مُوسَى
Boy Hebrew origin Mūsā
ProphetIn the QuranName of the prophet Musa (Moses); “drawn out of the water” according to the Bible
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, An-Nisa 4:164.
Musa is the prophet most often named in the Quran: 136 times. Allah spoke to him directly, “And Allah spoke to Musa directly” (4:164), hence his title Kalim Allah, “the one to whom Allah spoke” (al-Bukhari 7510). The Prophet ﷺ fasted on the day of ʿAshuraʾ, when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy, saying: “I have more right to Musa than you” (al-Bukhari 2004).
Musa is the Arabic form of the Hebrew Moshe. The Bible explains it as “I drew him out of the water”, recalling the child rescued from the river; many historians see in it rather an Egyptian word meaning “child, born of”. Muslim tradition has a similar account: according to al-Suddi, quoted by al-Qurtubi, the chest was found between water (mu) and trees (sha), in the Coptic language. As a foreign (aʿjami) name, it does not take nunation. Moosa is a common spelling in South Asia.
Yes: Musa is named in the Quran 136 times, in 34 surahs.
وَرُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْنَٰهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَرُسُلًا لَّمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَكَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُ مُوسَىٰ تَكْلِيمًا ١٦٤
And [We sent] messengers about whom We have related [their stories] to you before and messengers about whom We have not related to you. And Allāh spoke to Moses with [direct] speech.
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مُخْلَصًا وَكَانَ رَسُولًا نَّبِيًّا ٥١
And mention in the Book, Moses. Indeed, he was chosen, and he was a messenger and a prophet.
وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحْزَنِىٓ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ٧
And We inspired to the mother of Moses, "Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers."
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ١٤٣
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allāh] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first [among my people] of the believers."
قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ، فَرَأَى الْيَهُودَ تَصُومُ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ، فَقَالَ " مَا هَذَا ". قَالُوا هَذَا يَوْمٌ صَالِحٌ، هَذَا يَوْمٌ نَجَّى اللَّهُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ…
إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ مَاجَ النَّاسُ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي بَعْضٍ فَيَأْتُونَ آدَمَ فَيَقُولُونَ اشْفَعْ لَنَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ. فَيَقُولُ لَسْتُ لَهَا وَلَكِنْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ فَإِنَّهُ خَلِيلُ…
احْتَجَّ آدَمُ وَمُوسَى فَقَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى أَنْتَ آدَمُ الَّذِي أَخْرَجَتْكَ خَطِيئَتُكَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ آدَمُ أَنْتَ مُوسَى الَّذِي اصْطَفَاكَ اللَّهُ بِرِسَالاَتِهِ وَبِكَلاَمِهِ، ثُمَّ تَلُومُنِي…
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Musa in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
