Aban b. Uthman narrated from Abu al-Husayn, from Abu Basir, from Abu Ja'far عليه السلام that he said: Musa did not emerge until fifty liars from among Banu Isra'il had come forth before him, each claiming that he was Musa b. Imran. News reached Fir'awn that people were stirring about him and searching for this child. His priests and magicians said to him, "The destruction of your religion and people will be at the hands of a boy born this year from among Banu Isra'il." So he placed midwives over the women and said, "No child born this year shall live unless he is slaughtered." A midwife was appointed to the mother of Musa.
When Banu Isra'il saw this, they said, "If the boys are slaughtered and the girls spared, we will perish. Let us then not approach our women." But Imran, the father of Musa عليه السلام, said, "Rather, approach them, for the command of Allah will come to pass even if the polytheists dislike it. O Allah, whoever refrains, I will not refrain; whoever abandons, I will not abandon." So he was intimate with the mother of Musa and she conceived. A midwife was placed over her to guard her; when she stood, the midwife stood, and when she sat, she sat. When she became pregnant, love was cast into her heart for him—just as Allah does with His proofs over His creation.
The midwife said to her, "What is wrong with you, O girl? You look pale and are wasting away." She replied, "Do not blame me—for if I give birth, my child will be taken and slaughtered." The midwife said, "Do not shame me—I will keep your secret." But she did not believe her. When she gave birth, the midwife looked at the child and said, "What Allah wills!" The mother said, "Did I not tell you that you would keep my secret?" She then took him and placed him in a chamber and tended to him. She then went out to the guards and said, "Go away"—and they were at the door—"it was only menstrual blood." So they left.
She nursed him, but when she feared for him from the noise, Allah revealed to her, "Make a chest, place him in it, and take him out at night, and cast him into the Nile of Egypt." So she placed him in the chest and cast it into the river. It would return to her, and she would push it again into the water. The wind struck it and carried it off. When she saw that the water had taken him, she nearly cried out, but Allah steadied her heart.
Commentary #1
When Banu Isra'il saw this, they said, "If the boys are slaughtered and the girls spared, we will perish. Let us then not approach our women." But Imran, the father of Musa عليه السلام, said, "Rather, approach them, for the command of Allah will come to pass even if the polytheists dislike it. O Allah, whoever refrains, I will not refrain; whoever abandons, I will not abandon." So he was intimate with the mother of Musa and she conceived. A midwife was placed over her to guard her; when she stood, the midwife stood, and when she sat, she sat. When she became pregnant, love was cast into her heart for him—just as Allah does with His proofs over His creation.
The midwife said to her, "What is wrong with you, O girl? You look pale and are wasting away." She replied, "Do not blame me—for if I give birth, my child will be taken and slaughtered." The midwife said, "Do not shame me—I will keep your secret." But she did not believe her. When she gave birth, the midwife looked at the child and said, "What Allah wills!" The mother said, "Did I not tell you that you would keep my secret?" She then took him and placed him in a chamber and tended to him. She then went out to the guards and said, "Go away"—and they were at the door—"it was only menstrual blood." So they left.
She nursed him, but when she feared for him from the noise, Allah revealed to her, "Make a chest, place him in it, and take him out at night, and cast him into the Nile of Egypt." So she placed him in the chest and cast it into the river. It would return to her, and she would push it again into the water. The wind struck it and carried it off. When she saw that the water had taken him, she nearly cried out, but Allah steadied her heart.