Historical Data Surah 79 · Ayah 13

The Plagues of Egypt



The Plagues of Egypt

Moses repeated his demand that Pharaoh release the children of Israel from slavery. In response, Pharaoh called his subjects, including the children of Israel, to a huge gathering where he reminded them that he was their lord and provided all their needs. Moses, he said, had no gold amulets nor angels following him; he was just a poor man.
Being a people who had been oppressed for a very long time, they lacked vision. Their judgment were limited to what they could see in the material world. They regarded their ruler to be wealthy and able to provide all their worldly needs. In ignorance, they obeyed Pharaoh and ignored Moses's call.
Egypt Suffers a Drought and a Flood
Allah commanded Moses to warn Pharaoh of a punishment in this world for his faithlessness and his persecution of the children of Israel. As a portent of the punishment which Allah would meet out, the Nile did not flood its banks to soak the dry land as it normally did. As a result, crops failed, leading to famine. However Pharaoh remained arrogant, so Allah caused a huge flood, which devastated the land.
Egypt's Crops are Destroyed by Locusts
As often as they were troubled grievously, they appealed to Moses thus:
"O Moses! Invoke your Lord for us because of His Promise to you. IF you will remove the punishment from us, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the children of Israel go with you." (Ch 7:134 Quran)Moses prayed to his Lord and He relived the suffering caused by the flood. The surging water ceased and withdrew from the land, and it became cultivable. But when Moses bade them to fulfill their promise to release the children of Israel, they did not respond.

Then Allah sent swarms of locusts which ate whatever corps they had grown. The people hurried to Moses, asking him to invoke Allah to remove this affliction and promising they would send the children of Israel with him this time. The locusts departed, but they did not fulfill their promise.

Egypt Becomes Infested with Lice
Then another sign came, the sign of lice, which spread amongst the Egyptians, carrying diseases. Their refuge to Moses and their promise to him was repeated. His prayer to Allah was repeated and so, too, their breach of promise, as usual.
Egypt Becomes Infested with Frogs
A sign of frogs was revealed. The land suddenly filled with frogs. They jumped on the food of the Egyptians, shared their houses, and distressed them greatly. The Egyptians went to Moses again, promising him to release the children of Israel. He prayed to his Lord, and Allah relieved them of the problem of the frogs, but they again broke their promise.
Nile's water was changed to Blood
Then the last sign was revealed, the sign of blood. The Nile water was changed into blood. When Moses and his people drank the water, it was, for them, ordinary water. However, if any Egyptian filled his cup with the water, he discovered his cup full of blood. They hurried to Moses as usual, but as soon as everything returned to normal, they turned their backs on Allah.
Allah's Punishments on the Disbelievers - Quran
Almighty Allah said:
"And indeed We punished the people of Pharaoh with years of drought, and shortness of fruits (crops, etc.), that they mighty remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them, they said: "Ours is this." And if evil at them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Moses and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah but most of them know not. They said to Moses: "Whatever Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you." So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood: (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were Mujrimeen (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.) (Ch 7:130-133 Quran)
Almighty Allah also said: But when We removed the punishment from them to a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word! (Ch 7:135 Quran)
The Parting of the Red Sea
The impatient children of Israel soon became agitated and Joshua (Yusha), Ibn Nun, exclaimed:
"In front of us is this impassable barrier, the sea, and behind us the enemy; surely death cannot be avoided!"
Moses replied that he would wait for further guidance from Allah. These words filled them with some hope, but man is always impatient for results: they were willing to surrender themselves back into slavery. At that moment Allah revealed to Moses: "Smite the sea with your staff!" Moses did as he was commanded. A fierce wind blew, the sun shone brightly, and in a flash the sea parted, the crests of the waves standing like mountains on each side.
Moses led his people across. This miracle proved Moses's oft-repeated claim. "Verily! My Lord is with me!" As they looked back, they saw Pharaoh and his army approaching, about to take the very path which had been opened for them. In great fear and panic, they pleaded with Moses to ask Allah to close the sea. However, Allah commanded Moses not to smite the sea with his staff again, for Allah's decree was already in action.
The Death of the Pharaoh
Pharaoh and his army had seen the miracle, how the sea had parted, but being the pretender that he was, Pharaoh turned to his men and proclaimed: "Look! The sea has opened at my command so that I may follow those rebels and arrest them!" They rushed across the parted waters, and when they were midway, Allah commanded the sea to return to its former state. Terror-stricken Pharaoh, realizing his end had come, declared out of fear: "I believe that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah in Whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender to Him." But Allah did not accept this declaration from the tyrant, and the waters closed over him, drowning him and his entire army.
Almighty Allah narrated:
"And We inspired Moses, saying: "Take away My slaves by night, verily, you will be pursued." Then Pharaoh sent callers to all the cities. Saying: "Verily! These indeed are but a small band. And verily, they have done what has enraged us; but we are host all assembled, amply fore-warned."
So, We expelled them from gardens and springs, treasures, and every kind of honorable place. Thus (We turned them Pharaoh's people) out, and We caused the children of Israel to inherit them.
So they pursued them at sunrise. And when the two hosts saw each other, the people of Moses said: "We are sure to be overtaken."
Moses said: "Nay, verily! With me is my Lord, He will guide me."
Then We inspired Moses saying: "Strike the sea with your stick." And it parted, and each separate (part of that sea water) became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain.
Then We brought near the others (Pharaoh's party) to that place. And We saved Moses and all those with him. Then We drowned the others. Verily! In this is indeed a sign (or a proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord! He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful." (Ch 26:52-68 Quran)
Moses' People Escape and Pharaoh's Death - Quranic
In another surah Almighty Allah narrated:
"And We took the children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, till when drowning overtook him, he sai: "I believe that La ilaha illa huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but) He, in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allah's Will)."
Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the mufsideen (evildoers, corrupts, etc.). So this day We shall deliver your dead body out from the sea that you maybe a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless or our Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). (Ch 10:90-92 Quran)

The curtain fell on Pharaoh's tyranny, and the waves threw his corpse up to the western seashore. The Egyptians saw him and knew that their god whom they worshipped and obeyed were mere slaves who could not keep death away from their own necks
Stories of Prophet by ibne kathir

Imported from the original Quranicpedia article archive.