وَٱجْعَل لِّى وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِى 29
Translations
And appoint for me a minister [i.e., assistant] from my family -
Transliteration
Wa-j'al lee wazeeran min ahlee
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) supplicates to Allah to appoint a minister (wazir) from his family to assist him in his mission. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that Musa sought this support to help him convey Allah's message to the Children of Israel and to share the burden of leadership. This request demonstrates the permissibility of seeking assistance and delegating responsibilities, a principle endorsed by Allah's immediate affirmative response in the following ayah where He grants Musa his brother Harun (Aaron).
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's dialogue with Allah after receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. It reflects Musa's preparation for the immense responsibility of leading the Israelites and calling them to monotheism. The context shows Musa anticipating the challenges ahead and wisely seeking divine support through supplication.
Related Hadiths
Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, 'The best of you are those who have the best character' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3321), which relates to the quality of advisors and ministers one chooses. Additionally, the principle of consultation (shura) emphasized throughout Islamic teachings connects to seeking counsel from family and trusted advisors.
Themes
Key Lesson
Seeking help from capable individuals, particularly those close to us, is not a sign of weakness but rather wisdom and proper stewardship of responsibility. The ayah teaches that leaders should recognize their limitations and surround themselves with trustworthy advisors to better serve their mission.