Surah Al Qasas Tafseer

قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ

He said:"I intend to wed one of these two daughters of mine to you,

means, this old man asked him to take care of his flocks, then he would marry one of his two daughters to him.

عَلَى أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ

on condition that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten years, it will be (a favor) from you.

meaning, `on the condition that you tend my flocks for eight years, and if you want to give me two extra years, that is up to you, but if you do not want to, then eight years is enough.'

وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاء اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

But I intend not to place you under a difficulty. If Allah wills, you will find me one of the righteous.

means, `I do not want to put pressure on you or cause you any inconvenience or argue with you.'

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ali bin Rabah Al-Lakhmi said,

"I heard Utbah bin An-Nadar As-Sulami, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah narrating that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِنَّ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَمُ اجَرَ نَفْسَهُ بِعِفَّةِ فَرْجِهِ وَطُعْمَةِ بَطْنِه

Musa, peace be upon him, hired himself out for the purpose of keeping chaste and to feed himself.

And Allah tells us about Musa, peace be upon him:

قَالَ ذَلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ أَيَّمَا الاْاَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ