Surah At-Tahrim (66) — Ayah 11

(Ayah 11) ➊ {وَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا امْرَاَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ:} This is an example of the blessing of faith: when the wife of the “greatest disbeliever,” who claimed to be the “Lord Most High,” embraced faith, her husband’s Pharaoh-like arrogance could neither prevent her from believing nor harm her in matters of the Hereafter. The name of this great woman is Asiyah. When she believed in Musa (peace be upon him), Pharaoh on one hand tempted her with magnificent palaces and all kinds of worldly comforts, and on the other hand, when she did not renounce her faith, he took everything away from her and began to inflict severe torture upon her. In response, she prayed to Allah Almighty to grant her a house in Paradise near Him in exchange for Pharaoh’s palaces and comforts, and to save her from Pharaoh, his polytheistic and oppressive deeds, and his tyrannical people. Allah Almighty accepted her prayer, took her soul, and granted her what she had asked for. Ibn Juzayy, the author of Al-Tashil, writes: {’’ وَرُوِيَ فِيْ قَصَصِهَا غَيْرُ هٰذَا مِمَّا يَطُوْلُ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ صَحِيْحٍ‘‘} “Many lengthy things have been mentioned in her story besides this, but they are not established.”

➋ { اِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِيْ عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ :} The scholars say that Asiyah (may Allah be pleased with her) prayed for the best neighborhood before praying for a house in Paradise. From this, it is understood that one should pray for good neighbors before praying for a good house in a good place, and in the Hereafter, that is Jannat al-Firdaws. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللّٰهَ فَاسْأَلُوْهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ، فَإِنَّهُ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ وَ أَعْلَی الْجَنَّةِ، أُرَاهُ قَالَ فَوْقَهُ عَرْشُ الرَّحْمٰنِ، وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ ] [ بخاري، الجہاد، باب درجات المجاہدین في سبیل اللّٰہ : ۲۷۹۰ ] “When you ask Allah, ask Him for Firdaws, for it is the best and highest part of Paradise, and above it is the Throne of the Most Merciful, and from it the rivers of Paradise flow.”

➌ Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ كَمَلَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ كَثِيْرٌ، وَلَمْ يَكْمُلْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ، وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ، وَ إِنَّ فَضْلَ عَائِشَةَ عَلَی النِّسَاءِكَفَضْلِ الثَّرِيْدِ عَلٰی سَائِرِ الطَّعَامِ ] [ بخاري، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : « وضرب اللّٰہ مثلا…» : ۳۴۱۱ ] “Many men have attained perfection, but among women, none attained perfection except Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, and Maryam bint ‘Imran, and the superiority of Aishah over women is like the superiority of tharid over all foods.”

11. 1. That is, to encourage them towards steadfastness, perseverance in religion, and patience in hardships. Also, to show that the might and grandeur of disbelief cannot harm the believers in any way, just as the wife of Pharaoh, who was under the greatest disbeliever of her time. But he could not prevent his wife from faith.

11. And Allah sets forth the example for the believers: the wife of Pharaoh [23], when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a house with You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and save me from the wrongdoing people."

[23]
The Virtue of Lady Maryam and Lady Asiyah, the Wife of Pharaoh:

This was the same wife of Pharaoh, Asiyah, who had said to Pharaoh: Look, how lovely this child (Sayyiduna Musa) is. Why don’t we raise him and make him our own child? Then she did raise him as well. She had already believed in Sayyiduna Musa. When Pharaoh came to know about her faith, he began to inflict various kinds of torture upon her. Then, when Asiyah remained steadfast in her faith, he considered it best for his own safety to have her killed. At that time, she prayed to her Lord: Grant me deliverance from these oppressors, and call me to Yourself, and build for me a house in Paradise. Her prayer was accepted, and even before death came, in the throes of death, Allah showed her her palace in Paradise. And Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash‘ari says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Many men have attained perfection, but among women, none attained perfection except Maryam bint ‘Imran and Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh. And the superiority of ‘A’ishah ؓ over other women is like the superiority of tharid over other foods.” [بخاري۔ كتاب المناقب۔ باب فضل عائشة رضي الله عنها]