Stories from Quran ✔

*The story of Prophet Moosaa -II*

💫 His Nursing

👉🏻 The queen summoned a few wet nurses to suckle baby Moosaa (Moses), may Allah exalt his mention, but he would not take any of their breasts. The queen was distressed and sent for more wet nurses. Moosaa’s sister was also worried, as her baby brother had gone without milk for a long time. Seeing the queen's anxiety, she blurted that she knew just the mother who would suckle the child affectionately. They asked her why she was following the floating chest. She said she did so out of curiosity. Her excuse sounded reasonable, so they believed her. They ordered her to rush and fetch the woman she was talking about. Her mother also was waiting with a heavy heart, worried about the fate of her baby. Just then her daughter rushed in with the good news. Her heart lifted and she lost no time in reaching the palace. Allah the Almighty mentions this story in the Quran. [Quran: 28:10-13]

As the child was put to her breast, he immediately started suckling. Pharaoh (Pharaoh) was astonished and asked: "Who are you? This child has refused to take any other breast but yours!" Had she told the truth, Pharaoh would have known that the child was an Israelite and would have killed it instantly. However, Allah gave her inner strength and she replied: "I am a woman of sweet milk and sweet fragrance, and no child refuses me." This answer satisfied Pharaoh. She was appointed as Moosaa’s wet nurse. She continued to breast-feed him for a long time. When he was bigger and was weaned, she was allowed the privilege of visiting him. Moosaa, may Allah exalt him mention, was raised in the palace as a prince.

Allah Says (what means): *“And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.” [Quran: 28:14]*

Allah had granted Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, good health, strength, knowledge, and wisdom. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and justice.

One day, in the main city, he, may Allah exalt his mention, saw two men fighting. One was an Israelite, who was being beaten by the other, an Egyptian. On seeing Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, the Israelite begged him for help. Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, became involved in the dispute and, in a state of anger, struck a heavy blow on the Egyptian, who died on the spot. Upon realising that he had killed a human being, Moosaa’s heart was filled with deep sorrow, and immediately he begged Allah for forgiveness.

He had not intended to kill the man. He pleaded with Almighty Allah to forgive him, and he felt a sense of peace filling his whole being. Thereafter Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, began to show more patience and sympathy towards people.

Soon after this, as Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, was passing through the city, a man approached and alerted him: “O Moosaa! The chiefs have taken counsel against you. You are to be tried and killed. I would advise you to escape.” Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, left Egypt in a hurry without going to Pharaoh’s palace or changing his clothes. Nor was he prepared for travelling. He did not have a beast of burden upon which to ride, and he was not in a caravan. He travelled on foot in the direction of Madyan, which was the nearest inhabited land between Syria and Egypt. His only companion in this hot desert was Allah, and his only provision was piety. There was not a single root to pick to lessen his hunger. The hot sand burned the soles of his feet. However, fearing pursuit by Pharaoh’s men, he forced himself to continue on. He travelled for eight nights, hiding during the day. After crossing the main desert, he reached a watering hole outside Madyan where shepherds were watering their flocks.

No sooner had Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, reached Madyan than he threw himself under a tree to rest. He suffered from hunger and fatigue. The soles of his feet felt as if they were worn out from hard walking on sand and rocks and from the dust. He did not have any money to buy a new pair of sandals, nor to buy food or drink. Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, noticed a band of shepherds watering their sheep. He went to the spring, where he saw two young women preventing their sheep from mixing with the others.