Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 9

(Ayah 9) ➊ { وَ قَالَتِ امْرَاَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّيْ وَ لَكَ …:} Pharaoh and his wife opened the box, and from it came out an extremely beautiful and lovely child, in whom Allah had placed such attraction that whoever saw him began to love him, as He said: «{ وَ اَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّيْ }» [ طٰہٰ : ۳۹ ] "And I cast upon you love from Myself." But the way this child had arrived made it clear that he was the child of some man from the Children of Israel, who had handed him over to the river to save him from being slaughtered. Therefore, Pharaoh and his bloodthirsty companions insisted that he must be slaughtered at all costs, but Pharaoh's wife said that he is the comfort of my and your eyes, do not kill him. The fact that Pharaoh's wife said, "Do not kill him," is evidence that those people were intent on killing him.

➋ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the name of Pharaoh's wife as Asiyah. This lady was among the highest-ranking women in the world. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [كَمُلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيْرٌ وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ وَ إِنَّ فَضْلَ عَائِشَةَ عَلَی النِّسَاءِ كَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيْدِ عَلٰی سَائِرِ الطَّعَامِ ] [بخاري، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : « و ضرب اللہ مثلا…» : ۳۴۱۱، عن أبي موسیٰ رضی اللہ عنہ ] "Many men have attained perfection, but among women, none attained perfection except Pharaoh's wife Asiyah and Maryam, the daughter of Imran, and the superiority of Aisha over other women is like the superiority of Tharid over all foods." For more about Asiyah (peace be upon her), see Surah At-Tahrim (11).

➌ { عَسٰۤى اَنْ يَّنْفَعَنَاۤ اَوْ نَتَّخِذَهٗ وَلَدًا:} From this, it is known that Pharaoh was deprived of children. See the wonder of Allah that the one who claimed {’’ اَنَا رَبُّكُمْ الْاَعْلٰي ‘‘} could not have children despite desiring them. Many of the so-called problem-solvers and granters of needs made by people, from whom people ask for children, departed from this world childless. The famous saint Ali Hujwiri, buried in Lahore, himself had no children, yet people call him Data (Provider) and Ganj Bakhsh (Bestower of Treasures) and ask him for wealth and children. May Allah grant understanding.

➍ Whatever Asiyah (peace be upon her) said about Musa (peace be upon him), Allah made it come true; he became the comfort of her eyes and benefited her in a way that few children have ever benefited their foster mothers. If Pharaoh had also said these words, perhaps he too would have attained this blessing, but such guidance is not given to the wrongdoers, as He said: «{ وَ اللّٰهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۵۸] "And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people."

➎ { وَ هُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُوْنَ:} That is, they did not even imagine that this child would grow up to become the cause of our downfall and destruction.

9-1. This was said when they saw a beautiful child in the chest. According to some, this statement was made when Musa ﷺ pulled the hair of Pharaoh’s beard, so Pharaoh ordered him to be killed. The plural form is either used for Pharaoh alone as a form of respect, or it is possible that some of his courtiers were present there.

9-2. Because Pharaoh was deprived of children.

9-3. That this child whom they are making their own child, he is the very child to kill whom hundreds of children were put to death.

And the wife of Pharaoh said, "He will be a comfort to my eyes and yours [14]. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they were unaware [15] (of what was to come).

[14]
At the Request of His Wife, Pharaoh Adopts Sayyiduna Musa (AS) and Raises Him:

Now, by apparent reasoning, it seemed clear that this child could only be from among the Israelites, whose parents, fearing the threat of the child’s murder, thought it better to entrust him to the river rather than have him killed. In this regard, Pharaoh should have immediately killed the child. But the child’s appearance was so lovely and attractive that Pharaoh’s wife, Asiya, about whom the Quran has clearly stated elsewhere that she was greatly displeased with Pharaoh’s tyrannical deeds, when she saw the child, her heart was immediately filled with love. The commentators say that one reason for this was also that she had no children of her own. So she immediately said that this child is very dear, just seeing him brings joy to the heart and he is the coolness of our eyes. Therefore, we ourselves will raise him. It is in no way appropriate to kill him. Then this child can also be beneficial for us. When we raise him, he will be our own child. How could he know that he has any connection with any individual from the Israelites? If we make him our son, then all his abilities can be used for us instead of the Israelites. Therefore, by adopting him, we can gain many benefits.

[15]
The Servant Plots, Destiny Smiles:

That is, neither of them knew that the things they were saying were not of their own accord, but rather it was the divine will making these words come from their mouths. Or what did they know that the very child for whose sake they had killed thousands of children or were killing them, that child was now in their own hands, about whom they were consulting to make him their adopted son, or that the child who had so filled their hearts at that moment—he would become their enemy. And it would be at his hands that their destruction and the ruin of their kingdom would occur.