سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 9
وَقَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّى وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And the wife of Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) said: "A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they perceived not (the result of that).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالَتِ
waqālati
And said
ٱمْرَأَتُ
im'ra-atu
(the) wife
فِرْعَوْنَ
fir'ʿawna
(of) Firaun
قُرَّتُ
qurratu
A comfort
عَيْنٍۢ
ʿaynin
(of the) eye
لِّى
lī
for me
وَلَكَ ۖ
walaka
and for you
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَقْتُلُوهُ
taqtulūhu
kill him
عَسَىٰٓ
ʿasā
perhaps
أَن
an
(that)
يَنفَعَنَآ
yanfaʿanā
he may benefit us
أَوْ
aw
or
نَتَّخِذَهُۥ
nattakhidhahu
we may take him
وَلَدًۭا
waladan
(as) a son
وَهُمْ
wahum
And they
لَا
lā
(did) not
يَشْعُرُونَ
yashʿurūna
perceive
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 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.
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.
