أَنِ ٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلتَّابُوتِ فَٱقْذِفِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ ٱلْيَمُّ بِٱلسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِّى وَعَدُوٌّ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّى وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيْنِىٓ 39
Translations
[Saying], 'Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river, and the river will throw it onto the bank; there will take him an enemy to Me and an enemy to him.' And I bestowed upon you love from Me that you would be brought up under My eye [i.e., observation and care].
Transliteration
An iqdhifi-hi fi-t-taaboot fa-iqdhifi-hi fi-l-yamm fa-l-yulqi-hi l-yammu bi-s-saaḥil ya-khudhhu ʿaduwwun li-y wa-ʿaduwwun la-hu wa-alqaytu ʿalayka muḥabbatan min-nee wa-li-tuṣnaʿa ʿala ʿayni
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah contains Allah's command to the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) to place her infant son in a wooden box and cast it into the Nile River. According to classical tafsir scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah assured her that the river would carry the box to shore where Pharaoh's enemies (or those who would protect Musa) would find him. The second part reveals that Allah had already cast His love and favor upon Musa, and that He would nurture and protect him under His watch, assuring his mother of his safety and future mission.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the narrative of Surah Taha which recounts the story of Prophet Musa's birth and early life. It occurs within the thematic context of Allah's protection of His prophets and His divine plans that supersede human fears. The command represents a test of faith for Musa's mother—to trust Allah's wisdom when facing the tyranny of Pharaoh who sought to kill male children of the Israelites.
Related Hadiths
While no direct hadith specifically comments on this verse, the broader narrative is confirmed in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) recounts stories of the prophets. The theme of divine protection for prophets is found in various hadiths about Allah's care for His chosen servants.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that when facing seemingly impossible circumstances, absolute trust in Allah's plan and wisdom is paramount—what appears as a catastrophe to the human eye may be the gateway to divine purpose and protection. It reminds us that Allah's love for His servants encompasses complete care, and that sometimes we must surrender our fears and take the divinely-guided action, trusting that Allah will orchestrate outcomes for our ultimate good.