The progeny of Yusuf عليه السلام continued to live in Egypt until the coming of Mūsā عليه السلام, at which time the persecution of them was intensified. Under the guidance of Mūsā عليه السلام they escaped to the Holy Land – Palestine.

In all the verses below, the references to ‘town’ ‘land’ and ‘place’ refer to Palestine and the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) in particular:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

And recall when We said: “Go into this town and eat abundantly of its food; but enter the gate a prostrate, saying, ‘Repentance’. We will forgive you your sins and shall bestow more favour on the doers of good.” [Surah al-Baqarah 2: 58]

يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ

My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers. [Surah al-Mā’idah 5: 21]

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَٰخِلُونَ

They answered: “Moses, therein live a ferocious people: we will not enter unless they depart from it; but if they do depart from it then we will surely enter it.” [Surah al-Mā’idah 5: 22]

قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ

Allah said: “This land will now be forbidden to them for forty years and they will remain wandering about on the earth. Do not grieve over the condition of these transgressing people.” [Surah al-Mā’idah 5: 26]

وَإِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسْكُنُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ وَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًا نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطِيٓـَٔـٰتِكُمْ ۚ سَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

And recall when it was said to them: “Dwell in this town and eat plentifully of whatever you please, and say: ‘Repentance’, and enter the gate prostrate. We shall forgive you your sins and shall bestow further favours on those who do good.” [Surah al-A‘rāf 7: 161]

وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًا وَٱجْعَلُوا۟ بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And We directed Moses and his brother: “Prepare a few houses for your people in Egypt, and make your houses a direction for them to pray, and establish Prayer, and give glad tidings to the people of faith.” [Surah Yūnus 10: 87]

After Pharaoh began his persecution, Mūsā عليه السلام with his brother Hārūn عليه السلام guided the Banū Isrā’īl (Children of Israel) to flee from Egypt towards Palestine. After crossing the Red Sea, where Pharaoh and his men died, the Banū Isrā’īl began to argue and protest at the lack of water, food and shade.

Mūsā عليه السلام prayed to Allah and all three were provided. Despite these favours, their ingratitude continued and they built a statue of a calf to worship in total contradiction to Mūsā’s عليه السلام commands.

When they arrived on the outskirts of Palestine, Mūsā عليه السلام commanded them to enter the Holy Land (5: 21), they nevertheless remonstrated, O Mūsā! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter (5: 22).

Mūsā عليه السلام assured them of victory if they marched forward and he also planned the attack for them – Assault them at the (proper) gate, when you enter victory will be yours (5: 23). However, the Banū Isrā’īl remained obstinate and said, Mūsā, you and your Lord go and fight, we will wait here (5: 24).

Mūsā عليه السلام was deeply pained and felt dejected with the Banū Isrā’īl and thus he turned to Allah, O My Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother (Hārūn), so separate us from this rebellious people (5: 25).

Allah brought down His punishment on the ungrateful and recusant, they shall be forbidden to enter the land for 40 years, while they wander about on earth and grieve not over the rebellious people (5: 26).

The Banū Isrā’īl thus remained wandering aimlessly in the desert and it is narrated that only when all the adult members of the rebellious generation had died, did their descendants cross the River Jordan and move towards Jericho in Palestine.

Even Mūsā عليه السلام and his brother Hārūn عليه السلام died before reaching the Holy Land. A hadith Qudsī reports:

Abu Hurairah RA reports that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The angel of death was sent to Mūsā. When he came to Mūsā, Mūsā slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to Allah and said, ‘You have sent me to a servant who does not want to die’. Allah ordered the angel, ‘Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life’. Mūsā said, ‘O Lord! What will happen after that?’ Allah replied, ‘Then death’. Mūsā decided, ‘Let it be now’. Mūsā then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land, so much so, that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it”. Abu Hurairah added, the Prophet ﷺ then said, “If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road”. [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]