Surah Taha 20:77

The Children of Israel leave Egypt

Allah, the Exalted, informs that He commanded Musa to journey at night with the Children of Israel, when Fir`awn refused to release them and send them with Musa. He was to take them away from Fir`awn's captivity. Allah expounds upon this in Surahs other than this noble Surah. Musa left with the Children of Israel, and when the people of Egypt awoke in the morning they found that not a single one of them remained in Egypt. Fir`awn became extremely furious. He sent callers into all of the cities to gather together his army from all of his lands and provinces. He said to them,

(Verily, these indeed are but a small band. And verily, they have done what has enraged us.) 26:54-55 Then when he gathered his army and organized his troops, he set out after them and they followed them at dawn when the sun began to rise.

(And when the two hosts saw each other) 26:61 This means that each person of the two parties was looking at the other party.

(The companions of Musa said: "We are sure to be overtaken." (Musa) said: "Nay, verily, with me is my Lord. He will guide me.") 26:61-62 Musa stopped with the Children of Israel and the sea was in front of them and Fir`awn was behind them. Then, at that moment, Allah revealed to Musa,

(And strike a dry path for them in the sea.) So Musa struck the sea with his stick and he said, "Split for me, by the leave of Allah." Thus, it split, and each separate part of the water became like a huge mountain. Then, Allah sent a wind to the land of the sea and it burned the soil until it became dry like the ground that is on land. For this reason Allah said,

(and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken...) This means being caught by Fir`awn.

(nor being afraid.) meaning, "Do not be afraid of the sea drowning your people." Then, Allah, the Exalted, said,

(Then Fir`awn pursued them with his hosts, but the sea Al-Yamm completely overwhelmed them) Al-Yamm means the sea.

(and covered them up. ) meaning, covered them up with a thing that was well-familiar to them in such a situa- tion, as Allah states;

(And He destroyed the overthrown cities. So there covered them that which did cover.) 53:53-54 As Fir`awn pursued them into the sea, misled his people and did not lead them to the path of correct guidance, likewise, he will go ahead of his people on the Day of Resurrection, and will lead them in to the Hellfire. And evil indeed is the place to which they are led.

Pada ayat ini Allah menerangkan bahwa tidak ada tanda-tanda Firaun akan menerima alasan dan bukti yang dikemukakan kepadanya, ia tetap saja di dalam keangkuhan dan kesombongannya, Allah mewahyukan kepada Nabi Musa supaya dia pergi meninggalkan Mesir negeri Firaun di malam hari supaya tidak dilihat oleh Firaun dan tentaranya, bersama hamba-hamba Allah yaitu yang ia diutus untuk menyelamatkan mereka dari kezaliman Firaun. Musa dan Bani Israil meninggalkan Mesir, ketika sampai di tepi laut Merah, Bani Israil berkata kepada Musa, "Wahai Musa, Firaun dan tentaranya menyusul kita dari belakang, di depan kita lautan yang membentang luas, apa yang harus kita perbuat, untuk melintasi lautan itu."

Allah memerintahkan Musa supaya ia memukul laut dengan tongkatnya. Setelah Musa melaksanakan perintah ini, lautan terbelah sampai ke tepi seberang. Belahan lautan itu sebanyak jumlah kabilah pada Bani Israil yakni dua belas dan merupakan jalan kering di tengah-tengah laut tidak berlumpur dan tidak berair. Di antara belahan itu, air tegak seperti gunung yang besar. Tiap kabilah melalui hanya satu jalan. Mereka dapat pandang memandang, dapat melihat satu kabilah kepada kabilah yang lain. Musa bersama Bani Israil berjalan melalui jalannya masing-masing dengan perasaan aman, tidak merasa cemas akan tersusul oleh Firaun dan tentaranya, dan tidak merasa takut akan tenggelam hingga sampailah ke tepi seberang lautan dengan selamat sebagaimana tersebut dalam firman Allah:

Lalu Kami wahyukan kepada Musa, "Pukullah laut itu dengan tongkatmu." Maka terbelahlah lautan itu, dan setiap belahan seperti gunung yang besar. (asy-Syu'ara/26: 63)

Dan firman-Nya:

Dan Kami selamatkan Musa dan orang-orang yang bersamanya. (asy-Syu'ara/26: 65)