Musa. Moses. Moshe.
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) is known by many names amongst the Abrahamic religions. But regardless of what he is called, they all agree that he was a Prophet.
This past Monday, Sept 9 (or Tuesday in some places) was an important day in the Islamic calendar (a lunar-based calendar). It was the 10th day of the month of Muharram, more commonly known as Ashoora Day. And most importantly, the significance behind this date is that it was the day when Allah/ God saved Prophet Musa and the people who answered his Call to God from the evil ruler of Egypt (Fir'awn/ Pharoah).
The story of Musa and what happened on this day is related in the Quran. It tells us of how the people from amongst the Children of Israel who accepted Prophet Musa's message from Allah faced persecution and terror at the hands of Fir'awn. One night, Allah revealed to Prophet Musa that it was time for them to escape and immigrate to a safer place. But Fir'awn and his army pursued them to the shores of the sea. The people began to despair, seeing that the army was behind them and the open seas were in front of them. But Prophet Musa had complete trust in Allah, and he responded with these famous words:
"My Lord is with me, He will certainly guide me." [Quran 26:62]
And surely enough, he was right. Allah revealed to him the command to strike the sea with his staff. The water then parted, making way for them to cross the seas on the sea bed. The army attempted to follow them, but when Prophet Musa and his people reached the other shore, the water returned to normal and Fir'awn and his army drowned, so ending their reign of tyranny.
"My Lord is with me, He will certainly guide me." This steadfast faith in Allah that Prophet Musa demonstrated is an example for the times. It takes an enormous strength of faith to have this type of trust in trust in the face of disaster. This total faith in Allah through all matters is a concept known as tawakkul.
It means to trust that God's Plan for you is the best plan. That no matter if you are facing something positive or negative, it was chosen for you and you can handle it; for "Allah does not burden a soul more than she/he can bear" [Quran 2:286]. It is to believe that Allah is All-powerful and All-Sufficient and He will no doubt manage the affairs of His servants perfectly.
The life of Prophet Musa is filled with examples of tawakkul, from the moment of his birth to this moment at the seas and beyond. His mother demonstrated this perfect trust in Allah when she placed her baby boy in a basket in the mighty Nile River, trusting and knowing that her precious child was in the Care of the All-Powerful God.
Today, as we face an increasingly precarious world, tawakkul is the one thing that can help us navigate our lives and maintain our sanity. We do not have to face our burdens alone; rather we can face it knowing that Allah is there giving us what is best and that His Plan is the best one for us. With each new, daunting step in this world, it helps to know that Allah is certainly with us, guiding us.
When things get sad or tough or a little too much, it helps to remember Prophet Musa's words: “My Lord is with me, He will certainly guide me.”
Maryam Baksh is a graduate from University of British Columbia. She is a member of the Muslim community in Vancouver and a busy young mother.
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE
*This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday, Sept 14th 2019
Photo of the corssing of the Red Sea - the Providence Lithograph Company [Public domain] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Israel%27s_Escape_from_Egypt.jpg
