وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِۦ قُصِّيهِ ۖ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِۦ عَن جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ 11
Translations
And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not.
Transliteration
Wa qālat li-ukstihi qussīhi fa-basurat bihi 'an junubin wa hum lā yash'urūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Musa's sister instructing her mother to follow the basket containing baby Musa as it drifts down the Nile River. When Pharaoh's family discovers and takes the child, the sister observes from a distance without their knowledge, positioning herself to reunite Musa with his mother. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this demonstrates the divine wisdom (hikmah) embedded in the events: the sister's watchfulness becomes the means through which Allah's plan unfolds perfectly, allowing the child to be nursed by his own mother while in Pharaoh's household.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Musa's birth and infancy in Surah Al-Qasas, a Meccan surah that comforts Prophet Muhammad during persecution by relating stories of previous prophets facing adversity. The passage illustrates Allah's meticulous care for Musa and the clever planning of his family, highlighting themes of divine protection (hifdh) and maternal instinct working in harmony with God's decree.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly quotes this ayah, Surah Al-Qasas itself is mentioned in various collections regarding the virtue of understanding the Qur'an's stories. The theme of Allah's protection of the prophets is reinforced throughout Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in accounts of prophetic narratives.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that apparent small actions—like a sister's careful observation—can be instruments of Allah's grand plan; believers should remain vigilant and trust that Allah orchestrates events in ways we cannot always perceive, turning potential tragedies into moments of divine mercy.