Where Did Moses (PBUH) Go After He Left Egypt?
أين ذهب موسى بعد خروجه من مصر؟
Moses headed towards Midian, and he made this Du’a to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He: (“My Lord! Deliver me from the wrongdoing people.”) Al-Qasas 28:21
He walked in the desert towards Midian, which is located between Syria and Egypt and near al-Aqabah, and he made Du’a to Allah to guide him to the right way to it. (And as he made his way towards Midian, he said, “I trust my Lord will guide me to the right way.”) Al-Qasas 28:22
خرج من مصر متوجها إلى مدين و دعا الله عز وجل “رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ” القصص 28: 21
مشى موسى في الصحراء نحو مدين، بلد بين سوريا و مصر وهيَ بَلْدَةٌ قَريبَةٌ مِنَ العَقَبَةِ و دعا ربه أن يهديه إلى الطريق الصحيح. (وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ “عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ”) القصص 28: 22
1. A Specific Destination, Not Aimless Flight | وجهةٌ محددة لا هربٌ عشوائي
After fleeing the death sentence imposed on him, Musa set out specifically toward Midian, not simply away from Egypt in any direction. This detail matters because it shows a deliberate choice of destination, even in the middle of an urgent, fearful departure.
بعد فراره من حكم الإعدام الصادر بحقه، توجه موسى تحديدا نحو مدين، لا مجرد الابتعاد عن مصر في أي اتجاه. ولهذا التفصيل أهميته لأنه يظهر اختيارا متعمدا للوجهة، حتى في خضم رحيل عاجل ومرعب.
2. A Prayer for Deliverance as He Left | دعاءٌ بالنجاة عند خروجه
The first thing recorded of Musa upon leaving is his prayer, “My Lord, deliver me from the wrongdoing people.” This links his flight directly to the injustice of the death sentence itself, framing his departure as an escape from oppression rather than an admission of true guilt for an intentional crime.
أول ما يُسجَّل عن موسى عند رحيله هو دعاؤه: “رب نجني من القوم الظالمين”. ويربط هذا فراره مباشرة بظلم حكم الإعدام نفسه، مؤطرا رحيله بوصفه هروبا من الظلم لا اعترافا حقيقيا بذنب جريمة متعمدة.
3. Walking Without a Map, Trusting Allah for the Way | مسيرٌ بلا خريطة وتوكلٌ على الله في الطريق
Musa’s second prayer, “I trust my Lord will guide me to the right way,” uses the language of hope rather than certainty, suggesting he did not know the exact route through the desert to Midian. Setting out on a long journey to an unfamiliar land with no guaranteed path, relying entirely on Allah’s guidance, underscores how completely he depended on Allah at this point.
يستخدم دعاء موسى الثاني، “عسى ربي أن يهديني سواء السبيل”، لغة الرجاء لا اليقين، مما يشير إلى أنه لم يكن يعرف الطريق الدقيق عبر الصحراء إلى مدين. والانطلاق في رحلة طويلة إلى أرض مجهولة دون طريق مضمون، معتمدا كليا على هداية الله، يؤكد مدى اعتماده الكامل على الله في هذه المرحلة.
4. Midian’s Location Explains the Choice | موقع مدين يفسّر سبب اختيارها
Midian lay between Syria and Egypt, near al-Aqabah, placing it outside Pharaoh’s direct authority while still reachable on foot through the desert. This geography made it a realistic place of refuge, far enough from the reach of Pharaoh’s chiefs to offer genuine safety, not an arbitrary or symbolic destination.
تقع مدين بين سوريا ومصر، قرب العقبة، مما يضعها خارج سلطة فرعون المباشرة مع بقائها في متناول السير عبر الصحراء. وجعل هذا الموقع الجغرافي منها ملاذا واقعيا، بعيدا بما يكفي عن متناول أشراف فرعون ليوفر أمانا حقيقيا، لا وجهة عشوائية أو رمزية.
Scholarly Insight: Surah Al-Qasas 28:21-22 records Musa’s flight toward Midian, praying first for deliverance from the wrongdoing people and then trusting Allah to guide him along the way. Read the fuller context in the tafsir of Surah Al-Qasas.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Where did Moses go after leaving Egypt?
He headed toward Midian, walking through the desert.
What did Moses pray as he left Egypt?
“My Lord, deliver me from the wrongdoing people.”
Did Moses know the way to Midian?
Not with certainty; he expressed hope and trust that Allah would guide him to the right path.
Where is Midian located?
Between Syria and Egypt, near al-Aqabah.
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →