In the name of Allah, The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful. All prayers and peace of Allah be upon our master, Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)[2].

Today's episode is the fourth episode of Musa’s (AS) story which will cover his birth. Today’s story’s central theme is Tawakkul (entrusting (committing) one's soul to Allah (SWT[3])). Many of us feel that we are victims of injustice and we feel that we are easily defeated by the falsehood around us and that there is no way to defeat the system, but today we will learn the formula in which Musa’s (AS) mother applied to defeat the injustice of Firaawn (The Pharoah).The formula is:

Therefore, it is extremely important to note that tawakkul alone isn’t enough, nor does hard work alone give you true success. They both have to go hand in hand for you to achieve true victory with Allah’s (SWT) help. Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Qasas (The Narrative) what can be translated as, “Ta, Sîn, Mîm (These are the names of letters of the Arabic alphabet and only Allah knows their meaning here). Those (Literally: that) are the ayat (Verses, signs) of the Evident Book. We recite to you (something) of the tiding of Mûsa (Moses) and Firaawn (Pharaoh) with the Truth, for a people who believe. Surely Firaawn had exalted himself in the land and made its population into sects, deeming a section of them weak, constantly slaying their sons and (sparing) alive their women. Surely he was one of the corruptors.” (TMQ[4], 28:1-4)

Firaawn saw in a dream that a boy was born who would snatch away his kingdom from him, so he felt threatened and started killing all the new born boys to the extent that he killed a thousand boys before Musa (AS) was born. Firaawn had a strict plan in place to ensure that no new born baby boy survived. He kept track of all the pregnant women in the city and secretly marked their houses so that when the mother gives birth, he would send his soldiers to surprise the mother by brutally killing the baby and throwing him in the Nile River as soon as he is born. (No wonder why Firaawn died from drowning in the sea himself). Also, random house searches and spies were used to uncover hiding mothers and baby boys. So what was Musa’s (AS) mother going to do in these tough circumstances? She practically followed the tawakkul formula we mentioned earlier. She thought of a plan with her brave daughter Maryam, who would stand by her brother and mother courageously. They also involved their neighbor who would exchange places with Musa’s mother just before the random checks were made in their houses, since Maryam was always monitoring the soldiers to be prepared before they came by rushing her mother into the bushes. This was a very tiring and tense exercise since they had to be on alert for nine straight months, 24 hours a day to ensure the protection of Musa’s (AS) birth. This was the first part of the formula, where they did everything they could and now the remaining part of the formula was also needed, which was tawakkul on Allah (SWT). After nine months, Musa (AS) was born with a very special gift from Allah (SWT) which was that anyone who would see him would immediately love him. “And I cast on you belovedness from Me” (TMQ, 20:39) This shows us how much Allah (SWT) loved him and how much we should love him as well. Can you imagine that Musa’s (AS) mother had to give birth in silence with all the pains of delivery a woman goes through, and they had to cover Musa’s (AS) mouth to prevent his crying from being heard by Firaawn’s people. “And We revealed to M‍ûsa’s mother, (saying), “Suckle him; so, when you fear for him, then cast him in the main; and do not fear, nor grieve. Surely We will turn him back to you, and will make him one of the Emissaries.” (TMQ, 28:7)

Let us go to the Nile River to live the moment and to really understand the circumstances Musa’s (AS) mother went through. Note that Musa’s (AS) mother was not a Prophet and that she was a simple mother with strong faith, and yet Allah (SWT) revealed to her two commands, two prohibitions and two glad tidings. The first command was to “suckle him” so that he may recognize her milk later and to show us the lovely relationship between a mother and her child. The second was to “cast him in the main”. The two prohibitions were: “do not fear, nor grieve”. The two glad tidings were: “Surely We will turn him back to you, and will make him one of the Emissaries.” This revelation was not like the revelations of Prophets; rather it was a feeling that filled her heart with conviction and tawakkul. One would imagine that Allah (SWT) would ask the mother to hug or hide the child in protection from the enemy, however, when you are dealing with Al-Wakeel )the Ultimate Trustee( you should do what He tells you without questioning and with full submission. Can you put yourself in her shoes?

Musa’s (AS) mother made a basket and put Musa (AS) in it and cast him in the river. For those of you who are unemployed and for the mothers who are suffering with the upbringing of their children, where is your tawakkul? We are at the Nile River spot to really understand the situation with the strong water currents and the big risk Musa’s (AS) mother took, since the basket would never come back to her and there was always a chance of Musa (AS) falling in the river and being eaten by fish. Thousands of mothers lost their children due to Firaawn’s injustice, but Musa’s (AS) mother had true tawakkul and that is what made all the difference. We must however know that there is a big difference between theory and actual practice. Musa’s (AS) mother showed some hesitance and so a second revelation came to her to deal with the state of emergency since Firaawn’s people were coming. Allah (SWT) says in Surat Ta-Ha what can be translated as, “As We revealed what was revealed to your mother: (Saying), ‘“Hurl him in the coffer, then hurl it in the main; so let the main cast it on the shore.” (TMQ, 20:38-39)

Musa’s (AS) sister was then appointed by the mother to follow-up on the task by tracking the basket. “And she said to his sister, “Trail him,” and so she beheld him from afar, and they were not aware.” (TMQ, 28:11) It was Allah’s (SWT) will that the basket would end up in Firaawn’s palace, and so Maryam went back to her mother to give her the bad news. “And the heart-sight of M‍ûsa’s mother became empty, (and) decidedly she indeed almost declared him, had We not braced her heart, that she might be of the believers.” (TMQ, 28:10)

So what was the wisdom behind Musa ending up in Firaawn’s palace? It could be that this was the best protection for Musa (AS). Musa’s (AS) duty later would be to free Bani Israel from the injustice of Firaawn and so he had to set an example by freeing himself first, which could only be possible by being in Firaawn’s palace. The other reason could be that Musa (AS) had to be educated to bring reform and the best source of education was no other than the house of Firaawn.

“Then the house of Firaawn picked him out to be an enemy to them and (a source of) grief. Surely Firaawn and Haman and their hosts were sinners.” (TMQ, 28:8) It was the will of Al-Wakeel that Firaawn’s wife Asia’s timing to take the baby before the soldiers was perfect timing. “And the wife of Firaawn said, “He is comfort (Literally: for the eye to get steady and settle down, to be refreshed) to the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him, (for) he may profit us, and we may take him to ourselves as a child.” And they were not aware.” (TMQ, 28:9)

Asia defended Musa (AS), and Allah (SWT) protected him with the weapon of love. As soon as Asia announced that Musa (AS) was not going to be killed and that he would be taken by them as a child, the baby started crying and now needed to be suckled. “And We had prohibited to him earlier wet-nurses. So she said, “Shall I indicate to you the family of a house who will sponsor him for you and advisably look after him?” (TMQ, 28:12)

Musa’s (AS) sister entered the palace with courage, and told them that she knew who would be able to suckle Musa (AS). Therefore, Musa’s (AS) mother was eventually brought into the palace to suckle the child, who is her own, and so she was appointed as the official foster mother of Musa (AS), which wwould earn her a decent salary. “So We turned him back to his mother so that she might comfort her eye and not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true; but most of them do not know.” (TMQ, 28:13).

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[1] AS= Alayhe as-Salam [All Peace of Allah be upon him]

[2] SAWS= Salla Allah alayhe Wa Salam [All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him]

[3] SWT=Suhanahu wa Ta'ala [Glorified and Exalted Be He]

[4] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.