A00037 - In Praise of Bithiah

 

As is my tradition during this time of year, over the weekend I watched The Ten Commandments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ten_Commandments_(1956_film)

The Ten Commandments is one of the greatest movies ever made and it made a great impression upon me when I watched it in my youth...and, indeed, throughout my life. However, when watching a movie over time one's perspective begins to change and with regards to The Ten Commandments, my perspective most certainly has changed. 

Candidly, I am older now and I find that my viewing of the movie is revised by a certain acquisition of different perspectives.  I cannot go into depth here about all the different perspectives.  However, one different perspective that intrigues me today is the fate of the mothers of Moses.  In the film we are told that the Hebrew mother died before Moses begins his exile in the desert.  As for his Egyptian adoptive mother, she survives and lives long enough to be able to join Moses at Passover and on the Exodus. 

The name given for the Egyptian adoptive mother of Moses is Bithiah and for most of my life she was relegated to a minor role in history.  However, in recent years, I have become more aware of the importance of Bithiah and the role she played in shaping the child who would become Moses.  I also became aware of the fact that contrary to Judaism or Christianity, Bithiah, or as Muslims call her, Asiya, is a central figure of faith.

In this special month when we celebrate Passover, Easter and Ramadan, I suggest that  it might be good to contemplate Asiya; to reconsider her contribution to all three Abrahamic traditions; and to reflect on why, for two of the traditions, she appears to have been overlooked.

Peace,

Everett Jenkins

Fairfield, California

April 11, 2022

P.S.  I got some groceries yesterday and at the check out stand, I saw a Special Edition of Life that profiled 25 women for its Women of the Bible edition..  Oddly, Bithiah was not one of the 25.  Hmmm.

P.P.S. The following is the Wikipedia listing for Asiya.  Whether one follows the Judeo-Christian version or the Muslim version, the adoptive mother of Moses was surely one of the most special women to have ever walked on this earth.

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, identified as Bithiah in the Jewish tradition.^[2] 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.^[3][4]

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.^[5]

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^[6]

Asiya offered Moses's mother to live in their household as his wet nurse and paid her for her services, unaware of their relationship.^[7][8]

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.^[9]

Asiya is one of the four most respected women of all time, and is highly honored by Muslims.^[10] 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:^[8][11][12] Her supplication is mentioned in the Quran.

And Allah citeth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with thee in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from evil-doing folk."

— Quran: Sura At-Tahrim, verse 11^[13]

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

There are many persons amongst men who are quite perfect but there are none perfect amongst women except Mary, daughter of Imran, Asiya wife of Pharaoh, and the excellence of 'A'isha as compared to women is that of Tharid over all other foods.

— Sahih Muslim Hadith 2431^[3]