Surah 20:37
Show Full Scripture Context (20:36-40) — 5 Verses
قَالَ قَدۡ أُوتِيتَ سُؤۡلَكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
He said, ‘You are granted your request, Moses.’
وَلَقَدۡ مَنَنَّا عَلَيۡكَ مَرَّةً أُخۡرَىٰٓ
‘Certainly We bestowed favor on you another time,
إِذۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ
when We inspired your mother (with) what was inspired:
أَنِ ٱقۡذِفِيهِ فِي ٱلتَّابُوتِ فَٱقۡذِفِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ فَلۡيُلۡقِهِ ٱلۡيَمُّ بِٱلسَّاحِلِ يَأۡخُذۡهُ عَدُوّٞ لِّي وَعَدُوّٞ لَّهُۥۚ وَأَلۡقَيۡتُ عَلَيۡكَ مَحَبَّةٗ مِّنِّي وَلِتُصۡنَعَ عَلَىٰ عَيۡنِيٓ
“Cast him into the ark, and cast it into the sea, and let the sea throw it up on the shore, and an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will take him.” But I cast love on you from Me, and (I did this) so that you might be brought up under My eye.
إِذۡ تَمۡشِيٓ أُخۡتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلۡ أَدُلُّكُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكۡفُلُهُۥۖ فَرَجَعۡنَٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَيۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَۚ وَقَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسٗا فَنَجَّيۡنَٰكَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونٗاۚ فَلَبِثۡتَ سِنِينَ فِيٓ أَهۡلِ مَدۡيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئۡتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٖ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
When your sister went out, she said, “Shall I direct you to (someone) who will take charge of him?” And We returned you to your mother, so that she might be comforted and not sorrow. And (then) you killed a man, and We rescued you from that distress, and We tested you thoroughly. So you remained for (some) years with the people of Midian, (and) then you came (here), according to a decree, Moses.’
This is a response from Allah to His Messenger, Musa, for what he requested from His Lord. It also contains a reminder of Allah’s previous favors upon him. The first was inspiring his mother when she was breastfeeding him and she feared that Fir ‘awn and his chiefs would kill him. Musa was bom during a year in which they (Fir'awn’s people) were killing all of the male children. So she placed him in a case and cast him into the river. The river carried him away and she became grieved and distressed, as Allah mentioned about her when He said,
So the river carried him to the home of Fir ‘awn.
Means that this was a destined matter, decreed by Allah. They were killing the male children of the Israelites for fear of Musa’s arrival. Therefore, with Allah having the great authority and the most perfect power, He determined that Musa would not be raised except upon Fir'awn’s own bed. He would be sustained by Fir'awn’s food and drink, while receiving the love of Fir'awn and his wife. This is why Allah said,
This means that I made your enemy love you. Salamah bin Kuhayl said,
“This means, 1 made My creatures love you.’ ”
Abu Imran Al-Jawni said, “This means, *You will be raised under Allah’s Eye.’ ”
Concerning Allah’s statement,
When he was accepted into the house of Fir ‘awn, women were brought in attempts to find someone who might be able to nurse him. But he refused to breast feed from any of them. Allah, the Exalted, says,
And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him
Then, his sister came and said,
Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and look after him in a good manner?
She meant, “Shall I guide you to someone who can nurse him for you for a fee?” So she took him and they went with her to his real mother. When her breast was presented to him, he took it and they (Fir'awn’s family) were extremely happy for this. Thus, they hired her to nurse him and she achieved great happiness and comfort because of him, in this life and even more so in the Hereafter. Allah, the Exalted, says here,
This means that she should not grieve over you.
This means that he killed a Coptic person (the people of Egypt, Fir ‘awn’s people).
This is what he was feeling due to Fir'awn’s family intending to kill him. So he fled from them until he came to the water of the people of Madyan. This is when the righteous man said to him,
Fear you not. You have escaped from the people who are wrongdoers.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 6, Page 339-342)