The holy Quran recounts a defining moment in the mission of Prophet Musa (AS) when Allah parts the sea to save the Children of Israel from the Firaun (Pharaoh) army.
Firaun was the oppressive ruler of Egypt during the time of Prophet Musa (AS). Known for his immense power, pride, and disbelief, he considered himself divine and persecuted the Children of Israel.
His fate, along with his army, was to be drowned in the sea while pursuing Musa (AS) and his followers.
According to the Quran, Musa (AS) led his people out of Egypt after years of oppression. As Pharaoh’s forces pursued them, the Israelites feared capture.
Musa (AS) reassured them, saying: “No! Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me” (Quran 26:62).
Allah then commanded Musa to strike the sea with his staff. “So We inspired Musa, ‘Strike the sea with your staff,’ and it split, and each part was like a great towering mountain” (Quran 26:63).
The holy Quran states that Musa and his followers crossed safely on dry ground. Pharaoh and his army followed. The waters then returned, drowning them.
“So We saved Musa (AS) and those with him, all together. Then We drowned the others” (Quran 26:65–66).
The story appears in several chapters of the Quran, including Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Taha and Surah Yunus. It is presented as a sign of God’s power and justice.
For Muslims, the account is a reminder that oppression has limits and that trust in God brings deliverance, even at moments of greatest fear.
The story of Prophet Musa is set within a region linked by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. These waters connected Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and shaped movement, trade and power in the ancient world.
Somalia, Eritrea, Egypt, Djibouti and Sudan share deep historical, cultural and trading links shaped by maritime routes that connect the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The long coastline is placed within the same strategic and commercial corridor that for centuries linked Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.
