# Does the Quran say the Israelites were slaves in Egypt?

*Were the Israelites slaves of Pharaoh? A chat question on 26:22*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/s/27/
- Date: 2020-06-26 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Prof. Edip Yuksel | Rejecting Hadith, Rashad Khalifa & Realizing '19' | MindTrap with Mufti #27 (2:24:24–2:26:56)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmIrskjob4o&t=8664s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/

**Topics:** Moses; The ancient Near East and scripture

**Question as asked:** Does 26:22 not indicate that the Israelites had been enslaved by Pharaoh?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** A chat question cites 26:22, where Moses says Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites; Mufti Abu Layth says historians describe them as outcast second-class citizens rather than slaves but grants the verse deserves a closer look.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth struggles to read an Arabic question in the chat, then understands it as asking whether 26:22, in which Moses tells Pharaoh that he enslaved the Children of Israel, does not indicate that the Israelites were enslaved. He calls it interesting and says he will look into it, explaining that historians seem to state that the Israelites were not slaves as such but second- or third-class citizens with their own settlement who were cast out, blamed by some Egyptians for famine and plague and regarded as dirty, though he grants that the verse is interesting.

## Sources and names cited

- Quran 26:22 (that you enslaved the Children of Israel): https://quran.com/26/22
- Musa (Moses)
- Pharaoh

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:24:24–2:26:56)

[2:24:18] is commendable yeah alright somebody is asking a question but I can't seem to see the Arabic very clearly says what ilkka now Martin can't see the rest of it it seems to shouldn't this be this categorically imply that slavery should not be carried out right okay I'm not sure I can't unfortunately we see the roll down but really see I love in Bernice right Eli can see the pop up when he is right and I bet to be nice Ryu

[2:24:57] Oh Martin I am now ha was it Tammy no ha Ali yeah but uh Bernie's right oh right that they right ok the person is saying is this not indication that the Israelites had been enslaved by the Pharaoh ok that's interesting I'll look into that that's interesting yeah what exactly beautiful yeah I think Rashid Rehan 26:22 doesn't see right so chapter 26

[2:25:35] I think sure ah you will be much better verse that is an interesting verse your writer because historically they seem to historians seem to imply that not imply they seem to state that the Israelites weren't slaves generally speaking but they were treated as second or third class citizens by the Pharaohs but they weren't actually slaves per se they had their own settlement and they were becoming out

[2:26:13] casted so some of the Egyptians believed that maybe the famines were due to them and plague was brought by them and they were dirty people and brought germs and things like that but you're right that verse is interesting I'll look into that personally right somebody's asked what do you think Ania said what do you think of some gerron's or some Garren's quran' alone some carols he's very articulate his very studious I like that and but his inability to see

[2:26:50] the miracle of number 19 is said he misses all all the 29 initials he makes up meaning for them arbitrarily absolutely arbitrarily through his head he brings that rabbits out as noses what's waiting for what phone number did you say for a number for the 40 Alif LAAM Meem kappa yeah inside okay he makes up meaning arbitrarily in his own is basically there is no evidence what is it he makes out but he knows the number 19 therefore ignorance of number

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment ZmIrskjob4o/s/27. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zmirskjob4o/s/27/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.