Download PDF: From Oceanic Waves into Mother’s Lap – A Quranic Story

The astrologers had informed Pharaoh that a child in Bani Israel will be born who will be the cause of the destruction of his kingdom, and for this reason, Pharaoh had summoned his armies to kill every new-born in Bani Israel.  Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – was born in this very time of hardship and difficulty and his mother put him in a box after he was born and sealed it well and then placed it into the flowing water of the river Nile.  One stream used to fork out and flow through Pharaoh’s palace and the box was directed to flow through the very stream, and it was a co-incidence that Pharaih and his wife Hazrat Aasiyah – may Allah be pleased with Her – were both sitting in the palace and enjoying the beautiful scene of the flowing stream.  When there sight fell on the floating box, they summoned the servants to take it out and bring it inside the palace.  When the box was opened they found a handsome child in it on whose face the light of Prophethood was manifest.  Both Pharaoh and his wife fell in love with the child at first sight, and Aasiya said to Pharaoh:

قُرَّتُ عَیۡنٍ لِّیۡ وَلَکَ ؕ لَا تَقْتُلُوۡہُ ٭ۖ عَسٰۤی اَنۡ یَّنۡفَعَنَاۤ اَوْ نَتَّخِذَہٗ وَلَدًا وَّ ہُمْ لَایَشْعُرُوۡنَ ﴿۹﴾

T’this child is the comfort to me and you, slay him not perhaps he may profit us or we may take him for a son,’ and they were unaware.

(Al-Qasas 28, Verse 9)

The Holy Quran has related the entire story in Surah Taha as follows:

اِذْ اَوْحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اُمِّکَ مَا یُوۡحٰۤی ﴿ۙ۳۸﴾

When We inspired to your mother what was to be inspired.
اَنِ اقْذِفِیۡہِ فِی التَّابُوۡتِ فَاقْذِفِیۡہِ فِی الْیَمِّ فَلْیُلْقِہِ الْیَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ یَاۡخُذْہُ عَدُوٌّ لِّیۡ وَعَدُوٌّ لَّہٗ ؕ وَ اَلْقَیۡتُ عَلَیۡکَ مَحَبَّۃً مِّنِّیۡ ۬ۚ وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلٰی عَیۡنِیۡ ﴿ۘ۳۹﴾

That putting this child into a box cast him into the river; then the river will cast him onto the bank.  There he who is an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will pick him up and I cast on you the love from Me and so that you may be brought up before My sight.

(Taha 20, Verse 38-39)

Hence, Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – was still an infant thus they had to look for a women who could breastfeed him but he would not drink any of their milk.  On the other side, Hazrat Moosa’s – peace be upon Him – mother was very worried and did not know in what situation her child is, in this state of agony she sent his sister Maryam to Pharaoh’s palace in order to find out about the situation, and when his sister realized the situation that he would not drink any of the women’s milk she said to Pharaoh, “I will bring a woman, perhaps, he will drink from her breasts.”  Maryam took Hazrat Moosa’s – peace be upon Him – mother inside the palace and the moment she embraced him to her chest with the warmth of motherly love he began to drink the milk, and this is how she found her son that was separated from her due to the circumstances.

This incident is mentioned in Surah Qasas of the Holy Quran in the following manner:

وَ اَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ اُمِّ مُوۡسٰی فٰرِغًا ؕ اِنۡ کَادَتْ لَتُبْدِیۡ بِہٖ لَوْلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّبَطْنَا عَلٰی قَلْبِہَا لِتَکُوۡنَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِیۡنَ ﴿۱۰﴾

And next morning the heart of the mother of Musa became impatient. Surely it was near that she might have disclosed his condition, if We had not solaced her heart, that she might remain believing on Our promise.
وَقَالَتْ لِاُخْتِہٖ قُصِّیۡہِ۫ فَبَصُرَتْ بِہٖ عَنۡ جُنُبٍ وَّ ہُمْ لَا یَشْعُرُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۱۱﴾

And his mother said to his sister, ‘follow him’, then she remained observing him from a far, and they were not aware.
وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَیۡہِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنۡ قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ ہَلْ اَدُلُّکُمْ عَلٰۤی اَہۡلِ بَیۡتٍ یَّکْفُلُوۡنَہٗ لَکُمْ وَ ہُمْ لَہٗ نٰصِحُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲﴾

And We had already forbidden all wet-nurses to him, then she said, ‘shall I tell you of such a household who may bring up this child of yours, and they are his well-wishers.
فَرَدَدْنٰہُ اِلٰۤی اُمِّہٖ کَیۡ تَقَرَّ عَیۡنُہَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَ لِتَعْلَمَ اَنَّ وَعْدَ اللہِ حَقٌّ وَّ لٰکِنَّ اَکْثَرَہُمْ لَا یَعْلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۳﴾٪

Then We returned him to his mother that his mother might be comforted and not grieve, and she might know that the promise of Allah is true, but most of the people know not.

(Al-Qasas 28, Verse 10-13)

 

The Name of Hazrat Moosa’s – peace be upon Him – Mother:

The name of Hazrat Moosa’s – peace be upon Him – mother is Yohand and his father’s name is Imran, and the name of his sister is Maryam but it is not the same Maryam as the mother of Hazrat ‘Isa – peace be upon Him.  Hazrat Maryam – may Allah be pleased with Her – the mother of Hazrat ‘Isa – peace be upon Him – was born hundreds of years later than this Maryam who is the sister of Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him.

(Saawi Vol. 3, p. 45-46)

 

Lesson:

  • We learned from this incident that when Allah Almighty favours someone then even the enemies do things which the friends will not do. See, Pharoah, who was the worst enemy of Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – but Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – was brought up in Pharaoh’s house.

 

  • We also learned that when Allah Almighty protects someone none can destroy him nor can anyone cause the slightest of harm. One should ponder that how Allah Almighty made it possible for Hazrat Moosa – peace be upon Him – to land back in his mother’s lap safely.

 

And Allah Almighty Knows Best!

(Ajaibul Quran p. 174-176)