قَالَتْ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱسْتَـْٔجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ ٱسْتَـْٔجَرْتَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْأَمِينُ 26
Translations
One of the women said, "O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy."
Transliteration
Qalat ihdhahuma ya abati istajir-hu, inna khayra mani istajarta al-qawwu al-ameen
Tafsir (Explanation)
One of the two daughters of Shu'ayb addresses her father, recommending that he hire Musa (Moses) as a worker, emphasizing that the best person to employ is someone who possesses both strength and trustworthiness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement reflects the daughter's keen observation of Musa's character—demonstrated when he drew water for them at the well and showed protective strength—combined with her recognition of his moral integrity. This ayah illustrates how true merit in employment and leadership is determined by competence paired with ethical virtue.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's flight from Egypt after killing the Coptic man, when he arrived at the well of Midian and assisted Shu'ayb's daughters. The context shows the practical wisdom of Shu'ayb's household in recognizing trustworthy character, and serves as a prelude to Musa's employment and marriage within this righteous family, demonstrating divine providence in his affairs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'When you entrust someone with a task, choose the best among you.' (Sunan Abu Dawud) This aligns with the principle of selecting employees based on competence and trustworthiness. Additionally, the Hadith on the importance of trustworthiness: 'Whoever betrays the trust has no faith, and whoever lies has no religion' (Musnad Ahmad).
Themes
Key Lesson
True qualifications for any position of responsibility combine both practical ability (strength/competence) and moral integrity (trustworthiness); recognizing and appointing such individuals reflects divine wisdom and leads to beneficial outcomes in both worldly and spiritual affairs.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِۦ قُصِّيهِ ۖ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِۦ عَن جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not.
وَأَصْبَحَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا۟ مَكَانَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَقْدِرُ ۖ لَوْلَآ أَن مَّنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا ۖ وَيْكَأَنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allāh extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allāh had conferred favor on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!"
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِىٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.
وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَـٰرِغًا ۖ إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِى بِهِۦ لَوْلَآ أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.