Our God — Page 114
114 said: ‘O Ibr a h i m! You have made a covenant of love and loyalty with Us; We do now swear in Our own Name that your progeny will become, and shine as, stars of the sky of [divine] guidance and no one will be able to count them’. Look around! Today, the followers of Ibr a h i m as outnumber those of any other Prophet, but where are those who threw him in the fire? Take M u s a as [Moses] next. A child was born to a poor family. His household, for fear of Pharaoh, placed him in a basket and cast him into the river. He was picked up by Pharaoh’s people and, out of mercy or some other reason, he was brought up in Pharaoh’s house by his command. When he grew up, he had to flee the country, fearing punishment for violating the law of the land on one occasion. Wandering around in the wilderness, he ended up serving a pious man for ten years, after which he married. Then, after being Divinely enlightened, he returned to Pharaoh’s court and told him face-to-face, ‘I am a Messenger of the God who cre- ated you and me and all others; send the Israelites with me or your end will not be good’. Pharaoh, who was intoxicated with power, frowned and said, ‘O M u s a ! You dare speak to me in this manner, having grown up on the leftovers of my household; come to your senses and then speak!’ M u s a as realised that the intoxicated goli- ath would not come to his senses. He planned to escape tactfully with the Israelites under the cover of secrecy, whatever the conse- quences. Pharaoh learnt about this and was outraged. He pursued the escapees in the wilderness, accompanied by his large armies, and quickly caught up with them. The Israelites, rendered cow- ardly after years of enslavement, got frightened seeing Pharaoh’s armies behind them and the dreadful sea in front. ‘What will