Surah Al-Qasas: Verses (12-13)

And We forbade wet nurses to him before...

Know that His statement: {And We forbade wet nurses to him before} implies that they were forbidden to him from the outset.

If this prohibition was not established through divine command (Taqabbud) and prohibition, as distinguishing [the right nurse] was impossible, then another action must have occurred. This action is likely one of two possibilities:

1. Allah, despite His need for milk, created in him a natural aversion to the milk of all other women, which is why he would not suckle.
2. Allah created in the milk of those women a taste that repelled his nature, or He placed a pleasure in his mother's milk. Since he became accustomed to it, it was natural that he would dislike the milk of others.

It is narrated from Al-Dahhak that his mother had suckled him for three months until he recognized her scent.

Al-Marādi' (المراضع) is the plural of murdi' (wet nurse, the woman who suckles), or the plural of marḍa' (place of suckling, i.e., the breast), or the act of suckling itself.

His statement {before} (min qabl) means: before We returned him to his mother, and before the arrival of Moses' sister (peace be upon him), and before his birth within Our decree and judgment.

At that point, his sister said: {Shall I direct you to a household that will take care of him for you?} meaning, they will guarantee his suckling and look after his welfare, and they will be sincere advisors to him. They will not prevent him from what benefits his upbringing and nourishment, nor will they betray you concerning him. Sincerity (an-Nuṣḥ) is purifying one's action from the taint of corruption.

Al-Suddi narrated that when she said: {and they will be sincere advisors to him}, the apparent meaning suggested that the people of the household knew the boy. Haman then said to her, "You know this boy, so guide us to his family." She replied, "I do not know him." She only said, "They will be sincere advisors to the King," so that the King's preoccupation would cease.

Everything narrated in this regard indicates that Pharaoh was like Asiyah in the intensity of his love for Moses (peace be upon him), not as some claim that she alone possessed that special affection.

Then the Almighty said: {So We returned him to his mother} through this kind of grace, {so that her eye might be cooled and she might not grieve, and so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true}. This refers to what He had promised her—that He would return him to her. She was certainly aware of this, but news is not like direct observation (al-'iyān). Thus, she was confirmed by the existence of the promised one.

{But most of them do not know}—this has four interpretations:

1. But most people at that time and afterward do not know because they turn away from contemplating the signs of Allah.
2. Al-Dahhak and Muqatil said: meaning the people of Egypt do not know that Allah had promised her that He would return him to her.
3. This is a subtle reproach regarding what she did when she heard the news of Moses (peace be upon him) and became distressed, and her heart became empty.
4. The meaning is: We returned him to her {so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true}, and the primary purpose of that return was this religious objective. However, most people do not know that this is the primary objective, and that what is secondary—such as the cooling of the eye and the removal of grief—is merely consequential.

Al-Dahhak narrated that when she put him to her breast, Haman said, "You are his mother." She said, "No." He asked, "Then why does he suckle from your breast among all women?" She replied, "O King, I am a woman of good scent and sweet milk; no infant smells my scent except that he turns toward my breast." They confirmed her statement. Then, no one from Pharaoh's household remained except that they presented her with gifts and adorned her with gold and jewels.

7 < {And when he reached maturity and was fully strengthened, We gave him judgment and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good. * And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he found therein two men fighting—one of his party and one of his enemies. So the one who was of his party called for his help against the one who was of his enemies. Then Moses struck him with his fist and finished him. He said, "This is from the work of Satan; indeed, he is an enemy, a clear misguider." * He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me." And He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. * He said, "My Lord, because of the favor You have bestowed upon me, I will never again be an assistant to the criminals."} > 7

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