Firaun, peace be upon him: the journey

Egypt was the greatest kingdom on earth. Its king gathered his people and made a claim no man can make.

فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ

And said, "I am your most exalted lord."

Quran 79:24

Quran 28:38

He split his people into classes. One of them, the Children of Israil, he crushed: their newborn sons killed, their daughters spared.

إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِيَعٗا يَسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَآئِفَةٗ مِّنۡهُمۡ يُذَبِّحُ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيِۦ نِسَآءَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.

Quran 28:4

He pointed to the Nile and its channels. Remember these rivers, flowing beneath him.

وَنَادَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فِي قَوۡمِهِۦ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَلَيۡسَ لِي مُلۡكُ مِصۡرَ وَهَٰذِهِ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِيٓۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ

And Pharaoh called out among his people; he said, "O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me; then do you not see?

Quran 43:51

Allah sent Musa and his brother Harun to him. Even to this tyrant, the command was to speak gently.

فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوۡلٗا لَّيِّنٗا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوۡ يَخۡشَىٰ

And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]."

Quran 20:44

Quran 20:43

He gathered his best magicians against Musa. The staff swallowed their tricks. And the magicians, his own men, fell down in prostration.

فَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدٗا قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ

So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."

Quran 20:70

He swore to cut off their hands and feet and crucify them on palm trunks. They answered him without fear.

• Pharaoh: “You believed him before I gave you permission…” (20:71)
• The magicians: “So decree whatever you are to decree…” (20:72)

…So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.

Quran 20:72

Then sign after sign fell on Egypt. Each time he begged Musa to pray for relief. Each time it lifted, he broke his word.

فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلۡجَرَادَ وَٱلۡقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَٰتٖ مُّفَصَّلَٰتٖ فَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا مُّجۡرِمِينَ

So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.

Quran 7:133

Quran 7:134Quran 7:135

Musa led his people out by night. At sunrise Pharaoh came after them with his army. The sea ahead. The army behind.

فَلَمَّا تَرَـٰٓءَا ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ قَالَ أَصۡحَٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدۡرَكُونَ

And when the two companies saw one another, the companions of Moses said, "Indeed, we are to be overtaken!"

Quran 26:61

Quran 26:60

His people said: we are caught. Musa did not look at the sea or the army.

قَالَ كَلَّآۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهۡدِينِ

[Moses] said, "No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me."

Quran 26:62

Strike the sea with your staff. It split, and each side stood like a mountain. They crossed on dry ground.

فَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرۡقٖ كَٱلطَّوۡدِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ

Then We inspired to Moses, "Strike with your staff the sea," and it parted, and each portion was like a great towering mountain.

Quran 26:63

Quran 20:77

Pharaoh drove his army into the same path. Then the water came back.

فَأَتۡبَعَهُمۡ فِرۡعَوۡنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمۡ

So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, and there covered them from the sea that which covered them,

Quran 20:78

Quran 26:66

As the water closed over him, he said: I believe. The answer came:

ءَآلۡـَٰٔنَ وَقَدۡ عَصَيۡتَ قَبۡلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?

Quran 10:91

Quran 10:90

The man who called himself a god was brought out of the sea as a body, for everyone after him to see.

فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنۡ خَلۡفَكَ ءَايَةٗۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا لَغَٰفِلُونَ

So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless

Quran 10:92

He boasted of rivers flowing beneath him. In the end the water was above him. What he trusted was what Allah used to end him.

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبۡرَةٗ لِّمَن يَخۡشَىٰٓ

Indeed in that is a warning for whoever would fear [Allah].

Quran 79:26

Quran 79:25Quran 43:51