Allah told Musa (AS), "Leave at night with My servants. You will be followed." So Musa led the Children of Isra'il out of Egypt in the dark.
In the morning, Fir'awn found out they had gone. He was furious and chased them with his whole army. By sunrise the Children of Isra'il reached the sea. In front of them was water, and behind them was Fir'awn's huge army. They cried out, "We will be caught!"
Musa answered calmly, "No! My Lord is with me. He will guide me."
Allah told Musa, "Strike the sea with your staff." Musa struck the water, and the sea split in two. Each side stood up like a huge mountain, and a dry path appeared in the middle. The Children of Isra'il walked safely across to the other side.
Fir'awn and his army followed them onto the path. When they were in the middle, the water came crashing back. As he was drowning, Fir'awn cried, "I believe!" But it was too late. Allah saved Fir'awn's body as a sign for people who came after him.
The Prophet ﷺ told us that Musa fasted on this day, the 10th of Muharram (Ashura), to thank Allah, and Muslims fast on it too (Sahih al-Bukhari 2004).
Where this story comes from
Qur'an 20:77–79 · Ṭaa Haa
وَلَقَدۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِي فَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُمۡ طَرِيقࣰا فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ يَبَسࣰا لَّا تَخَٰفُ دَرَكࣰا وَلَا تَخۡشَىٰ 77 فَأَتۡبَعَهُمۡ فِرۡعَوۡنُ بِجُنُودِهِۦ فَغَشِيَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمۡ 78 وَأَضَلَّ فِرۡعَوۡنُ قَوۡمَهُۥ وَمَا هَدَىٰ 79
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Qur'an 26:52–67 · Ash-Shu'araa'
۞ وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِيٓ إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ 52 فَأَرۡسَلَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فِي ٱلۡمَدَآئِنِ حَٰشِرِينَ 53 إِنَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَشِرۡذِمَةࣱ قَلِيلُونَ 54 وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَنَا لَغَآئِظُونَ 55 وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَٰذِرُونَ 56 فَأَخۡرَجۡنَٰهُم مِّن جَنَّٰتࣲ وَعُيُونࣲ 57 وَكُنُوزࣲ وَمَقَامࣲ كَرِيمࣲ 58 كَذَٰلِكَۖ وَأَوۡرَثۡنَٰهَا بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ 59 فَأَتۡبَعُوهُم مُّشۡرِقِينَ 60 فَلَمَّا تَرَٰٓءَا ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ قَالَ أَصۡحَٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدۡرَكُونَ 61 قَالَ كَلَّآۖ إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهۡدِينِ 62 فَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرۡقࣲ كَٱلطَّوۡدِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ 63 وَأَزۡلَفۡنَا ثَمَّ ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ 64 وَأَنجَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ أَجۡمَعِينَ 65 ثُمَّ أَغۡرَقۡنَا ٱلۡأٓخَرِينَ 66 إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةࣰۖ وَمَا كَانَ أَكۡثَرُهُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ 67
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Qur'an 10:90–92 · Yoonus
۞ وَجَٰوَزۡنَا بِبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُمۡ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ بَغۡيࣰا وَعَدۡوًاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدۡرَكَهُ ٱلۡغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِيٓ ءَامَنَتۡ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓاْ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ 90 ءَآلۡـَٰٔنَ وَقَدۡ عَصَيۡتَ قَبۡلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ 91 فَٱلۡيَوۡمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنۡ خَلۡفَكَ ءَايَةࣰۚ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا لَغَٰفِلُونَ 92
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💬 What did you learn?
Talk about these together. There is no right or wrong answer.
- When everyone was scared, Musa said "My Lord is with me." When might you feel scared, and what can you remember?
- How did Musa thank Allah after he was saved?