Draft:Mother of Moses
| Mother of Prophet Musa (a) | |
|---|---|
| Well-known Relatives | Musa (a) (son) Harun (a) (son) |
| Places of Residence | Egypt |
The Mother of Moses is identified in various Qur'anic commentaries and 'Qisas al-Qur'an (Stories of the Qur'an) under several names, most notably Yukabad[1] (meaning "God has glory"),[2] as well as Yukhand,[3] Yukhabid, Nakhib, and Afahiya.[4] In the Torah, Jochebed (Yukabad) is described as a descendant of Levi, the son of Jacob. According to biblical tradition, she married her nephew 'Imran (Amram), and together they became the parents of Musa (a) and Harun (a).[5]
According to Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya's exegesis, Al-Tafsir al-kashif, a popular legend has emerged among the masses suggesting that any lock can be opened by reciting the name of Prophet Musa's (a) mother. Mughniyya dismisses this as a baseless superstition stemming from the story of the ark (box) that carried the infant Musa (a).[6]
Tafsir al-Qummi notes that the pregnancy of Musa's (a) mother miraculously remained concealed until the time of his delivery. Despite the Pharaoh's strict surveillance over the women of the Banu Isra'il—instituted to identify and eliminate male newborns—the midwife assigned to monitor Musa's (a) mother was so captivated by the infant's radiant presence that she kept his birth a closely guarded secret.[7]
Although the birth of Prophet Musa (a) remained undetected, his mother was eventually overcome with immense fear for his safety. According to Islamic tradition, God inspired her[8] to place her nursing infant into the Nile River, assuring her that He would safely return the child to her and ultimately elevate him to the status of the Prophets.[9] This divine reassurance is documented in Qur'an 28:7, a passage that Islamic exegetes generally interpret as a profound spiritual inspiration (ilham) planted directly into her heart.[10] Acting on this divine command, she placed Musa (a) into a specially crafted wooden box (ark)[11] and released him into the Nile, instructing her daughter to discreetly follow its path. The currents carried the ark toward the Pharaoh's palace, where it was retrieved by his attendants. Upon seeing the infant, Asiya (a), the wife of Pharaoh, felt an immediate and profound affection for him and persuaded her husband to adopt the child.[12] Historical accounts indicate that after the Pharaoh agreed to the adoption, he summoned multiple wet nurses, but the infant categorically refused to nurse from any of them. Observing this, Musa's (a) sister approached incognito and recommended a "reliable" wet nurse—her own mother. As a result, Musa's (a) mother was officially appointed as his guardian and wet nurse, miraculously reuniting the infant with his mother just as God had promised.[13]
Furthermore, many commentators believe that the wooden box used to save the infant was later repurposed as the revered Ark of the Covenant (Tabut). It is said that before his death, Prophet Musa (a) placed his sacred Tablets and armor inside this very ark, subsequently entrusting it to his appointed successor, Yusha' b. Nun (Joshua).[14] The Banu Isra'il held this Ark in the highest esteem, frequently seeking blessings through it. However, when they later grew negligent of its immense spiritual value, God withdrew the Ark from their possession. Consequently, they were subjected to severe divine trials and fell under the oppressive domination of Jalut (Goliath). This period of subjugation persisted until they beseeched their prophet for a righteous military commander, ultimately leading to the restoration of their past glory.[15]
See Also
Notes
- ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Tafsīr al-mubīn, p. 507.
- ↑ Balāghī, Ḥujjat al-tafāsīr, 1386 Sh, vol. 1, p. 255.
- ↑ Balkhī, Tafsīr Muqātil b. Sulaymān, 1423 AH, vol. 3, p. 27.
- ↑ Jazāʾirī, Qiṣaṣ al-anbiyāʾ, 1381 Sh, p. 330.
- ↑ Exodus, 6:20.
- ↑ Mughniyya, Al-Kāshif, 1424 AH, vol. 3, p. 372.
- ↑ Qummī, Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1363 Sh, vol. 2, p. 135.
- ↑ Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1374 Sh, vol. 11, p. 297.
- ↑ Qur'an 28:7, 10-13; Qur'an 20:38-40.
- ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 16, p. 10; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 6, p. 105; Qurashī Bannāyī, Tafsīr aḥsan al-ḥadīth, 1375 Sh, vol. 8, p. 10.
- ↑ Qur'an 20:39.
- ↑ Balāghī, Qiṣaṣ al-Qurʾān, 1381 Sh, p. 126.
- ↑ Ṭabrisī, Majmaʿ al-bayān, 1372 Sh, vol. 7, p. 18; Makārim Shīrāzī, Tafsīr-i nimūna, 1371 Sh, vol. 16, pp. 32-37.
- ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 2, p. 297.
- ↑ Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Al-Mīzān, 1390 AH, vol. 2, p. 297.
References
- Balāghī, Sayyid ʿAbd al-Ḥujja. Ḥujjat al-tafāsīr wa balāgh al-iksīr. Qom, Intishārāt-i Ḥikmat, 1386 Sh.
- Balkhī, Muqātil b. Sulaymān. Tafsīr Muqātil b. Sulaymān. Edited by ʿAbd Allāh Maḥmūd Shaḥāta. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth, 1423 AH.
- Jazāʾirī, Niʿmat Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh. Qiṣaṣ al-anbiyāʾ. Translated by Fāṭima Mashāyikh. Tehran, Intishārāt-i Farḥān, 1381 Sh.
- Makārim Shīrāzī, Nāṣir. Tafsīr-i nimūna. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1374 Sh.
- Mughniyya, Muḥammad Jawād. Al-Tafsīr al-kāshif. Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1424 AH.
- Mughniyya, Muḥammad Jawād. Al-Tafsīr al-mubīn. Bunyād-i Biʿthat.
- Qummī, ʿAlī b. Ibrāhīm. Tafsīr al-Qummī. Edited by Ṭayyib Mūsawī Jazāyirī. Qom, Dār al-Kitāb, 1363 Sh.
- Qurashī Bannāyī, ʿAlī Akbar. Tafsīr aḥsan al-ḥadīth. Tehran, Bunyād-i Biʿthat, 1375 Sh.
- Ṭabāṭabāʾī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn. Al-Mīzān fī tafsīr al-Qurʾān. Beirut, Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 1390 AH.
- Ṭabrisī, Faḍl b. Ḥasan. Majmaʿ al-bayān. Tehran, Nāṣir Khusrow, 1372 Sh.