Father of Moses (Peace Be Upon Him)
The father of Moses (peace be upon him) was Imran, the son of Qahath, son of Levi, son of Jacob (peace be upon them all). Qahath was among those who traveled to Egypt with the Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him). Imran, born in Egypt, became the father of Aaron at the age of seventy-three. Later, when Imran was eighty years old, Moses (peace be upon him) was born. Some reports suggest that Moses was born one year after Aaron (peace be upon them). The Quran does not specifically mention Imran, which could be due to his passing before Moses’ birth, or possibly because the texts do not typically elaborate on the fathers of prophets like Moses, Shu’ayb, Lot, and David, among others.
The Imran Mentioned in Divine Selection
In Surah Al-Imran, Allah (the Exalted) states: “Indeed, Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran over the worlds; offspring, some of them from others.” Scholars have noted that the Imran referenced in this verse is likely Imran, the father of Mary (peace be upon her). While some may argue that it refers to Imran, the father of Moses (peace be upon him), the prevailing opinion is that it pertains to the family of Imran related to Mary (peace be upon her), with a temporal gap of about one thousand eight hundred years between them.
A Glimpse into the Life of Moses (Peace Be Upon Him)
Moses (peace be upon him) was born during a time of tyranny, when Pharaoh was oppressively killing the male children of the Israelites. Fearing for her son’s life, his mother received divine inspiration to place him in the river to ensure his safety. Pharaoh’s household found him and brought him into the palace, where his wife expressed a desire to raise him. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s court. One day, while in the market, he witnessed a fight between two men—one an Israelite and the other an Egyptian. In a moment of conflict, Moses accidentally killed the Egyptian. Fearing Pharaoh’s retribution, he fled Egypt and headed towards Midian, where he encountered the Prophet Shu’ayb, who later married him to his daughter. Moses served Shu’ayb for ten to eight years before returning to Egypt with his wife. Upon reaching Mount Sinai, he received the divine message and prophethood from Allah, along with miraculous signs to confront Pharaoh. Thus began a challenge between Moses and Pharaoh. Eventually, they agreed on a day for a public challenge between Pharaoh’s magicians and Moses’ miracles, with divine support affirming Moses. Many of Pharaoh’s people believed, inciting Pharaoh’s anger. He pursued Moses and his followers until they reached the sea, where Allah, the Exalted, caused Pharaoh’s army to drown and saved His servant and prophet along with those who believed.