وَقَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّى وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ 9
Translations
And the wife of Pharaoh said, "[He will be] a comfort of the eye [i.e., pleasure] for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they perceived not.
Transliteration
Wa qalati imra'atu fir'awna qurrata 'ayni li wa lak la taqtuluhu 'asa an yanfa'ana aw nattakhidhahu walada wa hum la yash'urun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Pharaoh's wife, upon discovering the baby Moses in the basket, immediately appeals to Pharaoh not to kill him, proposing instead to keep him as a son while hoping he might benefit them. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this woman (identified in Islamic tradition as Asiyah) demonstrates mercy and maternal compassion, contrasting sharply with Pharaoh's cruelty, and her intervention becomes the means through which Allah preserves Moses. The phrase 'wa hum la yash'urun' (and they do not perceive) highlights the divine irony—neither Pharaoh nor his wife realized that this child would become the instrument of Pharaoh's downfall and the liberation of the Israelites.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within Surah Al-Qasas, which narrates the story of Moses' birth and early life. The surah was revealed in Mecca during the Meccan period and serves to console the Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslims during persecution. This particular verse demonstrates how Allah's providence works through unexpected means—using the compassion of Pharaoh's own wife to save the very person destined to destroy his kingdom.
Related Hadiths
There is no hadith directly quoting this verse, but Surah At-Tahrim (66:11) praises Asiyah (Pharaoh's wife): 'And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, My Lord, build for me a house with You in Paradise.' This shows her ultimate status despite living in Pharaoh's household.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Allah's protection and plans transcend human circumstances—even placing His chosen ones under the care of those who oppose His message. It also demonstrates that sincere compassion and mercy, even from unexpected quarters, are valued by Allah and can become instruments of His divine will, reminding us that goodness can emerge from any heart that remains receptive to truth.
Related Ayahs
وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيَخْتَارُ ۗ مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; not for them was the choice. Exalted is Allāh and high above what they associate with Him.
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا۟ ٱللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا۟ لَنَآ أَعْمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ سَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِى ٱلْجَـٰهِلِينَ
And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it and say, "For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. Peace will be upon you; we seek not the ignorant."
وَدَخَلَ ٱلْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَـٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ وَهَـٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ ۖ فَٱسْتَغَـٰثَهُ ٱلَّذِى مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ عَلَى ٱلَّذِى مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ فَوَكَزَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ
And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and [unintentionally] killed him. [Moses] said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."
فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِۦ وَبِدَارِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ مِن فِئَةٍ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُنتَصِرِينَ
And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allāh, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.