Al-Qur'an Surah Taha Verse 40

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Remember) when your sister was going (to the family of Pharaoh) and was saying, ‘Shall I lead you to one who nurses him?’ Thus We brought you back to your mother, so that her eyes might have comfort and she might not grieve. And you had killed a person, then We brought you out of the trouble; and We tested you with a great ordeal. Then you lived a number of years amidst the people of Madyan. After all this, you came O Mūsā, to a destined point of time.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember˺ when your sister came along and proposed, ‘Shall I direct you to someone who will nurse him?’[[ Moses had refused all wet-nurses that were brought for him. ]] So We reunited you with your mother so that her heart would be put at ease, and she would not grieve. ˹Later˺ you killed a man ˹by mistake˺, but We saved you from sorrow, as well as other tests We put you through. Then you stayed for a number of years among the people of Midian. Then you came here as pre-destined, O  Moses!

Ruwwad Translation Center

When your sister was going along and said, ‘Shall I show you someone who will nurse him?’ Thus We brought you back to your mother, so that she may rejoice and not grieve. Then you killed a man [by mistake], but We saved you from distress, and We put you through several trials. You stayed among the people of Midian for several years, then you came [here] at a destined time, O Moses.

A. J. Arberry

when thy sister went out, saying, "Shall I point you to one to have charge of him?" So We returned thee to thy mother that she might rejoice, and not sorrow. Then thou slewest; a living soul, and We delivered thee out of grief, and We tried thee with many trials. Many years among the people of Midian thou didst sojourn, then camest hither, Moses, according to a decree.

Abdul Haleem

Your sister went out, saying, “I will tell you someone who will nurse him,” then We returned you to your mother so that she could rejoice and not grieve. Later you killed a man, but We saved you from distress and tried you with other tests. You stayed among the people of Midian for years, then you came here as I ordained.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

What time thy sister was walking along and saying: shall I direct you unto one who will take care of him! Thus We returned thee to thy mother that she might cool her eyes and she might not grieve. And thou slewest a person, but We delivered thee from sorrow, and We tried thee with several trials. Then thou tarriedst for years among the people of Madyan then thou camest according to fate, O Musa!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Behold! thy sister goeth forth and saith, 'shall I show you one who will nurse and rear the (child)?' So We brought thee back to thy mother, that her eye might be cooled and she should not grieve. Then thou didst slay a man, but We saved thee from trouble, and We tried thee in various ways. Then didst thou tarry a number of years with the people of Midian. Then didst thou come hither as ordained, O Moses!

Abul Ala Maududi

Recall, when your sister went along, saying: 'Shall I direct you to one who will take charge of him?' Thus We brought you back to your mother so that her heart might be gladdened and she might not grieve. Moses, recall when you slew a person. We delivered you from distress and made you go through several trials. Then you stayed for several years among the people of Midian, and now you have come at the right moment as ordained.

Ahmed Ali

Then your sister followed you, and said (to the people who had retrieved the child): 'Should I guide you to a person who can nurse him?' We thus brought you back to your mother that her heart may be cheered, and she may not grieve. (Remember) when you killed a man We saved you from anguish; and tested and steeled you (in other ways). Afterwards you sojourned for several years with the people of Midian; then you came up to the measure,

Ahmed Raza Khan

“When your sister went, then said, ‘Shall I show you the people who may nurse him?’ And We brought you back to your mother in order to soothe her eyes and that she may not grieve; and you killed a man, so We freed you from sorrow, and tested you to the maximum; you therefore stayed for several years among the people of Madyan; then you came (here) at an appointed time, O Moosa.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When your sister walked up [to Pharaoh’s palace] saying, “Shall I show you someone who will take care of him?” Then We restored you to your mother, that she might not grieve and be comforted. Then you slew a soul, whereupon We delivered you from anguish, and We tried you with various ordeals. Then you stayed for several years among the people of Midian. Then you turned up as ordained, O Moses!

Ali Ünal

"When your sister (on your mother’s instruction, knowing the Pharaoh’s household had taken you in) went and said: ‘Shall I guide you to one who will nurse him?’ Thus ( – and it is We Who made none other capable of nursing you – ) We returned you to your mother, so that she might rejoice and forget her grief. And (much later on) you killed a man (not intending it), so We saved you from the (ensuing) trouble, and We tested you with trial (of different kinds and degrees only to perfect you). You stayed for years among the people of Midian, and then you attained to the (quality of mind and spirit) expected of and decreed for you, O Moses.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`(We bestowed another favour on you) when your sister walked along (the bank by the floating chest) and said (to those who picked up the chest from the bank of the river), "Shall I guide you to one (- a nurse) who will take charge of him?" In this way We restored you to your mother that she might be consoled and should not grieve. And (it came to pass that) you killed a person, but We delivered you from anguish. Then We purified you with various trials and you stayed for a number of years among the people of Midian. It was only then when you were properly groomed and came up to the standard (set by Us).

English Literal

And when your sister walks, so she says: Do I guide/lead you on (to) who maintains him ?" So We returned you to your mother, in order that her eye/sight delight/satisfy , and nor she be saddened/grieved, and you killed a self so We saved/rescued you from the grief/sadness/depression, and We tested you , testfully , so you stayed/remained years in Madya`s people , then you came on a predestiny you Moses."

Faridul Haque

"When your sister went, then said, ‘Shall I show you the people who may nurse him?’ And We brought you back to your mother in order to soothe her eyes and that she may not grieve; and you killed a man, so We freed you from sorrow, and tested you to the maximum; you therefore stayed for several years among the people of Madyan; then you came (here) at an appointed time, O Moosa."

Hamid S. Aziz

"´Put him into the ark, and put it into the river. The river shall cast him on the shore, and an enemy of Mine and of his shall take him.´ And on you have I cast love from Me, that you may be trained according to My will.

Hilali & Khan

"When your sister went and said: 'Shall I show you one who will nurse him?' So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial. Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan (Midian). Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa (Moses)!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Put him into a chest, then cast it into the river, the river will cast it upon the shore -- there an enemy to Me and an enemy to him shall take him up. And I shed on thee love from Me; and that thou mayest be brought up before My eyes.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When your sister went and said: Shall I direct you to one who will take charge of him? So We brought you back to your mother, that her eye might be cooled and she should not grieve and you killed a man, then We delivered you from the grief, and We tried you with (a severe) trying. Then you stayed for years among the people of Madyan; then you came hither as ordained, O Musa.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When thy sister went and said: Shall I show you one who will nurse him? and we restored thee to thy mother that her eyes might be refreshed and might not sorrow. And thou didst kill a man and We delivered thee from great distress, and tried thee with a heavy trial. And thou didst tarry years among the folk of Midian. Then camest thou (hither) by (My) providence, O Moses,

Muhammad Sarwar

Your sister went to them and said, "May I show you someone who will nurse this child?" We returned you to your mother to make her rejoice and forget her grief. You slew a man and We saved you from trouble. We tried you through various trials. Then you stayed some years with the people of Midian (Shu'ayb and his family) and after that you came back to Egypt as was ordained.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Your sister went (to them) and said: 'Shall I guide you to one who will nurse him' And so We restored you to your mother, so that her eyes might rejoice and that she might not sorrow. And when you killed a soul We saved you from grief and then We tried you with many trials. You stayed among the people of Midian for a number of years, and then, Moses, you came here according to a decree.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"When your sister went and said: `Shall I show you one who will nurse him' So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial." Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan. Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa!

Wahiduddin Khan

Recall when your sister walked along and said, "Shall I guide you to one who will take care of him?" Thus We returned you to your mother, so that her eyes might be cooled and that she might not grieve. And you killed a man and We delivered you from sorrow. We tested you with various trials. You stayed for a number of years among the people of Midian, then you came upto the standard, Moses.

Talal Itani

When your sister walked along, and said, ‘Shall I tell you about someone who will take care of him?' So We returned you to your mother, that she may be comforted, and not sorrow. And you killed a person, but We saved you from stress; and We tested you thoroughly. And you stayed years among the people of Median. Then you came back, as ordained, O Moses.

Tafsir jalalayn

When (idh, for explanation) your sister, Maryam, walked up, to obtain news of you, for they had brought wet nurses [for you] but you would not take to the breast of any of them, and she then said, "Shall I show you someone who will take care of him?". Her offer was accepted and so she brought [them] his mother and he took to her breasts. Thus We restored you to your mother that her eyes might rejoice, in seeing you again, and not grieve, at that point [anymore]. Then you slew a soul, namely, the Copt in Egypt -- and you became distressed for having slain him because of [how] Pharaoh [would react]; whereupon We delivered you from [great] distress, and We tried you with various ordeals, We tested you by landing you in some other [ordeal] and [again] delivered you from it. Then you stayed for several years, ten [years], among the people of Midian, after you had reached it having left Egypt, [staying] with the prophet Shu`ayb and marrying his daughter. Then you came [hither] as ordained, in My knowledge, with the Message [that you will deliver] -- and this was when you were forty years old, O Moses!

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Concerning Allah's statement,

إِذْ تَمْشِي أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى مَن يَكْفُلُهُ فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا

When your sister went and said;`Shall I show you one who will nurse him!' So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes.

When he was accepted into the house of Fir`awn, women were brought in attempts to find someone who might be able to nurse him. But he refused to breast feed from any of them.

Allah, the Exalted, says,

وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبْلُ

And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him. (28;12)

Then, his sister came and said,

هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَـصِحُونَ

Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and look after him in a good manner. (28;12)

She meant, "Shall I guide you to someone who can nurse him for you for a fee."

So she took him and they went with her to his real mother. When her breast was presented to him, he took it and they (Fir`awn's family) were extremely happy for this. Thus, they hired her to nurse him and she achieved great happiness and comfort because of him, in this life and even more so in the Hereafter.

Allah, the Exalted, says here,

فَرَجَعْنَاكَ إِلَى أُمِّكَ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا

وَلَا تَحْزَنَ

So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve.

This means that she should not grieve over you.

وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا

Then you killed man,

This means that he killed a Coptic person (the people of Egypt, Fir`awn's people).

فَنَجَّيْنَاكَ مِنَ الْغَمِّ

but We saved you from great distress,

This is what he was feeling due to Fir`awn's family intending to kill him. So he fled from them until he came to the water of the people of Madyan.

This is when the righteous man said to him,

لَا تَخَفْ نَجَوْتَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ

Fear you not. You have escaped from the people who are wrongdoers. (28;25)
Choosing Musa to go to Fir`awn and to be Soft and Gentle in His Invitation

Then Allah says,

وَفَتَنَّاكَ فُتُونًا فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِي أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِيْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى


Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan. Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa!

Allah, the Exalted, says in His address to Musa that he had lived among the people of Madyan, avoiding Fir`awn and his chiefs. He worked as a shepherd for his father-in-law until the appointed time for his work ended. Then he met the decree of Allah and His predetermined will, without him having any set appointment. This entire situation was under the control of Allah, Blessed be He, the Most High. He compels His servants and His creatures to whatever end He wills.

This is why Allah says,
ثُمَّ جِيْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى
(Then You came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa!),

Mujahid said,

"For a set appointment."

Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Ma`mar reported from Qatadah that he said,
ثُمَّ جِيْتَ عَلَى قَدَرٍ يَا مُوسَى
(Then You came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), O Musa!),

"For the decree of Messengership and Prophethood.