Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (2/10)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

al-Ḍaḥḥāk and others said: “The heart of Moses’ mother became vacant” —that is, empty of every worldly concern except Moses himself. “She was on the verge of revealing him,” meaning she was about to disclose his affair and ask about him openly, “had We not bound fast her heart,” that is, had We not made her patient and steadfast, “so that she might be among the believers.”

She then said to his sister—her eldest daughter—“Follow him,” meaning: trace his footsteps and bring me news of him. “So she watched him from a distance.” Mujāhid said: from afar; while Qatādah said: she kept looking at him as though she did not want him, hence the words, “while they were unaware.”

Once Moses, peace be upon him, had settled in Pharaoh’s household they tried to feed him at the breast, but he would accept no nurse and took no food. They were at a loss and did everything they could to nourish him, yet he refused, just as the Most High said: “We had already forbidden him wet nurses beforehand” (al-Qaṣaṣ 12). They therefore sent him with midwives and women to the marketplace, hoping to find someone whose milk he would take. While they stood there with the people gathered around, his sister saw him but did not show that she recognized him. Instead she said, “Shall I direct you to a household who will look after him for you and will be sincere toward him?” (al-Qaṣaṣ 12).

Ibn ʿAbbās said: When she said that, they asked her, “How do you know they will be kind and compassionate toward him?” She replied, “Out of desire to be connected to the king (2) and in hope of his favor.” So they released her and went with her to the house. His mother took him; the moment she suckled him he latched on to her breast and began to drink, whereupon they rejoiced greatly. A messenger hurried to Āsiyah to inform her, and she summoned the mother, offering to keep her with her and treat her well. The mother declined, saying, “I have a husband and children, and I cannot manage this unless you send him with me.” Āsiyah agreed, fixed her a stipend, and allotted for her food, clothing (3), and gifts. She returned home carrying him (4), and Allah reunited the two of them.

Allah the Exalted said: “Thus We returned him to his mother so that her eye might be comforted, that she might not grieve, and so that she might know that the promise of Allah is true; yet most of them do not know” (al-Qaṣaṣ 13)—just as We promised to restore him and to make him a messenger. His return, therefore, is proof of the truth of the glad tidings of his prophethood, “but most of them do not know.”

Allah reminded Moses of this favor on the night He spoke to him (5), saying:
“And indeed We bestowed Our favor upon you another time
when We inspired to your mother what was inspired:
‘Place him in the chest, then cast it into the river;
the river will throw him onto the bank;
an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will take him.’
I cast upon you love from Me,
so that you would be reared under My watchful eye” (Ṭā Hā 20:37–39).

Qatādah and several other early scholars (7) said: meaning that you would be fed, cared for, and nurtured under My protection.

(1) In B: “wa-iṭlaʿī”; in Ṭ: “wa-iṭlibī lahu.” (2) In al-Ṭabarī’s History (vol. 1, p. 394): and their yearning for ẓuʾūratu al-malik (the king’s appearance). (3) In Uṣūlunā: “wa-l-kasāwī,” which is a mistake. The plural of kisāʾ is aksiyyah (garment), and al-kiswah denotes a robe used for covering and adorning; its plural is kusā. The adjective derived from kisāʾ is kisāwiyy, which is not appropriate here. (4) taḥūzuhu: i.e., taḍimmuhu (to include). (5) In B: “wa-qad amtan Allāh taʿālā bi-hā ʿalā Mūsā laylat kalāmihi…” – “And Allah the Exalted bestowed this favor upon Moses on the night He spoke to him…” (6) Added in B: “and that was because no one ever saw him without loving him.” (7) Reported by Ibn Zayd, Ibn Jurayj, and Abū Nuhīk, as in al-Ṭabarī’s Tafsīr (vol. 16, p. 123).

والضحّاك، وغيرهم ﴿وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَى فَارِغًا﴾ أي: من كل شيءٍ من أمور الدنيا إلّا من موسى ﴿إِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ﴾ أي: لتظهر أمرَه وتسأل عنه جهرة، ﴿لَوْلَا أَنْ رَبَطْنَا عَلَى قَلْبِهَا﴾ أي: صبّرناها وثبّتناها ﴿لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ وقالت لأخته، وهي ابنتها الكبيرة: ﴿قُصِّيهِ﴾ أي: اتَّبعي أثره واطلبي لي (١) خبره ﴿فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ﴾ قال مجاهد: عن بُعدٍ. وقال قتادة: جَعَلَتْ تنظر إليه وكأنّها لا تريده؛ ولهذا قال: ﴿وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾، وذلك لأن موسى (عليه السلام) لما استقرَّ بدار فرعون أرادوا أن يغذوه برضاعةٍ، فلم يقبل ثديًا، ولا أخذ طعامًا، فحاروا في أمره، واجتهدوا على تغذيته بكل ممكن، فلم يفعل، كما قال تعالى: ﴿وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنْ قَبْلُ﴾، فأرسلوه مع القوابل والنساء إلى السوق لعل يجدون من يوافق رضاعته، فبينما هم وقوف به والناس عكوف عليه؛ إذ بصُرتْ به أخته فلم تُظْهِرْ أنها تعرفه، بل قالت: ﴿فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ﴾. قال ابن عباس: لمّا قالت ذلك قالوا لها: ما يدريك بنصحهم وشفقتهم عليه؟ فقالت: رغبة في صهر الملك (٢) ، ورجاء منفعته. فأطلقوها وذهبوا معها إلى منزلهم، فأخذته أمّه، فلمّا أرضعته التقم ثديها وأخذ يمتصه ويرتضعه، ففرحوا بذلك فرحًا شديدًا، وذهب البشير إلى آسية يُعلمها بذلك، فاستدعتها إلى منزلها، وعرضت عليها أن تكون عندها، وأن تحسن إليها، فأبت عليها، وقالت: إن لي بعلًا وأولادًا، ولست أقدر على هذا إلا أن ترسليه معي، فأرسلته معها، ورتبت لها رواتب، وأجرت عليها النفقات، والكسا (٣) ، والهبات فرجعت به تحوزه (٤) إلى رحلها، وقد جمع الله شمله بشملها. قال الله تعالى: ﴿فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَى أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ﴾، أي: كما وعدناها بردِّه ورسالته، فهذا ردُّه، وهو دليل على صدق البشارة برسالته ﴿وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾. وقد امتن الله على موسى بهذا ليلة كلَّمه (٥) فقال له فيما قال له: ﴿وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَيْكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى (٣٧) إِذْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّكَ مَا يُوحَى (٣٨) أَنِ اقْذِفِيهِ فِي التَّابُوتِ فَاقْذِفِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ فَلْيُلْقِهِ الْيَمُّ بِالسَّاحِلِ يَأْخُذْهُ عَدُوٌّ لِي وَعَدُوٌّ لَهُ وَأَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِنِّي (٦) وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي﴾ [طه: ٣٧ - ٣٩] ، إذ قال قتادة، وغير واحد من السَّلف (٧) : أي تُطْعَم وتُرفه وتُغذى

(١) في ب: واطلعي. وفي ط: واطلبي له. (٢) في تاريخ الطبري (١/ ٣٩٤). ورغبتهم في ظؤورة الملك. (٣) في أصولنا: والكساوي، وهو خطأ. فالكساء جمعه: أكسية وهو اللباس. والكُسْوَة: الثوب يستتر به ويتحلى، وجمعه: كُسا. أما النسبة إلى الكساء فهي: كِساويّ، ولا مكان لها هنا. (٤) تحوزه: تضمه. (٥) في ب: وقد امتن الله تعالى بهذا على موسى ليلة كلمه … (٦) زاد في ب: وذلك أنه كان لا يراه أحد إلا أحبه. (٧) كابن زيد، وابن جريج، وأبي نُهيك. كما في تفسير الطبري (١٦/ ١٢٣).