۞ وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُۥ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ نَـٰصِحُونَ 12
Translations
And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before, so she said, "Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?"
Transliteration
Wa-harramna alayhi al-marada'i min qablu faqalat hal adullukum ala ahli baytin yakfulunahu lakum wa hum lahu nasihun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah prevented the wet nurses from nursing Prophet Musa (Moses), and his sister Maryam then offered to guide Pharaoh's household to a trustworthy family who could care for the infant—her own mother and family. This divine intervention ensured that Musa would be returned to his own mother, fulfilling Allah's promise and demonstrating His perfect plan. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this as a miraculous provision (rizq) where Allah closed the doors of nursing to all except through His ordained means, highlighting the ingenious role of Maryam in reuniting mother and child.
Revelation Context
This ayah continues the narrative of Prophet Musa's birth and early life during Pharaoh's reign, when he ordered the killing of male children from the Israelites. Musa's mother cast him into the river following divine inspiration, and he was found by Pharaoh's household. This specific moment describes how Allah preserved Musa and orchestrated his return to his biological mother through seemingly natural events—revealing Allah's wisdom in His decree.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly narrates this event, Surah Al-Qasas 28:7-13 itself is a hadith qudsi narrative of Musa's story. Related to themes of divine providence and mothers' rights: Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized the rights and honor of mothers in numerous hadiths, including in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim regarding kindness to parents.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Allah's plans often work through natural means and the actions of righteous people; we should trust in His wisdom even when we cannot see the full picture. It also demonstrates the power of wisdom and intelligence (symbolized by young Maryam) in resolving difficult situations while remaining obedient to Allah's guidance.
Related Ayahs
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مُّوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالُوا۟ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَـٰذَا فِىٓ ءَابَآئِنَا ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
But when Moses came to them with Our signs as clear evidences, they said, "This is not except invented magic, and we have not heard of this [religion] among our forefathers."
وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ إِذْ نَادَيْنَا وَلَـٰكِن رَّحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّآ أَتَىٰهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ
And you were not at the side of the mount when We called [Moses] but [were sent] as a mercy from your Lord to warn a people to whom no warner had come before you that they might be reminded.
وَلَوْلَآ أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَوْلَآ أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَـٰتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And if not that a disaster should strike them for what their hands put forth [of sins] and they would say, "Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger so we could have followed Your verses and been among the believers?"...
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِىٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.