Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So did We restore him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the Promise of Allâh is true. But most of them know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَرَدَدْنَـٰهُfaradadnāhuSo We restored him
إِلَىٰٓilāto
أُمِّهِۦummihihis mother
كَىْkaythat
تَقَرَّtaqarramight be comforted
عَيْنُهَاʿaynuhāher eye
وَلَاwalāand not
تَحْزَنَtaḥzanashe may grieve
وَلِتَعْلَمَwalitaʿlamaand that she would know
أَنَّannathat
وَعْدَwaʿdathe Promise of Allah
ٱللَّهِl-lahithe Promise of Allah
حَقٌّۭḥaqqun(is) true
وَلَـٰكِنَّwalākinnaBut
أَكْثَرَهُمْaktharahummost of them
لَاlā(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūnaknow
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 13) ➊ { فَرَدَدْنٰهُاِلٰۤىاُمِّهٖ:} That is, the promise We made to the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) that We would return him to you, We fulfilled it in just as much time as a child can spend without the mother’s milk.
➋ { كَيْتَقَرَّعَيْنُهَا: ’’قَرَّيَقِرُّ} (ض، ع) {قُرَّةًوَقُرُوْرًا‘‘} “Coolness of the eye.” So that her eye, which was unfamiliar with peace due to the separation from her son, had become red and hot from shedding tears and staying awake, would become cool and tranquil by getting her son back, nursing him, and keeping him with her, and she would sleep peacefully and not remain sorrowful.
Note: Allah Almighty has kept the temperature of human body parts different; the skin’s temperature is usually 37 degrees. The liver needs a temperature close to 40 degrees to function, while the eye’s temperature is at most 9 degrees; if it exceeds this, the eye would melt and flow away. That is why the word “coolness of the eye” is used for the happiness of the heart. (Sharaawi)
➌ In ancient times, the nobles and aristocrats of these countries would entrust their children to wet nurses instead of raising them at home. Even our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was raised in the desert at Halimah Sa’diyyah’s home. Accordingly, Musa’s (peace be upon him) mother took him home. Thus, the promise Allah Almighty made to return her son was fulfilled, and the stipend the mother received from the royal treasury was in addition to that.
➍ At this point, some commentators have narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَثَلُالَّذِيْيَعْمَلُوَيَحْتَسِبُفِيْصِنْعَةِالْخَيْرِكَمَثَلِأُمِّمُوْسٰیتُرْضِعُوَلَدَهَاوَتَأْخُذُأَجْرَهَا ] “The person who works and intends goodness in his work, his example is like the mother of Musa, who nurses her child and receives her wages.” But with these words, this narration is not found in any book of hadith; however, a mursal narration has come with these words: [ مَثَلُالَّذِيْنَيَغْزُوْنَمِنْأُمَّتِيْوَيَأْخُذُوْنَالْجُعْلَيَتَقَوَّوْنَبِهِعَلٰیعَدُوِّهِمْكَمَثَلِأُمِّمُوْسٰيتُرْضِعُوَلَدَهَاوَتَأْخُذُأَجْرَهَا ] “Those people of my ummah who fight in battle and receive a stipend, with which they gain strength against the enemy, their example is like the mother of Musa who nurses her child and receives her wages.” This narration, besides being mursal (which is a type of weak narration), is also weak in terms of its chain. For details, see {’’ سلسلة الأحاديث الضعيفة للألباني (ح : ۴۵۰۰)‘‘} The point mentioned in this hadith, although correct in itself and can be stated as an example from oneself, but it is only permissible to attribute to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that which is proven from him, otherwise there is a danger of becoming subject to the warning of {’’ مَنْكَذَبَعَلَيَّ ‘‘}.
➎ { وَلِتَعْلَمَاَنَّوَعْدَاللّٰهِحَقٌّ:} That is, We returned Musa (peace be upon him) to his mother, so that she, who had previously known the truth of Allah’s promise through revelation, would now know its truth by seeing it with her own eyes. If previously it was knowledge of certainty, now it would become the eye of certainty. (Biqai)
➏ {وَلٰكِنَّاَكْثَرَهُمْلَايَعْلَمُوْنَ:} That is, most people do not know that Allah’s promise is true. Their condition is such that as soon as any difficulty arises in a matter, they become suspicious of Allah Almighty and no longer believe in Allah’s promise, even though His promise cannot be broken. Allah Almighty brings about causes in such a way that is beyond human understanding, and brings before the eyes that which was not even imagined. Then sometimes a person considers something bad, while it is better for him, and considers something good, while it is bad for him. See Surah Al-Baqarah (216) and An-Nisa (19).
Do not despair, for you are not aware of the secrets of the unseen. Behind the veil, many hidden games are being played, do not grieve.