Moses in Qur'an and Bible

Chapter 11: Moses Commanded To Leave Egypt: Splitting the Sea and Drowning of Pharaoh and His Hosts

"And certainly We revealed to Musa saying: Travel by night with My servants, then make for them a dry path in the sea, not fearing to be overtaken nor being afraid." (20:77)

"And We revealed to Musa saying: Go away with My servants travelling by night. Surely you will be pursued. So Fir'aun sent heralds into the cities. These Israelites, said they, are a scanty band and yet they have enraged us and most surely we are numerous and wary. Thus we caused them to quite of gardens and springs and treasures and goodly dwellings.

Even so, and We gave them as a heritage to the children of Israel. Then the Egyptians pursued them at sunrise. So when the two hosts saw each other the companions of Musa cried out: Most surely we are being overtaken. He said: By no means. Surely my Lord is with Me. He will show me a way out. And We revealed this order to Musa: Strike the sea with thy rod.

And it clove as under and each part became like a large mountain. Then made We the others draw on and We saved Musa and those who were with him all, but We drowned the others." (26:52-66)

"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 thou has been rebellious hitherto and was of the mischief-makers.

But this day We save thee in thy body6 that thou mayest be a sign to those after thee and most surely most people are heedless of Our signs." (20:90-92).

Chapter 12: Moses Receives the Law

"And We appointed with Musa a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten more. So the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights. And Musa said to his brother Harun: Take my place among my people and act will and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers. And when Musa came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: My Lord! Show me Thyself, so that I may look upon Thee. He said: Thou canst not bear to see Me.

But look at the mountain; if it remains firm in its place, than will thou see Me. But when his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain, He made it crumble and Musa fell down in swoon. Then, when he recovered he said: Glory be to Thee: I turn to Thee and I am the first of believers.

He said: O Musa! Surely I have chosen thee above the people with My messages and with My words; therefore, take hold of what I give to thee and be of the grateful ones. And We ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things. Take hold of them with firmness and enjoin the people to take hold of what is best thereof." (7:142-145)7

Chapter 13: Israelites Worship the Calf

"And Musa people made of their ornaments a calf after him, a mere body which had a hollow sound. What! Could they not see that it did not speak to them nor guide them in the way? They took it for worship and they were unjust. And when they repented and saw that they had gone astray they said; If our Lord show not mercy to us, we shall certainly be of the losers. And when Musa returned to his people wrathful and in violent grief, he said; Evil is it that you have done after me. Did you turn away from the bidding of your Lord.

And he threw down the tablets8 and seized his brother by the head dragging him towards him. He said: Son of my mother, surely the people reckoned me weak and had well nigh slain me, therefore make not the enemies rejoice over me and count me not among the unjust people.9 He said: My Lord! Forgive me and my brother and cause us to enter into Thy mercy, for Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful ones." (7:148-151)

This incident of the worship of the calf is described in another context by the Qur'an thus:

"He said: We have tried thy people after thee and the Samiri10 has led them astray. So, Musa returned to his people wrathful and sorrowing. Said he: O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a goodly promise; did then the time seem long to you of my absence or desired ye that wrath from your Lord should light upon you that ye failed in your promise to me? They said: We did not break our promise to thee of Our Own accord but we were made to bear the burden of the ornaments of the people, then we cast them away. Thus did Samiri suggest to us.

So he brought forth for them a calf, a mere body which had a hollow sound and they said: This is your God and the God of Musa whom he hath forgotten. What! Could they not see that it did not return to them a reply and that it did not control any harm or benefit for them. And Harun certainly had said to them before: O my people! You are only tried by it and surely your Lord is the Beneficent God; therefore follow me and obey my orders. They said: We will by no means cease to keep to it worship until Musa returns to us.

Musa said: O Harun! What prevented thee when thou sawest them go astray from following me? Hast thou then disobeyed me commands? He said: O son of my mother! Seize me not by my beard or by my head. Surely I was afraid lest thou shouldst say: Thou hast caused a division among the children of Israel and not waited for my word. He said: What was then thy object, O Samiri? He said: I saw what they did not see. So I followed only partly the way of the apostle, then I cast it away; thus did my soul embellish to me.

He said: Begone, then, surely for thee it will be in this life to say, touch me not, and surely there is a threat for thee which thou shalt not escape. Look at thy god to whose worship thou didst keep so long. We will certainly burn it, then we will certainly scatter it a wide scattering in the sea.11 You God is only Allah; there is no god but He and He comprehends all things in His knowledge." (20:85-98)