Musa and Haroon (AS) Confront Firown

Musa and Haroon (AS) went to Firown together as messengers of Allah to deliver their message. They warned him of his sins and invited him to worship Allah alone and to seek His forgiveness. Finally, they told him to stop enslaving the Banu Israel and to let them go.

When Firown heard this he became arrogant. He recognised Musa (AS) as the man he raised in his own palace, so he asked, ‘Did we not bring you up among us as a child? And you spent many years of your life with us? And yet you did your crime when you killed a man, and now you are one of the ungrateful.’

Musa (AS) replied, ‘I did it then, when I did not know about my Lord. So I ran from you when I feared you. But my Lord has given me wisdom and judgement and made me one of His messengers. But this is a past favour that you use against me, and with which you have enslaved the Banu Israel.’

Firown asked, ‘And what is this Lord of yours?’

‘Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all that is between them.’

When Firown heard this he could not believe that anyone would dare challenge his own power. He looked around at his chiefs and the council and laughed, ‘Do you not hear what he says?’

‘Your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers!’ Musa (AS) continued.

‘Truly, this messenger is a madman,’ Firown mocked.

‘Lord of the east and the west and all that is between them, if you only understood!’

Now Firown began to threaten Musa (AS), ‘If you choose a god other than me then I shall definitely throw you among the prisoners.’

‘Even if I bring you clear evidence?’

‘Bring it then, if you are truthful!’

So Musa (AS) took his stick and, just as Allah had taught him, threw it down where it became a moving snake. Then, he placed his right hand under his shirt and brought it out shining bright white as another clear sign. Everyone who was present saw these miracles and were amazed.

However, Firown felt his power become threatened. Instead of admitting that these were clear signs from Allah, Firown accused Musa (AS) of being a magician. He claimed that the magicians from Egypt could do the same things, and told Musa (AS) to come back on the day of the upcoming festival to compete against his magicians in public. Then, whoever was truthful would be the winner and this would be shown to the whole of Egypt.

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