Musa and Firawn
موسى وفرعون
Confrontation · Event
Musa and Harun deliver Allah's message to Pharaoh, face his magicians, and endure his threats and the plagues that follow.
Overview
Sent together to Pharaoh (20:42–43), Musa and Harun demanded that he release Bani Israel (20:47). Pharaoh mocked the message, threatened Musa with prison (26:29), and summoned his magicians to a public contest; when Musa's staff swallowed their illusions, the magicians fell in prostration and believed (20:70, 26:46). Signs followed — the flood, locusts, lice, frogs and blood (7:133) — yet Pharaoh persisted.
The confrontation is narrated in Al-A'raf (7:103–137), Yunus (10:75–93), Ta-Ha (20:42–79), Ash-Shu'ara (26:10–68), Al-Qasas, Ghafir and elsewhere, and it is the Quran's paradigm of a messenger confronting a tyrant.
Graph
Key connections
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Linguistic inference — Linguistic inference. Follows from the wording of the text rather than an explicit statement.
- Follows from the wording of the text rather than an explicit statement.
Select a connection to see the source it rests on.
- Musa and Firawnموسى وفرعون
Sources
Quran references
Al-A'raf 7:133
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلطُّوفَانَ وَٱلْجَرَادَ وَٱلْقُمَّلَ وَٱلضَّفَادِعَ وَٱلدَّمَ ءَايَٰتٍۢ مُّفَصَّلَٰتٍۢ فَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ قَوْمًۭا مُّجْرِمِينَ
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.
Ta-Ha 20:49
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يَٰمُوسَىٰ
[Pharaoh] said, "So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?"
Ta-Ha 20:56
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَٰهُ ءَايَٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ
And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.
Ta-Ha 20:70
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.فَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًۭا قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ
So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."
Ta-Ha 20:71
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًۭا وَأَبْقَىٰ
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."
Ash-Shu'ara 26:29
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.قَالَ لَئِنِ ٱتَّخَذْتَ إِلَٰهًا غَيْرِى لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْمَسْجُونِينَ
[Pharaoh] said, "If you take a god other than me, I will surely place you among those imprisoned."
Across the Quran
Counts include curated links and automatic matches on the Arabic word form.
Related
People
Musa
موسىinvolved
Moses — the prophet sent to Pharaoh and to Bani Israel, whose story the Quran tells in more detail than any other.
Firawn
فرعونinvolved
Pharaoh — the ruler of Egypt who enslaved Bani Israel, rejected Musa's message, and drowned pursuing them.
Harun
هارونinvolved
Aaron — brother of Musa, made a prophet to support him before Pharaoh and among Bani Israel.
Related
Events
Exodus of Bani Israel
خروج بني إسرائيلbefore
Musa leads Bani Israel out of Egypt by night; the sea is parted for them and closes over Pharaoh and his army.
Revelation at Tuwa
نداء موسى في الوادي المقدسafter
Musa sees a fire on his way from Madyan, is called by Allah in the sacred valley, and is commissioned to go to Pharaoh.
Related
Places
Egypt
مصرtook place at
Misr — the land ruled by Pharaoh in the story of Musa and the country where Yusuf rose to authority.
Related
Concepts
Oppression
الظلمabout
Zulm — wrongdoing and tyranny, placing things out of their right place; Pharaoh is the Quran's archetype of the oppressor.
Provenance
Relationships
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Linguistic inference — Linguistic inference. Follows from the wording of the text rather than an explicit statement.
- Follows from the wording of the text rather than an explicit statement.
Every edge in the graph, with the evidence behind it.
Musa and FirawninvolvedMusaDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Ta-Ha 20:49Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
قَالَ فَمَن رَّبُّكُمَا يَٰمُوسَىٰ
“[Pharaoh] said, "So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?"”
Pharaoh addresses Musa directly: "So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?"
Open ayah 20:49 →
Musa and FirawninvolvedFirawnDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Ta-Ha 20:56Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَٰهُ ءَايَٰتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ
“And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.”
Open ayah 20:56 →
Musa and FirawnaboutOppressionDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Al-Qasas 28:4Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
“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.”
Open ayah 28:4 →
Musa and Firawntook place atEgyptLinguistic — Linguistic inference. Follows from the wording of the text rather than an explicit statement.2 src
The Quran does not name Egypt in the confrontation scenes themselves, but names Pharaoh's kingdom as Egypt and instructs Musa's people to settle in houses in Egypt.
Evidence
- Quran Az-Zukhruf 43:51Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِى قَوْمِهِۦ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِىٓ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
“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?”
Open ayah 43:51 → - Quran Yunus 10:87Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًۭا وَٱجْعَلُوا۟ بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةًۭ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah and establish prayer and give good tidings to the believers."”
Open ayah 10:87 →
Musa and FirawninvolvedHarunDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Ta-Ha 20:43Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
“Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.”
Open ayah 20:43 →
Musa and FirawnbeforeExodus of Bani IsraelDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Ash-Shu'ara 26:52Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِىٓ إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ
“And We inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants; indeed, you will be pursued."”
The night departure follows the confrontation and the magicians' belief.
Open ayah 26:52 →
Musa and FirawnafterRevelation at TuwaDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
The commission at Tuwa is what sends Musa to Pharaoh.
Evidence
- Quran Ta-Ha 20:24Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
ٱذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ
“Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed."”
Open ayah 20:24 →