A01171 - Asiya

 Asiya bint Muzahim (Arabic: آسِيَة بِنْت مُزَاحِم) was, according to the Qur'an and Islamic tradition, the wife of the Pharaoh of the Exodus and adoptive mother of Moses. She is revered by Muslims as one of the four greatest women of all time, and according to a prophetic narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, the second ever.^[2][3]

She is believed to have secretly accepted monotheism after witnessing the miracle of Moses. The tradition holds that Asiya worshipped God in secret and prayed in disguise fearing her husband. She adopted Moses and convinced her husband not to kill him. She died while being tortured by her husband, who had discovered her monotheism and retaliated to her rebellion against his tyranny.^[4]

Asiya's marriage to the Pharaoh was arranged. Unlike her husband, she was humble and accepted the faith that Moses and Aaron were preaching. Although she had exceeding wealth, she was not arrogant like the Pharaoh. She realized that faith was far more important and was thus exalted by God amongst the women of her generation.

Asiya and her maids found a crate floating in the Nile river. Asiya ordered that the crate be brought out on shore. The maids thought there was a treasure in the crate, but instead found a baby boy, Moses. Asiya instantly felt motherly love towards him. She told the Pharaoh about the baby. The incident has been described in the Quran.

And Pharaoh's wife said: A refreshment of the eye to me and to thee – slay him not; maybe he will be useful to us, or we may take him for a son. And they perceived not.

— Quran: Sura Al-Qasas, verse 9^[5]

Asiya offered Moses's mother to live in their household as his wet nurse and paid her for her services, unaware of their relationship.^[6][7]

When she witnessed the death of a believing woman under her husband's torture, Asiya declared her faith before the Pharaoh. He tried to turn her away from the faith, but Asiya refused to reject the God and the teaching of Moses. On the Pharaoh's order, she was tortured to death.^[8]

Asiya is one of the four most respected women of all time, and is highly honored by Muslims.^[9] It is said that Asiya was a sincere believer and that she fully submitted herself to Allah, despite being the wife of Pharaoh. According to Hadith, she will be among the first women to enter Paradise because she accepted Moses's monotheism over Pharaoh's beliefs. The Qur'an mentions Asiya as an example to all Muslims:^[7][10][11]

And God sets forth, as an example to those who believe the wife of Pharaoh: Behold she said: 'O my Lord! Build for me, in nearness to Thee, a house in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from those that do wrong'

— Qur'an, chapter 66 (At-Tahrim), verse 11^[12]

Abu Musa Ashaari narrated that once the Islamic prophet, Muhammad stated:

Many men reached perfection but none among the women reached perfection except Mary, the daughter of Imran; and Asiya, Pharaoh's wife.

— Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.329^[2]