Prophet Musa^-AS upon finding the portals of endowment ajar, tried to gather as much blessings as he could, and presented one request after the other before Allaah^-SWT .The very first thing he sought was Sharah-e-Sadar’ (Opening of the Bosom).

Sharah Sadar

It refers to a state when knowledge descends directly from Allaah^-SWT unto the heart about topics or issues discussed, and the bosom becomes an ocean of knowledge. This knowledge indeed is termed as 'Ilm-e-Luduni (the inspired knowledge) which opens the bosom in which it is inspired. According to Quran when Allaah^-SWT showers His^-SWT Mercy on someone. He^-SWT opens his bosom for Islam. This is a blessing generally enjoyed by the Aulia’. However, some fortunate ones are especially gifted with such knowledge from Allaah^-SWT that they can converse at length on just about any topic, despite the fact that they never acquired any formal education thereof.

Prophet Musa^-AS then presented his second request, which was to make his task easy as this indeed was the domain of Allah^-SWT . No matter how perfect a person may be or how much authority he wields, whatever means he employs to achieve a particular result are made effective only by Allaah^-SWT .He also requested Allaah^-SWT to untie the knot of his tongue which means that not only should his bosom be overflowing with knowledge, but he should also be able to expound these facts before others.

Loosening the Knot from the Tongue

Here many Commentators quote an incident that while in his childhood at the Pharaoh’s palace. Prophet Musa^-AS had once grabbed and pulled at the Pharaoh's beard in innocence. This enraged him. His wife intervened to pacify the Pharaoh to forgive Musa^-AS because he was only a child and had done it unwittingly. Not satisfied, the Pharaoh put him to trial. He ordered two trays to be brought before the child, one of jewels and the other of smouldering embers, just to see whether he was wise enough to differentiate between the two. He is said to have picked up air ember and put it in his mouth, and the consequent burn led to a stammer. This reassured the Pharaoh that he was only a child who could not differentiate between a jewel and an ember.

The Commentators assert that here Prophet Musa^-AS is requesting Allaah^-SWT to cure the said stammering. However, this does not appear plausible because according to the Quran, the Pharaoh after his conversation with Musa^-AS remarked that he was unable to explain things Prophet Musa^-AS himself acknowledged that his brother Harun^-AS could speak more eloquently than him. So the beauty of the invocation lies in the fact that he requested Allaah^-SWT for the capability to effectively expound the knowledge inside his bosom. Often we come across people a brim with knowledge acquired through extensive study but they simply cannot express it .Even amongst the Aulia^’ there have been some blessed with abundant knowledge but they could not convey it to others. Indeed, fortunate are those blessed both with knowledge as well as the power to convey it, thereby benefiting mankind immensely. Prophet Musa^-AS further requested Allaah^-SWT to make his speech so effective that it may penetrate the hearts of the audience.

The Deputy or the Minister

He also requested Allaah^-SWT to appoint for him a deputy who would share his burden of responsibility. He prayed that he may be from his family. This refers to the fact that for accomplishing any significant task, a person is dependant on his associates and subordinates. The term Wizier (deputy or minister) originates from here, and a Wizier shares the burden of responsibility of his boss. So it becomes mandatory for the boss to personally know someone before appointing him as his deputy. He must also be sure of his capability to handle the job, as well as of his loyalty towards him. Besides, he must also be certain that his chosen deputy will prove to be his strength in the affairs of the State .A ruler must ponder over all these considerations while selecting his cabinet. Otherwise, appointment of Ministers to win support for remaining in power can be well compared to the situation when a person puts his load on a donkey, It can earn the load alright but ccrtainly cannot be a deputy. Similarly the follies of incompetent deputies cannot be a source of strength for the ruler in running the State, So Prophet Musa-^AS requested Allaah^-SWT to appoint his brother Harun^-AS as his deputy, who was capable enough to share the duties of Prophethood and Messengership with him. They will together glorify-Him^-SWT and remember Him^-SWT and that He^-SWT was constantly Aware of their situation

Collective Zikr

It is obvious that a person may worship, do Zikr or glorify Allaah^-SWT alone also. However, given the right company and the conducive environment, one can certainly put up a better performance. Besides, collective Zikr is very beneficial, because each individual enjoys a personal relationship with Allaah^-SWT and the Divine Lights reflecting on each participant together cause a composite stream of His^-SWT Refulgence to engulf and benefit everyone. It is also established here that propagation of Din is imperative. Prophet Musa^-AS was raised for the very purpose of inviting the Pharaoh to Allah^-SWT yet Zikr itself is the lifeline for every Prophet^-AS Wali and believer. Life is a prerequisite to propagation of Din Anyone oblivious of Zikr will be assumed as dead and how can the dead propagate? So Prophet Musa^-AS wished for his life, health and power, which can only be acquired through His^-SWT Zikr. Allaah^-SWT accepted all his requests Praise be to Him^-SWT ! What a Grace that whatever was asked was granted, so much so that at that very moment Prophethood was conferred upon Harun^-AS, who was blessed with revelation and duly educated on his Prophetic responsibilities. So when Prophet Musa^-AS arrived in Egypt, Prophet Harun^-AS was waiting for him outside the city, ready to share the formidable task.

Invocation Is Also Destiny

Whereas Prophethood had been endowed upon Harun^-AS since eternity, he was formally raised upon the invocation of Prophet Musa^-AS .Similar was the raising of the Holy Prophet^-SWT in an answer to Prophet Ibrahim^-AS’s prayer. Thus it stands established that invocation is also part of destiny. As all events are pre­determined and the timings of occurrence as a result of an invocation are fixed so is the invocation predestined. On the eve of his requests, Allaah^-SWT also recounts to Prophet Musa^-AS how he had favoured him when he was not even capable of praying and was a newly born child, when death lurked over him at the hands of Pharaoh's soldiers. At that time Allaah^-SWT had inspired into the heart of his mother.

Ilham And Ilqa

As discussed earlier, Aulia^’ are blessed with llham and llqa, which is also termed as Wahi’. It may be extended not only to Aulia' but also to trees, rocks, fire, oceans indeed to anything. For instance, 'and We^-SWT inspired the bee'. This form of inspiration is natural as every living thing is born with it commensurate to the purpose of its creation. Another type of inspiration can be seen in the story of Prophet Ibrahim^-AS when Allaah^-SWT directly commanded the fire to cool down.

The third type is the Ilham of a Wali because of his devoted adherence to the teachings of a Prophet^-AS. Or one may enjoy an exalted level of Divine Nearness, and the Ilqa takes place as in case of Prophet Musa^-AS mother. Or an angel may speak to a person as with Prophet Musa^-AS  mother. The blessings of llham and Ilqa have been available to the chosen few ever since the advent of man in this world and will continue to be so until the end of time. The only prerequisite is a total adherence and submission to the Prophetic teachings. However, it is important that whatever one learns through Ilham must be within the limits of Shari'ah, otherwise it will be invalid. Secondly, only the recipient is bound to follow it and not others while the ‘Wahi’ peculiar to the Prophets^-AS, is obligatory' to be followed by the respective believers.

River at Command

The mother of Prophet Musa^-AS was inspired to put her infant in a box and lower it into the river. It would be earned to a place predetermined to be picked up by a person who is Allah^-SWT ’s as well as his enemy. This Ayah contains an indirect command for the river as well that it should carry the box to the specific point reserved for the royal couple for swimming and sight seeing. The river promptly complied with Actually every creation including the earth, rocks and trees possesses a certain kind of cognisance whereby it remembers its Provider and Sustainer. It witnesses events, and will provide evidence on the Day of Judgment. And it also obeys the Divine Commands it receives. It is recorded that the rocks and the trees greeted the Holy Prophet^-SWT as his miracle, so is the conversation of mountains and the animals with him. It is also a pan of history how Caliph 'Umar^–RAU wrote a letter to River Nile and it obeyed his orders.

A tributary from the river passed through the Royal Palaces, where the royal couple used to bathe and swim. Prophet Musa^-AS was carried safely to that point. Allaah^-SWT also favoured by giving him a certain charm. Whoever saw him fell in love with him. This is an excellence usually bestowed by Him^-SWT upon His^-SWT devoted servants.

Allah^-SWT's Chosen Ones are Adored

While the Prophets^-AS enjoy a singular status, there are also personages amongst the Aulia' who are adored by the people while the enemies hearts sink at their sight.

Prophet Musa^-AS was brought up under His^-SWT Supervision. Praise be to Him^-SWT ! He^-SWT availed the services of the enemy for the purpose and at the same time nursed him by none other than his own mother. It so happened that when the box carrying the little infant arrived at the river bank, the royal maids picked it up. The Pharaoh, after being warned by his sooth savers that a boy born in Bani Israil would topple his empire, had ordered all newly born boys of Bani Israil to be killed. Faced with the consequent problem of potential shortage of labour to serve him and his people, he relaxed the killing to every alternate year while sparing the baby girls altogether. Prophet Harun^-AS was born in the year of exemption while Prophet Musa^-AS was born in the year of killing. So Allaah^-SWT saved Prophet Musa^-AS by inspiring his mother with a plan and foiled the vile designs of the Pharaoh by bringing him up in his very palace, so that he had the royal training and was abreast with the affairs of the State.

When the royal maids earned the box to the royal couple, the Pharaoh instantly commented that the baby must have been abandoned by a Bani Israili and ordered his execution. But his childless wife, moved by her natural instinct, intervened that the baby was so adorable and suggested adoption. Once brought up by them he would no longer be an enemy, she said. And the Pharaoh agreed.

Love For Allah's Chosen Bondsmen leads To Guidance

Though driven by a motherly instinct, yet her heart was drawn towards a Prophet^-AS .This proved to be a source of guidance for her. In other words, the love for Allah^-SWT ’s chosen servants serves as a means of attaining guidance, while enmity leads to eternal derailment from the straight path as in case of the Pharaoh who held him in despise, and became deprived eternally.

Now when Prophet Musa^-AS had been adopted, search began for a suitable lady to nurse him. He would not suckle any woman. His sister, who had been on the look out as instructed by her mother, met the royal maids and suggested a lady best suited for the job and gave her mother’s name and address. She was summoned to the palace and the child readily accepted her suckling. Allaah^-SWT describes this favour. "We^-SWT returned you to your mother that she might cool her eves and she might not grieve ".

So she nursed her own son on payment from the royal exchequer, until he was old enough to return to the royal palace. He was naturally inclined towards Bani Israil, firstly because of his biological ties and secondly because he had been raised amongst them. One day he saw one of the Pharaoh‘s men maltreating an Israili in the market place. He intervened and a scuffle developed. Musa^-AS punched the man so hard that he died on the spot. Allah^-SWT says. "And you slew a person but We^-SWT delivered you from sorrow.” This followed another test. Soon he found the same Israili involved into another scuffle. Musa^-AS was annoyed and told him that indeed he was the mischief monger. Yet he tried to make the Qibti step aside. But the Israili got terrified assuming that Prophet Musa^-AS was going to hit him. So he implored not to kill him like he had killed the Qibti the other day. Hearing this, another Qibti reported the matter to the authorities and the Pharaoh issued orders for the arrest and execution of Prophet Musa^-AS. As the news reached him, he fled the kingdom. The trial mentioned here refers to his undertaking a long and tedious journey, to an unknown destination, all by himself, without any prior planning, preparation or provisions. A detailed account has been given earlier. Allaah^-SWT favoured him once again with a safe arrival at Madyan, where he stayed for a decade with Prophet Shu'aib^-AS's family. He married his daughter and found a home in exile. When the time approached for his formal raising and for the honour of a Divine Dialogue, he arrived at the appointed rendezvous automatically.

Coincidences

We use the term "accidentally" or "by coincidence" only because we are unaware of Divine Plans, whereas all events are a part of the pre programmed system of life. This has been discussed earlier.

Allah^-SWT having chosen the two for Himself^-SWT , bids them to take along the miracles as testimony to their Prophethood and proceed to execute their assignment being mindful of His^-SWT Zikr, with full concentration, without showing any slackness.

The Proof of Being Allah^-SWT's Servant

The greatest evidence of being a chosen servant of Allaah^-SWT is that a person diligently obeys Him^-SWT , in words and in actions. Rather he becomes obedience personified and exploits all his faculties to invite people to Allaah^-SWT .Therefore, a Wali’s Karamah is only manifested for the upholding of Din .The second indication is that such a person is blessed with a state of constant Zikr, as described by the Quran: "Go you and your brother with My^-SWT Signs and do not slacken in My^-SWT Zikr" .The direction is not to allow anything to hinder Zikr A Prophet^-AS is, in any case, an embodiment of Zikr. His entire body practises it including the clothes he adorns and the land he treads. Therefore, the question that a Prophet^-AS can ever be heedless of Zikr does not arise. However, when the two of them would face the tyrannical and arrogant Pharaoh and invite him to Allah^-SWT, his previous hostility towards them is bound to increase, so there was a chance of corresponding decrease in their attention towards Zikr. Hence the Command is to pay primary attention to His^-SWT Zikr and in a lesser degree to the pharaoh.

Now those who hold that mere worship, Tasbih (hymning His^-SWT Praises) and propagation of Islam is Zikr, may like to ponder over the facts that (1) A Prophet^-AS never neglects his worship (2) There can be no better Tasbih than the recitation of Allah^-SWT's Words before the Pharaoh and what could be more superior than inviting a tyrant to Allaah^-SWT ? Then why is this not sufficient and what kind of Zikr is so important that it is being stressed upon for the two Messengers of Allaah^-SWT ? Obviously it is Zikr-e-Qalbi, which always leads to His^-SWT Company.

So Allaah^-SWT Commands both to proceed to the Pharaoh in a state of.constant Zikr In other words, the basic requirement for propagation of Islam is a Qalb constantly engaged in Zikr .Any person with a heedless Qalb cannot be expected to influence the Qulub of others. Although the Pharaoh had crossed all limits of wickedness, yet the Prophets^-AS must speak to him in a polite and caring manner, because the intention is not to abase or embarrass him over his misconduct.

The Basic Concept Of Religious Propagation

The main objective is to invite the Pharaoh to guidance for his own betterment. Therefore, the Prophets^-AS must speak lovingly, affectionately and softly with him, for hatred and arrogance can never attract anyone. It will only be the love and affection, which could initiate a spark in the Pharaoh’s heart. It is possible that this spark causes him to understand what is good for him, and he may accept the guidance or begin to fear the consequences of annoying Allaah^-SWT .

The Barakah of Allah^-SWT ’s Company

The Prophets pledging their obedience submitted that they were ready to execute the assigned task. Yet they were afraid of the possibility that the despot, without even listening to them, may order their arrest and send them directly to prison or even sentence them to death. So how would such a rebel be addressed and conveyed the Divine Message? Allaah^-SWT reassured them that they had nothing to worry for He^-SWT was with them and Oversees and Hears everything. In other words, He^-SWT assured them of His^-SWT Company as their Rabb^-SWT , for both of them were His^-SWT Prophets^-AS and enjoyed hearts constantly engaged in Zikr .The tyrant would have to listen to them. Both the Prophets^-AS arrived in the Pharaoh's Court and pronounced their Prophethood .They said that they had neither come for any vested interest nor did they have anything to do with the royal court. However, they were Prophets^-AS who had been sent by Allah^-SWT, also the Rabb^-SWT of Pharaoh. It was He^-SWT Who^-SWT had given him life, a physical existence, power and kingdom, and to Him^-SWT he was to return one day. This indeed is what is expected of His^-SWT Providence. Therefore, he must believe with them, free the suppressed Bani Israil, and allow them to live where they wanted to.

Prophets Miracles Match The Contemporary People Of Excellence

'As for the proof of our Prophethood, Allaah^-SWT has blessed us with miracles of amazing nature as well as His^-SWT Company and Benevolence,' they said. That was an era marked with perfection in sorcery, so their miracles were such as could humble any skilled magician. During Prophet 'Isa^-AS's era, conventional medical science prevailed in all its excellence. So his miracles of curing the blind and the leper or blowing into a bird made out of clay to animate it or bringing the dead back to life were to humble the contemporary medical science. The era of the Holy Prophet^-AS ushered in innumerable inventions, which influenced civilization and a number of nations claimed to be civilized. His^-SWT outstanding miracle is the Islamic civilization and by no standards can any other civilization match it. Any merit found in contemporary societies has been picked up from Islam .Before its advent mankind did not possess much good, indeed every society derived its virtues from Islam. If only the Muslims would understand this reality !

Prophets Musa^-AS  and Harun^-AS  told the Pharaoh that by manifesting their miracles they wanted to make him realize that the route to salvation was indeed the path of guidance while waywardness always led to destruction. It was in his own interest to choose the right path Allaah^-SWT has declared that He^-SWT would not spare those who turn their backs on His^-SWT guidance and refute it, so he too would not be able to escape Divine Punishment.

Prophets-^AS also Reform Peoples Mutual Dealings

Obviously Prophets^-AS are not raised for the mere purpose of propagation, which is not effective unless appropriate solutions to real life problems and the most workable method of tackling these are also spelled out. Here Prophet Musa^-AS  did not only invite the Pharaoh to Allaah^-SWT but also demanded freedom of Bani Israil undertaking the responsibility to make them live as practicing believers .And when the Pharaoh refused, he led them out of Egypt without his consent. In this contest, the tyrant perished in the sea and the Prophet^-AS guided the Bani Israil in all aspects of practical life, the affairs of the State, the politics and the basic beliefs. Similar mode of action was adopted by the Holy Prophet^-AS.  So mere propagation is not the entire task but is one of the many facets of the Prophetic mission.

The Pharaoh asked who indeed was the Rabb^-SWT of the twain, who had dared to send Messengers demanding his obedience? Even if there existed any other Rabb^-SWT , in his view it had to be far inferior to him, as he had pronounced himself as Rabb^-SWT -e-A’la (the most superior provider).

Innate Capabilities And Zeal -Evidence To Allah^-SWT's Greatness

Prophet Musa^-AS reacted in the most splendid manner. He said that their Rabb^-SWT was the One Who^-SWT had created everything and had put it to work according to its innate capacity. For instance, a honey bee makes the honey and runs functioning of the hive. Every tree yields specific fruits, flowers and juices and each animal knows the art of living. All this is Allaah^-SWT ’s domain. But if Pharaoh claimed to be the Rabb^-SWT , he challenged him to alter this system, and grow grape vines on mango trees, or alter the transition of day and night, or make a land animal live in the sea.

A Person Failing to Answer Quarrels

The Pharaoh stood humbled and resorted to vain arguments. He asked the Prophets^-AS that if they were speaking the truth about there being a Rabb^-SWT other than him then what would be the fate of those who had died believing in him as God. He thought that the Prophets^-AS would instantly declare them hell bound thereby offending their progeny, who would continue to support him. But the Prophets^-AS are blessed with vast knowledge .They declared that they had been tasked to deal with the living only and as such obliged to invite them to the truth. However, if the people did not accept, it was also their duty to forewarn them of the dire consequences well in time. As for the fate of the bygone, it was a matter entirely between them and Allah^-SWT , Who^-SWT Knows the best.

A Propagator Must Avoid Unnecessary Argument

Besides, the deeds of every individual are recorded in a Register and the Knowledge of Allaah^-SWT is Perfect. There is neither a possibility of Him^-SWT making an error nor any chance of missing out any record, If the Pharaoh wanted to see a reflection of the superiority of His^-SWT Knowledge, he should look around himself. He may see the dust beneath his feet, how each particle carries a host of properties and enjoys a compatibility? He^-SWT has created so many resources of life on earth making it inhabitable, He^-SWT makes the water pour down from heights, satiating each and every grain of soil. In turn, a variety of fruits, flowers and vegetables grow, people earn their livelihood and rear cattle and other animals The entire system, if viewed in terms of meticulous programming and excellence, offers myriads of evidence on Allah^-SWT's Greatness for men of understanding