Chapter 5: The Call of Moses to Prophethood

“So when Musa had filled the term and journeyed with his family, he perceived on the side of the mountain a fire. He said to his family: Wait, I have seen a fire, maybe I will bring to you from it some news or a brand or fire, so that you may warm yourself And when he came to it, a Voice was uttered from the right side of the valley in the blessed spot of the bush, saying, ‘O Musa! Surely I am Allah, the Lord of the worlds.'” (28:29-30)

“Surely I am thy Lord: so put of thy shoes, for thou art (in the sacred valley which is blessed twice. I have chosen thee: so hearken to what shall be revealed: verily I am Allah, there is no god but I, therefore serve Me and keep up prayers for My remembrance And what is that in thy right hand, O Musa! He said: This is my staff; I recline on it and I best the leaves with it to make them fall upon my sheep and I have other uses for it. He said: Cast it down, O Musa! So he cast it down, and behold! it was a serpent running. He said: Take hold of it and fear not. We will restore it to its former state; and thrust thy hand into thine armpit: It shall come out white without hurt. That will be another sign – that We may show thee of Our greater signs.” (20:22-23)

According to 17:101, Moses was given altogether nine signs. These signs are mentioned in detail in the following verses:

And certainly We overtook Fir’aun’s people with droughts and diminution fruits that they may be mindful. But, when good befell them they said: This is due to us. And when evil afflicted them, they attributed it to the ill-luck of Musa and those with him. Surely their evil fortune is only from Allah but most of them do not know. And they said: whatever sign thou mayest bring to us to charm us with, we will not believe in thee. Therefore We sent upon them widespread death, and the locusts, and the lice, and the frogs, and the blood, clear signs, but they behaved haughtily and they were a guilty people. And when the plague fell upon them they said: O Musa! Pray for us to thy Lord as He has promised with thee. If thou remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in thee and we will certainly send away with thee the children of Israel. But when We removed the plague from them till a term which they should attain, lo! they broke their promise.” (7:130-135)

So these nine signs were:

1. the rod,
2. the shining hand,
3. the drought,
4. the loss of fruits,
5. the widespread death,
6. the locusts,
7. the lice,
8. the frogs,
9. the blood.