The story of the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) is told more often in the Qur'an than that of any other prophet, appearing across many surahs, with detailed accounts in Surah Ta-Ha (the twentieth surah) and Surah Al-Qasas (the twenty-eighth). It is an epic of courage and of Allah's help arriving for the oppressed at the very moment all hope seems lost. Children are captivated by it because it has everything: danger, palaces, miracles, and a rescue no one could have engineered but Allah.
It begins in Egypt, where a tyrant - Pharaoh (Fir'awn) - ruled with terrible cruelty and had come to believe himself a god. Fearing a prophecy that a boy from the Children of Israel would end his reign, he ordered that their baby boys be killed. When Musa was born, his mother was terrified. Allah inspired her with an extraordinary instruction: to place her baby in a basket and set him upon the river, and not to fear or grieve, for Allah would return him to her and make him a messenger. Trusting Allah, she let the river carry her son away.
“And where did the river carry him? Straight into the household of Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh's wife found the baby and loved him, and begged to keep him. So Musa was raised in the palace of the very man who had wanted him dead, nursed - through Allah's beautiful plan - by his own mother, who was brought in as his wet nurse without Pharaoh ever knowing. Musa grew up strong and just, and one day, defending one of his people, he accidentally struck down an Egyptian. Fearing for his life, he fled Egypt into the desert.”
In the land of Madyan, Musa lived quietly for years, married, and worked as a shepherd. Then, travelling with his family one night, he saw a fire in the distance on the side of a mountain and went toward it, hoping for warmth or directions. There, in the sacred valley of Tuwa, Allah spoke to him directly. He was told to remove his sandals, for he stood on holy ground; he was shown signs - his staff becoming a serpent, his hand shining white - and he was given his mission: to return to Egypt and call Pharaoh, gently but firmly, to worship Allah, and to free the Children of Israel.
Musa was afraid - Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world - and he asked Allah to send his brother Harun (peace be upon him) with him for support. Allah granted it, and reassured them both: "Do not fear. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see." Armed with nothing but faith and Allah's promise, the two brothers walked into Pharaoh's court and delivered the message. Pharaoh mocked them, challenged Musa with his sorcerers, and then - when the sorcerers themselves believed - grew even more tyrannical and refused to let the people go.
At last Allah commanded Musa to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt by night. Pharaoh gave chase with his army, and the people found themselves trapped: the vast sea ahead of them, Pharaoh's soldiers thundering behind. In that impossible moment, when Musa's own followers cried that they were about to be caught, Musa said with total certainty, "No! Indeed, my Lord is with me; He will guide me." Allah commanded him to strike the sea with his staff, and it parted into towering walls of water with a dry path between - and the people crossed to safety. When Pharaoh and his army rushed in after them, the sea closed over them, and the tyrant was destroyed.
The lesson of Musa's story is that Allah stands with the oppressed, and that courage means moving forward in faith even when the odds look impossible. A baby with no power toppled the mightiest empire of his day, not through armies but through trust in Allah. For a child, Musa teaches that being small or afraid is no barrier when Allah is with you, and that no tyrant, however grand, is greater than the One who splits the sea.