سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 39
أَنِ ٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلتَّابُوتِ فَٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ ٱلْيَمُّ بِٱلسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّى وَعَدُوٌّ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّى وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِىٓ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Saying: ‘Put him (the child) into the Tabût (a box or a case or a chest) and put it into the river (Nile); then the river shall cast it up on the bank, and there, an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his shall take him.’ And I endued you with love from Me, in order that you may be brought up under My Eye.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَنِ
ani
That
ٱقْذِفِيهِ
iq'dhifīhi
cast him
فِى
fī
in
ٱلتَّابُوتِ
l-tābūti
the chest
فَٱقْذِفِيهِ
fa-iq'dhifīhi
then cast it
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْيَمِّ
l-yami
the river
فَلْيُلْقِهِ
falyul'qihi
then let cast it
ٱلْيَمُّ
l-yamu
the river
بِٱلسَّاحِلِ
bil-sāḥili
on the bank
يَأْخُذْهُ
yakhudh'hu
will take him
عَدُوٌّۭ
ʿaduwwun
an enemy
لِّى
lī
to Me
وَعَدُوٌّۭ
waʿaduwwun
and an enemy
لَّهُۥ ۚ
lahu
to him
وَأَلْقَيْتُ
wa-alqaytu
And I cast
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
over you
مَحَبَّةًۭ
maḥabbatan
love
مِّنِّى
minnī
from Me
وَلِتُصْنَعَ
walituṣ'naʿa
and that you may be brought up
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
under
عَيْنِىٓ
ʿaynī
My eye
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
39. "Place this child (Moses) in a chest, then cast the chest into the river [22]. The river will throw it onto the shore, and an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his will pick him up. And (O Moses) I cast upon you love from Myself (so that whoever saw you would love you), and this was so that you would be brought up under My watchful eye [23]."
[22]
The Birth of Sayyiduna Musa and Placing Him in the Chest:
What happened was that Pharaoh had a frightening dream, the interpretation of which his court astrologers told him was that a person would be born among the Children of Israel who would overturn your kingdom and become the cause of your destruction. To counter this, Pharaoh decided that all boys born to the Children of Israel in the future should be killed as soon as they were born, and he issued instructions to all his officials for the implementation of this order. The midwives were given the responsibility that whenever a boy was born to any individual of the Children of Israel or a Sabti, they should immediately inform the authorities.
The Failure of Planning Before Destiny:
In reality, Pharaoh’s plan to save his kingdom by killing every newborn boy among the Children of Israel was based on his foolishness and lack of foresight. The reason is that regarding the interpretation given by the astrologers, there were only two possibilities. One, that the interpretation was wrong. In that case, there was no need for any plan. The second, that the interpretation was correct. Even in that case, Pharaoh’s planning would be of no use. Because if planning could change that interpretation, then how could the interpretation be considered correct? This second case is what happened to Pharaoh. Despite his cruel plan, destiny prevailed, and whatever was in Allah’s will came to pass. This barbaric order of Pharaoh was inflicted upon the Children of Israel for a long time. When Sayyiduna Musaؑ was born, his mother became deeply saddened at the thought of what would happen to the child. Suddenly, Allah put the thought into her heart that before the news of the child’s birth reached the authorities, she should place him in a chest. Then that chest should be entrusted to the waves of the Nile River. In this way, she would be spared the agony of witnessing her child being killed before her eyes, and perhaps Allah would create another way for the child’s life.
[23]
The Chest is Presented Before Pharaoh:
The task of entrusting the chest to the waves of the river was carried out by Sayyiduna Musa’sؑ mother. All the subsequent events were Allah’s own actions and favors upon Sayyiduna Musaؑ. The waves of the river pushed the chest towards the branch of the Nile on which Pharaoh’s palace was situated. At that spot, a wave rose and threw the chest onto the shore near Pharaoh’s palace. Then, it so happened that, this chest was presented before Pharaoh, who, O Musa! was also my enemy and your enemy. He was my enemy in that he was disobedient to me and claimed divinity in opposition to me, and your enemy in that he wanted to destroy you completely. Then I made your appearance so lovable that whoever saw you began to love you, and their heart became filled with affection for you. This very thing became the means of your survival, and all of this was happening under my supervision and by my will.
[22]
The Birth of Sayyiduna Musa and Placing Him in the Chest:
What happened was that Pharaoh had a frightening dream, the interpretation of which his court astrologers told him was that a person would be born among the Children of Israel who would overturn your kingdom and become the cause of your destruction. To counter this, Pharaoh decided that all boys born to the Children of Israel in the future should be killed as soon as they were born, and he issued instructions to all his officials for the implementation of this order. The midwives were given the responsibility that whenever a boy was born to any individual of the Children of Israel or a Sabti, they should immediately inform the authorities.
The Failure of Planning Before Destiny:
In reality, Pharaoh’s plan to save his kingdom by killing every newborn boy among the Children of Israel was based on his foolishness and lack of foresight. The reason is that regarding the interpretation given by the astrologers, there were only two possibilities. One, that the interpretation was wrong. In that case, there was no need for any plan. The second, that the interpretation was correct. Even in that case, Pharaoh’s planning would be of no use. Because if planning could change that interpretation, then how could the interpretation be considered correct? This second case is what happened to Pharaoh. Despite his cruel plan, destiny prevailed, and whatever was in Allah’s will came to pass. This barbaric order of Pharaoh was inflicted upon the Children of Israel for a long time. When Sayyiduna Musaؑ was born, his mother became deeply saddened at the thought of what would happen to the child. Suddenly, Allah put the thought into her heart that before the news of the child’s birth reached the authorities, she should place him in a chest. Then that chest should be entrusted to the waves of the Nile River. In this way, she would be spared the agony of witnessing her child being killed before her eyes, and perhaps Allah would create another way for the child’s life.
[23]
The Chest is Presented Before Pharaoh:
The task of entrusting the chest to the waves of the river was carried out by Sayyiduna Musa’sؑ mother. All the subsequent events were Allah’s own actions and favors upon Sayyiduna Musaؑ. The waves of the river pushed the chest towards the branch of the Nile on which Pharaoh’s palace was situated. At that spot, a wave rose and threw the chest onto the shore near Pharaoh’s palace. Then, it so happened that, this chest was presented before Pharaoh, who, O Musa! was also my enemy and your enemy. He was my enemy in that he was disobedient to me and claimed divinity in opposition to me, and your enemy in that he wanted to destroy you completely. Then I made your appearance so lovable that whoever saw you began to love you, and their heart became filled with affection for you. This very thing became the means of your survival, and all of this was happening under my supervision and by my will.
