instructing them that Aaron is to be their leader during his absence. Moses encountered Iblis
Iblis (), alternatively known as Eblīs, also known as Shaitan, is the leader of the Shayatin, devils () in Islam. According to the Quran, Iblis was thrown out of Jannah#Jinn, angels, and devils, heaven after refusing to prostrate himself bef ...
at Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai, also known as Jabal Musa (), is a mountain on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is one of several locations claimed to be the Mount Sinai (Bible), biblical Mount Sinai, the place where, according to the sacred scriptures of the thre ...
and Moses asked him why he refused to prostrate before Ādam. Moses is commanded by God to fast for thirty days and to then proceed to the valley of Tuwa for guidance. God orders Moses to fast again for ten days before returning. After completing his fasts, Moses returns to the spot where he had first received his miracles from God. He takes off his shoes as before and goes down into prostration. Moses prays to God for guidance and begs God to reveal himself to him. It is narrated in the Quran that God tells him that it would not be possible for Moses to perceive God, but that He would reveal himself to the mountain, stating: "You cannot see Me! But look at the mountain. If it remains firm in its place, only then will you see Me." When God reveals himself to the mountain, it instantaneously turns into ashes, and Moses loses consciousness. When he recovers, he goes down in total submission and asks forgiveness of God.
Moses is then given the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments (), or the Decalogue (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were given by YHWH to Moses. The text of the Ten ...
by God as Guidance and as Mercy. Meanwhile, in his absence, a man named Samiri creates a Golden Calf, proclaiming it to be the God of Moses. The people begin to worship it. Aaron attempts to guide them away from the Golden Calf, but the Israelites refuse to do so until Moses returns. Moses, having thus received the scripture
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...
s for his people, is informed by God that the Israelites has been tested in his absence, and they have gone astray by worshiping the Golden Calf. Moses comes down from the mountain and returns to his people. The Quran states that Moses, in his anger, grabs hold of Aaron by his beard and admonishes him for doing nothing to stop them, but when Aaron tells Moses of his fruitless attempt to stop them, Moses understands his helplessness, and they both pray to God for forgiveness. Moses then questions Samiri for creating the Golden Calf
According to the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, the golden calf () was a cult image made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai (bible), Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as "the sin of the calf" (). It is first mentio ...
. Samiri replies that it had simply occurred to him, and he had done so. Samiri is exiled, and the Golden Calf is burned to ashes, and the ashes are thrown into the sea. The wrong-doers who have worshipped the Calf are ordered to be punished for their crime.
Moses then chooses 70 elites from among the Israelites and orders them to pray for forgiveness. Shortly thereafter, the elders travel alongside Moses to witness the speech between Moses and God. Despite witnessing the speech between them, they refuse to believe until they see God with their own eyes, so as punishment, a thunderbolt kills them. Moses prays for their forgiveness, and they are resurrected. They return to camp and set up a tent dedicated to worshiping God, as Aaron had taught them from the Torah. They resume their journey towards the Promised Land.
The Israelites and the cow
Islamic exegesis
Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (philosophy), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern us ...
narrates the incident of an old and pious man who lives among the Israelites and earns his living honestly. As he is dying, he places his wife, his little son, and his only possession—a calf in God's care—instructing his wife to take the calf and leave it in a forest. His wife does as she is told, and after a few years, when the son has grown up, she informs him about the calf. The son travels to the forest with a rope. He prostrates and prays to God to return the calf to him. As the son prays, the now-grown cow stops beside him. The son takes the cow with him. The son is also pious and earns his living as a lumberjack
Lumberjack is a mostly North American term for workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees. The term usually refers to loggers in the era before 1945 in the United States, when trees were felled us ...
.
One wealthy man among the Israelites dies and leaves his wealth to his son. The relatives of the wealthy son secretly murder the son in order to inherit his wealth. The other relatives of the son come to Moses and ask for his help in tracing the killers. Moses instructs them to slaughter a cow, cut out its tongue, and then place it on the corpse; this would reveal the killers. The relatives do not believe Moses and do not understand why they are instructed to slaughter a cow when they are trying to find the killers. They accuse Moses of joking, but Moses manages to convince them that he is serious. Hoping to delay the process, the relatives ask the type and age of the cow they should slaughter, but Moses tells them that it is neither old nor young but in-between the two ages. Instead of searching for the cow described, they inquire about its colour, to which Moses replies that it is yellow. They ask Moses for more details, and he informs them that it is unyoked, and does not plow the soil nor does it water the tilth
Tilth is a physical condition of soil, especially in relation to its suitability for planting or growing a crop. Factors that determine tilth include the formation and stability of aggregated soil particles, moisture content, degree of aeration, ...
. The relatives and Moses search for the described cow, but the only cow that they find to fit the description belongs to an orphaned youth. The youth refuses to sell the cow without consulting his mother. All of them travel together to the youth's home. The mother refuses to sell the cow, despite the relatives constantly increasing the price. They urge the orphaned son to tell his mother to be more reasonable. However, the son refuse to sell the cow without his mother's agreement, claiming that he would not sell it even if they offered to fill its skin with gold. At this, the mother agrees to sell it for its skin filled with gold. The relatives and Moses consent, and the cow is slaughtered and the corpse is touched by its tongue. The corpse rises back to life and reveals the identity of the killers.
Meeting with Al-Khidr
One hadith
Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
recounts that when Moses is delivering an impressive sermon, an Israelite inquires if there were anyone more knowledgeable than him. When Moses denies any such person exists, he receives a revelation from God, which admonishes Moses for not attributing absolute knowledge to God and informs Moses that there is someone named Al-Khidr who is more knowledgeable than him. Upon inquiry, God informs Moses that Al-Khidr would be found at the junction of two seas. God instructs Moses to take a live fish and at the location where it would escape, Al-Khidr would be found. Afterwards, Moses departs and travels with a boy named Yusha (''Yeshua bin Nun''), until they stop near a rock where Moses rests. While Moses is asleep, the fish escapes from the basket. When Moses wakes up, they continue until they stop to eat. At that moment, Yusha remembers that the fish had slipped from the basket at the rock. He informs Moses about the fish, and Moses remembers God's statement, so they retrace their steps back to the rock. There they see Al-Khidr. Moses approaches Al-Khidr and greets him. Al-Khidr instead asks Moses how people are greeted in their land. Moses introduces himself, and Al-Khidr identifies him as the prophet of the Israelites. According to the Quran, Moses asks Al-Khidr: "May I follow you, provided that you teach me some of the right guidance you have been taught?" Al-Khidr warns that he would not be able to remain patient and consents on the condition that Moses would not question his actions.
They walk on the seashore and pass by a ship. The crew of the ship recognize Al-Khidr and offer them to board their ship free of charge. When they are on the boat, Al-Khidr takes an adze
An adze () or adz is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel. Adzes have been used since the Stone Age. They are used for smoothing or carving wood in ha ...
and pulls up a plank. When Moses notices what Al-Khidr is doing, he is astonished and stops him. Moses reminds Al-Khidr that the crew has taken them aboard for free. Al-Khidr admonishes Moses for forgetting his promise of not asking. Moses states that he has forgotten and asks to be forgiven. When they leave the seashore, they pass by a boy playing with others. Al-Khidr takes hold of the boy's head and kills him. Moses is again astonished by this action and questions Al-Khidr regarding what he had done. Al-Khidr admonishes Moses again for not keeping his promise, and Moses apologizes and asks Al-Khidr to leave him if he again questions Al-Khidr. Both of them travel on until they happened upon a village. They ask the villagers for food, but the inhabitants refuse to entertain them as guests. They see therein a wall which is about to collapse, and Al-Khidr repairs the wall. Moses asks Al-Khidr why he had repaired the wall when the inhabitants refuse to entertain them as guests and give them food. Moses states that Al-Khidr could have taken wages for his work.
Al-Khidr informs Moses that they are now to part ways as Moses has broken his promise. Al-Khidr then explains each of his actions. He informs Moses that he had broken the ship with the adze because a ruler who reigns in those parts took all functional ships by force; Al-Khidr has created a defect in order to prevent their ship from being seized. Al-Khidr then explains that he has killed the child because he was defiant and disobedient to his parents, and Al-Khidr fears that the child would overburden them with his misconduct, and explained that God would replace him with a better child who is more obedient and has more affection. Al-Khidr then explains that he has fixed the wall because it belongs to two helpless orphans whose father was a pious man. God wishes to reward them for their piety. Al-Khidr states that there is a treasure hidden underneath the wall, and by repairing it, it would not break until the orphans are of age to be able to reclaim it.
Other incidents
The sayings of Muhammad (hadith), Islamic literature and Quranic exegesis
Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (philosophy), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern us ...
also narrate some incidents of the life of Moses. One story goes that because of his extreme '' hayaa''' (shyness/modesty), Moses would bathe alone and apart from the other Israelites who all bathe together. This leads the Bani Israel to say that Moses does so due to a scrotal hernia. One day, when Moses is bathing in seclusion, he puts his clothes on a stone, and the stone flees with his clothes. Moses rushes after the stone, and when the Bani Israel see him, they say, 'By God, Moses has got no defect in his body". Moses then beats the stone with his clothes, and Abu Huraira states, "By God! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating". In a hadith, Muhammad states that the stone still has three to five marks due to Moses hitting it.
Death
Aaron
According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Aaron ( or ) was an Israelite prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of Moses. Information about Aaron comes exclusively from religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament ...
dies shortly before Moses. It is reported in a Sunni hadith that when Azrael
Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the canonical angel of death in Islam and appears in the apocryphal text Apocalypse of Peter.
Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael holds a benevolent role as God's angel of death; he acts as ...
, the Angel of Death, comes to Moses, Moses slaps him in the eye. The angel returns to God and tells Him that Moses does not want to die. God tells the angel to return and tell Moses to put his hand on the back of an ox, and for every hair that comes under his hand, he would be granted a year of life. When Moses asks God what would happen after the granted time, God informs him that he would die after the period. Moses, therefore, requests God for death at his current age near the Promised Land "at a distance of a stone's throw from it."
Burial place
The grave of Moses is located at Maqam El-Nabi Musa, which lies south of Jericho
Jericho ( ; , ) is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, and the capital of the Jericho Governorate. Jericho is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It had a population of 20,907 in 2017.
F ...
and east of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
in the Judea
Judea or Judaea (; ; , ; ) is a mountainous region of the Levant. Traditionally dominated by the city of Jerusalem, it is now part of Palestine and Israel. The name's usage is historic, having been used in antiquity and still into the pres ...
n wilderness. A side road to the right of the main Jerusalem-Jericho road, about beyond the sign indicating sea level, leads to the site. The Fatimid
The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimid dynasty, Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa ...
, Taiyabi and Dawoodi Bohra
The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam. They number approximately one million worldwide and have settled in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community re ...
sects also believe in the same.
The main body of the present shrine, mosque
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were si ...
, minaret
A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...
and some rooms were built during the reign of Baibars
Al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari (; 1223/1228 – 1 July 1277), commonly known as Baibars or Baybars () and nicknamed Abu al-Futuh (, ), was the fourth Mamluk sultan of Egypt and Syria, of Turkic Kipchak origin, in the Ba ...
, a Mamluk
Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...
Sultan
Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
, in 1270. Over the years Nabi Moses was expanded, protected by walls, and includes 120 rooms in its two levels which hosted the visitors.
Martyrdom
Moreover, by indicating that Moses wants to be separated from Aaron, his brother, many of the Israelites proclaim that Moses had killed Aaron on the mountain to secure this so-called separation. However, according to the accounts of al-Tabari
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Yazīd al-Ṭabarī (; 839–923 CE / 224–310 AH), commonly known as al-Ṭabarī (), was a Sunni Muslim scholar, polymath, historian, exegete, jurist, and theologian from Amol, Tabaristan, present- ...
, Aaron dies of natural causes: “When they oses and Aaronfell asleep, death took Harun.... When he was dead, the house was taken away, the tree disappeared, and the bed was raised to heaven”. When Moses returns to the Children of Israel, his followers, from the mountain without Aaron, they are found saying that Moses killed Aaron because he envied their love for Aaron, for Aaron was more forbearing and more lenient with them. This notion would strongly indicate that Moses could have indeed killed Aaron to secure the separation for which he prayed to God. To redeem his faith to his followers though, al-Tabari quotes Moses by saying “He was my brother. Do you think that I would kill him?” It was recorded that Moses recited two rak’ahs to regain the faith of his followers. God answers Moses’ prayers by making the bed of Aaron descend from heaven to earth so that the Children of Israel could witness the truth that Aaron died of natural causes.
The unexpected death of Aaron appears to make the argument that his death is merely an allusion to the mysterious and miraculous death of Moses. In the accounts of Moses’s death, al-Tabari reports, “ ile Musa was walking with his servant Joshua, a black wind suddenly approached. When Joshua saw it, he thought that the Hour—the hour of final judgement—was at hand. He clung to Musa…. But Musa withdrew himself gently from under his shirt, leaving it in Joshua’s hand”. This mysterious death of Moses is also asserted in Deuteronomy 34:5, “And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab”. There is no explanation to why Moses may have died or why Moses may have been chosen to die: there is only this mysterious “disappearance”. According to Islamic tradition, Moses is buried at Maqam
Maqam, makam, maqaam or maqām (plural maqāmāt) may refer to:
Musical structures
* Arabic maqam, melodic modes in traditional Arabic music
** Iraqi maqam, a genre of Arabic maqam music found in Iraq
* Persian maqam, a notion in Persian clas ...
El-Nabi Musa, Jericho.
Although the death of Moses seems to be a topic of mysterious questioning, it is not the main focus of this information. However, according to Arabic translation of the word martyr, ''shahid''—to see, to witness, to testify, to become a model and paradigm is the person who sees and witnesses, and is therefore the witness, as if the martyr himself sees the truth physically and thus stands firmly on what he sees and hears. To further this argument, in the footnotes of the Quran translated by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem (, ), , is an Egyptian Islamic studies scholar and the King Fahd Professor of Islamic Studies at the SOAS University of LondonSOAS StaffMuhammad Abdel Haleem/ref> in London, England. He is the editor of the ''Journal ...
, “The noun shahid is much more complex than the term martyr….The root of shahid conveys ‘to witness, to be present, to attend, to testify, and/or to give evidence’”. Additionally, Haleem notes that the martyrs in the Quran are chosen by God to witness Him in Heaven. This act of witnessing is given to those who are “given the opportunity to give evidence of the depth of their faith by sacrificing their worldly lives, and will testify with the prophets on the Day of Judgment”. This is supported in : “…if you have suffered a blow, they too have the upper hand. We deal out such days among people in turn, for God to find out who truly believes, for Him to choose martyrs from among you…”
It is also stated in the Quran that the scriptures in which Moses brings forth from God to the Children of Israel are seen as the light and guidance of God himself (). This strongly indicates that Moses dies as a martyr: Moses dies being a witness to God; Moses dies giving his sacrifice to the worldly views of God; and Moses dies in the act of conveying the message of God to the Children of Israel. Although his death remains a mystery and even though he did not act in a religious battle, he does in fact die for the causation of a Religious War, a war that showcases the messages of God through scripture.
In light of this observation, John Renard claims that Muslim tradition distinguishes three types of supernatural events: “the sign worked directly by God alone; the miracle worked through a prophet; and the marvel effected through a non-prophetic figure”. If these three types of supernatural events are put into retrospect with the understanding of martyrdom and Moses, the aspect of being a martyr plays out to resemble the overall understanding of what “Islam” translates to. The concept of martyrdom in Islam is linked with the entire religion of Islam. This whole process can be somehow understood if the term 'Islam' is appreciated. This is because being a derivate of the Arabic root ''s-l-m'', which means "surrender" and "peace", Islam is a wholesome and peaceful submission to the will of God. Just like Moses is an example of the surrender to God, the term "martyr" further reinforces the notion that through the signs, the miracle, and the marvel, the ones chosen by God are in direct correlation to the lives of the prophets.
In conclusion, although the death of Moses is a mysterious claim by God, the framework of Moses describes the spiritual quest and progress of the individual soul as it unfolds to reveal the relationship to God. Nevertheless, because of his actions, his ability to be a witness and his success at being a model for the Children of Israel his life were a buildup to the ideals of martyrdom. His death and his faithful obligations toward God have led his mysterious death to be an example of a true prophet and a true example of a martyrdom.
Isra and Mi'raj
During his Night Journey (''Isra''), Muhammad is said to have led Moses along with Jesus, Abraham and all other prophets in prayer. Moses is mentioned to be among the prophets who Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
meets during his ascension to heaven (''Mi'raj
The Israʾ and Miʿraj (, ') are the names given to the narrations that the prophet Muhammad ascended to the sky during a night journey, saw Allah and the afterlife, and returned. It is believed that expressions without a subject in verses 1-18 of ...
'') alongside Gabriel
In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), Gabriel ( ) is an archangel with the power to announce God's will to mankind, as the messenger of God. He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran. Many Chris ...
.
Moses and Muhammad are reported to have exchanged greetings with each other, and Moses is reported to have cried due to the fact that the followers of Muhammad are going to enter Heaven
Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...
in greater numbers than his followers. When God enjoins fifty prayers to the community to Muhammad and his followers, Muhammad once again encounters Moses, who asks what has been commanded by God. When Moses is told about the fifty prayers, he advises Muhammad to ask a reduction in prayers for his followers. When Muhammad returns to God and asks for a reduction, he is granted his request. Once again, he meets Moses, who again inquires about the command of God. Despite the reduction, Moses again urges Muhammad to ask for another reduction. Muhammad again returns and asks for a reduction. This continues until only five prayers are remaining. When Moses again tells Muhammad to ask for a reduction, Muhammad replies that he is shy of asking again. Therefore, the five prayers are finally enjoined upon the Muslim community.
In Islamic thought
Moses is revered as a prominent prophet and messenger in Islam, and his narrative is recounted the most among the prophets in the Quran. He is regarded by Muslims as one of the five most prominent prophets in Islam, along with Jesus
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
('' Isa''), Abraham
Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...
('' Ibrahim''), Noah
Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
('' Nuh'') and Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
. These five prophets are known as '' Ulu’l azm prophets'', the prophets who are favored by God and are described in the Quran to be endowed with determination and perseverance. Islamic tradition describes Moses being granted many miracles, including a glowing hand and a staff that turns into a snake. The life of Moses is often described as a parallel to that of Muhammad. Both are regarded as being ethical and exemplary prophets. Both are regarded as lawgivers, ritual leaders, judges and the military leaders for their people. Islamic literature also identifies a parallel between their followers and the incidents of their history. The exodus of the Israelites is often viewed as a parallel to the migration of the followers of Muhammad. The drowning and destruction of the Pharaoh and his army is also described to be a parallel to the Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr or sometimes called The Raid of Badr ( ; ''Ghazwahu Badr''), also referred to as The Day of the Criterion (, ; ''Yawm al-Furqan'') in the Qur'an and by Muslims, was fought on 13 March 624 CE (17 Ramadan, 2 AH), near the pre ...
. In Islamic tradition, Moses is especially favored by God and converses directly with Him, unlike other prophets who receives revelation by God through an intervening angel. Moses receives the Torah directly from God. Despite conversing with God, the Quran states that Moses is unable to see God. For these feats, Moses is revered in Islam as ''Kalim Allah'', meaning the one who talks with God.
Revealed scripture
In Islam, Moses is revered as the receiver of a scripture known as the Torah (''Tawrat
In Islam, the Torah ( ) is regarded as an Islamic holy book that was revealed by God to guide the Israelites. In the Quran, the word "Tawrat" appears eighteen times, particularly in passages mentioning the Jewish people or their history, inclu ...
''). The Quran describes the Torah as “guidance and a light" for the Israelites and that it contains teachings about the Oneness of God (''Tawhid
''Tawhid'' () is the concept of monotheism in Islam, it is the religion's central and single most important concept upon which a Muslim's entire religious adherence rests. It unequivocally holds that God is indivisibly one (''ahad'') and s ...
''), prophethood and the Day of Judgment. It is regarded as containing teachings and laws for the Israelites which are taught and practiced by Moses and Aaron to them. Among the books of the complete Hebrew Bible (Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...
, Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy (; ) is the fifth book of the Torah (in Judaism), where it is called () which makes it the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament.
Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to ...
, Numbers
A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...
, Leviticus and Exodus), only the Torah is considered to be divinely revealed instead of the whole Tanakh or the Old Testament. The Quran mentions that the Ten Commandments are given to the Israelites through Moses, and the Commandments contain guidance and understanding of all things. The Torah was the ''furqan'', meaning "difference", a term which is regarded as having used for itself as well. Moses preaches the same message as Muhammad, and the Torah foretells the arrival of Muhammad. Modern Muslim scholars such as Mark N. Swanson and David Richard Thomas cit
Deuteronomy 18:15–18
as foretelling the arrival of Muhammad.
Some Muslims believe that the Torah has been corrupted (''tahrif
(, ) or corruption of the Bible, is a term used by most Muslims to refer to believed alterations made to the previous revelations of God—specifically those that make up the ''Tawrat'' or Torah, the ''Zabur'' or Psalms, and the '' Injil'' or Go ...
''). The exact nature of the corruption has been discussed among scholars. The majority of Muslim scholars, including Ibn Rabban and Ibn Qutayba
Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muslim ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī al-Marwazī better known simply as Ibn Qutaybah (; c. 828 – 13 November 889 CE/213 – 15 Rajab 276 AH) was an Islamic scholar of Persian descent. He served as a judge during th ...
, have stated that the Torah had been distorted in its interpretation rather than in its text. The scholar Tabari
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Yazīd al-Ṭabarī (; 839–923 CE / 224–310 AH), commonly known as al-Ṭabarī (), was a Sunni Muslim scholar, polymath, historian, exegete, jurist, and theologian from Amol, Tabaristan, present-day ...
considered the corruption to be caused by distortion of the meaning and interpretation of the Torah. Tabari considered the learned rabbis of producing writings alongside the Torah, which were based on their own interpretations of the text. The rabbis then reportedly "twisted their tongues" and made them appear as though they were from the Torah. In doing so, Al-Tabari
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Yazīd al-Ṭabarī (; 839–923 CE / 224–310 AH), commonly known as al-Ṭabarī (), was a Sunni Muslim scholar, polymath, historian, exegete, jurist, and theologian from Amol, Tabaristan, present- ...
concluded that they added to the Torah what was not originally part of it, and these writings were used to denounce Muhammad and his followers. Tabari also states that these writings of the rabbis were mistaken by some Jews to be part of the Torah. A minority view held among scholars such as Al-Maqdisi
Shams al-Din Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abi Bakr, commonly known by the ''Nisba (onomastics), nisba'' al-Maqdisi or al-Muqaddasī, was a medieval Arab geographer, author of ''The Best Divisions in the Knowledge of the Regions'' and '' ...
is that the text of the Torah itself was corrupted. Maqdisi claimed that the Torah had been distorted in the time of Moses, by the seventy elders when they came down from Mount Sinai. Maqdisi states that the Torah was further corrupted in the time of Ezra
Ezra ( fl. fifth or fourth century BCE) is the main character of the Book of Ezra. According to the Hebrew Bible, he was an important Jewish scribe (''sofer'') and priest (''kohen'') in the early Second Temple period. In the Greek Septuagint, t ...
, when his disciples made additions and subtractions in the text narrated by Ezra. Maqdisi also stated that discrepancies between the Jewish Torah, the Samaritan Torah and the Greek Septuagint
The Septuagint ( ), sometimes referred to as the Greek Old Testament or The Translation of the Seventy (), and abbreviated as LXX, is the earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the original Biblical Hebrew. The full Greek ...
point to the fact that the Torah was corrupted. Ibn Hazm
Ibn Hazm (; November 994 – 15 August 1064) was an Andalusian Muslim polymath, historian, traditionist, jurist, philosopher, and theologian, born in the Córdoban Caliphate, present-day Spain. Described as one of the strictest hadith interpre ...
viewed the Torah of his era as a forgery and considered various verses as contradicting other parts of the Torah and the Quran. Ibn Hazm considered Ezra as the forger of the Torah, who dictates the Torah from his memory and made significant changes to the text. Ibn Hazm accepted some verses which, he stated, foretold the arrival of Muhammad.
In religious sects
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
fast on the Ashura
Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the tenth of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites ...
(the tenth day of Muharram
Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...
, the first month in the Hijri calendar as similar to Yom Kippur which is on the tenth day of Tishrei
Tishrei () or Tishri (; ''tīšrē'' or ''tīšrī''; from Akkadian ''tašrītu'' "beginning", from ''šurrû'' "to begin") is the first month of the civil year (which starts on 1 Tishrei) and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year (wh ...
, and the first month of the Hebrew civil year
A calendar year begins on the New Year's Day of the given calendar system and ends on the day before the following New Year's Day, and thus consists of a whole number of days.
The Gregorian calendar year, which is in use as civil calendar in mo ...
) to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from the Pharaoh. Shia Muslims view Moses and his relation to Aaron as a prefiguration of the relation between Muhammad and his son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib
Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until Assassination of Ali, his assassination in 661, as well as the first imamate in Shia doctrine, Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muha ...
. Ismaili
Ismailism () is a branch of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept ...
Shias regard Moses as 4th in the line of the 7 'speaking prophets' ('' natiq''), whose revealed law was for all believers to follow. In Sufism
Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism.
Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
, Moses is regarded as having a special position, being described as a prophet as well as a spiritual wayfarer. The author Paul Nwyia notes that the Quranic accounts of Moses have inspired Sufi exegetes to "meditate upon his experience as being the entry into a direct relationship with God, so that later the Sufis would come to regard him as the perfect mystic called to enter into the mystery of God". Muslim scholars such as Norman Solomon and Timothy Winter state without naming that some Sufi commentators excuse Moses from the consequence of his request to be granted a vision of God, as they consider that it is "the ecstasy of hearing God which compelled him to seek completion of union through vision".[ The Quranic account of the meeting of Moses and Al-Khidr is also noted by Muslim writers as being of special importance in Sufi tradition. Some writers such as John Renard and Phyllis G. Jestice note that Sufi exegetes often explain the narrative by associating Moses for possessing ]