سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 23
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِى حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan (Midian) he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you?" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَمَّا
walammā
And when
وَرَدَ
warada
he came
مَآءَ
māa
(to the) water
مَدْيَنَ
madyana
(of) Madyan
وَجَدَ
wajada
he found
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on it
أُمَّةًۭ
ummatan
a group
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
men
يَسْقُونَ
yasqūna
watering
وَوَجَدَ
wawajada
and he found
مِن
min
besides them
دُونِهِمُ
dūnihimu
besides them
ٱمْرَأَتَيْنِ
im'ra-atayni
two women
تَذُودَانِ ۖ
tadhūdāni
keeping back
قَالَ
qāla
He said
مَا
mā
What
خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ
khaṭbukumā
(is the) matter with both of you
قَالَتَا
qālatā
They said
لَا
lā
We cannot water
نَسْقِى
nasqī
We cannot water
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يُصْدِرَ
yuṣ'dira
take away
ٱلرِّعَآءُ ۖ
l-riʿāu
the shepherds
وَأَبُونَا
wa-abūnā
and our father
شَيْخٌۭ
shaykhun
(is) a very old man
كَبِيرٌۭ
kabīrun
(is) a very old man
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.
And when he arrived at the well of Madyan, he found a group of people watering (their flocks), and apart from them he found two women holding back their flocks. He asked, "What is your situation?" They replied, "We cannot water (our animals) until the shepherds move away, and our father is a very old man [32]."
[32]
The Crowd at the Well of Madyan:
After traveling for eight days, he (Musa ؑ) reached the well of Madyan. There he saw that many people had gathered to water their animals. Two strong men would barely manage to draw water from a heavy bucket, and after watering their animals, they would leave, then other men would come and start drawing water from the well, and there was a crowd. There were also one or two girls standing, holding back their goats. Prophet Musa ؑ went to them and asked, "Why are you standing here in this condition?" They said: "We are waiting for these shepherds to water their animals and leave, then we will water ours. We are the ones who bring these goats to graze, because our father is very old and weak. He is not able to come here, nor can he draw water, and we cannot draw such a heavy bucket. When the shepherds leave, we will water our animals with whatever water is left, or later we will draw a little water at a time and give it to them."
[32]
The Crowd at the Well of Madyan:
After traveling for eight days, he (Musa ؑ) reached the well of Madyan. There he saw that many people had gathered to water their animals. Two strong men would barely manage to draw water from a heavy bucket, and after watering their animals, they would leave, then other men would come and start drawing water from the well, and there was a crowd. There were also one or two girls standing, holding back their goats. Prophet Musa ؑ went to them and asked, "Why are you standing here in this condition?" They said: "We are waiting for these shepherds to water their animals and leave, then we will water ours. We are the ones who bring these goats to graze, because our father is very old and weak. He is not able to come here, nor can he draw water, and we cannot draw such a heavy bucket. When the shepherds leave, we will water our animals with whatever water is left, or later we will draw a little water at a time and give it to them."
