When Yūḥanadh feared Firʿawn would learn of Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم, she placed him in a specially made chest and set him afloat upon the River Nile, under the cover of night.^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! Do you know what blessed personality this chest found its way to? And do you know who the honourable individual was who gave Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم his name, and what this name means?

Let’s all find out together.

Who gave Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم his name?

Imam ʿAlāˈ al-Dīn ʿAlī b. Muhammad Khāzin رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes, “When Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was found, Āsiya رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْہا was asked to name him. She said, "I have named him Mūsā".”^[2]

Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was found between water and trees. In Coptic languages, mū means water, and sā means tree. Thus, this is how his name was kept.^[3]

Who was Lady Āsiya رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْہا?

Lady Āsiya رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْہا was the wife of Firʿawn. When she witnessed Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم defeat a group of magicians, the light of faith immediately illuminated her heart and she accepted Islam.

Hearing this, the tyrant Firʿawn inflicted abhorrent injustices upon her. After severe physical torture, four iron nails were driven into her hands and feet and made so they could not be removed. She left unable to move under the scorching Sun, with a heavy stone placed on her chest.