It can be unanimously agreed upon through historical, biblical and Quranic records that there once lived a Pharaoh that ruled over Egypt who was exceptionally tyrannous.

This particular Pharoah from the long list of Pharoah’s that ruled over Egypt previously, was mighty and had all the resources of the land at his disposable. His rule was oppressive and overwhelming powerful. Furthermore he claimed divinity and God of the people.

He separated his people into different sects or classes and enslaved the children of Israel who had migrated to Egypt from previous generations. (The story of the first immigration is mentioned in the biblical and Quranic scripture of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), who encountered a Muslim Pharaoh several generations prior)

Now this Pharaoh was more tyrannous and daring then his predecessors and fully enslaved the Israeli people in Egypt and the Egyptians owned them like livestock, bound by chains, tortured and threatened with death, they were subjugated to labour and other inhumane activities.

One day Pharaoh had a dream that a child from the children of Israel will end his rule. This led to a decree that every newborn male from Israeli decent will be killed. After consultation with the ministers this rule was changed so that the boys would be killed every other year, bi-yearly and the girls would be spared so not to reduce the labour force going forward.

The new ruling was put in place with immediate effect, and the Israeli men and women were now living in complete tyranny and oppression the like never seen before in history.

The rule to find and execute new born boys was to be implemented in the year of the birth of Musa (Moses).

Musa’s mother in fear and disarray, knowing that she is likely to lose her newborn son, was guided by Allah to place him in a basket in the river. Allah guided her that he will return him to her and that he will be one of his Messengers.

This guidance to his mother is explained in Chapter 28, Surah Al Qasas, verse 7.

Fearing the search and kill missions of Pharaoh soldiers, with a heavy heart Musas mother placed her son in the river.

The story of Moses is given in depth and detail throughout various Chapters in the Quran and is in fact the most mentioned Prophet in the Quran.

In a twist of fate and meticulous planning from Allah, baby Moses was found in a basket by the River Nile by Pharaohs wife Asia.

She loved the baby immediately and took him to Pharoah and asked to raise him, and argued with Pharoah until he reluctantly accepted.

Moses was thus suckled and raised in the palace of Pharoah throughout his adolescence.

As mentioned the story of moses is mentioned in detail in Chapters (Surah) Taha, Surah Al-Qasas (the stories), Al-Baqarah and many other Chapters throughout the Quran.

To summarise and get to the subject at hand, Moses fled from Egypt after having got into a scuffle with one of the Egyptians who was fighting with an Israeli slave. Trying to break up the fight between the two Moses punched the Egyptian who died from the blow. He was later told that news of the Egyptians death had reached the palace and that Pharaoh and his Ministers were looking to kill him and that he should flee immediately. 

Musa fled Egypt across the desert bearing nothing but his clothes and worn sandals.

It is mentioned in another chapter he got to a water well where he saw two women struggling to get water from the well for their camels. Musa seeing them struggle offered help and pulled for them the heavy water buckets from the well. The girls went back home to their elderly father who had a farm and told their father what had happened.

Eventually Musa ended up marrying into the family and served them for over 10 years and during one night he noticed a fire in the distance, this is where he received his first revelation.

The Revelation

Allah (sw) ordered Musa to return to Egypt and speak to Pharaoh and bring him to belief in one God and to emancipate the enslaved Israelis form the land of Egypt.

A horrific and somewhat unrealistic task, Allah promised Moses not to fear and that he will be with him and told him his first miracle.

Allah asked him about the staff Musa was holding, Musa said “I use it for support, and to guide my sheep and use it for other things”. Allah (sw) said “throw your stick”. When Moses threw his stick it became a big snake, Moses shocked he was ordered to pick it up again and then it returned to being a stick.

Allah (sw) said this will be a sign to show to Pharaoh.  Ref Surah Taha: Chapter 20,

Musa (as) who struggling with a speech impediment from birth and had runaway from crime he did not mean to commit now had to face his biggest challenge, speaking up to Pharaoh, who was a self-proclaimed God and exercised his absolute will over the people.

Magic during the time

Pharaoh did not run his dominion in a vacuum, Egyptians where categorised in levels and ranks. It is understood that magic played an important role in ancient Egyptian society in managing and convincing the people that obedience and subservience was the only way.

The closest to Pharaoh in rank were the magicians. Those that could demonstrate extraordinary feats and magnificent splendor to woo the eyes of the subjects, ministers and slaves.

Magic was considered a science to be studied and magicians varied in capacity and experience, it was also taught and passed from one generation to the next. Outstanding prospects would be taught magic to excel through the ranks and become of those close to the ruling elite for the next generation.

Magic went hand in hand with the ruling dominion, the best magicians were the highest in rank and close to God, Pharaoh.

When Musa met Pharoah

After having asked strength and guidance from Allah (sw) Musa said to Allah he was worried that Pharaoh might show ruthlessness. Allah told him not to worry and that he is with him.

So when Musa met Pharoah, Musa explained he was the Messager of Allah, (the one true God) and that he would like him to free the Israelis and to stop their torture.

Pharaoh responded by asking Musa “who is your Lord” you claim?

Musa said “Our Lord is the one who gave unto everything its nature, then guided it aright”

Musa then threw his walking stick for Pharoah to see it change into a snake.

And then Musa picked up the snake and it returned to a stick again.

Pharaoh was not convinced and said “Hast come to drive us out from our land by thy magic, O Musa?”

“But surely we can produce for thee magic the like thereof; so appoint a tryst between us and you”

Pharaoh exclaimed that he can produce magic like this. He asked Musa to prepare a day to show this in front of his people. Musa said “your day shall be on the day of the feast, and let the people assemble when the sun hath risen high” – Surah Taha Chapter 20 vs 59

So they agreed on a day when Pharoah’s magicians would come together and compete with Musa and each show their magnificence in front of a crowd of Egyptians, ministers, the ruling elite and Pharaoh himself.

Pharaoh’s Magicians – The Day of Celebration

The day of “zeena” as mentioned in Surah Taha verse 59, was a well-known day of festival in the Egyptian calendar.

Magical feats and splendour were the taste of the people at the time.  This is was an ideal opportunity for Musa to show his abilities that Allah had granted him.

On the day the magicians lined up with their sticks. Musa asked them to throw first and so they did, and surely all the sticks turned to snakes as they landed on the ground. Withering and shimmering as they wriggled on the ground surface.

Musa became afraid about what he was witnessing. How did the magicians of Pharaoh replicate what Allah (sw) had shown him to do in private? Allah (sw) said to him in his heart “Fear not! Lo! Thou art the higher”

Musa then threw his stick, it too became a snake, but a much bigger snake that went around the other snakes and swallowed them up.

When they saw this the magicians immediately prostrated on the ground and said “we believe in the Lord of Musa and Aaron”

Pharaoh responded and said “do you believe in him before I give you permission. Lo! He is your chief who taught you magic. Now surely I shall cut off your hands and your feet from alternate sides, and I shall crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and ye shall know for certain which of us hath sterner and more lasting punishment”

The Magicians replied “We choose thee not above the clear proofs that have come unto us, and above Him Who created us. So decree what thou wilt decree. Thou wilt end for us only this life of the world” “Lo! We believe in our Lord, that he may Forgive us our sins and the magic unto which thou didst force us. Allah is better and more lasting”

Pharaohs magicians announce their faith unapologetically

The magicians become followers of Musa (as) in a very open and uncharacteristic manner.

Furthermore, when threatened with crucifixion they told Pharaoh they prefer death then the deceit and deception of the magic that he forced them to learn and practice

The magicians obviously knew the internal working of Pharaohs rule and knew the extent to which magic was used to subdue his subjects.

Magic was a key pillar of the Pharoanic system, holding Pharaohs flag high and gaining subservience through trickery and illusion. However once a higher power, that falls outside of the confines of the magical realm becomes evident than it becomes baffling for the magicians themselves to explain.  

In this day of festivities, the magicians knew that their snakes weren’t actual snakes but visual illusions that made the hard stick look like a live snake through illusion. Whereas Musas stick was not an illusion and actually became a live snake.

Any other bystander or observer would have been none the wiser into whether Musa’s stick was bigger or able to consume the other sticks. Magic is magic and what they were both able to do was sufficient for the non-learned man or woman.

However, because the magician understands the inner strengths and limitations of his practice it became an over cumbersome reality that what just happened arose from a higher power.

Dumb stricken and shocked the natural and immediate reaction of the magicians was to prostrate and announce their belief in Musa and his Lord.

The Magicians became the first powerful Egyptians to convert to the religion of Musa.

The magicians where subsequently crucified and killed. Allah explains that they have their abode in eternal heaven.

Shortly afterward, Musa received revelation that he is to no longer ask Pharaoh for permission but is to flee with the Israelis under the darkness of night.

This episode regarding the magicians is mentioned in Chapter 20, Surah Taha verse 58-73