Women in Islam: Musa (AS) Mother

﷽

I pray you're all well and in the best imaan.

Insha'Allah I am looking to start a 'Women in Islam' series, relating to the great Women mentioned in the Quran, the mother of the believers, the women around the Prophet (saw), to give us all some motivation and for us to pick out special lessons from each story.

As I'm currently studying Musa (AS) story, I thought it would only be right to start with his mother as one of the inspirational women.

إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ - "Verily the promise of Allah is true"

This story, if not any other, should be one of the main stories that strengthens our belief and faith in the above Quran Ayah.

Musa (as)'s mother faced such a difficult trial no mother could ever bare to face.

Musa (as)'s birth:

Musa (as)'s birth was written to be in the era and time of Fir'awn (Pharaoh)'s rule in Egypt. Before his birth, Firown was given the news that soon, a boy was to be born, who will later grow up to take over the kingdom at the hands of the boy. So Firown, disliking the sound of such news, ordered all his men, guards and armies to kill all new-born baby boy's who were to be born.

When Musa (as) mother gave birth to Musa (as), and found out the news of Fir'awn's doings, she feared for the life of the child. She feared where to run to, where to hide the child, what to say, how to protect him.

وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِى وَلَا تَحْزَنِىٓ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ (28:7)

"We inspired the mother of Musa saying, “Suckle him (Musa). Then once you fear about him, cast him in the river, and do not fear, and do not grieve. Surely We are going to bring him back to you and appoint him one of (Our) messengers.”

Then one day Allah sent down the above ayah as guidance for his mother and gave her the following instructions. Allah first instructed Musa (as) mother to feed him and provide him food, to which she obeyed. Allah then gave her a solution regarding her fear and anxiety. Allah told her if and when you become fearful for him, and for the army that are after him, then to cast him into the river.

Allah then goes on to tell her, 'do not fear and do not grieve'. Why does Allah say this? Because He knows what she must be going through, what her feeling must be like, what condition and state her heart must be in. But Allah consoles and reassures her not to grieve and worry, why? Because Allah goes on to tell her, that 'indeed we will return him back to you and we will make him a messenger.'

At this point, her love and tawakkul in Allah overcomes her fear and anxiety and she fulfils the command of Allah with full trust that He (SWT) will look after her child. However Allah doesn't specify a time of when He will return Musa (as) to her, and this is the wisdom and plan of Allah. Putting our trust in Allah means having full faith that Allah will take care of the situation and that we will receive our due as and when it is destined for us. A trial we may be going through right now, may only make sense to us in five years time. And that is the beauty of our tests. Allah wants to keep us close to Him, and believe in Him.

At the point of Musa (as) mother putting Musa (as) into the Nile, she knew through inspiration that her son was going to end up at the tyrants palace. For Allah tells us in Surah Qasas "

وَاَصۡبَحَ فُؤَادُ اُمِّ مُوۡسٰى فٰرِغًا​ ؕ اِنۡ كَادَتۡ لَـتُبۡدِىۡ بِهٖ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّبَطۡنَا عَلٰى قَلۡبِهَا لِتَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏ (28:10)

"And the heart of the mother of Musa became restless; indeed she was about to disclose this (the real facts about Musa), had We not strengthened her heart to remain among those who have firm belief (in Allah’s promise)."

As any mother would feel restless and void without their newborn child, fearing for what must be happening to him right now, it was her heart that was attached to Allah, and made to be from one of the believers, that brought her reassurance and sanity. Had her heart not been connected to Allah, she would have disclosed about Musa (AS). This is a lesson for us all, that the heart which is not connected to Allah (SWT) will struggle in times of need and distress. The heart that is disconnected and distant from Allah will struggle understanding and placing their trust in Allah.

Fast fowarding to when Musa (as) reaches the palace, and Asiyah finds him in the box/basket, she manages to persuade Fir'awn to keep him, and look after him, but of course little did Fir'awn know that this was going to be that same boy who will take away his kingdom.

So when Asiyah tries to find a wet nurse to feed Musa (AS), he does not feed off anyone. She tries many many women, but neither of them are successful. Why? Because Allah had made their milk haraam for Musa (AS). Asiyah and all the people of the castle were astonished at such a sight, and they could not understand. However one day Musa (as) mother sends her daughter to go check for Musa (as), to see if he is alive and what his current state is. So when his sister reaches the palace and comes to know Musa (as) is not feeding off any other woman, the girl suggests to try one lady, who she can guarantee will be a success, and this was his own mother. So Asiyah calls for 'this lady' (Musa (as) mother), to see if he will nurse, and the way Musa (as) grabs onto his mother as soon as she arrives was completely astonishing, and the women were curious! When Fir'awn came to know of this, and Musa (as) mother gave Fir'awn a satisfactory answer to his question, he paid her her wage, and she was able to take Musa (as) back home with her.

فَرَدَدۡنٰهُ اِلٰٓى اُمِّهٖ كَىۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَ وَلِتَعۡلَمَ اَنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ وَّلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ (28:13)

"Thus We brought him back to his mother, so that her eye might have comfort and she might not grieve, and so that she might know that Allah’s promise is true, but most of them do not know"

This is the beauty of Allah. Look at the strength Musa (as)'s mother had. She placed her full conviction in Allah, and Allah kept his promise and returned her child to her. This is something for us all to learn, and especially mothers/parents/parents to be, is that although our children are ours, essentially these children have been given to us as an amaanat from Allah. We look after and raise these children as much as we can and to the best of our ability, but ultimately, these children are not ours.

Truly, Allah never breaks His promise. If Allah has promised the one who does good, seeks repentance, and stays away from what is prohibited, will enter Jannah, then do those things and have faith in Allah that that is true, and it is what Allah will give us.

If Allah has promised, give in charity and He will increase our sustenance by 70x, then fulfil that action with the belief that Allah will increase for us.

If Allah has promised that wife who serves her husband and he is pleased with her, that Jannah is written for her, then be that wife at trust Allah that we will be given that reward.

From this story we learn:

A) To have FULL trust, tawakkul, faith and conviction in Allah, whatever it comes down to. If it is a fardh, we must do it with faith that Allah will reward us and it will be good for us. If it is a life event, and after doing istikaarah etc, we feel it is good for us, then to place our full trust in Allah and go ahead.

B) Verily Allah's promise is true. Allah will never break His promise and will always fulfil what He (SWT) has promised us.

C) He (SWT) never leaves His slaves in times of adversity. Allah knows the condition of our hearts at all times. But time and time again, Allah tells us 'Do not fear and do not grieve'. Why? Because Allah is with us and we should have faith and trust in him that He is there with us, and we will get through whatever is currently happening.

D) Allah never burdens a soul beyond that it can bare. Allah knew this was an act Musa (as) mother could do. So he gave her that test. But Allah didn't overburden her. Instead, Allah reassured her at the same time, by telling her do not worry we will return him to you. Understand and believe that whatever trial we are facing is from Allah, it is a test and blessing from Allah, and it is only Allah who can take us out of it, so turn to him.

E) We may not understand the reason for our trials at the time, but surely sooner or later, whether it is days, weeks or months away, it will all make sense, and Allah will show us why He tested us in the way He did, and most importantly we will have such a great reward in store for us in Jannah for the Sabr (patience) we endured, Insha'Allah.

I pray this is beneficial for us all, and that I can continue to write about the inspirational women of the past to spread motivation, lessons, and love for Islam!