Are you ready to share one of the most extraordinary stories from the Quran with your children? The story of Prophet Musa (Moses) is filled with incredible miracles, divine protection, and powerful lessons about trusting Allah's plan.
From his miraculous survival as a baby floating down the Nile River to leading the Israelites out of Egypt through the parted Red Sea, Prophet Musa's life demonstrates how Allah protects those who have faith and courage. This beloved Islamic story teaches children valuable lessons about patience, leadership, and never giving up on their beliefs.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the complete story of Prophet Musa in a kid-friendly way, covering his early life in Pharaoh's palace, his divine calling at the burning bush, his confrontation with the tyrant Pharaoh, and the amazing miracles Allah blessed him with. Let's discover together how this great prophet's story can inspire and guide our children today.
The Early Life of Prophet Musa
Prophet Musa’s story starts when the Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt. He was a tyrant king who oppressed the Bani Israel (the Israelites). The pharaoh had a vision that terrified him! So what was this vision?
The vision was a fire that burned down everything but left Bani Isreale unharmed. He asked his magicians, priests, and ministers to interpret it. So what did this vision mean?
They interpreted his vision as a boy from the Israelites who would be born and grow up and overthrow the Pharaoh from his throne and even kill him. Pharaoh was so scared that, in his paranoia, he ordered that all newborn boys from the Israelites be killed. Under these harsh circumstances, Musa was born.
Musa's mother was already pregnant; she was so scared to have a boy. She kept her pregnancy a secret until her baby was born, and indeed it was a boy! Allah SWT ordered her to put him in a basket and set him afloat on the Nile River.
Think about it; she was already scared that her boy would get killed, and now he might even drown! She was so scared to leave him, but now Allah tells her to do the thing she is scared of most. With a strong faith in Allah's plan and protection, she does!
And we inspired the mother of Moses, 'Suckle him, but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve. Indeed, we will return him to you and make him one of the messengers.'” Surah Al-Qasas (28:7)
By Allah’s decree, the basket-carrying baby Musa floated safely in the river. But you'll never guess where it landed! It landed right in the Pharaoh's palace, the same one that killed every boy being born! One can think, How can this be protecting the baby boy? That's the point: we trust Allah's plan even if we don't see immediate results.
When the basket arrived, the maids took it to the pharaoh’s wife, Asiya. She wanted to keep him and adopt him; meanwhile, when the pharaoh found out, he wanted to kill him! However, Asiya was a righteous woman; she persuaded the Pharaoh to adopt him and treat him as their son!
Little did the Pharaoh know that the same child he saved was the one he dreamed of, and the one who would one day stand against him.
Baby Musa used to cry a lot and refused to drink milk from anyone! No matter how many nurses Asiaya summoned for him, he refused to suckle. Musa’s sister had followed the basket and quietly joined the group of servants.
She said he knew a woman who could breastfeed him and asked if they would like her to guide them to a family that would sincerely look after his upbringing.
That was none other than his mother (but she didn't reveal this, of course). And just like that, Moses' mother was reunited with the son she put in the basket and floated into the river, not knowing whether she would see him again or not!
For children, this part of the story highlights the importance of trusting in Allah, even in the most challenging times. Musa’s mother placed her full trust in Allah, and in return, He protected and reunited her with her son.
Prophet Musa's survival, despite the Pharaoh's cruel decree, is a powerful reminder of Allah’s protection. The story of his birth mirrors many Quranic miracles. You can check our activities for more lessons in a fun and engaging way.
But the story and miraculous events of Prophet Musa didn't stop at his birth and childhood. He grew up, yet he had to escape from Egypt at some point! Let's find out why.
Why Prophet Musa Fled Egypt: The Accidental Killing
Musa grew up, and he was a strong man! One day, he witnessed a fight between two people; one was an Egyptian who was beating the other, who was an Israelite (from Bani Israel).
The man from Bani Israel asked for Musa’s help. In an attempt to defend him, Musa struck the Egyptian, killing him by mistake! Despite the killing being unintentional, Musa was later reported to the authorities.
A man from another part of the city came to him and warned him that people were after his life, so he should leave the city. Fearing for his life, Musa fled Egypt to the land of Midian, or Madyan.
There, he met some people at a well. Some men were watering their flock while two women stood nearby, refraining from going near the men. When he asked them, they said that they had to wait for the men to finish before they could water their flock. As a result, Musa helped them.
Later, one of the two women returned and took Musa to meet their elderly father. Musa told him his story and how he fled the place, and the man was sympathetic.
He also expressed the desire to marry one of his two daughters to Musa, provided he served him for eight years or ten, which would be a favor. Not only did Allah SWT save Musa when he was a baby, but he also protected and helped him when he was in need.
Kids can learn a lot when you tell them about how other prophets faced their trials through games and questions. Who said learning must be boring? It can be fun with Islamic Galaxy!
While Musa fled Egypt to escape danger, little did he know that Allah had a bigger plan for him. His life-changing moment came during his encounter with the burning bush—a powerful moment that would lead him back to Egypt with a divine mission. So what happened next? Let's find out!
The Burning Bush: Allah's Divine Call to Prophet Musa
After getting married and spending several years serving his father-in-law, he decided to return to Egypt. During his journey back, Musa received his first divine call from Allah.
As Musa and his family traveled through the desert, he saw the glow of a fire. As he approached it, he found a burning bush near Mount Tur. However, it wasn't burning; it was only a tree with a glowing light! It was there that Allah spoke directly to Musa for the first time.
"Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed." Surah Taha (20:12–13)
Allah commanded Musa to go back to Egypt, confront the Pharaoh, and invite him to worship Allah alone and free the Israelites. At this moment, he became Prophet Musa with a sacred mission.
Musa was hesitant at first; how could he return to Egypt when he had killed one of them? Surely they would kill him. But Allah reassured him, promising to guide him every step of the way.
This part of the story is a powerful reminder that with Allah’s help, anything is possible. Even when we are afraid or unsure of ourselves, Allah can give us the strength and courage to face our challenges.
The story doesn't end here. Read on to discover how these miracles played a pivotal role in Musa’s mission.
The Signs and Miracles of Musa
To strengthen Musa’s confidence, Allah gave him two powerful signs. The first was his staff, which could transform into a snake. The second was his hand, which would turn white when placed under his arm and then return to normal. These miracles were meant to show the Pharaoh that Musa’s message was from Allah.
Musa was insecure in his ability, as he still had a speech impediment. Moses asked Allah to have his brother Haroon with him while he was facing Pharaoh to feel stronger and more confident. He felt his brother would be better suited to deliver the message:
"My brother Harun is more eloquent in speech than I: so send him with me as a helper to confirm my truthfulness, for I fear that they will reject me as a liar."
Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) replied, "We will certainly strengthen you through your brother and will invest both of you with such power that they shall not be able to hurt you. With the help of Our Signs, the two of you and your followers will prevail." — (Surah Al-Qasas, 34-35)
When they went to the Pharaoh, they called on him to believe in the one true God and to free the Israelites from slavery. The Pharaoh, full of arrogance and pride, refused and accused Musa of sorcery.
Musa threw down his stick, and it turned into a snake. Pharaoh was still arrogant; he thought it was just a magic trick! Thus, he created a contest between Musa and all Egyptian magicians. So what happened after?
The Battle Against Pharaoh's Magicians
First, the magicians confidently threw their ropes and staffs, but when Musa threw his, it turned into a snake, and it gobbled up their objects. At this moment, the magician realizes that this isn't magic or sorcery; it is something so great beyond their comprehension.
Thus, they prostrated to Allah. Pharaoh was enraged; he ordered that they be punished for prostrating to Allah and not to him. He became worse than ever; he increased his torture, oppression, and persecution of the Bani Israel.
For this, Allah SWT punished Pharaoh and his people. First, they spent years in famine as the Nile began to dry up. People remembered Musa’s warning of severe punishment if they rejected Allah. So they pleaded with him to ask Allah to stop the plague, and they would believe him.
“O Musa, pray to your Lord for us under the promise He has made to you: if you relieve us of the plague, we will believe you and let the Children of Israel go with you.” — (Surah Al-A’raf, ayah 134)
When Allah eased His punishment. They weren't true to their words, and they returned to their old ways again. This continued with every punishment Allah sent upon them. He sent Lice, locusts, flies, etc.
With each sign and punishment, they did the same, asking and promising to believe, then when Allah stopped the plague, they returned to their oppression and disbelief. Allah ordered Moses to leave with his people
“And we inspired Moses, ‘Take your people out by night, secretly. And pursue you will be — by morning — pursued.’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:50)
However, Pharaoh and his men chased after them.
The Miracle of the Parting Sea!
The Israelites were cornered between the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh and his soldiers behind them. They felt like this was the end, and they would go back to being slaves to Firaun again! But Prophet Musa knew Allah would not abandon them.
كلا إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ
“Absolutely not! My Lord is certainly with me — He will guide me.” Ash-Shu’ara 62
That's when the famous miracle of the parting of the Red Sea took place. Allah told Musa to strike the sea with his staff, and miraculously, the sea parted so the Israelites could cross it.
The pharaoh was blinded by rage. He and his army tried to follow. Yet the sea closed in on them. At this moment, when he was on the verge of death, Pharaoh realized his wrongdoing and said he believed in Allah. However, it was too late! Allah has drowned him in the sea.
Mount Sinai: Musa Receives the Torah
After leading the Israelites to safety, Allah has not abandoned them. When they were short of water, Allah ordered the Prophet Musa to strike a rock with his staff. Upon doing this, the rock miraculously split, revealing twelve springs.
You may think that after all the hardships and the miracles, they would stay true to their faith and obey Allah. But they were ungrateful!
Musa spent 40 days on Mount Sinai. During his time, Allah revealed the Torah, a set of laws and guidance for the Israelites to follow.
“And We wrote for him [Moses] upon tablets [of stone] matters of admonition and reminder for the righteous.” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:145)
While Prophet Musa was away, Bani Israel lost patience; they wanted physical proof of Allah's presence. Thus, they started to worship a golden calf despite warnings from Musa’s brother Haroon.
They insisted that they would persist in their worship of the calf until Musa returned. When Prophet Musa returned, he was very disappointed and sad! He told his people that they had wronged themselves and had to repent for their terrible actions.
Moral lessons from the story of Prophet Musa
The story of Prophet Musa offers many lessons we can share with our kids.
- Always Trust in Allah: From the moment his mother put him in the Nile to the moment he crossed the sea with his people, Musa’s life is the perfect example of the power of trusting Allah’s plan, even in the most uncertain times.
Tell your kids there will be moments when things seem so hard and getting out of the situation may seem impossible. In such times, they must remember that Allah has perfect plans for our lives and has perfect timing! Just like he parted the sea for Prophet Musa, he is the only one who can save us in the darkest time.
- Patience and Leadership: Leading the Israelites through the wilderness required immense patience. They were always ungrateful, always asking for signs, and always suspicious. But Prophet Musa was the perfect example of a patient leader. His perseverance teaches children the value of patience and leadership.
- Staying true to one faith: We live in a world where many things around us make it hard to stick to our values. However, a true Muslim knows that staying true to one's faith is the ultimate goal. The story of the golden calf reminds children of the dangers of turning away from Allah and following false paths.
Final Thoughts
The story of Prophet Musa teaches us that no challenge is too great when we have faith in Allah. From floating down the Nile as a baby to parting the Red Sea, every moment of his life shows us Allah's incredible power and protection for those who trust in Him.
Through Prophet Musa's example, children learn the importance of standing up for what's right, being patient during difficult times, and always remembering that Allah has the perfect plan for each of us.
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