If you ever visit Egypt you will be amazed by how civilized the ancient Egyptians were. Egyptian monuments are still there. Statues and temples built thousands of years ago did not perish up to date. You will see the huge pyramids which are among the largest man-made buildings up till now. The height of the great pyramid is 146.59 meters and its area covers 13.6 acres with each side greater than 5 acres in area. The exact number of stones was originally estimated at 2,300,000 stone blocks weighing from 2-30 tons each with some weighing as much as 70 tons. Computer calculations indicate 590,712 stone blocks were used in its construction.
The ancient Egyptians were civilized enough to build such a huge building. They were able to move these heavy stones from various places to the location where the pyramids were built. They were able somehow to raise these stones to make the pyramid as tall as it is. All this happened in the early time of the ancient Egyptian era. The archaeologists believe the great pyramid of Khufu was built starting the year 2600 BC. The lifespan of the ancient Egyptian era spreads over almost 2800 years from 3100 BC to 332 BC. This shows that the pyramids were built in the early time of the ancient Egyptian era.
Despite being civilized, the Egyptians in many periods along their ancient history believed in polytheism or multiple Gods and in other periods, they worshipped their pharaoh. However, Allah (God) the creator of the heavens and the earth did not leave them to go astray and sent them messengers to show them the straight path of worshipping one God: Allah. Amongst the messengers sent to the Egyptians are prophet Joseph and prophet Moses.
Prophet Moses was sent at a time, the Ancient Egyptians were very civilized in terms of the material aspects. He was sent to one of the pharaohs who believed himself to be a God. This pharaoh made the Egyptians worship him. He dreamt a dream that was explained to him. The dream implied that his kingdom will be destroyed by one of the male children of Israel. This pharaoh, who is believed to be Ramesses II, started killing the male babies from amongst the children of Israel. He used to use the children of Israel as slaves in Egypt.
Moses was born and his mother feared that the pharaoh would kill him. Allah inspired to her to put him in a cradle and to throw him in the Nile. The family of the pharaoh then found him and raised him till he became a young man. Later on, a fight happened between one of the children of Israel and one of the Egyptians and the Israeli asked Moses to help him against his enemy. Moses pushed the Egyptian and he died. This incident was then known in the city and Moses escaped from Egypt not to be killed.
Years later Allah sent Moses with a message to the pharaoh. Moses peace be upon him went to the pharaoh and asked him to send the children of Israel with him and not to torture them. The pharaoh asked Moses about his God and Moses replied and told him about the creator of the heavens and the earth. A long debate happened between Moses and the pharaoh and the pharaoh reminded him of raising him till he became a man and he reminded him of what he did when he killed the Egyptian man. Moses replied back that despite killing the man mistakenly, he escaped from Egypt because he feared to be treated unjustly.
The next big event then was organized by the pharaoh. In a day which the Egyptians used to celebrate, a big crowd of Egyptians were gathered and a magic match was done between Moses and the most clever magicians in the country. The magicians threw their ropes and sticks and using magic were able to show people that these sticks and ropes are moving as if they were snakes. Moses then threw his stick and it actually turned into a real snake. This snake ate what the magicians did. The magicians then prostrated and believed in the God of Moses. They knew that what they saw was not magic. It is a true miracle from Allah. However, the stubborn pharaoh did not believe and instead threatened the magicians to torture them. This did not shake the magicians or turn them back from the true belief.
Allah sent several disasters to Egypt, so that may be the Egyptians and the pharaoh would
contemplate and return back from their deviation. Amongst the disasters were the decrease of the level of water in the Nile river, harmful insects which ate the crops and caused starvation and many other disasters. However, the pharaoh insisted on his mischief. He did not want to believe in the one God and he did not want to send the children of Israel with Moses.Allah commanded Moses to take the children of Israel and travel with them east towards the red sea. The pharaoh took his soldiers and chased Moses and the children of Israel. When Moses reached the sea Allah commanded him to hit the sea with his stick. A miracle happened and the sea was divided into two parts, each part is as big as a mountain. Moses and the children of Israel crossed the sea on their feet. Yet the pharaoh and his soldiers did not ponder upon the miracle. They just tried to cross the sea after Moses and his followers. The sea returned back to its nature and the pharaoh and his soldiers drowned in the sea.
This story is a well known story to the followers of Islam, Christianity and Judaism with slight variations. However, the core of the story is the same. And therefore, the morals of the story are the same.
There are many lessons to be taken from this story. The first and most clear lesson is that being a civilized nation does not mean that all the decisions taken by this nation are right. Look at the civilized Egyptians. Despite being civilized, the whole nation except few of them took the decision to worship their pharaoh. This proved later to be the wrong decision. This decision can be compared in many aspects to the decision took by the Bush administration in the United States to go in a war against terror. This decision was backed by many Americans and this is proven by the renewal for the Bush administration in the presidential elections. Although the Bush administration did not define what they mean by terror, yet, they got the support from many Americans to these hollow words. They instead of fighting the so called "terror" attacked other countries and took the freedom away from the people of these countries.
Another lesson that can be taken from this story is that people of a nation believe in what their leaders tell them even if they are telling pure lies. The pharaoh kept telling the Egyptians that what Moses came with is a false message to take you out of your homeland. In a very similar manner the Bush administration is telling its people that the "Muslim terrorists" are imposing danger on the American nation. This statement puts a black cover over the eyes of most Americans from understanding what Islam is truly about. It is clearly relating Islam to terrorism. Although what the people in power are saying might be pure lies, yet the nation believe them. This lesson as shown is very applicable to our time.
A final and very important lesson is the message that Moses came with. He was asking people to worship one God with no partners or associates. The people who obeyed Moses and followed his message was saved and the ones who disobeyed him and went astray were tortured in this life and will be tortured in the hereafter as well. Allah says in the Quran:
"The brunt of the Penalty encompassed on all sides the People of the Pharaoh. In front of the Fire will they be brought, morning and evening: and (the Sentence will be) on the Day that Judgment will be established: "Cast ye the People of the Pharaoh into the severest Penalty!" Behold, they will dispute with each other in the Fire! The weak ones (who followed) will say to those who had been arrogant, "We but followed you: can ye then take (on yourselves) from us some share of the Fire?" Those who had been arrogant will say: "We are all in this (Fire)! Truly, Allah has judged between (His) Servants!" Those in the Fire will say to the Keepers of Hell: "Pray to your Lord to lighten us the Penalty for a Day (at least)!" They will say: "Did there not come to you your Messengers with Clear Signs?" They will say: "Yes." They will reply, "Then pray (as ye like)! But the Prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile wandering) in (mazes of) error!" We will, without doubt, help Our Messengers and those who believe, (both) in this world's life and on the Day when the Witnesses will stand forth, The Day when no profit will it be to wrong-doers to present their excuses, but they will (only) have the Curse and the Home of Misery." Quran: chapter 40-verses 45-52
