The sea ahead and the enemy behind
The exodus
Musa (peace be upon him) received the permission to leave Egypt after Firaun refused to accept the truth that he was not a god, and that there is only one God. He refused to release Bani Isra’il from slavery, who had been abused for generations. Similarly the Prophet (peace be upon him) received the permission to leave Makkah. Prophets and messengers only move with permission.
We do not know how many people there were. We have some narrations from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) probably based on the scriptures of the People of the Book who estimated it was about 600,000, but we do not have an accurate number. Nevertheless, it was a huge number and they left in the dead of night. According to some scholars this was to conceal their movements. Although Firaun, like all tyrants had his spies everywhere, and as soon as he discovered Bani Isra’il were escaping, he called every man in his army to pursue Musa (peace be upon him). However, they did not go during the night, they followed the next morning.
Scholars suggest they did not pursue immediately because they were busy during the night burying their deceased who died from an outbreak of disease. We cannot verify this, but it is mentioned in some tafseer books. Other tafseer books mention that it was a cloudy night and due to poor visibility, they waited until the morning, when it was clear.
According to some sources, the troops of Firaun, along with his cabinet and close associates, numbered around one million — though it could have been more or less, as we have no exact figures. Imagine the scene: Musa (peace be upon him) leading his people out by night, doing everything in their power to protect themselves. Despite their efforts, with such a large number of people, it was impossible to keep their movements completely secret.
If it had been only two people, like the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr during the Hijrah, secrecy would have been more manageable. Even then, they were pursued until they hid in the Cave of Thawr, and Allah protected them. They made every effort to conceal their journey, even hiring a guide to take them along an unfamiliar, longer, and more difficult route to avoid detection. This is an example of taking all possible means for protection while ultimately relying on Allah.
Stuck between the enemy and the sea
Similarly, Musa (peace be upon him) and his people travelled through the night until they reached a body of water. Some scholars say it was the Red Sea, others suggest the Mediterranean, and a weaker opinion claims it was the Nile. However, since the Quran uses the word bahr (sea), not nahr (river), and based on logical analysis and various narrations, the most likely location was the Red Sea.
When the two groups finally saw each other, probably in the early morning when the sun had risen and the visibility was clear, no clouds or fog to obscure the view, the situation became dire. Musa’s people were neither armed nor prepared for battle. In contrast, Firaun’s army was heavily armed, furious, and determined either to capture, kill, or fight them.
فَلَمَّا تَرَٰٓءَا ٱلْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ ٦١
And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Mūsā said, “Surely we are overtaken.” 26:61
قَالَ كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ ٦٢
He said, “Never! Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me.” 26:62
Faced with the sea ahead and the enemy behind, Musa’s people cried out in despair, convinced they were doomed. From a purely logical perspective, they had no way out — they couldn’t fly, disappear, or melt into the ground. Reason told them they would either be captured or destroyed.
Yet, Musa (peace be upon him) had full confidence in Allah. He knew that since Allah had given him permission to lead his people out, Allah would also protect them and secure their safety. Similarly, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) left Makkah during the Hijrah, he and Abu Bakr did everything they could to protect themselves from the Quraysh, who had sent out headhunters to kill them. Abu Bakr was terrified, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) reassured him, saying: “Do not be sad; indeed, Allah is with us.” (9:40)
In the same way, Musa (peace be upon him) said to his people: “Indeed, my Lord is with me.” (Inna ma’iya rabbi). Notice the word “inna” is used in Arabic to indicate certainty, meaning without a doubt. Both prophets showed complete reliance on Allah when logic and physical reality offered no hope.
Allah is with us
Today, we see the people of Gaza showing that same complete trust in Allah. Their homes have been destroyed, and they are surrounded by enemies. From a worldly perspective, there seems to be no way out — no protection, no helpers, no escape. Yet they say, just like Musa (peace be upon him) and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “Allah is with us.”
Even Musa (peace be upon him) did not know how Allah would save them; he did not expect the sea to split. Likewise, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was protected in the cave by the unexpected — a spider spinning its web and a pigeon nesting at the entrance, which deceived their pursuers.
The staff, the spider’s web, the pigeon, and the wind – who would have thought that these would be the means to victory and saving a nation?
In the same way, insha’Allah, Allah will find a way out for the people of Palestine — a way no one expects. True imaan is not based on the seen world, but on the unseen realm. When you rely only on the physical reality around you, you will feel defeated. But when you rely on the unseen — the promise and power of Allah — He will transport you from danger to safety.
This is the spirit of the people of Gaza: they are saying, “Everyone has abandoned us, but Allah is with us.” And with full certainty, they trust that Allah will open a way for them.
The solution
After placing complete trust in Allah, the solution came.
فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ ۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍۢ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ٦٣
So We revealed to Mūsā saying, “Strike the sea with your staff.” So it was severed apart, and each part became like a big mountain. 26:63
Allah commanded Musa (peace be upon him) to strike the sea with his staff. The focus is placed on Musa (peace be upon him) because he is the Messenger — just as today the focus is on the people of Palestine, who are holding firmly to faith under immense pressure.
The staff of Musa (peace be upon him) was an ordinary piece of wood. No matter how many times you strike water with wood, it only creates splashes. Intrinsically, the staff was powerless — but when Allah imbues something with His power, it becomes a tool for miracles. Musa (peace be upon him) showed complete obedience. He did not question the command; he simply obeyed.
This was the same staff Musa (peace be upon him) had previously thrown in front of the magicians of Firaun. It had already displayed special power, and now, by Allah’s command, it split the sea into twelve distinct paths — one for each tribe of Bani Isra’il. (This detail is not mentioned by many scholars of tafseer.)
Musa (peace be upon him) obeyed, and his people watched in awe. They were terrified, but they saw with their own eyes the miracles unfolding.
Similarly, during the Battle of al-Khandaq (the Trench), the Muslims faced an overwhelming siege. They too thought defeat was near — but Allah facilitated a way out for them. Against the Confederates (Ahzab), Allah sent a powerful wind — something totally unexpected. Victory came through unseen means, just as it had in Musa’s time.
We trust that Allah will find a way out for people of Palestine
Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim in his Tafseer Class 28th April 2025