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
وَإِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مُسْلِمِينَ
And when it is recited to them, they say, "We have believed in it; indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed we were, [even] before it, Muslims [i.e., submitting to Allāh]."
وَمَا كُنتَ تَرْجُوٓا۟ أَن يُلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And you were not expecting that the Book would be conveyed to you, but [it is] a mercy from your Lord. So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.
وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
And never let them avert you from the verses of Allāh after they have been revealed to you. And invite [people] to your Lord. And never be of those who associate others with Allāh.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Indeed, [O Muḥammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allāh guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.