قَالَتْ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا يَـٰٓأَبَتِ ٱسْتَـْٔجِرْهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ ٱسْتَـْٔجَرْتَ ٱلْقَوِىُّ ٱلْأَمِينُ 26
Translations
One of the women said, "O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy."
Transliteration
Qalat ihdhahuma ya abati istajir-hu, inna khayra mani istajarta al-qawwu al-ameen
Tafsir (Explanation)
One of the two daughters of Shu'ayb addresses her father, recommending that he hire Musa (Moses) as a worker, emphasizing that the best person to employ is someone who possesses both strength and trustworthiness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this statement reflects the daughter's keen observation of Musa's character—demonstrated when he drew water for them at the well and showed protective strength—combined with her recognition of his moral integrity. This ayah illustrates how true merit in employment and leadership is determined by competence paired with ethical virtue.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Musa's flight from Egypt after killing the Coptic man, when he arrived at the well of Midian and assisted Shu'ayb's daughters. The context shows the practical wisdom of Shu'ayb's household in recognizing trustworthy character, and serves as a prelude to Musa's employment and marriage within this righteous family, demonstrating divine providence in his affairs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'When you entrust someone with a task, choose the best among you.' (Sunan Abu Dawud) This aligns with the principle of selecting employees based on competence and trustworthiness. Additionally, the Hadith on the importance of trustworthiness: 'Whoever betrays the trust has no faith, and whoever lies has no religion' (Musnad Ahmad).
Themes
Key Lesson
True qualifications for any position of responsibility combine both practical ability (strength/competence) and moral integrity (trustworthiness); recognizing and appointing such individuals reflects divine wisdom and leads to beneficial outcomes in both worldly and spiritual affairs.
Related Ayahs
فَأَصْبَحَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ
And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."
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."
وَأَتْبَعْنَـٰهُمْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ هُم مِّنَ ٱلْمَقْبُوحِينَ
And We caused to overtake them in this world a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be of the despised.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Indeed, [O Muḥammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allāh guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.