Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 4140

From Wahb bin Munabbih (may Allah have mercy on him) is narrated the account of the birth of Musa bin Imran bin Qahath bin Lawi bin Ya'qub bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim (peace be upon them), the story of the enemy of Allah, Fir'awn, when he was enslaving the Children of Israel in his labours in Egypt, and the affair of Musa and Khidr (peace be upon them both). Wahb said: "When the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) became pregnant with him, she concealed her condition from all the people, so none of Allah's creation came to know of her pregnancy. This was a concealment by which Allah screened her, because He wished to bestow His favour upon the Children of Israel. Then when the year came in which Musa bin Imran was to be born, Fir'awn sent out midwives and gave them instructions, and they searched the women as they had never searched them before. The mother of Musa was pregnant with him, but her belly did not show, her colour did not change and her milk did not spoil, and the midwives did not come to her. Then when the night came in which Musa (peace be upon him) was born, his mother gave birth to him with no watcher over her and no midwife, and no one knew of it except his sister Maryam. Allah Almighty revealed to her: 'Suckle him, and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear and do not grieve; indeed We will return him to you and make him one of the messengers.' [Surah al-Qasas: 7]" Wahb says: "So his mother kept him hidden for three months, suckling him in her lap; he neither cried nor moved. Then when she felt fear for herself and for him (the child), she made a chest with a lid and laid a bed for him in it, then cast it into the river (sea) at night as Allah had commanded her. That chest was made in the style of seagoing boats, five hand-spans long and five hand-spans wide, and it was not coated with tar. The chest went floating along on the water, and the river cast the chest onto the bank in the darkness of the night. When morning came, Fir'awn was sitting in his assembly on the bank of the river Nile; his eye fell on the chest, and he said to the servants around him: 'Bring this chest to me.' They brought it to him. When it was placed before him and they opened it, they found Musa (peace be upon him) in it." Wahb says: "When Fir'awn saw him he said: 'This is a Hebrew child from among the enemies.' This seemed a grave matter to him and enraged him, and he said: 'How did this boy escape slaughter, when I had ordered the midwives not to conceal any child that is born?'" The narrator says: Fir'awn had married a woman of the Children of Israel named Asiyah bint Muzahim. She was among the few select best of women and among the daughters of the prophets. She was like a mother to the Muslims; she was merciful to them, gave them charity, and people used to visit her. She said to Fir'awn, while she was sitting at his side: "This child is older than a one-year-old, and you only ordered the slaughter of the children born this year, so leave him; perhaps he will be a comfort to my eyes and yours. 'Do not kill him; perhaps he will benefit us or we may adopt him as a son,' while they did not perceive (the outcome)." [Surah al-Qasas: 9] That is, their destruction was to come at his hands. And only daughters were born to Fir'awn. So Fir'awn let him live and looked at him closely, and Allah placed in his (Fir'awn's) heart love, tenderness and mercy for him (the child). Fir'awn said to his wife: "Perhaps he will benefit you; as for me, I have no need of his benefit." Wahb says that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "Had the enemy of Allah also said about Musa what his wife Asiyah said: 'Perhaps he will benefit us,' Allah Almighty would have benefited him through him as well, but he refused because of the wretchedness that Allah had written for him." And Allah Almighty forbade wet nurses to Musa (peace be upon him) for eight days and nights; whenever a wet nurse was brought, he would refuse to take her milk. At this Fir'awn felt pity for him and showed him mercy, and a search began for wet nurses for him. Wahb mentioned the grief of the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) over him and her weeping, until she was about to disclose his secret; then Allah rescued her with His mercy and strengthened her heart until news of him reached her. She said to his sister: "Disguise yourself and go with the people and see what they do with him." So his sister went with the midwives to Asiyah bint Muzahim. When she saw their distress over Musa, their love and their tenderness for him, she said: "Shall I guide you to a household who will take charge of raising him for you and will be his well-wishers?" until he was returned to his mother. So Musa (peace be upon him) stayed with his mother until she weaned him, then she returned him (to Asiyah). Thus Musa (peace be upon him) grew up in the lap of Fir'awn and his wife; both of them raised him with their own hands and had taken him as their son. One day Musa (peace be upon him) was playing in front of Fir'awn, and in his hand was a small, light stick with which he was playing; suddenly he raised the stick and struck Fir'awn on the head with it. Fir'awn became enraged and took his striking as an ill omen, until he resolved to kill him. Asiyah bint Muzahim said: "O king! Do not be angry and do not let this weigh on you, for he is only a small child without understanding. If you wish, test him: put a live coal and some gold in this vessel, then see which one he takes hold of." Fir'awn ordered that. When Musa (peace be upon him) stretched out his hand to take hold of the gold, the angel appointed over him took hold of his hand and turned it towards the coal, so Musa (peace be upon him) took hold of it and put it in his mouth, then when he felt its heat he spat it out. Asiyah said to Fir'awn: "Did I not tell you that he understands nothing and knows nothing?" So Fir'awn held back from him and accepted what she said, although he had already ordered his killing. It is said that the impediment (knot) in his tongue was the effect of that coal which he had swallowed. Wahb bin Munabbih says: "When Musa (peace be upon him) reached his full strength and his age became forty years, Allah gave him knowledge, wisdom and understanding. He remained in that state for twelve years. Then when he completed thirty years, he called to the religion of Ibrahim and his laws, and to the religion of Ishaq and Ya'qub, and a group of the Children of Israel believed in him." Then the narrator related the whole long story.