Prophet Mūsā: Part 1 — His Birth, the Palace and the Flight to Madyan
Section 18 of 30 · Lives of the Prophets
The Sister on the Riverbank
But she told the sister of Mūsā, her daughter: go and find out what has happened to Mūsā. When the mother put her baby in the river, and the wooden casket was moving along the Nile, the sister of Mūsā was following it along the shore. The casket was moving in the river and this girl was running along the bank, so she knew where it had finally stopped: she knew it was at the palace of Firʿawn.
And Allah (swt) did not allow Mūsā to take milk from any wet nurse. They brought women to feed him, and he would refuse. Allah (swt) did not allow Mūsā to drink from anyone, because Allah (swt) had a plan. So now Mūsā was in the hands of the queen, refusing to suckle any milk; he would not breastfeed. And then the sister of Mūsā arrived and said: I can provide you with someone who will breastfeed this child — speaking about the mother of Mūsā.
وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِۦ قُصِّيهِ ۖ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِۦ عَن جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ۞ وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُۥ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُۥ نَـٰصِحُونَ
“She said to his sister, “Keep track of him.” So she watched him from a distance, while they were not aware. And We had already barred him (Mūsā) from (accepting) any suckling women, so she (his sister) said (to Pharaoh’s people), “Shall I point out to you a family who will nurse him for you, and they will be his well-wishers?”” (28:11–12)
Allah (swt) says: and she said to his sister, follow him. So his sister watched him from a distance, secretly, while they did not perceive it. And We had already forbidden other foster mothers for him, until she said: shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and look after him sincerely and well? So they said: all right, we will try.