Download PDF: [S] Nabi Moosa as a baby in Pharoah’s Court (Islamic story)

The astrologers living in the time of Pharaoh informed him that there would be child born among the Bani Israeel who would become a source of his destruction and of his empire. Pharoah ordered that every child born among the Bani Israeel be killed.

 

It is in this time that Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam was born. In fear of what would happen to this young baby, his mother then wrapped him, placed him in a straw box and left this box in the River Nile. It so happened that one of the streams of the River Nile also led to the Palace of Pharaoh.

 

At that time, Pharaoh and his wife were sitting in the Palace and watching the River Nile when they saw this little straw box floating in the water. His wife’s name was Aasiyah. They instructed the servants to retrieve it and bring the box into the Palace. When they peered inside the box, they saw a most beautiful baby inside. His face glowed with brightness and Nur. She then said to her husband, and this is mentioned in Surah Al Qasas (28) verse 9:

 

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

 

“And the wife of Pharaoh said, ‘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.”

 

What can be said about the Divine Wisdom of Allah azza wajal?

 

This entire incident has been presented in Surah Taha (20) verses 38,39:

 

اِذْ اَوْحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اُمِّکَ مَا یُوۡحٰۤی ﴿ۙ۳۸﴾ اَنِ اقْذِفِیۡہِ فِی التَّابُوۡتِ فَاقْذِفِیۡہِ فِی الْیَمِّ فَلْیُلْقِہِ الْیَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ یَاۡخُذْہُ عَدُوٌّ لِّیۡ وَعَدُوٌّ لَّہٗ ؕ وَ اَلْقَیۡتُ عَلَیۡکَ مَحَبَّۃً مِّنِّیۡ ۬ۚ وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلٰی عَیۡنِیۡ ﴿ۘ۳۹﴾

“When We inspired to your mother what was to be inspired. That putting this child into a box cast him into the river then the river will cast him on to 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.”

 

Since Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam was still a baby, he had to be fed and he refused to drink the milk of any female in the royal court. The blessed mother of Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam was also very concerned about the baby. She sent her little daughter Maryam to see what was happening in the court of Pharaoh. The little girl noticed that her small brother was refusing to drink the milk of anyone. Maryam told Pharaoh that she knew of a lady who would be able to feed him. This was agreed upon she went and brought that “lady”, her mother, to the royal court to fed her little brother.

 

The moment, the blessed mother of Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam placed him near her chest, he immediately began to drink the milk. In this manner, according to Divine Plan, his mother not only saved her child, but she was also able to feed him. This incident is also mentioned in Surah Qasas (28) in verses 10.11,12,13:

 

وَ اَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ اُمِّ مُوۡسٰی فٰرِغًا ؕ اِنۡ کَادَتْ لَتُبْدِیۡ بِہٖ لَوْلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّبَطْنَا عَلٰی قَلْبِہَا لِتَکُوۡنَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِیۡنَ ﴿۱۰﴾ وَقَالَتْ لِاُخْتِہٖ قُصِّیۡہِ۫ فَبَصُرَتْ بِہٖ عَنۡ جُنُبٍ وَّ ہُمْ لَا یَشْعُرُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۱۱﴾ وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَیۡہِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنۡ قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ ہَلْ اَدُلُّکُمْ عَلٰۤی اَہۡلِ بَیۡتٍ یَّکْفُلُوۡنَہٗ لَکُمْ وَ ہُمْ لَہٗ نٰصِحُوۡنَ ﴿۱۲﴾ فَرَدَدْنٰہُ اِلٰۤی اُمِّہٖ کَیۡ تَقَرَّ عَیۡنُہَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَ لِتَعْلَمَ اَنَّ وَعْدَ اللہِ حَقٌّ وَّ لٰکِنَّ اَکْثَرَہُمْ لَا یَعْلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۳﴾

‘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. And his mother said to his sister, ‘follow him’, then she remained observing from a far, and they were not aware. And We had already for bidden 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. 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.”

 

The name of the blessed mother of Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam was “Yuhanid” and his father’s name was “Imran.” His sister’s name was “Maryam.” Also bear in mind that this is the not the mother of Nabi ‘Isa Alayhis Salaam as she was born many years after this incident. (Tafseer Saawi 3/45/46)

 

From this incident, we also come to understand that when Allah azza wajal wishes to do someone a favour, He also takes out work from an enemy of a person who even his own friend is not able to do. Look at this incident, Pharaoh was the greatest enemy of Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam, yet he was nurtured and taken care of by Pharaoh himself!

 

We also come to understand that when Allah azza wajal wishes to protect someone, no one is able to destroy that person. Look at the manner in which Allah azza wajal not only protected Nabi Moosa Alayhis Salaam, but He also returned him once again to his mother.