We have already covered three women in the life of Musa AS viz. His mother, sister and Asiyah. Today we will look at the fourth, and that is his wife.

We know about the incident between the man from Bani Israel and the Coptic and how Musa AS had helped the man and how he had to end up fleeing from home. Musa AS travelled for many weeks, and at last he arrived at a place called Madyan. The place was strange and foreign to his eyes. He noticed a watering place and rested near it feeling like a fugitive, strange, and dejected. While he was resting he could see two women waiting at a distance. Their sheep were nearby but not at the watering place, it looked as if they needed help.

He saw how the men were bullying them, not letting them in, to water their sheep, and the women were just standing there and waiting. Being a righteous man, kind at heart, and always wanting to help, Musa AS approached the women and asked if they needed help. The two women were bashful and didn’t want to impose, but they accepted the offer, explaining that they were tending their sheep until others finished watering theirs. Musa AS helped them with their task.

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِى حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ
When he arrived at the well of Madyan, he saw a multitude of men watering their flocks, and besides them two women who were keeping their flocks back. He asked: “What is the problem?” They replied: “We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds take away their flocks from the water, because we are weak and our father is a very old man.” [Al-Qaṣaṣ, 28: 23].
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا
So he watered their flocks for them… [Al Qasas 28: 24]
Musa AS felt happy, and the women were thankful. They took the sheep home and Musa AS went back to his resting spot under a tree. He was a lonely stranger, had no job and was far from home.

He was accustomed to opulent living and affluence in the palace of Pharaoh. He remembered pomp, wealth, power, and ease. But all of a sudden he is now an ordinary man like anyone else. He could have, but he didn’t, ask them for anything in return — no coffee, no “lets grab a sandwich” and no favours.

He just turned to the One who has power over all affairs and beseeched for His help; he made a sincere duʿâ’ saying:
رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
“O Rabb! Surely I am in desperate need of whatever good that You may send down to me.” [Al Qaṣaṣ 28: 24]

What a beautiful dua to make for all of us who are looking for a good partner or for bliss in our married lives. This one dua to Allah gave Musa AS a job, a house, and a family, all at once. When you have nothing left except Allah, then you find that He is always enough for you. It’s like a cheat code in real life, except that it’s not cheating.

In sha Allah on Wednesday we will continue with the final part of this story and the lessons which we can derive.