The Women in Moses (PBUH) Story

The Quran mentions four women who played roles in the story of Prophet Moses (PBUH). These are his mother, his sister, his wife, and Pharaoh’s wife.

The following verses in Surat Al-Qasas (28) narrate the events that took place after Moses’ (PBUH) birth. Several verses in the Quran describe the difficult circumstances which the Children of Israel were experiencing in Egypt. Pharaoh ordered that all male babies be executed and only female babies are spared, “Remember God’s favor on you when He delivered you from Pharaoh’s people who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, and were slaying your sons and sparing your women; that was a tremendous trial from your Lord.” (14: 6) The following verse from Surat Al-Qasas describes the state of Moses (PBUH) mother when she delivered Moses (PBUH) and how God reassured her, “And We inspired the mother of Moses, saying, ‘Suckle him and, when you fear for his safety, then cast him into the river and fear not nor grieve. We shall bring him back to you and shall make him (one) of Our messengers.’” (28: 7) Consistent with the style of the Quran, it mentions the Quranic response to Moses’(PBUH) mother predicament. One can sense the apprehension and the fear of Moses’ (PBUH) mother fearing Pharaoh’s soldiers who could knock at any moment wanting to execute the newly born baby. So God inspired her to cast him in the river. The inspiration brought comfort and security to Moses’ (PBUH) mother: do not fear nor grieve, God will take care of him and will return to safe and sound. A promise that has been honored, as we will see in the next few verses. Not only he will be saved by he will be made a Messenger of God. This must have been a severe test for Moses’ (PBUH) being commanded to put the newly born baby in a cradle then to throw the cradle into the river, but she complied. This reflects her deep sense of trust in God.

We follow the basket that served as Moses’ (PBUH) cradle as it is carried by the Nile into Pharaoh’s palace where he was picked up by the guards, “And the family of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a source of grief, indeed, Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were deliberate sinners.” (28: 8) Pharaoh’s soldiers were looking everywhere for the newborn male babies to slay them, and here is one that floats right into the palace. The verse indicates clearly the intention of bringing the harmless, helpless Moses’ (PBUH) into the hands of Pharaoh. He will become for them, “an enemy and a source of grief.” God made Pharaoh’s wife feel attracted to the baby. She pleaded with her husband, “The wife of Pharaoh said, ‘(Here is) joy of the eye, for me and for you. Do not slay him. It may be that he will be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ And they perceived not (what they were doing).” (28: 9) Moses (PBUH) was protected from Pharaoh’s persecution, not by force but by love. God filled Pharaoh’s wife with overwhelming love for this baby that they just picked up from the river. She argued that he may be of use to them or they may want to adopt him as a son so they spared his life. Little they knew what the future will bring, “And they perceived not (what they were doing).”  
The verses then go back to Moses’ (PBUH) mother. The verses depict her state of worry and concern about the state of Moses (PBUH). She acted according to God’s inspiration but now became apprehensive and fearful of what might happen to her baby, “And the heart of the mother of Moses became void, and she would have betrayed him if We had not fortified her heart, that she might be of the believers.” (28: 10) The Quran uses an extremely expressive word to describe the mother’s feelings, “And the heart of the mother of Moses became void.” Her heart became void of all means of rationalization or power to think. She was about to give her secret away, “would have betrayed him,” but God gave her the strength to trust in His promise and to remain steadfast, “if We had not fortified her heart.” 

However, she wanted to know her son’s fate, “And she said to his sister, ‘Follow him.’ So she observed him from afar, and they were unaware.”  (28: 11) Moses’ (PBUH) sister must have seen him in the hands of Pharaoh’s servants while they were looking for a woman to nurse him. It was part of the divine will that Moses (PBUH) would refuse to suckle from any of the women that were ready to suckle him, “And We ordained that he would refuse to be suckled by any foster-mother,” His sister then came forward suggesting a solution to save the baby, “so she (his sister) said, ‘Shall I tell you about a household who will take care of him for you?’” (28: 12) This suggestion was happily embraced by the people of Pharaoh. So, he was brought back to his mother, “So We returned him to his mother that she might be comforted and not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of God is true. But most of them do not know.” The baby was returned safe and sound back to his mother, protected by Pharaoh, and loved by Pharaoh’s wife.

These verses are all what the Quran had to say about Moses’ (PBUH) mother and sister. The verses show the commitment of Moses’ (PBUH) mother and her strong trust in God. They also show that his sister was an agile, resourceful, and witty person.

The following verses from the same Sura follow Moses (PBUH) as he escaped from Egypt, fleeing the vengeance of Pharaoh after he had killed an Egyptian. Moses arrived at Madyan.   

And when he arrived at the watering (place) in Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said, ‘What is the matter with you?’ They said, ‘We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their flocks). And our father is a very old man.’” (28: 23) His long journey ended up at a watering place in Madyan. He arrived tired and exhausted. He saw a crowd of shepherds watering their sheep and he noticed these two ladies who were keeping their sheep away from the watering place. His gallant nature revolted against this lack of etiquette. He asked the ladies, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their flocks). And our father is a very old man.”  So he watered their sheep for them. One cannot but notice the nobility of Moses’ (PBUH) character. A fleeing man, tired and exhausted after this long journey thinks of one thing only: to help the weak. He was not worried about his safety; he was only worried about helping whoever is in need, “So he watered (their flocks) for them;”

He then sought to rest in the shade, which indicates that it was a hot sunny morning. Moses (PBUH) sat in the shade and prayed God, “Then he turned back to the shade, and said, ‘My Lord, truly I am in (desperate) need of any good that You send down for me.’” (28: 24) Moses (PBUH) pleaded with God saying he was in desperate need for help. The response was quick, “Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said, ‘My father invites you, that he may reward you having watered (the flock) for us.’”  (28: 25) One of the two ladies came walking shyly to him. The verse stresses her decent approach to Moses (PBUH) inviting him to meet her father. Although she was shy but her speech was clear and the message was precise. The following verse takes us to the meeting between Moses (PBUH) and the old man. The Quran does not reveal the identity of the old man, but only narrates the dialogue between him and Moses (PBUH), “Then, when he came to him and told him the (whole) story, he said, ‘Fear not, you escaped from the wrongdoers.’” The old man reassured Moses (PBUH) that he was safe in Madyan.

“One of the two women said, ‘My father, hire him. Indeed, the best (man) that you can hire is the strong, the trustworthy.’” (28: 26) The two women worked hard to take care of the sheep, feed them, and water them. The previous verses described the difficulty they were facing in watering the sheep and how they had to compete with strong men to be able to do it. The two ladies were reluctant to engage in such a competition with the other shepherds. One of them saw an opportunity for a solution that would benefit them and in the same time benefit the stranger. She advised her father to hire him. She described him as “strong and trustworthy,” a conclusion that shows the woman’s intuition.  The old man accepted the idea and approached Moses (PBUH) in a straight forward way, “He said, ‘I desire to wed one of these my daughters to you, on condition that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten years, it will be (a grace) from you. But I intend not to place you under any difficulty. You will find me, indeed, God willing, one of the righteous.’” (28: 27) This was a simple and straight forward offer combined with a promise of fair working conditions. The old man did not promote himself but expressed his hope that Moses (PBUH) would find him a righteous person which reflects his modesty and good character. Moses accepted, “He said, ‘That (is settled) between you and me. Whichever of the two terms I fulfill, there will be no injustice to me, and God is a witness over what we say.’” (28: 28) The conditions for the contract were clearly stated and accepted by both men. It was narrated that Moses (PBUH) completed the longer term although it was his choice to stop after the eight years as agreed upon in the contract. This narrative shows how Moses (PBUH) married his wife.
The verses alluded to several characteristics that Moses’ (PBUH) and her sister had. They were decent; they did want to compete with the other men who were crowding the watering place. They were able to observe Moses’ (PBUH) behavior in a short time, assess his personality, and recommend that their father should hire him. This show that they were perceptive, intelligent, and decisive.

The only one among these four to whom there are other references in the Qur’an is Pharaoh’s wife. 

“And God sets forth, an example of the believers, the wife of Pharaoh. She said, ‘My Lord, build for me, in nearness to You a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from the wrongdoers.’” (66: 11) God praises the wife of Pharaoh who chose to believe even though she was living in the midst of a disbelieving environment. She disowned Pharaoh and his evil deeds. She gave the highest example of sacrificing all the pleasures of life for the sake of her faith. The verses assign a high rank for the wife of Pharaoh. She have been cited as an example for all believers: men and women. The verses

Surat Al-Qasas (28)

And We inspired the mother of Moses, saying, “Suckle him and, when you fear for his safety, then cast him into the river and fear not nor grieve. We shall bring him back to you and shall make him (one) of Our messengers. And the family of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a source of grief, indeed, Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were deliberate sinners. The wife of Pharaoh said, “(Here is) joy of the eye, for me and for you. Do not slay him. It may be that he will be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceived not (what they were doing). And the heart of the mother of Moses became void, and she would have betrayed him if We had not fortified her heart, that she might be of the believers. And she said to his sister, “Follow him.” So she observed him from afar, and they were unaware. And We ordained that he would refuse to be suckled by any foster-mother, so she (his sister) said, “Shall I tell you about a household who will take care of him for you?”  So We returned him to his mother that she might be comforted and not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of God is true. But most of them do not know. (28: 7 – 13)

And when he arrived at the watering (place) in Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their flocks). And our father is a very old man.” So he watered (their flocks) for them; then he turned back to the shade, and said, “My Lord, truly I am in (desperate) need of any good that You send down for me.”  Then one of the two women came to him, walking shyly. She said, “My father invites you, that he may reward you having watered (the flock) for us. Then, when he came to him and told him the (whole) story, he said, “Fear not, you escaped from the wrongdoers.” One of the two women said, “My father, hire him. Indeed, the best (man) that you can hire is the strong, the trustworthy.  He said, “I desire to wed one of these my daughters to you, on condition that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten years, it will be (a grace) from you. But I intend not to place you under any difficulty. You will find me, indeed, God willing, one of the righteous.”  He said, “That (is settled) between you and me. Whichever of the two terms I fulfill, there will be no injustice to me, and God is a witness over what we say.” (28: 23 – 28)

Surat Al-Tahreem (66)

“And God sets forth, an example of the believers, the wife of Pharaoh. She said, ‘My Lord, build for me, in nearness to You a mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from the wrongdoers.’” (66: 11)

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