Surah 40:23
"Certainly We sent Moses with Our signs and clear authority"
Timing of the Command to Kill the Sons
Supporting Verses
Surah 40:24 → "to Pharaoh, and Haman, and Qārūn, but they said, ‘A magician, a liar!’"
Surah 40:25 → "When he brought them the truth from Us, they said, ‘Kill the sons of those who believe with him, and keep their women alive.’ Yet the plot of the disbelievers always goes astray."
Opposing Verses
Surah 20:38 → "when We inspired your mother (with) what was inspired:"
Surah 20:39 → "“Cast him into the ark, and cast it into the sea, and let the sea throw it up on the shore, and an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will take him.” But I cast love on you from Me, and (I did this) so that you might be brought up under My eye."
Does the Quran state that Pharaoh ordered the killing of the sons when Moses was an infant or an adult? Some verses imply the sons were being killed when Moses was cast into the river as an infant, while another verse states the command to kill the sons was given after Moses brought the truth to Pharaoh.