Prophet Harun

The Pharaoh of Egypt was terrified by a vision of being overthrown by the Bani Israel; he dreamt of a blazing fire erupting from Jerusalem, burning down the houses of Egyptians and Copts, leaving the children of Israel untouched.

Anxious, he summoned his priests, ministers, and magicians and narrated the horrifying vision. The party inferred thata boy would be born among the Israelites,who would bring about the downfall of the Egyptians.

Thus, a command was given to the Egyptian army to slay all male children born to the Israelites.

The children of Israel only served as slaves to the Pharaoh and Egyptians. They were forced into labor for minimal or no compensation. Enduring relentless subjugation, they were deprived of their rights and viewed as inferior citizens.

The Egyptians worshipped the Pharaoh and carried out all his demands without question. They worshiped the gods that the Pharaoh endorsed.

Fearful of his power, no one dared to go against him, for that would only mean death. And so, they may not have believed in polytheism, but they followed the path of their King without protest.

With all male babies born, and taken from their families to be killed, the Pharaoh faced a new problem.His sages warned:“The aged of the Bani Israel die, and the young are slaughtered. This will lead to their annihilation. As a result, Pharaoh will lose the manpower of those who work for him — those whom he enslaves and their women whom he exploits.”

The sages then proposed the following policy to the Pharaoh to regulate the slaughter:males would be slaughtered in year one but spared to live the year after. Seeing this as an economical and socially viable solution, the Pharaoh approved and implemented the measure.

Perhaps Harun's story of Prophethood is lesser known than his brother's. The story of Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) is often mentioned in the Qur'an alongside Musa since they are so tightly coupled. But nonetheless, Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) had selected and destined Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) for Prophethood to warn the Pharoah and to guide the children of Israel.

Fast forwarding many years,Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) commanded Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) to meet with the Pharoah and his Chiefs and intercede for the release of the people of Israel.Prophet Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was nervous. He felt that his speech impediment would negatively impact his meeting with the Pharoah and other leaders. His brother Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), on the other hand, was an eloquent speaker, so Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) implored Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) to appoint Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as his helper.

Qaala Rabbish rah lee sadree (25) Wa yassir leee amree (26) Wahlul ‘uqdatan milli saanee (27) Yafqahoo qawlee (28) Waj’al lee wazeeran min ahlee (29) Haaroona akhee (30) Ushdud biheee azree (31) Wa ashrik hu feee amree (32) Kai nusabbihaka kaseeraa (33) Wa nazkuraka kaseeraa (34) Innaka kunta binaa baseeraa (35)

[Moses] said, “My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] (25) And ease for me my task (26) And untie the knot from my tongue (27) That they may understand my speech. (28) And appoint for me a minister from my family – (29) Aaron [Harun], my brother. (30) Increase through him my strength (31) And let him share my task (32) That we may exalt You much (33) And remember You much. (34) Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing.” (35)—(Surah Ta-Ha, 20:25-35)

In another ayah,Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) says:“We will certainly strengthen you through your brother and will invest both of you with such power that they shall not be able to hurt you. With the help of Our Signs the two of you and your followers will prevail.”— (Surah Al-Qasas, ayah 35)Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) then instructed the two Prophets to go to the Pharoah and say,"Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance. Indeed, it has been revealed to us that the punishment will be upon whoever denies and turns away.'"— (Surah At-Taha, ayat 47-48)

As the story of Prophet Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) is told, both he and Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) secured an audience with the Pharaoh. However, the dialogue didn't unfold as they anticipated — instead of releasing the children of Israel, the Pharoah labeled Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as a magician.

Humiliated and feeling threatened, the Pharaoh unleashed brutal oppression upon the Israelites. He commanded his army to slay the sons of Israelites, rape their women, and imprison anyone who dared to resist.

However, as the Pharaoh and his army attempted to pursue,they were engulfed and drowned by the sea's waters.

Despite Allah's (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ) rescue from Pharaoh's oppression, the children of Israel were accustomed to their old ways back in Egypt. As the saying goes, "old habits die hard," and the Pharoah's influence left a serious mark upon their souls. Despite the Prophet's persistent reminders to abandon idol worship, they felt a strong pull toward idolatry.

During this absence,a rebellious follower named Samiri became increasingly restless and inclined towards evil. Eventually,he gathered and melted all their gold jewelry, crafting a hollow golden calf.

This calf was designed to produce a peculiar sound when the windpassed through. Because their hearts were weak, they found the sound enticing, something from the supernatural.It wasn't too long after that a group among the Israelites began worshipping the idol.

Prophet Harun (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was in distress and tried to warn them before the return of Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ),“O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order.”They said,“We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us.”— (Surah Taha, ayat 90-91)

This account differs from the Biblical version in which Aaron (the Judeo-Christian name for Harun) who was responsible for creating the calf,

“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: 'Up, make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.”(Exodus 32:1)

Filled with anger, Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) addressed them saying,“O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, so you broke your promise to me (i.e. disbelieving in Allah and worshipping the calf)?”— (Surah Taha, ayah 86)They countered:"We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people [of Pharaoh], so we threw them [into the fire], and thus did the Samiri throw."— (Surah Taha, ayah 87)

Musa then turned to Samiri and asked,“And what is your case, O Samiri?”He said,“I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me.”Musa said,“Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, ‘No contact.’ And indeed, you have an appointment [in the Hereafter] you will not fail to keep. And look at your ‘god’ to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast. Your god is only Allah, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge.”— (Surah Taha, ayah 95-98)

Samiri was banished andforced to live as an outcast. Subsequently, Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)addressed his people, urging them to seek Allah's (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ)forgiveness.Musa(عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ)chose seventy elders among the Israelites to travel to Mount Sinai, where he ordered them to seek Allah’s(سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ)forgiveness for their grave disobedience.

The men were arrogant and disbelieving,

and so Allah sent a fierce punishment. Bolts of lightning appeared across the sky while the ground trembled with a quake. The men fell, losing their lives as disbelievers.