The story of Prophet Musa's journey returning to Egypt with his wife, when he saw fire on the slope of Mount Sinai where he received revelation for the first time and two miracles from Allah.
Prophet Musa Returns to Egypt and Receives Revelation
Prophet Musa returns to Egypt and receives revelation
For more than ten years Musa had been away from Egypt, his homeland, since he fled from Pharaoh's pursuit. It was quite a long time for someone to maintain his longing for his homeland, the land of his birth, even though he had never experienced happiness living in his own homeland. Especially someone like Musa who had pleasant and beautiful memories during his time in his homeland as a member of the great and luxurious royal family, it was natural for him to long for Egypt, his land of birth, and wish to return after he had married Safura, the daughter of Shu'aib.
Musa hurried with his wife to pack their belongings and prepare their means of transportation, then took leave from her parents and departed heading south, avoiding the main road so as not to be discovered by Pharaoh's men who were still searching for him.
When Musa reached 'Thur Sina', he became lost and confused about which route to take. In such a situation, he saw the light of a blazing fire on the slope of a hillside. He stopped and ran toward the fire, saying to his wife: 'Stay here and wait for me. I see fire blazing on that hillside and I will return soon. Perhaps I can bring you some news from that place with the fire, or at least bring you a burning torch to warm you from the cold.'
Prophet Musa Returns to Egypt and Receives Revelation
When Musa reached the place where the fire was, he heard a voice calling to him from a tree on the edge of a valley on its right side, at a place blessed by Allah. The voice that Musa heard said: 'O Musa! I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Thuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what shall be revealed to you. Indeed, I am Allah; there is no god except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer to remember Me.'
This was the first revelation received directly by Prophet Musa as a sign of his prophethood, wherein he was declared by Allah to be his chosen messenger and prophet. Prophet Musa, in this direct conversation with Allah on Mount Sinai, was given two types of miracles by the Almighty Allah as preparation to face Pharaoh's arrogant and tyrannical people.
Allah asked Musa: 'What is that which you hold in your right hand, O Musa!' This question carried a deeper meaning than what might be apparent at first glance, and Musa answered simply: 'This is my staff. I lean on it and I strike the leaves with it to feed my sheep. And I have other uses for it as well.'
Prophet Musa Returns to Egypt and Receives Revelation
The meaning and purpose of Allah's seemingly simple question became clear to Musa only after Allah commanded him to cast down his staff on the ground. It then transformed into a great snake that crawled rapidly, causing Musa to flee in fear. Allah called to him: 'Take hold of it and do not fear. We will return it to its former state.'
When the crawling snake was seized and held by Musa, it immediately became the staff again, which he had received from Shu'aib, his father-in-law, when he departed from Midian.
As the second miracle, Allah commanded Musa to draw his hand into his armpit. When he did so, his hand came out white and brilliant without any blemish or disease.
Prophet Musa Returns to Egypt and Receives Revelation
Read about the contents of this story in surah 'Taha', verses 9 to 23, juz 16, as follows:
"9 Has the story of Musa reached you? 10 When he saw a fire and said to his family: 'Remain here. Indeed, I have perceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a torch from it or find at the fire guidance.'"
11 So when he came to it, he was called: 'O Musa,
12 Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Thuwa.
13 And I have chosen you, so listen to what will be revealed.
14 Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.
15 Indeed, the Hour is coming—I almost keep it hidden—so that every soul may be recompensed according to what it earns.
16 So let not the one who does not believe in it and follows his desires divert you from it, or you will perish.'"
17 What is that in your right hand, O Musa?'"
18 He said: 'It is my staff upon which I lean and with which I strike down branches for my sheep, and I have other uses for it.'"
19 Allah said: 'Cast it down, O Musa.'"
20 So he cast it down, and suddenly it became a snake moving swiftly.
21 Allah said: 'Take hold of it and fear not. We will return it to its former state.
22 Draw your hand into your armpit; it will come out white without disease as another sign,
23 so We may show you some of Our greatest signs.' (Taha: 9-23)
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