التفسير المحرر

The man said, “Did I not tell you that you will never be able to have patience with me?”

Al-Khidr said to Moses, "Did I not tell you before you accompanied me that you would not be able to have patience in following me because of what you would see of my actions, whose outward appearance is reprehensible, and that you would inevitably question me about my actions because you lack full knowledge of them?!"

Moses said, “If I ask you about anything after this, do not keep me in your company, for then you would be excused concerning me.”

Moses said to Al-Khidr, "If I ever question you about anything after this, then part from me and leave my company, for by then you would have had enough excuse for parting from me and leaving my companionship; that is because of my objecting twice and your tolerance of me in them."

Then they went on until they came to the people of a town[37]. They asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. They found there a wall that was about to collapse, but he repaired it. Moses said, “If you wished, you could have taken some payment for it.”

So Moses and Al-Khidr set out walking until they reached a village. They asked its people to feed them, but they refused to host or feed them out of their meanness! Then they found in that village a leaning wall, about to fall and collapse. So Al-Khidr repaired it, mended its tilt, and it became straight. Moses said, "If you had wished, you would not have repaired the wall of the people of this mean village without receiving a payment for it, and you would not have set it up for them for free."

The man said, “This is the parting of ways between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that which you could not bear with patience.

Al-Khidr said to Moses, "Your questioning me and your objection to my action for the third time is the cause of the parting between me and you; you will no longer accompany me. Before I leave you, I will inform you of the interpretation of my actions that you condemned and of which you could not bear patiently until I told you their reality."

“As for the ship, it belonged to some poor people who worked at sea. I wanted to make it defective because there was a king ahead of them who seized every [good] ship by force.

Al-Khidr said to Moses, "As for the ship that I made a hole in, it belonged to poor people who sought their livelihood in the sea. I wanted to damage the ship to make it defective, as there was ahead of them a tyrannical king who seized every sound ship by force."

“As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them with his rebellion and disbelief[38].

And as for the boy whom I killed, his father and mother were believers in Allah, but the boy was a disbeliever. So we feared that if the boy remained alive, he would overburden his parents with rebellion and pressure them into disbelief in Allah.

So we hoped that their Lord would give them another in his place, more righteous and tender-hearted.

Al-Khidr said, "So we intended, by killing the disbelieving boy, that Allah would replace him for his believing parents with a righteous child, better than the first in faith, righteousness, and purity from sins, and more merciful and dutiful to his parents than him."

As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was a treasure under it that belonged to them. Their father was a righteous man, so your Lord willed that they should reach their maturity and retrieve their treasure[39], as a mercy from your Lord; I did not do it of my own accord. This is the interpretation of that which you could not bear with patience.”

And as for the wall, which I repaired, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city whose people had refused to offer us hospitality. Their condition called for mercy and compassion, and under the wall was a great treasure buried for the two orphans. Had the wall fallen, their treasure would have been exposed to loss. And their father had been a righteous man, so it was fitting to have regard for him and to care for his offspring. So your Lord willed, O Moses, that the two orphans should reach their age of maturity and full strength and then retrieve their buried treasure from beneath the wall. This, O Moses, I did only as a mercy from your Lord. And I did not do all those things you saw me do of my own opinion or on my accord; rather, I did them by the command of Allah. That which I have explained to you, O Moses, is the interpretation of my actions, which you condemned and could not patiently refrain from questioning.

They ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn[40]. Say, “I will tell you something about him.”

The disbelievers ask you, O Muhammad, about Dhul-Qarnayn and his story. Say to those who ask you about him, 'I will narrate to you a part of his story, which contains a reminder, a lesson, and an admonition.

We established him on earth and gave him the means to achieve everything[41].

We surely established the kingdom of Dhul-Qarnayn in the land, empowering him for this and strengthening him with a multitude of soldiers, instruments of war, sound judgment, and imposing authority, among other things. And We gave him the means to everything he required—whether knowledge, power, or resources—so that he could achieve his objectives of conquering regions, defeating enemies, being established in the land, and other things.

He pursued a course[42],

So Dhul-Qarnayn traveled along a path, using means and methods to reach his objective.

until when he reached the far west, he found the sun setting in a dark body of water, and he found some people nearby. We said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, either punish them or treat them with kindness.”

Dhul-Qarnayn traveled until he reached the furthest traversable point of land in the western part of the earth, and he found the sun setting—as per his sight—in a sea of black, foul-smelling mud, so he saw it as if it were setting in that sea. And he found near that spring on the seashore a nation from among the nations. We said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish those of them who persist in disbelief, or you treat them with kindness."

He said, “As for one who does wrong[43], we will punish him, then he will be brought back to his Lord, and He will punish him grievously.

Dhul-Qarnayn said, "As for one who wrongs himself by persisting in disbelief after being called to the truth, we will punish him. Then, after we punish him in this world, the disbeliever will return to his Lord, Who will punish him with a severe and horrible punishment."

But he who believes and does righteous deeds, he will have the best reward[44], and we will enjoin upon him to do what is easy.”

But as for him who believes after his disbelief and acts in sincere obedience to Allah, sincerely to Him alone with no partner, he shall have Paradise in the Hereafter as a reward for his faith and his righteous deeds. And we shall speak to him with mild and gentle words in this world, teach him what is easy of goodness, treat him with ease, and be gracious unto him.

Then he pursued another course,

Then Dhul-Qarnayn travelled a different course, using the means and resources, to reach the direction of the east.

until when he reached the far east, he found the sun rising on a people for whom We provided no shelter from it[45].

Dhul-Qarnayn journeyed until he reached the easternmost point on Earth, where the sun rises. He found the sun rising upon a people who had nothing to shelter them from it: no mountain, tree, or building.

So it was, and We had full knowledge about him[46].

Such was the affair of Dhul-Qarnayn, as We have described it to you. And We knew what Dhul-Qarnayn possessed of soldiers, wealth, equipment, and the means of kingship and power, so nothing of that was hidden from Us.

Then he pursued another course,

Then Dhul-Qarnayn pursued a third course, taking the means and ways to reach the destination he intended.

until when he reached [a valley] between the two mountains, he found beyond them a people who could barely understand a word[47].

Dhul-Qarnayn traveled until he reached a place between two mountains. He found beyond the two mountains a people who could hardly understand any word in any other language than their own.

They said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are spreading corruption in the land. Can we give you some payment in return for you to construct a barrier between us and them?”

They said, “O Dhul-Qarnain! Indeed, Gog and Magog come forth from between the two mountains and spread corruption in our land through killing, plundering, destruction, and other such forms of mischief. Shall we then pay you a wage from our wealth, provided that you build a barrier between us and them so that they cannot reach us?”

He said, “What my Lord has given me is better. But help me with manpower, I will construct a barricade between you and them.

Dhul-Qarnayn said, "What my Lord has bestowed upon me of dominion, knowledge, strength, power, and wealth is better than the wealth you offer me. So assist me with strong men who are skilled in their work and with tools for building; I will make between you and Gog and Magog a formidable and strong barrier."

Bring me iron blocks” – until when he leveled between the two mountainsides, he said, “Blow [with bellows],” until when he fired them up to extreme heat, he said, “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.”

Dhul-Qarnayn said: "Bring and hand me the huge pieces of iron." So when they brought him the large pieces of iron, Dhul-Qarnayn covered the gap between the two mountains with them until he leveled that structure with their peaks. He said to the workers: "Blow the fire with the instruments upon the pieces of iron." So they blew until Dhul-Qarnayn made the iron like fire, and then he said: "Give me molten copper to pour over the heated iron."

Thus they could not climb over it nor could they pierce it[48].

So they did that, and it mixed and stuck together, becoming a solid, impenetrable barrier. It was fortified with immense strength, so Gog and Magog were unable to climb over that barrier due to its height and smoothness, for it was level with the mountain, and the mountain was high and insurmountable. Nor were they able to pierce that barrier from its base so that it would let them pass through to the other side due to its strong construction, its solidity, and its strength.

He said, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass[49], He will raze it to the ground. The promise of my Lord is ever true.”

Dhul-Qarnayn said: "This barrier, which Allah enabled me to make as a partition between Gog and Magog and their causing corruption in the land, is a mercy from my Lord to the people. So when the promise of my Lord comes, which He has appointed for the emergence of Gog and Magog from behind this barrier, Allah will make this barrier demolished and level with the ground. And the promise of Allah to His servants of their emergence at the end of time is inevitable, and everything that Allah has promised must surely come to pass."

On that Day[50] We will let some of them surge like waves over others, and the Trumpet will be blown, then We will gather them all together.

And We will leave Gog and Magog on the day the promise of Allah comes with the leveling of the barrier; they will emerge, surging and mingling with the people, and they will spread among them to cause corruption in the land. And the Trumpet will be blown for the souls to return to their bodies, and behold, they will be standing for the Lord of the worlds. Then We will gather all of creation to the place of Resurrection, for their reckoning and to be recompensed for their deeds.

On that Day We will show Hell to the disbelievers clearly[51],

And on the Day of Resurrection, We will bring forth Hell and display it to the disbelievers, so that they may see it with their own eyes before entering it.

those whose eyes were blind to My signs[52] and they were unable to hear [the truth][53].

We will bring forth Hell for the disbelievers, whose eyes were covered from looking at the verses of the Qur’an and pondering them, who were blind to accepting the truth and following it, and who could not stand listening to the word of Allah.

Do the disbelievers think that they can take My slaves as allies instead of Me? We have prepared Hell as a dwelling place for the disbelievers.

Do the disbelievers think that they can take My servants whom they worshipped instead of Me—such as the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary; the angels; the prophets; and other righteous ones—as protectors for them? We have surely prepared Hell as an accommodation for the disbelievers.

Say, “Shall we inform you of the greatest losers in terms of their deeds?

Say, O Muhammad, “Shall we inform you of the greatest losers among people, whose deeds are the most wasted and from which they derive no benefit?”

Those whose efforts in the life of this world are wasted, while they think that they are doing well[54].”

They are those whose deeds they performed in this world have become null and have vanished due to the corruption of their beliefs and their violation of their Lord's law, while they think they are doing good in their works and will benefit from their effects, not knowing that they are void.

It is those who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and their meeting with Him; their deeds will be nullified, and We will give no weight to them on the Day of Resurrection[55].

They are those who have rejected the proofs and evidence of their Lord and denied the Resurrection after death. So Allah has nullified the good deeds they performed, and they will not be rewarded for them in the Hereafter because they were not built upon a foundation of faith. So We shall assign no weight to their scales on the Day of Resurrection, for they have no good deeds.

That is their recompense: Hell, because of their disbelief and taking My verses and messengers in ridicule.

We have only recompensed those disbelievers with Hellfire because of their disbelief; their mockery and belittling of the proofs, the evidence, and the messengers of Allah; and their ridicule of them.

As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, they will have gardens of Paradise[56] as a dwelling place[57],

Indeed, those who believe in Allah and in what His messengers brought, and perform righteous deeds purely for Allah and in accordance with His law, will have the Gardens of Paradise as an abode to dwell in.

abiding therein forever, never desiring to leave.

Abiding forever in the Gardens of Paradise, they will desire no transfer therefrom to another place, nor will they choose anything else.

Say, “If the ocean were ink for [writing] the Words of my Lord, the ocean would surely run dry before the Words of my Lord[58] are finished, even if We brought its like to resupply it.”

Say, O Muhammad, "If the sea were ink for the pens that write the Words of my Lord, the water of the sea would be exhausted before the writing of the Words of my Lord was completed—due to the endlessness of His knowledge, glory and praise be to Him. And even if We were to supplement the sea with another like it time and again, the sea and all the seas added to it would run dry, yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted."

Say, “I am only a man like you; it has been revealed to me that your God is One God. So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate none in the worship of his Lord.”

Say—O Muhammad—to the polytheists who deny your message: "I am only a man like you from the children of Adam. I have no knowledge of the unseen except what my Lord has taught me. And it has been revealed to me to convey to you that your God, who deserves worship, is one with no partner. So whoever hopes for seeing Allah in the Hereafter and for His reward and fears His punishment—let him do righteous deeds in this world, sincerely for Allah and in accordance with His law. He should not worship anyone else along with Allah, nor should he show off in his worship of Allah to any of the creation; rather, he should make his worship purely for Allah alone, Who has no partner.

Maryam

Kāf Ha Ya ‘Ayyn Sād[1]

These disconnected letters demonstrate the miraculous (inimitable) nature of the Qur’an, showing mankind's inability to produce anything like it, even though it is composed of the very letters they speak with.

This is a reminder of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zachariah,

This, which we recite in these verses, is the story of the mercy of your Lord—O Muhammad—to His servant Zachariah (peace and blessings be upon him).

When he called upon his Lord in private.

When Zechariah called upon his Lord and made a private supplication to Him.

He said, “My Lord, my bones have grown feeble, and gray hair has spread across my head,[2] yet never have I been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord.

Zakariyya said, "My Lord! Indeed, my bones have grown feeble, my strength has weakened, and grey hair has spread across my head, and You have always been answering my prayer."

And I fear my kinsmen after me,[3] and my wife is barren; so grant me from Yourself an heir,

I feared that my relatives would neglect the religion after my death, and my wife is barren, so grant me a child who will uphold the religion after me.

who will inherit [prophethood] from me and from the house of Jacob, and make him, O Lord, well pleasing to You.”

He will inherit my knowledge and my prophethood, and he will inherit that from his forefathers, the family of Jacob, and make him, O Lord, pleasing to You and to Your servants.

[Allah said], “O Zachariah, We give you the glad tidings of a son, whose name will be John – a name that We have not given to anyone before.”

He was called, "O Zachariah, We give you good tidings that your prayer has been answered: you will be granted a son whose name will be John—a name We have not given to anyone before him."

He said, “My Lord, how can I have a son when my wife is barren, and I have reached an extremely old age?”

He said in wonder, "My Lord, how can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached an extreme old age?"

[The angel] said, “Thus it will be; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; I did create you before when you were nothing.’”

The angel said to Zachariah, "It is so as you mentioned, but your Lord said, 'This is easy for Me. Just as I created you before John when you were nothing, so am I able to create a son for you. So do not be amazed, for both are creations after non-existence.'"

Zachariah said, “My Lord, give me a sign.” He said, “Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights,[4] despite being sound.”

Zechariah said, "My Lord, grant me a sign by which I may know of my wife's pregnancy, so my heart may be reassured." He said, "Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three nights, despite being healthy and having no illness preventing you from speaking."

Thereupon he came out to his people from the sanctuary and signaled to them to glorify Allah morning and evening.

So Zachariah came out to the Children of Israel from his sanctuary, where he had been given the glad tidings, signaling to them to glorify Allah morning and evening.

[Allah said], “O John, hold the Scripture with all your strength.” And We gave him wisdom when he was still a child,

So John was born to Zachariah, and Allah said to him: “O John, take the Torah with seriousness and resolve.” And We granted him understanding of it, knowledge of its rulings, and the wisdom to act and judge by it in his childhood before reaching maturity.

as We made him compassionate and righteous, and he was fearing Allah,

And We gave John a special affection from Us, and purity from sins and impurities, and he was obeying the commands of his Lord and avoiding His prohibitions.

and dutiful to his parents, and he was not an oppressor or disobedient.

He was quick in dutifulness to his parents, in word and deed, and he was not arrogant towards worshiping Allah, nor haughty towards his parents and others, nor disdainful of the rights of people.

Peace be on him the day he was born, the day he will die, and the day he will be raised up to life again!

Allah's peace be upon John, the day he was born, and safety for him from Satan and from all that he dislikes. And peace be upon him the day he dies, and safety for him from the agonies of death and the torment of the grave and its trials. And peace be upon him the day he is raised alive, so he will be safe from the terrors and the punishment of the Fire.

And mention in the Book [the story of] Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place towards the east.

And recite—O Muhammad—in the Qur’an the story of Mary (peace be upon her) when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.

She screened herself from them, then We sent to her Our Spirit [Gabriel] and he appeared before her in the form of a perfect human being.

So she placed a barrier between herself and her family, screening herself from them, so she could devote herself to the worship of Allah. Then We sent Gabriel to her, and he appeared to her in the form of a man, perfectly formed and of beautiful appearance.

She said, “I seek refuge in the Most Compassionate from you; [do not approach me] if you fear Allah.”

Mary said: "I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you against causing me any harm. For if you are a person of piety, you avoid what Allah has forbidden and do not commit immorality, and thus my seeking refuge in Him from you will make you desist."

He said, “I am only a messenger from your Lord to grant you a righteous son.”

Gabriel said to Mary, "I am not as you think, so do not be afraid. I am only a messenger sent from Allah to you to be the means for granting you a boy, pure from sins and blameworthy traits."

She said, “How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor have I ever been unchaste?”

Mary said, “How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me through marriage, nor have I ever been unchaste?”

He said, “Thus it will be; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; We make him a sign for people and a mercy from Us. This matter has already been decreed.’”

Gabriel said to Mary, "It is so as you mentioned, but your Lord said: 'Creating a boy from you without a father is easy for Me! We wish to make that a sign of the truth for the people and a mercy from Us. It is a matter decreed by Allah; it will inevitably come to pass.'"

So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place.[5]

So Mary conceived Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him), and she withdrew with her pregnancy to a place far from the people.

The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, would that I had died before this and had been completely forgotten!”

The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: "Would that I had died before bearing this child without a husband and had been a worthless thing, abandoned and completely forgotten, never to cross anyone's mind!"

Then he[6] called her from beneath her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided a stream beneath you.

So Jesus called her from beneath her when she delivered him, saying, "Do not grieve; your Lord has made a small stream flow beneath your feet for you to drink from."

Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards yourself; fresh ripe dates will drop upon you.

And shake the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you fresh, good, beneficial ripe dates.

Eat and drink, and be glad. And if you see any human being, say, ‘I have vowed silence[7] to the Most Compassionate, so I will not talk to any human being today.’”

Therefore, consume the dates, drink from the stream, and find solace and joy in your heart. If you see anyone who wants to talk to you, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed a fast of silence to the Most Merciful, so I will not speak to any human being today.'

Then she came to her people carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have committed something monstrous!

Then she came to her people, carrying Jesus. When they saw her, they said, “O Mary! You have certainly committed a monstrous thing!”

O sister of Aaron,[8] your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.”

O sister of the righteous man, Aaron, your father was not an immoral man! Nor was your mother unchaste, so you could follow her. So how could you have committed such a sin when you are from such righteous people?!

Thereupon she pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk to someone who is still a baby in the cradle?”

So Mary did not speak to her people but pointed to Jesus for them to speak to him so he would answer them. They said in denial, "How can we speak to an infant who is still in his cradle and is unable to speak?!"

Jesus said, “I am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.

So Jesus spoke while he was a child in the cradle, saying: "I am truly a servant of Allah; He is the One Who alone deserves worship. Allah has decreed that He will give me the Gospel and make me a prophet."

He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I am alive,

And He has made me blessed and a source of abundant good, and part of that is to be beneficial to creation, a teacher of goodness wherever I may be. And Allah has enjoined upon me to maintain prayer and zakah throughout my life.

and has made me dutiful to my mother, and has not made me an oppressor or disobedient.

And Allah has made me dutiful and kind to my mother and has not made me arrogant towards His worship or honoring my mother, nor harsh or haughty towards people.

Peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I will die and the day I will be resurrected.”

And peace from Allah is upon me, and safety for me the day I was born—from the touch of Satan at birth, and peace is upon me the day I will die, and safety for me from all evil—such as the agonies of death, an evil end, and the torment and trials of the grave. And peace and safety are for me on the Day of Resurrection, when He will raise me alive, securing me from the great horrors and the punishment of the Hellfire.

Such was Jesus, son of Mary – a word of truth about which they are in doubt.

That person of great status whom I told you about is Jesus, son of Mary. This title is his true description, and that is his true origin, the matter about which people dispute and doubt.

It is not befitting for Allah to beget a son. Glory be to Him[9]! When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.

It is not befitting for Allah to take a son; Exalted is He far above that and every imperfection. When Allah wills to create something, He only says to it, "Be," and it comes into being as He wills, without hardship.

[Jesus said], “Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”

Jesus said to his people while he was in his cradle: "Because Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him alone. This, which I have brought you, is a straight path; whoever follows it is rightly guided."

But the factions differed among themselves[10] [about him]. So woe to the disbelievers from the scene of a momentous Day!

Yet the Jews and the Christians have differed regarding Jesus. The Jews claimed that he was an illegitimate son, and the Christians claimed that he was the son of Allah, or that he was the third of three, or that he was Allah—Exalted is Allah far above what they say! —while others spoke the truth concerning him: that he is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. So woe to those who believed falsehood concerning Jesus and to the other disbelievers from their presence on the Day of Resurrection.

How sharp they will hear and see on the Day they come to Us! But today the wrongdoers are clearly misguided.

How clearly will the disbelievers hear and see the truth on the Day of Resurrection! But in this world, those who have wronged themselves by lying against Allah are clearly astray from the truth.

Warn them of the Day of Remorse when all matters will be decided, but they are heedless and they do not believe.

And warn the people, O Muhammad, of the Day when the wrongdoers will regret their negligence of the truth, the reward they missed, and the punishment that will befall them when the reckoning among the servants is concluded. Meanwhile, the disbelievers in this world are heedless of what they have been warned about, and they do not believe in Allah and the Last Day.

It is We Who will inherit the earth and all those who are on it, and to Us they will be returned.

Allah Almighty said: "I alone will inherit the earth and everything on it after the death of all creatures, and to Me the servants will be returned and resurrected."

And mention in the Book [the story of] Abraham. He was indeed a man of truth and a prophet.

And recite—O Muhammad—in the Qur’an the story of Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of immense truthfulness in his words, actions, and promises, a firm believer in what is worthy of being believed, and he was a prophet of high status.

When he said to his father, “O my dear father, why do you worship something that neither hears nor sees nor benefits you in any way?

When he said to his father: O my father, why do you worship idols that cannot hear or see?! And they cannot ward off harm from you or benefit you in anything?

O my dear father, there has come to me some knowledge that has not come to you, so follow me; I will guide you to a straight path.

O my father, I have surely been given knowledge that you have not been given, so accept my advice; I will guide you to a straight path, leading to the truth.

O my dear father, do not worship Satan. Indeed, Satan is rebellious against the Most Compassionate.

O my father, do not obey Satan in the idolatry he makes appealing to you, lest you become his worshipper, for Satan is rebellious against the Most Compassionate, too arrogant to obey Him.

O my dear father, I truly fear that a punishment from the Most Compassionate may afflict you and that you may become a companion of Satan [in Hell].”

O my father, I fear that—if you remain upon idolatry—a punishment from the Most Merciful will afflict you, and you will become an ally of Satan.

He said, “Are you turning away from my gods, O Abraham? If you do not desist, I will surely stone you. Keep away from me for a long time!”

His father said: "Do you turn away from the worship of my gods, O Abraham?! If you do not cease your advice to me and speaking ill of my gods, I will surely stone you, and be gone from me for a long time."

Abraham said, “Peace be on you[11]. I will seek my Lord’s forgiveness for you. Indeed, He is Most Gracious to me.

Abraham said to his father, "You are safe, so no harm will come to you from me. I will pray to my Lord to forgive your sins. Indeed, He has been Gracious and caring to me, and He has always answered my prayers."

I will distance myself from you and from all that you supplicate besides Allah, and I will supplicate my Lord; perhaps my supplication to my Lord will not go unanswered.”

And I will distance myself from you and the gods you invoke besides Allah, and I will sincerely supplicate to my Lord alone, and I hope that He will answer my prayer.

When he distanced himself from them and what they worshiped besides Allah, We granted him Isaac and Jacob and made each one of them a prophet.

So when Abraham had turned away and migrated from his people and what they worshipped, We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and We made each of them a prophet.

We bestowed upon them of Our mercy and blessed them with a highly-esteemed reputation[12].

And We gave Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob great mercy from Us, and We bestowed upon them good, high, truthful, and lasting praise among the people until the Day of Resurrection.

And mention in the Book [the story of] Moses. He was indeed a chosen one and was a messenger and a prophet[13].

And recite—O Muhammad—in the Qur’an the story of Moses. Allah chose him for His message and His speech and made him pure from defilement. He was a messenger and a prophet of high status.

We called him from the right side of Mount Tūr [in Sinai] and We brought him near by conversing with him in private.

And We spoke to Moses from the right side of Mount Tūr when he came from Midian, and We drew him near, so he heard the words of Allah, and He addressed him without an intermediary.

And We granted him, by Our mercy, his brother Aaron, as a prophet.

And out of Our Mercy for Moses, We made his brother Aaron a prophet to help him.

And mention in the Book [the story of] Ishmael. He was true to his promise and was a messenger and a prophet.

And recite—O Muhammad—in the Qur’an the account of Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promises to his Lord and to the people, and he was a messenger, a prophet of high standing.

He used to command his people to pray and give zakah, and his Lord was well pleased with him.

And he used to command his family to establish prayer and to give zakah, and he was praiseworthy in his deeds in the sight of Allah. Allah was pleased with him for his striving in what was pleasing to Him, so his Lord was pleased with him, and he was pleased with his Lord.

And mention in the Book [the story of] Idrīs[14]. He was a man of truth and a prophet.

And recite—O Muhammad—in the Qur’an the account of Idrīs. Indeed, he was a man of great truth in his deeds and words, truthful in what he conveyed from Allah, affirming the truth that came to him, and a prophet of high standing.

And We raised him to a high status[15].

And We raised Idrīs to the fourth heaven.

These are the prophets whom Allah has favored from among the descendants of Adam, and from those whom We carried with Noah [in the Ark], and from the descendants of Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and from those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the verses of the Most Compassionate were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.

Those prophets mentioned in this Surah, upon whom Allah bestowed His favor of guidance, prophethood, knowledge, and acting upon it, are from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam—namely, Idris (peace be upon him); and from the descendants of those who were carried with Noah in the Ark—namely, Abraham (peace be upon him); and from the descendants of Abraham—namely, Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob (peace be upon them); and from the descendants of Jacob—namely, Moses, Aaron, Zachariah, John, and Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon them); and from among those whom Allah guided and chose. Whenever the verses of the Most Compassionate were recited to them, they hastened to fall in prostration, weeping.

But they were succeeded by generations who neglected prayer and pursued their desires; so they will meet their doom[16],

Then came after the prophets an evil generation who neglected prayer, either by abandoning it completely or by neglecting some of its pillars and conditions, and so on, and pursued their desires. So they will face severe punishment on the Day of Resurrection.

except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds – it is they who will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in the least.

Except for those who repented from neglecting the prayers and following worldly desires and believed in the truth and did what was prescribed for them sincerely to Allah, it is they who will enter Paradise, without their good deeds being diminished.

Gardens of Eternity which the Most Compassionate has promised His slaves who have not seen them. His promise will surely be fulfilled.

Those who repent will enter the Gardens, abiding therein forever. The Most Merciful has promised the believers that they would enter them, so they believed in that while it was unseen to them, and they will truly attain what they have been promised.

They will not hear therein any idle talk, except greetings of peace, and they will have their provision morning and evening[17].

The people of Paradise will hear no sinful or useless speech therein; instead, they will hear only speech that is free of such things, including the greeting of Allah and His angels to them. And they will have their provision in Paradise—of food, drink, and whatever they desire, every day—at times corresponding to morning and evening in the days of the world.

Such is the Paradise which We will give as an inheritance to those of Our slaves who feared Allah.

This Paradise of high rank We give to whoever was wary of Allah's punishment and His wrath by obeying His commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

[Gabriel said][18], “We do not descend except with the command of your Lord. To Him belongs all that is before us, all that is behind us, and all that is in between. Your Lord is never forgetful.

Say—O Gabriel—to Muhammad, “We—the angels—do not descend from heaven except by the command of your Lord for us to descend, so do not consider our descent slow. To Allah alone belong all directions, places, and all times: the present, the past, and the future. Thus, we cannot move from one place to another, or from one time to another, except by the command of Allah. And your Lord has never been forgetful of anything. If our descent to you is delayed, it is not because He forgot; it is as His wisdom requires.

Lord of the heavens and earth and all that is between them. So worship Him and be constant in worshiping Him. Do you know anyone equal to Him?”

He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them. For if He were forgetful, existence would not be sustained, and the creatures would have perished. So worship Him alone, and be patient with great patience in His worship. For there is nothing like Him in His Essence, Attributes, and Names, so He alone is worthy of worship.

Man says, “Once I am dead, will I be raised to life again?”

The disbeliever says, denying the Resurrection: "Will I really be brought out to life again from my grave after my death?!"

Does man not remember that We created him beforehand when he was nothing?

Does this unbeliever not realize that Allah created him before, when he was nothing?! For the One Who can bring him into existence from nothing can bring him back to life after his death.

By your Lord, We will surely gather them and the devils, then We will surely bring them all around Hell on their knees[19].

So, by your Lord, O Muhammad, We will surely gather the deniers of the Resurrection on the Day of Judgment with their devils who led them astray, then We will surely bring them around Hell, humiliated, kneeling on their knees due to the severity of the horrors.

Then We will surely drag out of every group those who were most rebellious against the Most Compassionate.

Then We will surely drag out of every group of disbelievers the worst of them in rebellion against the obedience of the Most Merciful, and We will begin by casting them into the Fire.

For indeed We know best those who are most deserving to burn therein.

Then, We truly know best those who are most deserving of the severest punishment in the Fire.

There is none among you except that he will pass over it[20]; a decree from your Lord that must be fulfilled.

There is none of you—O people—but will come to the Fire, and it is a matter that Allah Almighty has decreed must inevitably come to pass.

Then We will save those who fear Allah and will leave the wrongdoers in it on their knees.

Then We will save the righteous from the Fire, and leave in it those who wronged themselves with disbelief, polytheism, and sins, kneeling on their knees.

When Our verses are recited to them in all their clarity, the disbelievers say to the believers, “Which of the two parties is better in terms of dwellings and superior in social gatherings?”[21]

When the clear verses of the Qur’an are recited to the people, the disbelievers say to the believers, arguing against their validity: "Which of the two parties is better in dwelling and possessions, superior in assembly, and whose gatherings are more frequented? Us, or you?! How then could we be upon falsehood while you are upon the truth, while we are superior to you in these matters?!"

How many generations We have destroyed before them who were superior in terms of wealth and outward appearance!

And We destroyed many of the disbelievers of the former nations before the disbelievers of Quraysh. They were better than them in the furnishings of their dwellings and more splendid in appearance, yet Allah destroyed them for their disbelief. So let these polytheists fear the wrath of Allah by destruction.

Say, “Whoever is following misguidance, the Most Compassionate will give him respite, until they see what they were warned of – be it the punishment [in this world] or the Hour – only then will they realize who is in a worse abode and who has a smaller following.”

Say—O Muhammad—to these polytheists: "Whoever from among us and you is immersed in misguidance, let Allah grant him respite in his misguidance and increase him in blessings and lifespan—so that he may increase in misguidance and his punishment become more severe—until the misguided see what Allah has promised would come to them: either the imminent punishment or the establishment of the Hour, whereupon they will be destined for the Fire. Then the disbelievers will know who is in a worse abode and weaker in supporters.

Allah increases in guidance those who are guided, and the righteous deeds of lasting merit are better with your Lord in reward and better in return.

And Allah increases those who are guided in guidance and steadfastness, and the righteous deeds are better with Allah for reward and better for outcome in the Hereafter than the adornment of this world.

Have you seen the one[22] who rejects Our verses and says, “I will surely be given wealth and children [if I am resurrected]?”

Look in wonder—O Muhammad—at the one who disbelieved in the verses of the Qur’an, and said: “I swear that Allah will surely grant me wealth and children in the Hereafter, on the assumption that it will be established.”

Has he obtained knowledge of the unseen, or has he taken a pledge with the Most Compassionate?

Has this disbeliever come to know the unseen so he knows that he will have wealth and children in the Hereafter?! Or has he taken a pledge from Allah that He would grant him that?!

Never! We will write down what he says and will prolong his punishment extensively.

It is not as he said! He is mistaken in what he wishes for. The guardian angels will write down what he says, and We will recompense him in the Hereafter for his disbelief, and We will increase his punishment for his lying against his Lord.

We will inherit what he boasts of[23], and he will come to Us all alone.

And We will strip him of his wealth and his children in this world upon his death, leaving all of that behind, so it will return to Us, and he will come to Us on the Day of Resurrection without wealth or children.

They have taken gods other than Allah, in order that they may protect them [from punishment].

The polytheists have taken idols to worship, seeking through them honor, protection from the punishment of Allah, closeness to Him, help, and intercession for them.

Never! They will deny their worship and will become their enemies.

The matter is not as they thought of their gods; rather, on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny their worship and disown them, and so humiliation and disgrace will befall them.

Do you not see that We sent devils against the disbelievers constantly inciting them to sin?

Do you not see—O Muhammad—that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers in Allah, inciting them to falsehood and constantly provoking them to it?

So do not be in haste about them; We are surely counting down their days[24].

So do not be in haste, O Muhammad, for destruction to befall them, for We are only counting the years, months, and days. We delay their punishment until an appointed term. When their specified time comes, We will destroy them.

The Day when We will gather the righteous before the Most Compassionate as honored guests,

Remember, O Muhammad, the Day We will gather the righteous, leading them to the Most Merciful, riding in honor and high station, and they will arrive at His Paradise.

and We will drive the wicked to Hell like a thirsty herd.

And We will drive the disbelievers and the sinners to Hell, thirsty and on foot, as a humiliation to them.

None will have the power to intercede except those who have taken permission from the Most Compassionate[25].

The disbelievers will have no share of intercession on the Day of Resurrection; they will not intercede, nor do they deserve to have intercession made for them. As for one who is a believer in Allah, upholding His Oneness and obedient to Him, he will intercede, and intercession will be made for him.

They say, “The Most Compassionate has begotten a son.”

And these disbelievers falsely say: "The Most Compassionate has taken a son for Himself!"

You have made a monstrous statement,

You—disbelievers—have certainly uttered a monstrous and evil statement by falsely claiming that Allah has a son.

at which the heavens are about to be torn apart, the earth split asunder, and the mountains tumble down.

The heavens, in all their greatness and perfect form, are about to be torn into pieces upon hearing that monstrous statement; in glorification of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic; the earth is about to split asunder, and the mountains, despite their solidity, are about to collapse, leveled and crumbled to pieces.

because they have ascribed to the Most Compassionate a son.

That is about to happen, because the polytheists have ascribed a son to the Most Compassionate.

It is not appropriate for the Most Compassionate to beget a son.

And it is not proper, nor does it befit the Most Compassionate, to take a son, for there is nothing like Him among His creation, nor is He in need of them.

There is none in the heavens and earth except that he will come to the Most Compassionate in full submission.

There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Most Compassionate on the Day of Resurrection, acknowledging their servitude to Him. So how can any of His creations be a son to Him?!

He has counted them and numbered them precisely.

The Most Compassionate has counted the number of all His creations, so none of them is hidden from Him.

Each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection all alone.

And every single one of the creation will come to Allah after his resurrection, alone, without children, wealth, or supporters, having nothing with him except his deeds. Then Allah will pass His judgment upon him and recompense him. So how can it be imagined that any of His creation could be a son to Him, or a partner with Him?!

Those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Most Compassionate will endear them [to His creation][26].

Indeed, those who believe in the truth and do righteous deeds, Allah loves them and instills love for them in the hearts of His servants in this world.

We have made this [Qur’an] easy in your language so that you may give thereby glad tidings to the righteous and warn people who are contentious.

Indeed, We have made the Qur’an easy in your own Arabic language, O Muhammad, and have facilitated the reading of its words and the understanding of its meanings so that you may give the righteous glad tidings of the reward and warn your people, who are severe in false argumentation, of the punishment.

How many generations We have destroyed before them! Do you sense a single one of them or even hear from them a whisper?

And We have destroyed many past nations before the disbelievers of Quraysh. Do you see—O Muhammad—any of those who were destroyed, or hear from them a faint sound?

Tā-ha

Tā Ha[1]

These disjointed letters demonstrate the Qur’an’s miraculous (inimitable) nature, showing mankind's inability to produce anything like it, even though it is composed of the very letters they speak with.

We have not sent down the Qur’an to you [O Prophet] to cause you distress,

We have not sent down the Qur’an to you—O Muhammad—to bring you misery.

but as a reminder for those who fear Allah.

We have only sent down the Qur’an to you as a reminder to those who fear Allah and His punishment.

A revelation from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens.

It is a revelation from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens.

The Most Compassionate rose over the Throne[2].

The Most Merciful rose and ascended over His Throne, in a manner befitting His Majesty.

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and all that is between them, and all that is beneath the soil.

To Allah alone belongs the dominion of what is in the heavens, the earth, what is between them, and what is beneath the soil of the creatures within the earth.

Whether you speak loudly [or not], He surely knows what is secret and what is even more hidden.

Whether you speak aloud or keep it secret, it is all the same in Allah’s knowledge; for indeed, He knows the secret and what is even more hidden—that which has not yet crossed the hearts of the servants, for He knows what will cross their minds in the future.

Allah – none has the right to be worshiped except Him. He has the Most Beautiful Names.

Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. To Him alone belong the Most Beautiful Names, which denote His attributes of perfection. Glorified is He.

Has there come to you the story of Moses?

Has the story of Moses come to you, O Muhammad?

When he saw a fire, he said to his family, “Stay here. I have spotted a fire; I may bring you a flaming brand from it, or find some guidance at the fire[3].”

When he saw a fire—after his departure from Midian—he said to his family: "Stay in your place, for I have spotted a fire. I am going to it; perhaps I can bring a flaming brand so you may warm yourselves or find at the fire guidance for the path we have lost."

When he came to it, he was called, “O Moses,

So when Moses came to the fire, Allah called him, and said: "O Moses."

Indeed, I am your Lord, so take off your shoes; you are in the sacred valley of Tuwā.

Indeed, I—the One Who speaks to you—am your Lord, so take off your sandals, for you are in the sacred and blessed valley called Tuwā.

I have chosen you, so listen to what is being revealed:

And I have chosen you for prophethood and messengership and to hear My words directly, so listen with attention and awareness to what I am revealing to you now.

‘Indeed, I am Allah; none has the right to be worshiped except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer to remember Me.

Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity worthy of worship except Me. So worship Me alone and establish prayer for My remembrance.

The Hour is certainly coming, but I almost keep it hidden[4], so that every soul will be recompensed for what it strives.

Indeed, the Hour—in which the creatures will be resurrected—is inevitably coming, and I almost conceal it so that no one may be aware of it; it is coming so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has done, good or evil.

So do not let those who disbelieve in it and follow their desires distract you from it[5], or you will perish.’”

So let not one who does not believe in its coming—hoping for no reward and fearing no punishment, and following his desires—turn you away, O Moses, from belief in the Hour and preparing for it, lest you perish.

What is that in your right hand, O Moses?”

Allah said, "And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?"

He said, “It is my staff. I lean on it and beat down leaves with it for my sheep, and I have other uses for it.”[6]

Moses replied, "It is my staff; I lean on it when I stand and when I walk, and I strike with it the trees so that their leaves fall for my sheep to graze on, and have other uses for it."

Allah said, “Throw it down, O Moses!”

Allah said, “Throw down your staff, O Moses!”

He threw it down, and it suddenly became a slithering snake.

So Moses threw down his staff without hesitation, and—by Allah’s command—it became a real snake, moving with swiftness and agility!

Allah said, “Pick it up and have no fear. We will restore it to its former state.

Allah said to Moses, "Take the snake and have no fear of it. We will return it to its former state and nature, and it will turn into a staff as it was."

Put your hand under your armpit; it will come out shining white without blemish, as another sign[7],

And put your hand into the opening of your garment—the opening of the shirt from which the neck emerges—and press it to your side under your upper arm.

so that We may show you some of Our greatest signs.

We did that to show you of Our great proofs that testify to the truth, so that your heart may be reassured, you may trust in Allah’s promise of victory, and it may serve as a proof against those to whom you were sent.

Go to Pharaoh, for he has transgressed all bounds.”

Go—O Moses—to Pharaoh and call him to the truth and to send the Children of Israel with you, for he has transgressed, claiming Lordship, rebelling against his Lord, acting arrogantly on the earth, and spreading corruption in it.

He said, “My Lord, reassure my heart for me,

Moses prayed, “My Lord! Reassure my heart for me, so that I may understand what You reveal to me, dare to address Pharaoh, and endure his harm and threats.”

and ease my task for me,

And make it easy for me to carry out the Message, and make the acts of obedience You charge me with, and the hardships that befall me in Your path, easy for me.

and loosen the knot from my tongue[8],

And loosen the severe impediment in my tongue, so that it becomes fluent and speech becomes easy for me.

so that they may understand my speech.

So that people understand my words when I address them.

And appoint for me a helper from my family,

And appoint for me a helper from my family on whom I can rely to share the burden of the call, and to assist me in my commission that You have charged me with.

Aaron, my brother.

Make Aaron, my brother, my minister.

Increase my strength through him,

Strengthen my back through Aaron, and support me through him.

and let him share my task,

And unite me and him in prophethood, and in delivering the message to Pharaoh.

so that we may glorify You much,

So that we join together to worship You, to pray to You and glorify You with abundant praise.

and remember You much.

And remember You much.

For indeed You are All-Watchful over us.”

Indeed, You have always been watchful of us; nothing of our affairs is hidden from You.

Allah said, “You are granted your request, O Moses.

Allah said, “You have been granted all that you have asked for, O Moses.”

And We had already conferred favor upon you before,

And We had certainly bestowed Our favor upon you another time, before the grace of revelation, prophethood, and the answering of the prayer, when you were a small child.

when We inspired your mother, saying,

When We inspired your mother concerning you.

‘Put him into the casket, then cast it into the river. The river will carry it to the shore, and he will be picked up by one who is an enemy to Me and enemy to him.’ I bestowed upon you love from Myself[9] so that you would be brought up under My [watchful] Eye.

So We inspired her, "Put Moses in the chest, then cast it, while he is in the chest, into the Nile River. The Nile will cast him upon the shore, and then Pharaoh will take him." And I have bestowed My love upon you, O Moses, and made you beloved to all who see you, so that you would be raised in Pharaoh's palace according to My will, under My watchful Eye and under My care."

When your sister was going along and said, ‘Shall I show you someone who will nurse him?’ Thus We brought you back to your mother, so that she may rejoice and not grieve[10]. Then you killed a man [by mistake][11], but We saved you from distress, and We put you through several trials. You stayed among the people of Midian for several years, then you came [here] at a destined time, O Moses.

And your sister followed you and found you among Pharaoh's family, who were seeking a wet nurse for you. So she said, "Shall I direct you to someone who will take charge of this child, nurse him, and raise him?" So We returned you to your mother so that she might be comforted by your meeting and safety and not grieve over your separation. And you killed the Coptic man, so We saved you when the family of Pharaoh wanted to kill you in retaliation for their slain one. So you fled in fear to Midian. And We tested you by putting you through trials and delivering you from them. And you stayed in Midian for many years among its people. Then you came now to the sacred valley at the time I had decreed.

I have chosen you for Myself.

I have chosen you and bestowed abundant blessings upon you so that you may be a special beloved to Me and a messenger to deliver My message.

Go forth, you and your brother, with My signs, and do not slacken in remembering Me.

Go, you and your brother Aaron, to Pharaoh with My proofs and My miracles that demonstrate your truthfulness, and do not slacken or falter in remembering Me.

Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has certainly transgressed all bounds.

Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed all bounds of disbelief, arrogance, and aggression.

But speak to him gently, so that he may take heed or fear Allah.”

But speak to him a soft and gentle word; perhaps he may be reminded of the truth that is consistent with his innate nature and follow it or fear the punishment and thus abandon his tyranny and obey his Lord.

They said, “Our Lord, we fear that he may hasten to punish us or transgress all bounds.”

Moses and Aaron said, "Our Lord, we fear that Pharaoh may hasten to punish us before delivering to him the message You have commanded us or that he may rebel against following the truth."

He said, “Do not be afraid; I am with you both, hearing and seeing.

Allah said to them both, “Do not fear Pharaoh. Indeed, I am with you both with support and protection; I hear your words and the words of Pharaoh, and I see you and all your actions and circumstances. Therefore rest assured.”

So go to him and say, ‘We are both messengers from your Lord, so let the Children of Israel go with us and do not oppress them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord, and peace[12] be upon he who follows the true guidance.

So go to Pharaoh and say to him: 'We are two messengers to you from your Lord, so release the Children of Israel to go with us, and do not torment them. We have come to you with a miracle that proves our truthfulness. And salvation from Allah's wrath and punishment will be for whoever follows Allah's guidance.

It has been revealed to us that the punishment awaits those who reject [the truth] and turn away.’”

Indeed, Allah has revealed to us that His punishment will be upon whoever denies the truth and turns away from following it.

Pharaoh said, “So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?”

When Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and spoke to him as Allah had commanded them, Pharaoh said, "Who then is your Lord, whom you both worship and claim that He has sent you to me?"

He said, “Our Lord is the One Who gave everything its form and then guided it.”

Moses said: "Our Lord is the One Who gave every creature what is suitable for it in everything and gave them all that they need, then guided every creature to attain its benefits and to be wary of what harms it."

Pharaoh said, “Then what about the former [disbelieving] nations?”

Pharaoh said, "Then what is the case of the past generations whose people did not believe? For if what you say were true, it would not have been unknown to the former generations, nor would they have neglected it."

He said, “Its knowledge is with my Lord in a Record. My Lord never errs, nor does He forget.”

Moses replied to him: "The knowledge of the past generations and their deeds are written in the Preserved Tablet. So if they did not believe, He will recompense them for that, and I have no knowledge of them. Nothing escapes my Lord's knowledge, nor does He forget anything."

It is He Who spread out the earth for you and made therein pathways for you, and sent down rain from the sky; and We brought forth thereby various types of plants.

It is Allah Who has laid out the earth for you and made pathways between its valleys and mountains for you to walk in and sent down rain, causing thereby various types of plants to grow.

Eat and graze your livestock. Indeed, there are signs in this for people of sound intellect.

Eat—O people—of the wholesome grains and fruits We have produced on earth, and graze your livestock therein. Indeed, there are signs in this for people of sound intellect that guide them to the truth.

From this [earth] We created you, and to it We will return you, and from it We will raise you once again.

From the dust of the earth We created you, and into the earth We will return you after your death, where you will become dust in your graves, and from it We will resurrect you alive once again.

We showed Pharaoh all Our signs, but he rejected them and refused to believe.

We showed Pharaoh all Our miracles indicative of the truth, but he denied them and refused to accept them.

He said, “Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

Pharaoh said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land in Egypt and take it over with your magic, O Moses?"

We will surely bring you similar magic. So appoint a day between us that neither you nor we will fail to keep, in a convenient place[13].”

We will surely challenge you with magic like yours, so set an appointment that we will not fail to keep, in a level place.

Moses said, “Your appointment is the festival day[14]; let the people be gathered at forenoon[15].”

Moses said, “Your appointment is on the Day of the Festival, at the usual place of people's assembly, and let all the people be gathered to attend our meeting in the forenoon.”

So Pharaoh went away and put together his scheme, then came forth.

So Pharaoh departed, gathered the sorcerers, and then came to the appointed meeting.

Moses said to them, “Woe to you, do not fabricate lies against Allah[16], lest He exterminate you with a punishment. Those who fabricate lies are bound to fail.”

Moses said to the magicians, “Woe to you! Do not fabricate a lie against Allah, lest He exterminate you with a punishment, and whoever does so is bound to fail.”

Then they disputed the matter among themselves and kept their talk private.

When the magicians heard the words of Moses, they disputed and conferred secretly among themselves, and they went to great lengths to hide it from Pharaoh.

They said, “These two are merely magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and destroy your exemplary way of life.

The magicians said, "Moses and Aaron are but two magicians who want to drive you out of Egypt by taking it over with their magic and to do away with your religion, which is better than all else.

So gather your scheme, then line up in a row. Whoever prevails today is indeed the victor.”

The magicians said to one another, "So strive to perfect your magic, and all of you resolve to plot against Moses, then come forward together in a row."

They said, “O Moses, either you throw or shall we be the first to throw!”

They said, "O Moses, either you throw your staff before us, or we throw what we have before you."

He said, “No; you throw first.” Suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him, owing to their magic, as if they were slithering.

Moses said, "You throw first." So they did, and it was made to appear to Moses by their magic that their ropes and their staffs were moving.

Then Moses sensed fear within himself.

So Moses sensed fear within himself.

We said, “Do not be afraid; it is you who will prevail.

We said to Moses: "Have no fear; you are the triumphant, the conqueror, victorious over Pharaoh, his magicians, and his soldiers."

Throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have contrived. They have only contrived a magic trick, and the magician will never prosper, wherever he goes.”

And throw your staff; it will swallow up with force and speed their ropes and their staffs that they made appear to the people as moving snakes. Indeed, what they have produced is but a magician's trick, and the magician does not achieve his goal wherever he turns, not in this world nor in the Hereafter.

So the magicians fell down in prostration[17], saying, “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.”

When Moses cast down his staff and it swallowed the magicians’ staffs and ropes, they knew with certainty that this was a true miracle from Allah and not an act of magic or sorcery, and the magicians fell down in prostration to Allah and declared their faith.

Pharaoh said, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission! He must be your master who taught you magic! I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees; you will surely know whose punishment is more severe and more lasting!”

Pharaoh said to the sorcerers: "How dare you believe in Moses before I give you permission?! Moses must be your master who taught you magic, and you have conspired with him to overcome you; a plot against me and my people! I swear that I will cut off from each one of you a hand and a foot from opposite sides—that is, cutting the right hand and the left foot or the opposite—and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know who is more severe in torment and more lasting in punishment!

They said, “We will never prefer you over the clear signs that have come to us, or over the One Who created us[18]. So decide whatever you will. You can only make a decision about the life of this world.

The magicians responded: We will not prefer you, O Pharaoh, over the truth, and we will not choose you over Allah Who created us from nothing and began our creation from clay; He is the One deserving of worship and submission, not you. So do what you want to do to us! Your command is only effective, and you can only punish us in this worldly life.

We surely believe in our Lord so that He may forgive us our sins and the magic that you have compelled us to practice, for Allah is best [in reward] and more lasting [in punishment].”

Indeed, we have believed in our Lord so that He may forgive us our sins and the magic you forced us to practice. And Allah is better for us than you, and His reward is better than your reward. He is more lasting in reward for the obedient and more lasting in punishment for the disbelievers. And He is the Ever-Living, Who does not die, whereas you are bound to perish.

Whoever comes to his Lord as an evildoer, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live[19].

Indeed, whoever dies and meets his Lord on the Day of Resurrection to be recompensed for his deeds while being a disbeliever in Allah, his reward will be Hell. He will neither die therein to find rest nor live a life to enjoy or benefit from.

But whoever comes to Him as a believer, having done righteous deeds, it is they who will have the highest ranks:

But whoever dies and meets his Lord on the Day of Resurrection, while he is a believer in Allah alone and has done righteous deeds, it is they who will have the highest ranks with Allah.

Gardens of Eternity, under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Such is the reward of those who purify themselves[20].

Those high ranks are Gardens of Eternity; beneath their trees and chambers rivers flow, abiding therein forever. That is the reward for whoever purifies himself from disbelief, polytheism, and sins and nurtures it with faith and righteous deeds.

We inspired Moses, “Travel by night with My slaves, and strike for them a dry path across the sea. Have no fear of being overtaken, nor be afraid [of drowning].”

And We surely inspired Moses, saying, “Leave Egypt at night with the Children of Israel to deliver them from the grip of Pharaoh, and strike for them a dry path in the sea. You will not fear being overtaken by Pharaoh and his soldiers, nor be afraid of drowning in the sea.”

Then Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, but they were completely overwhelmed by the sea[21].

So Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued Moses and those with him when they crossed the sea, but the sea overwhelmed Pharaoh and his soldiers with something great beyond description, drowning them all.

Thus Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide them.

Pharaoh led his people, the Copts, astray from the path of truth and did not guide them to it, so they did not attain goodness and salvation.

O Children of Israel, We rescued you from your enemy, and made an appointment with you[22] on the right side of Mount Tūr [in Sinai], and sent down for you manna and quails[23],

Allah said: "O Children of Israel, We saved you from Pharaoh, so We drowned him and his soldiers, and We made an appointment with you on the right side of the Mount Tūr to send down the Torah, and We sent down to you a goodly provision, which you obtain without hardship.

[saying], “Eat from the good things We have provided for you, but do not exceed the limits therein, or My wrath will befall you, for anyone upon whom My wrath befalls is perished.

And We said to the Children of Israel: "Eat from the lawful, delicious food that We have provided for you, but do not exceed the limits therein—which includes using it to disobey Allah—lest Allah's wrath befall you. And whoever the wrath of Allah befalls is certainly doomed and becomes wretched."

I am indeed Most Forgiving to those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds, then stay on the right path.”

And indeed, I am Most Forgiving to whoever repents from the misguidance he was in, believes in the truth, does righteous deeds, and then adheres to that and continues upon it.

[Allah asked], “What made you hasten from your people, O Moses?”[24]

And what made you hasten ahead of your people to the Mount, O Moses?

He said, “They are following my footsteps; I hastened to You, my Lord, to please You.”

Moses said: "They are coming from behind me, and they will follow me, and I have hastened ahead of them, my Lord, to seek Your pleasure."

Allah said, “We have certainly tested your people in your absence, and Sāmiri[25] has led them astray.”

Allah said to Moses, “We have indeed tested your people in your absence with the worship of the calf, and the Sāmiri has led them astray, who brought forth the calf for them and called them to its worship, so they obeyed him.”

So Moses returned to his people, angry and sorrowful. He said, “O my people, did your Lord not promise you a good promise[26]? Was my absence too long for you, or did you want the wrath from your Lord to befall you, so you broke your promise to me[27]?”

So Moses returned from the Mount to the Children of Israel, furious with them and sorrowful over the misguidance they had brought about. He said, “O my people! Did your Lord not make you a good promise of attaining good for you in this world and the Hereafter if you obeyed Him? Has waiting for what Allah has promised you been too long for you, and have you forgotten His blessings?! For its time was not so distant that you should despair of its fulfillment or worship anyone other than Him. Or did you wish for wrath from Allah to befall you?”

They said, “We did not break our promise to you out of our own free will, but we were made to carry loads of the people’s jewelry, so we threw them [into the fire], and so did the Sāmiri throw.”[28]

The Children of Israel said to Moses, “We did not break the promise you made to us of our own accord, but we were made to carry burdens of the jewellery of Pharaoh’s people, so we threw them into the fire, and the Sāmiri also threw what was in his hand.”

Then he molded for them an image of a calf that made a mooing sound. They said, “This is your god and Moses’ god, but he has forgotten.”

Then Sāmiri molded for the Children of Israel from the jewelry they had cast into the fire an idol of a calf that made a lowing sound. They said, “This is your god and the god of Moses, whom he forgot here and went to the mountain to seek him!”

Do they not see that it does not respond a word to them, nor does it have the power to harm or benefit them?

Do those who worshiped the calf not see that it does not speak to them, nor can it respond to them if they speak to it?! And that it has no power to harm or benefit them? How then can it be a god?!

Aaron told them beforehand, “O my people, you are being tested with it. Your Lord is the Most Compassionate, so follow me and obey my command.”

Aaron had warned the worshippers of the calf before the return of Moses, “O my people! You are only being tested by Allah with the calf to reveal who will remain firm upon the truth and who will go astray. Indeed, your Lord is the Most Compassionate, not the calf that you worship. So follow me upon the truth, and obey me in what I have commanded you of obedience to Allah and sincere worship of Him.”

They said, “We will never cease to worship it until Moses comes back to us.”

The calf-worshippers said, “We will continue to worship the calf until Moses returns to us, so we can hear his words concerning it or to see what he does about it.”

Moses said, “O Aaron, what prevented you when you saw them going astray,

Moses said to his brother when he returned to his people: "O Aaron, what prevented you when you saw the Children of Israel going astray from the path of truth by worshipping the calf and disbelieving in Allah?"

from following me? Did you disobey my command?”[29]

What prevented you from following me? Did you disobey my command?

Aaron said, “O son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or by my head! I feared that you would say, ‘You have caused division among the Children of Israel, and did not heed my words.’”

Then Moses seized Aaron by his beard and his head, pulling him toward him. Aaron pleaded: "O son of my mother! Do not seize me by my beard, nor by the hair of my head. I feared that if I followed you and left them, you would say to me: 'You have caused a division among the community of the Children of Israel and did not keep my commandment, nor did you heed what I ordered you when I left you in charge of them.'"

Moses said, “What is the matter with you, O Sāmiri?”

Moses said: "Then what is your case, O Sāmiri? And what compelled you to do what you have done?!"

He said, “I saw something they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the hoof-print of the horse of the messenger [Gabriel] and cast it [into the fire][30]. This is what my mind prompted me.”

Sāmiri said: "I saw what the Children of Israel did not see and knew what they did not know! So I took a handful of dust from the track of the messenger and cast the dust, and it became what you see. Thus did my soul make it seem appealing to me."

Moses said, “Begone then! Your [punishment] in this life will be to say, ‘Do not touch me,’[31] but there awaits you an appointed time for your reckoning that you cannot escape[32]. Now look at your so-called god which you kept worshiping; We will surely burn it and then scatter it in the sea.

Moses said to the Sāmiri: "Because you took what you should not have taken and touched from the messenger's trace, so get out from among us. And for the rest of your life, you will surely be crying, 'Do not touch me.' So you will neither touch nor associate with anyone, and no one will touch or associate with you. And you have a definite fate of punishment. And look at the calf, which you persisted in worshipping. By Allah, we will surely burn it in the fire, then scatter its parts completely in the sea."

[O people], your god is only Allah; none has the right to be worshiped except Him. He encompasses everything in knowledge.”

Your only god is Allah; none has the right to be worshiped except Him. He encompasses everything in knowledge, and nothing is hidden from Him.

This is how We relate to you [O Prophet] from the stories of the past, and We have given you a Reminder[33] from Us.

As We have related to you—O Muhammad—the story of Moses, Pharaoh, and their people, and the accounts of the Children of Israel with Moses, so We relate to you some of the stories of the past. And We have certainly granted you a special and precious gift from Us, which is the Noble Qur’an.

Whoever turns away from it will bear a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection,

Whoever turns away from the Qur'an and does not believe in it or act upon what is in it will come on the Day of Resurrection carrying a heavy burden of sin.

abiding therein forever[34]. What a terrible burden they will carry on the Day of Resurrection!

Abiding in the punishment for this burden—in Hell. What an evil and heavy burden of sins for those who turn away from the Qur’an on the Day of Resurrection!

the Day when the Trumpet will be blown; on that Day We will gather together the wicked sightless[35] [from horror].

That is the Day the Trumpet will be blown by the command of Allah, and the disbelievers and the polytheists will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, blue-eyed.

They will whisper to one another, “You stayed no more than ten days [on earth].”

The criminals whisper among themselves, saying secretly to one another, "You stayed no more than ten days in the world!"

We know best what they will say – the most discerning among them will say, “You stayed no more than a day.”

We know best what they say, and We hear their secret counsel when the most knowledgeable and most sound in speech and judgment among them will say: "You remained in the world for no more than one day."

They ask you about the mountains, say, “My Lord will scatter them into dust,

Your people ask you—O Muhammad—about the mountains: "What will be their state on the Day of Resurrection?!" So say to them: "Allah will remove them from their places, crush them, shatter them, and then scatter them in the air."

and He will leave the earth level and plain,

So Allah will leave the places of the mountains as smooth, level land, with no vegetation in it nor any buildings.

you will not see therein any troughs or peaks.”

You—O beholder—will not see in the earth on the Day of Resurrection any trough from levelness; no elevation and no depression.

On that day, they will follow the summoner[36]; none will dare to deviate. All voices will be hushed in awe before the Most Compassionate; you will hear nothing except a whisper[37].

On that Day, when the people emerge from their graves, they will follow the voice of the angel who calls them to the place of assembly. They will head towards him without deviating, turning neither to the right nor to the left. And the voices of all creation will be hushed before the Most Compassionate in submission and awe of Him, so you—O listener—will hear nothing but a faint sound.

On that day, no intercession will be of any use except to whom the Most Compassionate gave permission and approved his word.

On the Day of Judgment, no intercession will be of any use to anyone, except that of one to whom the Most Compassionate permitted to intercede or be interceded for, and whose word He is pleased with.

He knows all that is ahead of them and all that is behind them[38], but they do not encompass it[39] with their knowledge.

Allah knows what awaits the creation in the Hereafter, and He knows what has passed of their worldly affairs and their deeds therein, while they cannot encompass the essence of Allah Almighty in their knowledge.

All faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, Self-Sustaining. Those burdened with wrongdoing[40] will be in a total loss.

On the Day of Resurrection, all faces will be humbled before Allah—the Ever-Living (the Possessor of perfect life), the Self-Sustaining, the All-Sustaining. Indeed, he will be in total loss, one who comes to Him bearing the burden of associating others with Allah, or of disbelief, or of an act of disobedience.

But whoever does righteous deeds, being a believer, will have no fear of being wronged or deprived.

But whoever works deeds of righteousness and is a believer in Allah alone, and in His promise and His warning, shall fear neither an increase in his sins nor a decrease in his good deeds.

We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an and diversified its warnings, so that they may fear Allah or it may cause them to take heed.

Thus We have sent down the Qur’an in clear Arabic language so that its meanings may be understood, and We have diversified in it verses of warning and threat in various ways so that they may fear Allah or take heed, and the reminder may benefit them.

So Exalted is Allah, the True Sovereign[41]. Do not hasten to [recite] the Qur’an before its revelation to you is concluded[42], and say, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”

So Exalted is Allah, the Sovereign, the Absolute Truth. And be not in haste—O Muhammad—with the recitation and memorization of what is revealed to you before it is finished, and say: "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge in addition to what You have taught me."

We had already given a command to Adam before, but he forgot, and We found him lacking a firm resolve[43].

We had commanded Adam not to approach the tree and warned him against obeying Satan, but he forgot that. So when Satan whispered to him, he obeyed him and ate from the tree.

When We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” they all prostrated, except Iblīs[44], who refused.

And remember—O Muhammad—when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," in obedience to Me and as an honor to him, so they prostrated, except for Iblīs; he refused to prostrate.

We said “O Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife, so do not let him drive you both out of Paradise, for then you will fall into misery.

So We said: "O Adam, indeed this one who disobeyed Me and did not prostrate to you is an enemy to you and to your wife, Eve. So beware lest he cause you both to be driven out of Paradise, for then you will suffer—O Adam—in seeking sustenance, clothing, and shelter."

Here you will neither go hungry nor naked,

Indeed, it is for you—O Adam—that you will not go hungry in Paradise, nor will you be naked.

nor will you suffer from thirst or from scorching heat.”

And that you will not suffer from thirst therein nor from the sun’s heat.

Then Satan whispered to him, and said, “O Adam, shall I show you the tree of immortality and a kingdom that will never decay?”

So Iblīs whispered to Adam, saying: "O Adam, shall I guide you to a tree from which, if you eat, you will be made immortal in Paradise and have a kingdom that does not perish or end?!"

So they both ate from the tree, then their nakedness was revealed to each other, and they began to put together leaves from Paradise to cover themselves. Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord and fell into error[45].

So Adam and Eve ate from the tree, and their nakedness was exposed to them after they had been hidden from them. They began to put together leaves from the trees of Paradise to cover their private parts. Adam disobeyed his Lord's command, so he fell into error and did not obtain what Satan had promised him.

Thereafter his Lord chose him, accepted his repentance, and guided him.

Then Allah Almighty chose Adam after his act of disobedience; guided him to repentance; accepted his repentance; and guided him to remain steadfast upon it.

Allah said, “Get down, both of you, from here altogether [with Satan] as enemies to one another. Then when there comes to you guidance from Me, whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor fall into misery[46].

Allah said to Adam, his wife, and Iblīs, “Descend, both of you, from the Garden to the earth; you will be enemies to one another, for Adam and his descendants are enemies to Iblīs and his descendants. So when a messenger and a scripture come to you from Me, whoever follows My messengers and acts upon My scriptures will be guided and will be blessed.”

But whoever turns away from My Reminder[47] will have a miserable life, and on the Day of Resurrection We will raise him blind.”

But whoever turns away from My Scripture, neither contemplating it nor acting upon it, will have a miserable life in this world, in the Barzakh (intermediate state), and in the Hereafter; and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be raised blind, unable to see.

He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind when I was able to see before?”

He will say, “My Lord! Why have you raised me blind, although I was able to see in the world?”

Allah will say, “Similarly Our verses came to you, but you ignored them, so you will be ignored Today.”

Allah will say to him: "That is because you neglected My revelations in the world and did not act upon them, and on the Day of Resurrection, you will be neglected in the punishment."

This is how We recompense those who transgress the limits and do not believe in the verses of his Lord; and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more lasting[48].

And thus do We requite whoever transgresses the limit, disobeys his Lord, and does not believe in His revelations. And the punishment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting.

Is it not yet clear to them how many generations We destroyed before them, in whose dwellings they still walk about? There are signs in this for people of sound intellect.

Is it not yet clear to the Arab polytheists how many of the past nations We destroyed them for their disbelief while they walk through their dwellings when they travel. Do they not then fear that We will similarly destroy them if they do not believe in the truth?! Indeed, in the destruction of the denying nations are signs for those of sound minds.

Were it not for a prior decree from your Lord[49] [O Prophet] and a time already set, they would have already been punished[50].

And had it not been for Allah's decree to delay the punishment until a specified time, destruction would have immediately befallen them.

So be patient with what they say, and glorify your Lord with praise before sunrise and before sunset, and glorify Him during the night and at both ends of the day, so that you may be pleased [with the reward].

So be patient—O Muhammad—over what the disbelievers of your people say concerning you, and do not hasten their punishment. And glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and glorify Him during the hours of the night and at the ends of the day, so that you may be pleased with the reward your Lord shall give you, and that patience in the cause of Allah Almighty may be made easy for you.

Do not turn your eyes covetously towards the various forms of splendor of this life that We have given some of the [disbelievers] to enjoy, as a trial for them. But the provision of your Lord is far better and more lasting.

Do not gaze with admiration and longing at the fleeting bounties. We have given to the wealthy who turn away from their Lord's signs, for We only test them with these. The reward of Allah for you in the Hereafter is far better than the adornment of this world and more lasting.

Enjoin your household to perform prayer and adhere to it firmly. We ask no provision from you; rather, it is We Who give you provision. And the best outcome is for those who fear Allah.

Enjoin your household to establish the prayer and urge them to maintain it constantly, and be patient in performing it and fulfilling it as it should be. We do not charge you, O Muhammad, with providing sustenance; rather, We charge you with establishing the prayer, and We have undertaken your provision, so do not be distracted by it from the prayer. And the praiseworthy outcome in this world and the Hereafter is for the people of piety.

They say, “Why does he not bring us a sign from his Lord?” Has there not come to them [the Qur’an as] a confirmation of what is in the earlier Scriptures[51]?

The polytheists said, “Why does Muhammad not bring us a miracle from his Lord, like the miracles of the former prophets?” Has the Qur’an not come to these polytheists, which informs them of what is in the scriptures of the prophets—such as the glad tidings of Muhammad (ﷺ) and the accounts of the nations who asked their prophets for signs, yet they did not believe, so We destroyed them?

If We had destroyed them with a punishment before this[52], they would have said, “Our Lord, if only You had sent us a messenger so that we would have followed Your verses before being humiliated and disgraced.”

Had We destroyed these deniers before the Qur’an was revealed to them and Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent to them, they would have said on the Day of Resurrection, protesting: "Our Lord, why did You not send a messenger to us so we could follow the truth before we were humiliated and disgraced by the punishment?"

Say, “Each of us is waiting[53], so wait! You will come to know who are the people of the straight path and who are rightly guided.”

Say to them, O Muhammad: "Each of us and you awaits the cycles of time to turn against each other and to see who will be victorious. So wait, and you will come to know who are the people of the straight path—we or you—and you will come to know who is guided to the truth and who has strayed from it."