Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, Allah gives an example of an idolater and a believer. In Surah Az-Zumar [39]:29, Allah says, "Allah presents an example: a slave owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah ! But most of them do not know."
The idolater is likened to a slave owned by a group whom he must serve, yet he is unable to please them all, whereas a believer who worships and believes in One Illah, is likened to a slave owned by one person, and he knows of the means by which he can please him. He knows what his master wants of him and so he is safe from the quarrelling of partners, had he been owned by a group. Therefore, he is focused on serving his master and his master is merciful and compassionate when he deals with him. So, Allah asks us how these slaves can be equal in any manner. Indeed, when a person is devoted to serving one owner, he will receive much kindness, generosity and aid, compared to the one who is owned by disputing partners. All Praise is due to Allah alone for most of them fail to comprehend.
Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. And Allah presents an example of those who believed: Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, mother of Prophet 'Isa, alayhissalam, who guarded her chastity. And the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, "My Rabb, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people."
Padda asked, "Who was the wife of Pharaoh?" Almond said, "She was Asiyah bint Muzahim. Imam Ahmad recorded, the Prophet ﷺ) said, "The best among the women of Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maruam bint ‘Imran and Asiyah bint Muzahim, wife of Pharaoh." Padda then said, "O Almond, tell us the story about the Pharaoh!" Almond said, "According to Ibn Kathir and at-Tabari, the people of the book mention that, starting from Abraham, peace be upon him, Hagar bore him Ishmael and Sarah bore him Isaac. From Rebecca, Esau and Jacob were born to Isaac. It was said that Al-Rum are descendant of Esau.
Jacob is also called Israil. Jacob has two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Zilfah and Bilhah. Leah bore him five sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah Zebulon, Yashhar, and a daughter, Dinah. Zilfah bore him, Dan and Naphtali. Bilhah bore him, Gad and Asher. Rachel bore him Joseph and Benjamin who is called Shaddad in Arabic. Rachel died in childbirth while delivering Benjamin. Jacob had twelve sons in all. They are called Bani Israil.
Because of the malice of his brothers, Prophet Joseph, peace be upon him, the son of Prophet Jacob of Rachel, was exiled to Egypt. Certain people of the scriptures have said that Joseph entered Egypt at seventeen and remained in the house of Potiphar for thirteen years. When he reached thirty, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, whose name was al-Rayyan bin al-Walid bin Tzarwan bin Arasyah bin Qaran bin 'Amr bin `Imlak bin Lud bin Sam bin Nuh, made him his chief minister. This king became a believer and died. After him reigned Qabus bin Mus`ab bin Mu awiyah bin Numair bin al-Silwas bin Qaran bin `Amr bin 'Imlak bin Lud bin Sam bin Nuh, who was an infidel. His wife was Asiyah bint Muzahim bint `Ubayd bint al-Rayyan bint al-Walid. Joseph called upon him to believe in Allah, but he did not respond. Then Joseph made his brother Judah his heir, and died at the age of one hundred and twenty years. Jacob's separation from him lasted twenty-two years, while his stay with Joseph in Egypt after Allah brought them together lasted seventeen years. When death came to him, he made Joseph his heir. Jacob had come to Egypt with seventy men of his family, and when he died, he made Joseph promise to take his body back to be buried next to his father Isaac. Joseph did that for him, taking him to be buried in Syria and then coming back to Egypt. Joseph ordered that his own body be taken to be buried with his ancestors. But when Prophet Yusuf died, he had not been able to take it home to Syria. His body was placed in a casket of marble in the Nile. When Moses left Egypt he carried the coffin with Joseph's body with him.
After Qabus bin Mus'ab died, he was succeeded by his brother, al-Walid bin Mus'ab. It was said that al-Walid married Asiyah bint Muzahim after his brother. He was more insolent than Qabus, more disbelieving, and more boastful. There was no pharaoh more ruthless, harder-hearted, or of more evil character toward the Israelites than he. He tormented them and made them slaves and chattels, classifying them in his tasks: one class for building, another class for plowing, another class for his sowing. They were busy with his projects, and whoever among them was not working for him had to pay a poll tax. He inflicted' upon them, they retained remnants of their religion, from which they did not want to depart. He was granted a long life among them while he ruled them, and in return he inflicted upon them dreadful torment. When Allah wanted to release them from their misery, and when Moses had reached maturity, Allah gave him the message.
At-Tabari mentioned that, it was transmitted from Ibn Ishaq, Levi ibn Jacob married Nibitah, and she bore him Gershon, and Merari, and Kohath. Kohath married Fihi, and she bore him Izhar. Izhar married Shamith, and she bore him Amram and Korah. As we know, Korah is a proud Qarun with a lot of wealth. Amram married Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses.
When Moses' time approached, Pharaoh saw a vision in his dream. A fire came from Bayt al -Maqdis until it overcame the houses of Egypt; the Egyptians were burned, while the Israelites were left and the houses of Egypt were destroyed. He called for the magicians, soothsayers, prognosticators, and diviners and asked them about his dream. They said to him, "There will come from the land of the Israelites, meaning Jerusalem, a man in whose face one can read the destruction of Egypt." He therefore ordered any boy born to the Israelites to be killed and any girl bom to them to be left. He then said to the Egyptians, "Observe your slaves who work outside and bring them in. Put the Israelites in charge of those loathsome tasks."
Then the heads of the Egyptians entered in to Pharaoh and spoke to him, saying: "Verily, death has befallen this people, and the work will soon fall upon our servants. We slay their sons, and then the little ones do not grow up, and the old ones die off. Perhaps you could let some of their sons live." So he ordered that they kill them one year and let them live the next.
References :The year in which they did not kill, Aaron was born and was left to live. But during the year of slaying, the mother of Moses was pregnant with him. When she wanted to give birth, she grieved for him. Allah inspired her, saying, "Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him one of the messengers." When she had given birth and had suckled him, she called for a carpenter who made an ark for Moses, placing the key to the ark inside. She placed him in it, casting him into the river. And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while the people did not perceive that she was his sister. The wave carried the ark forward, alternately lifting it up and carrying it down, until a wave took the ark to some trees at Pharaoh's residence. The servant girls of Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, came out to wash themselves and found the ark. They took it to her, thinking there might be some treasure in it. When Aziyah opened the chest, he saw Moses' face sparkling with signs of prophethood and majesty. As Asiyah looked at him, her pity went out to him, and she loved him. When she told Pharaoh about the baby, he wanted to kill him; however, Asiyah continued speaking to him until Pharaoh left the baby to her.
They sought wet nurses for him, but he would not suckle from any of them. The women, meanwhile, were vying for the position of wet nurse, so that they might dwell with Pharaoh during the period of nursing. But the baby refused to suckle. So his sister said, "Shall I show you a household who will rear him for you and show good will to him! "'They took her and said, "You already know this lad, so lead us to his family." She said, "I do not know him. I only said that they would show good will to Pharaoh." When his mother came, he took her breasts, and she almost said, "This is my son," but Allah held her back. So Allah restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allah is true.
When he walked, his mother showed him to Asiyah. While she was swinging and playing with him, she offered him to Pharaoh, saying, "Take him, the delight of my eye and yours! " Pharaoh said, "He is the delight of your eye, not mine."
Pharaoh said, "I am afraid this child is an Israelite and he is the one at whose hands our destruction will occur." When Pharaoh took him , Moses seized his beard and pulled out hairs from it. Pharaoh said, "Bring me executioners! He is the one! " Asiyah said, "Do not kill him. Perhaps he may be of use to us, or we may choose him as a son." He is only a boy who does not understand . He has done this only because of his childishness. You know that among the people of Egypt there is no woman more adorned than I. I shall make him an ornament of sapphire and place next to it a live coal. If he takes the sapphire, he is aware, so you may kill him. But, if he takes the live coal, he is only a child."
She brought for him a sapphire and placed before him a basin of live coals. Gabriel came and put a live coal in Moses' hand, which he put into his mouth, burning his tongue.
He was called Musa only because they found him in water and trees, and in Egyptian water is mu and tree is sha. Pharaoh took him as a son, and he was called "son of Pharaoh."
Moses grew up and when he attained his full strength and was mentally mature, Allah bestowed upon him good health, strength, judgement and knowledge. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and justice. He would sail in Pharaoh 's boats and dress as he did, and he was known only as Moses, son of Pharaoh. Once, Pharaoh sailed on a boat without Moses . When Moses arrived, he was told that Pharaoh had already set sail, so he set out to sail after him. He reached a town named Memphis at siesta time. Entering at midday, he found its markets were already closed , and no one was in its streets. And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and unintentionally killed him. Moses said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."
He said, "My Rabb, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Moses said, "My Rabb, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals." And in the morning, he became inside the city fearful and anticipating exposure, when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him once again. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, persistent deviator." Then Moses approached to aid him. And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."
So he left, and the Egyptian circulated the story that Moses was the one who had killed the man, whereupon Pharaoh sought him, saying, "Seek him out, for he is the one." He said to those who were searching for him, "Look for him on the side roads, for Moses is a boy who will not discover the main road." Moses set out on the side roads, and a man came to Moses, informing him that "the chiefs take counsel against you to kill you; so escape! So he escaped from there, afraid, vigilant. "My Rabb, save me from the wrongdoing people."
When Moses set out on the side roads , an angel came to him on a horse, with a javelin in his hand . When Moses saw him, he bowed down to him in fear. The angel said, "Do not bow down to me, but follow me instead." So Moses followed as the angel guided him to Midian. Moses said, turning his face toward Midian, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me in the right road." The angel went with him until he brought him to Midian."
Almond said, "O my brothers and sisters, destiny wants otherwise. The king who is arrogant and praised for the many armies, very cruel and many who follow his authority, destiny is determined, "Allah the Most Great, Whose provisions cannot be defeated and cannot be opposed, has determined that the baby he were aware of, and therefore he has killed innumerable innocent souls, raised in his own house. On his bed, while he was unable to uncover the secret behind it at all. Then his destruction, both in the World and the Hereafter, was at the doorstep. Because, he sneak in the real truth. Whereas Allah, Rabb of heaven and earth, acts according to His will. He is All-Powerful,All- Mighty, Who has a very painful torment. His will, cannot be opposed! And Allah know best."
"Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters." - [QS.28:4]
- The History of al-Tabari, The Children of Israel, Volume III, Translated by William M. Brinner, SUNY Press
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
