Surah al-Qasas (The Stories) 28 : 8

Overview (Verses 7 - 13)

Saving Moses

The story begins and we are told how God’s hand works directly, and not through anyone else. Moses was born under the sort of difficult circumstances the sūrah has described: a newborn baby in great danger. We almost see the knife being taken out to cut his throat. His mother is so worried, fearing that the news of his birth might reach the despotic authorities. She is well aware that if it did she would not be able to protect or hide him. How could she prevent him from crying and so betraying his presence? She knew herself to be helpless and powerless.

At this point God’s hand intervenes, making direct contact with the worried mother, and inspiring her with what to do: “We revealed to the mother of Moses: ‘Breast- feed him, and then when you have cause to fear for him, cast him in the river, and have no fear and do not grieve.’” (Verse 7) What sort of inspiration is this? A caring mother suckling her child is told to cast him into the river should she fear for his life. She is told, however, not to fear or grieve for him: “have no fear and do not grieve.” He will be under the care of the One who provides all security and dispels all fear. He will be looked after by the hand which makes the fire a cool and relaxing place, and makes the sea a place of shelter and repose. No Pharaoh dare come near anyone this hand protects.

“We shall restore him to you.” (Verse 7) You need not fear for his life or worry about his being taken away from you. “And shall make him one of Our messengers.” (Verse 7) This is a promise for the future, and God’s promise is certain to come true.

This is the first scene showing a worried mother as she received a clear, reassuring revelation that promises a bright future. The revelation removes all fear and worry from her heart, giving her peace and reassurance. The sūrah does not mention how she reacted or how she carried out the instructions. Instead, the curtains fall only to rise again bringing us the next scene.

“Pharaoh’s household picked him up.” (Verse 8) Is this the security promised her? Does it augur the fulfilment of the happy news she has been given? How, when she feared for her son none other than Pharaoh and his household? It is they that now have him. Nothing could have worried her more than her child falling into their hands. Here, we see the challenge thrown down openly, in full view of all. It is a challenge to Pharaoh, Hāmān and their hosts. They were chasing down every newborn male in Moses’ community because of fear for their own positions. Their spies were everywhere, so that no newly born boy could escape their watchful eyes. Now God’s hand effortlessly puts into their very own midst such a child. It is indeed the child who will bring about their downfall. He is now in their hands and he is helpless, unable to fend for himself. Indeed, he cannot cry for help, should he be in danger. The purpose behind delivering the child to Pharaoh is also clearly stated: “So [in time] he would become an enemy to them and a source of grief” (Verse 8) He will certainly be an open foe, challenging them, and bringing grief and sorrow. “Pharaoh, Hāmān and their hosts were sinners indeed.” (Verse 8)

Yet how will all this come about when the child is so helpless? The sūrah tells us straightaway: “Pharaoh’s wife said. - A joy to the eye he will be for me and for you. Do not kill him. He may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as our son. ‘They had no inkling [of what was to happen].” (Verse 9) God’s hand not only delivers the child into Pharaoh’s fortified palace by way of an open challenge, it also takes him right into his wife’s heart, thus providing him with loving protection. It thus gives him a thin, transparent cover of love overflowing from a woman’s heart. Thus, he needs neither weapons, authority nor money for his protection. Such love defies Pharaoh, his despotism and his fear for his kingdom. Pharaoh is too small and humble in God’s measure: the child needs no more than this thin covering of love to enjoy complete protection from him.

“A joy to the eye he will be for me and for you.” (Verse 9) This is how she describes the child brought to them, the one who will become their enemy and bring them all, except for the woman herself, much grief. “Do not kill him,” yet it is he who will bring about Pharaoh’s end. “He may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as our son,” when it will be through him that their fate will be sealed. “They had no inkling [of what was to happen].” (Verse 9) What irony! Thus ends the second scene and the curtains fall here temporarily.

What about his mother though, who must have been justifiably apprehensive? “By the morning an aching void came over the heart of Moses’ mother, and she would indeed have disclosed his identity had We not strengthened her heart so that she could continue to have faith.” (Verse 10) She did as she was told and threw her child into the river. Where is he now though? Where has the river carried him? She might well have asked herself how she could have done such a thing. How could she even hope that he would find security in the midst of such danger?

The sūrah portrays a telling picture of a poor mother’s anxious heart. It is “a void’, one whereby she is unable to think or act. “She would indeed have disclosed his identity,” betraying her own secret. We can imagine her being driven in a moment of despair to give the whole thing away: “Had We not strengthened her heart,” giving her added strength to deal with this very difficult situation. “So that she could continue to have faith.” (Verse 10) She needed to have faith in God’s promise, to be patient in the adversity she was faced with and to continue to follow His guidance.

She nevertheless exerted her own efforts so as to know what had happened to the child: “She said to his sister: ‘Follow him.’“ (Verse 11) She asked her daughter to follow the child in his box floating along the river, so as to know whether he survived or not. The girl did as instructed, seeking to establish what happened to her baby brother. She went into different quarters and markets, and she soon saw him from a distance, carried by some of Pharaoh’s servants who were looking for someone to suckle him. At this point things regain an air of calm: So she watched him from a distance, while they were unaware. Right from the very beginning We caused him to refuse all nurses’ breasts. So, his sister said: “Shall I direct you to a family who might bring him up for you and take good care of him?’ (Verses 11-12) Here we see the working of God’s will completing its scheme to thwart Pharaoh. It brings the child to them, they pick him up, and furthermore they are made to love him from the very first moment. Thus, they look for a suckling mother for him, but God made him refuse all breasts to increase their confusion and helplessness. Every time a new breast was offered to him he refused it. Thus they feared for the child’s life. They continued in this situation until his sister saw him at a distance and recognized him. She soon realized how eager they were to find someone who could take care of him. She carefully approached them: “Shall I direct you to a family who might bring him up for you and take good care of him?” (Verse 12) They were delighted with what she said, hoping that it could be true and that the child would be saved.

This fourth scene is over, and the next one starts immediately, showing the child back with his mother, thriving, well protected by Pharaoh and cared for by his wife. While fear was everywhere around him, he enjoyed complete security: “Thus We restored him to his mother, so that she might rejoice in him and grieve no more, and that she might know that God’s promise always comes true; even though most people do not know this.” (Verse 13)