Pharaoh's wife was Asiya bint Muzahim, the daughter of
the king of Egypt during the time of Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him). It is
said that she was from the Children of Israel, from the tribe of Prophet Moses,
and that she was the aunt of Prophet Moses (peace and blessings be upon him and
our Prophet). (This was narrated by As-Suhayli). All of this is speculation,
but God alone knows who she truly was.
The commentators mention that Pharaoh's maids found
Prophet Moses (peace and blessings be upon him and our Prophet) in a sealed basket
from the river. They then brought him and placed him before Pharaoh's wife,
Asiya bint Muzahim. When she opened the basket and her eyes fell upon Prophet
Moses, she loved him intensely. When Pharaoh arrived, he asked, "What is
this?" and ordered him to be slaughtered. So she asked him for a gift and
defended him: “And the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "A comfort of the
eye for me and for you. Kill him not; perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we
may adopt him as a son." And they perceive not (the result of that).”
(Surat Al-Qasas 28:9). Her statement, “Perhaps he will benefit us,” in
verse 9 of Surah Al-Qasas, indicates that God granted her the benefit she hoped
for. In this world, He guided her through him, and in the Hereafter, He granted
her Paradise because of him. “Or we will adopt him as a son” refers to their
adoption of him, as they had no children of their own. God said, “And they do
not perceive,” meaning they do not know what God intends for them when He has
appointed them to rescue him from the great punishment of Pharaoh and his
soldiers. (Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya by Ibn Kathir)
The Quran mentions Pharaoh's wife as an example for
believing women, in the words of God Almighty: "And Allah has set forth an
example for those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said:
"My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from
Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun
(polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers in Allah)." (Surat At-Tahrim,
11)
Because of the virtue of Asiya, Pharaoh's wife, and her
high status and elevated position in this world and the Hereafter, the
Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) considered her among the
perfect women, among the best women of the world, and the most excellent women
of Paradise. Ibn Abbas narrated, "The Messenger of God drew four lines on
the ground and said, 'Do you know what this is?' They said, "Allah and His
Messenger know best." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon
him) said, "The best women of Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid,
Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint Imran, and Asiyah bint Muzahim, the wife of
Pharaoh." (Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas; Source: Ithaf al-Khayrah
al-Mahrah). It is also narrated in the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim), on the authority
of Shu'bah, on the authority of Amr ibn Murrah, on the authority of Murrah
al-Hamdani, on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, that the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said, "Many men reached perfection, but among
women, only Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, Maryam bint Imran, and Khadijah bint
Khuwaylid reached perfection. And the superiority of Aishah over other women is
like the superiority of Tharid (a type of bread soup) over other foods."
(Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari; Source: Sahih al-Bukhari). Perfection here
refers to reaching the highest possible level in piety, virtues, morals, and
praiseworthy qualities, such as truth, justice, righteousness, honesty, and
good manners.
Asiyah bint Muzahim lived in the grandest palaces of that
time—the palaces of Pharaoh, beneath which rivers flowed. She possessed vast
treasures of gold and silver, fine horses, abundant crops, and livestock. She
commanded and was obeyed, served by maids and slaves. Yet, all this worldly
power and its luxuries held little appeal for her. She rejected Pharaoh and his
claim to divinity, and he tortured her, but she endured it until death. A
single word could have saved her from a gruesome execution and restored her to
bliss. What did Asiya bint Muzahim choose? She chose God's pleasure and
closeness: "My Lord, build for me a house in Paradise." She chose her
Lord, saying, "My Lord, build for me a house in Paradise." And God
fulfilled her hope and expectation after she patiently endured hardship and
sacrifice. Ibn Jarir al-Tabari recounted Pharaoh's torture of her, saying,
"Pharaoh's wife was tortured in the sun, and when he left her, angels
shaded her with their wings. She could see her house in Paradise, and Pharaoh's
wife would ask, 'Who has prevailed?'" It is said: Moses and Aaron have
prevailed. She replied, "I believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron."
Pharaoh then sent for her and said, "Find the largest rock you can
find." If she persists in her statement, throw it upon her. If she
recants, she will be my wife. When they came to her, she raised her eyes to the
sky and saw her house in Paradise. She persisted in her statement, and her soul
was taken, and the rock was thrown upon her lifeless body. Asiya bint Muzahim
appeared in the life of Moses, peace be upon him, with a significant role—and
what a role it was! It was the role of a mother, a nurturer, a guardian, and
then a believer in the message, disavowing Pharaoh and his actions, and calling
upon God Almighty to make her richer than her palace in this world with a house
in Paradise. (The Educational Role of Women in the Story of Moses )
Faith is not merely a word spoken but a reality with its
own demands, a trust with its own burdens, and a struggle that requires
patience and endurance. People cannot simply say, "We believe," and
then not allow their faith to be tested by this call until they are exposed to
trials and tribulations, thus remaining steadfast in their religion and faith,
emerging from these trials with their essence purified and their hearts cleansed,
just as fire refines gold, separating it from the base elements clinging to it.
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