Prophet Musa (Moses)

Musa (peace be upon him), known in English as Moses, is the prophet the Quran mentions by name more often than any other. Allah sent him to Pharaoh and to the Children of Israel, the descendants of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob).

The Quran tells many moments of his life: how he was saved as a baby on the river, how Allah spoke to him, how he asked Pharaoh to free his people, and how he led them out of Egypt. It also tells what happened among his people afterwards. One of these stories gives the second chapter of the Quran its name, al-Baqarah, "the Cow": a man is killed, no one knows who did it, and Allah tells the people to slaughter a cow. Instead of obeying, they ask question after question, and in the end the cow reveals the killer.

The stories of Musa show patience with people who keep resisting, and they show that obeying Allah simply is easier than looking for excuses.

Sources

Quran, Surah al-Baqarah 2:67-74, with the classical explanations of Ibn Kathir, al-Qurtubi, at-Tabari and as-Sa'di. The episode page shows each verse in Arabic and in a published translation.

Episodes about Prophet Musa

Duration 12:54
Quran Stories · New
The Cow That Exposed a Killer

Questions about the stories of the prophets

Is Musa the same person as Moses?

Yes. Musa is the Arabic name of the prophet known in English as Moses.

Why is the second chapter of the Quran called "the Cow"?

Because of the story told in its verses 67 to 74, in which the people of Musa are told to slaughter a cow. Our episode The Cow That Exposed a Killer tells that story.

Is the face of Musa shown in the film?

No. Out of respect, our films never show the face of a prophet.

Where can I find more stories of the prophets?

On our page of stories of the prophets, where every episode about a prophet is grouped by prophet. New episodes appear there as soon as they are published.