إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونًا ۚ فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ 40
Translations
[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. And you killed someone, but We saved you from retaliation and tried you with a [severe] trial. And you remained [some] years among the people of Madyan. Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses.
Transliteration
Idh tamshee ukhtuka fataqolu hal adullukum ala man yakfuluh faraja'nak ila ummika kay taqarra aynuha wa la tahzan wa qatalta nafsan fannajjaynaka minal ghamm wa fatannaka futoona falabith sineen fee ahli madyan thumma ji'ta ala qadarin ya Musa
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah recounts Allah's favors upon Prophet Musa (Moses) during his infancy and early life. Allah reminds Musa how his sister Miriam was guided to offer his mother as a wet nurse, allowing his mother's eyes to be comforted and her sorrow relieved. The ayah further references the killing of the Coptic man, from which Allah rescued Musa, and the trials (fitnah) Allah subjected him to, including his sojourn of years among the people of Madyan, all of which were divine tests and preparations for his prophetic mission. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, these reminders serve to strengthen Musa's resolve as he receives his commission as a prophet.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Taha (a Meccan surah), revealed to the Prophet Muhammad to comfort and strengthen him during the early, difficult period of his mission in Mecca. The account of Musa's life serves as a parallel narrative of divine protection and guidance, demonstrating that Allah's favor extends to His prophets through trials and tribulations. The context is Allah's address to Musa at Mount Sinai when commissioning him as a messenger.
Related Hadiths
Related to the protection of Musa as an infant: Surah Al-Qasas 28:7-13 provides the detailed narrative of how Allah inspired Musa's mother to place him in a basket. Thematically related is the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding Allah's trials of His servants: 'The greatest trials are for the prophets, then the righteous, each according to his level of faith.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that apparent hardships and separations in our lives are often orchestrated by Allah's infinite wisdom for our greater good and spiritual development. Believers should trust that trials are not punishments but preparations for purpose, and that Allah's mercy encompasses even our most vulnerable moments.