Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh

 

I am finding it difficult to find some information on Pharoh's wife Asiyah. Can you give me some information on her. Was her submission to Allah kept a secret from Pharoh?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

We do not have a lot of information about the righteous woman
Aasiyah bint Mazaahim, the wife of Pharaoh. All the details that have been
narrated about her are from the Israa’eeliyyaat (stories from Jewish
sources) and are not proven in any saheeh text as far as we know. 

But it seems – and Allaah knows best – that she was one of
those who concealed their faith from Pharaoh, then her secret was found out.
There follow some of the things that have been narrated about her, with some
commentary: 

1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And Allaah has set forth
an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir’awn (Pharaoh), when she
said: ‘My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from
Fir’awn (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are
Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers and disbelievers in Allaah)’”

[al-Tahreem 66:11] 

2 – It was narrated that Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The men who attain perfection are many, but there are no woman who have
attained perfection apart from Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh and Maryam bint
‘Imraan, and the superiority of ‘Aa’ishah over all other women is like the
superiority of thareed over all other foods.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3230; Muslim, 2431) 

3 – It was narrated that
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) drew four lines on the ground, then he said, “Do you
know what this is?” We said, “Allaah and His Messenger know best.” The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The best of the women of Paradise are Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, Faatimah
bint Muhammad, Aasiyah bint Mazaahim the wife of Pharaoh, and Maryam bint
‘Imraan – may Allaah be pleased with them.”

(Narrated by Ahmad, 2663. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1135)

 4 – It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Sufficient for you among the
women of the world are Maryam the daughter of ‘Imraan. Khadeejah bint
Khuwaylid, Faatimah bint Muhammad and Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh.”

(Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi, 3878)

 5 – al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said:

 Among the virtues of Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh is that she
chose death over royal privilege and torment in this world over the luxury
in which she was living. And her insight concerning Moosa (peace be upon
him) was correct when she said “A comfort of the
eye for me” [al-Qasas 28:9 – interpretation of the meaning].

 Fath al-Baari,
6/448

 And Allaah knows best.