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
وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلْغَرْبِىِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
And you, [O Muḥammad], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses [to that].
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ
But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allāh is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient."
وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
But seek, through that which Allāh has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allāh has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allāh does not like corrupters."
قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلُ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَغْوَيْنَآ أَغْوَيْنَـٰهُمْ كَمَا غَوَيْنَا ۖ تَبَرَّأْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ۖ مَا كَانُوٓا۟ إِيَّانَا يَعْبُدُونَ
Those upon whom the word will have come into effect will say, "Our Lord, these are the ones we led to error. We led them to error just as we were in error. We declare our disassociation [from them] to You. They did not used to worship [i.e., obey] us."