English - Chapter 28 - Al-Qasas

Taa, Siin, Miim

These are verses of the Book that makes things clear

We rehearse to you some of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for people who believe

Truly Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and broke its people into sects, oppressing a small group among them. Their sons he killed, but he kept alive their females, and he has indeed committed crimes against humanity

And We wished to be gracious to those who were being oppressed in the land, to make them leaders, and to make them heirs

To establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Haman, and the followers at their hands, the very things against which they were taking precautions

So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses, “Suckle your child, but when you fear for him, cast him into the river, but fear not nor grieve, for We will return him to you, and We will make him one of Our messengers.”

Then the people of Pharaoh took him out of the river. It was intended that Moses should be to them an adversary, and a cause of sorrow for Pharaoh, Haman, and all their followers were people who did harmful deeds

The wife of Pharaoh said, “A comfort to the eye, for me and for you. Do not slay him, it may be that he will be useful to us, or we may take him as a son.” But they were unaware of what they were doing

But then came a void in the heart of the mother of Moses. She would have disclosed his identity had We not strengthened her heart with faith, so that she would remain a believer

And she said to the sister of Moses, “Follow him.” So the sister watched him in the guise of a stranger, so they would not know

And We ordained that he would refuse to suckle at first, until his sister approached them and said, “Shall I point out to you a people of a house that will nourish and raise him for you, and who will be caring to him?”

So We returned him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, that she would not grieve, and that she would know that the promise of God is true, but most of them do not understand

When he reached full age, and was firmly established, We bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge, this is how We reward those who do right

And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching, and he found there two people fighting, one from his sect, and the other from the sect of his enemy. Now the person of his sect appealed to him against his enemy, and Moses struck him with his fist and made an end to him. He said, “This is a work of the evil Satan, for he is an enemy that clearly misleads.”

He prayed, “O my Lord, I have indeed wronged my soul. So forgive me, for my own sake.” So God forgave him, for He is the Oft-Forgiving, Mercifully Redeeming

He said, “Lord, because You have bestowed Your grace on me, never will I be a help to those who do wrong.”

In the morning he was in the city looking around in a state of fear when behold, the person who had the day before sought his help called aloud for his help again. Moses said to him, “Indeed you are clearly a combative person.”

Then when he decided to strike the person who was an enemy to both of them, that person said, “O Moses, is it your intention to slay me as you slew a person yesterday? Your intention is nothing other than to become a powerful, violent person in the land, and not to be one who sets things right.”

Then there came a person running from the farthest end of the city. He said, “O Moses, the leaders are meeting concerning whether or not to slay you, so leave, I give you sincere advice.”

Then when he turned his face towards the land of Madyan he said, “I hope that my Lord will show me the smooth path.”

And when he arrived at the watering-place in Madyan, he found there a group of men watering their flocks, and besides them he found two ladies who were keeping back their flocks. He said, “What is the problem?” They said, “We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds move their flocks, for our father is a very old man.”

So he watered their flocks for them, then he went back to the shade and said, "O my Lord, indeed I am in desperate need of any good that You can send me.”

Afterward, one of the damsels came back to him walking shyly. She said, “My father invites you that he may reward you for having watered our flocks for us.” So when he came to him and told the story he said, “Fear not, you escaped from people of wrongdoing.”

Said one of them, “O my father, hire him, truly the best of people for you to employ is one of integrity.”

He said, “I intend to wed one of my daughters to you on condition that you work for me for eight years, but if you complete ten years, it will be a favor from you, but I intend not to place you under any difficulty. Indeed you will find me, God willing, one of the righteous.”

He said, “Let there be an agreement between you and me, that whichever of the two terms I fulfill let there be no resentment toward me, and God is a witness to what we say.”

So when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was traveling with his family, he perceived a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He said to his family, “Wait, I perceive a fire. I hope to bring you some knowledge from there, or a torch, that you may warm yourselves.”

But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard from the right bank of the valley, from a tree in hallowed ground, “O Moses, indeed I am God, Lord of all the worlds

“Now throw your staff.” But when he saw it moving of its own accord, as if it had been a snake, he turned back in retreat, and would not immediately return. “O Moses,” it was said, “Come close, and fear not, for you are of those who are secure

“Put your hand in your chest and it will come out white without harm, and draw your hand close to your side to guard against fear. Those are two pieces of evidence from your Lord to Pharaoh and his advisors, for truly they are people rebellious and wicked.”

He said, “O my Lord, I have slain a person among them, so I fear they will try to slay me

“And my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent in speech than I, so send him with me as a helper, to edify and strengthen me, for I fear that they may accuse me of falsehood.”

He said, “We will certainly strengthen your arm through your brother, and invest you both with authority, so they will not be able to touch you. With Our sign you will triumph, you two as well as those who follow you.”

When Moses came to them with Our clear signs they said, “This is nothing but creative illusions. But never did we hear of this among our ancestors.”

Moses said, “My Lord knows best who it is that comes with guidance from Him, and whose end will be best in the hereafter. Certainly the wrongdoers will not prosper.”

Pharaoh said, “O advisers, no god do I know for you but myself. Therefore, O Haman, light me a kiln to bake bricks out of clay, and build me a lofty palace, that I may mount up to the God of Moses, but as far as I am concerned, I think Moses is a liar.”

And he was arrogant and insolent in the land beyond reason, He and his army. They thought that they would not have to return to Us

So We seized him and his army, and We flung them into the sea. Now you see what the end of those who did wrong was

And we made them leaders inviting to the fire, and on the Day of Accountability no help will they find

In the present We made a curse to follow them, and on the Day of Accountability they will be among the despised

We revealed the Book to Moses, after We had caused the earlier generations to perish, in order to give to humanity insight, and also guidance and mercy, that they might receive advice

You were not on the western side when We decreed the Commandments to Moses, nor were you a witness to those events

But We raised up new generations, and extended life for them, and you were not a dweller among the people of Madyan, rehearsing Our signs to them, but it is We Who send messengers with inspiration

Nor were you at the side of the Mountain of Tur when we called to Moses. But you are sent as a mercy from your Lord, to give warning to a people to whom no warner had come before you, in order that they may receive advice

If We had not sent you to them, and a calamity had struck them for what their hands have sent forth they might say, “Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger? We would have then followed Your signs and been among those who believe.”

But when the truth has come to them from Us they say, “Why are signs not sent to him, like those which were sent to Moses?” Did they not reject the signs which were given to Moses? They say, “Two kinds of illusions, each assisting the other.” And they say, “As for us, we reject all such things.”

Say, “Then bring a book from God which is a better guide than either of them, that I may follow it. Do it, if you are right.”

But if they do not come to you, know that they only follow their desires, and who is more astray than one who follows his desires, devoid of guidance from God, for God does not guide people given to wrongdoing

Now We have caused the word to reach them, in order that they may receive advice

Those to whom We sent the Bible before this, they believe in it

And when it is recited to them they say, “We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed we were Muslims even before this

Twice they will be given their reward, because they have persevered, because they deflect harm with good, and because they give out of what We have given them

And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say, “To us our deeds, and to you yours, peace be unto you. We do not seek ignorance.”

It is true that you will not be able to guide every one you love, but God guides whom He wills and He knows best those who receive guidance

They say, “If we were to follow the guidance with you, we would be snatched away from our land.” Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary to which are brought as tribute, fruits of all kinds, a provision from Ourselves? But most of them do not understand

And how many populations have We caused to perish that exulted in their life of ease and plenty, now their dwellings after them are deserted, all but a few, and We are their heirs

Nor was your Lord the One to destroy a population until He had sent to its center a messenger rehearsing to them Our signs, nor will We destroy a population, until its communities practice injustice

The things that you are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter of it, but that which is with God is better and more enduring, will you not then be wise

Are these two alike? One to whom We have made an excellent promise, and who will reach his fulfillment, and one to whom We have given the good things of this life, but who on the Day of Accountability is to be among those brought up for punishment

That day God will call to them and say, “Where are My partners that you imagined as such?”

Those against whom the charge will be proven will say, “Our Lord, these are the ones whom we led astray. We led them astray as we were astray ourselves. We free ourselves from them in Your presence. It was not us they worshipped.”

It will be said to them, “Call upon your partners for help,” they will call upon them, but they will not listen to them, and they will see the penalty before them, they will wish, "If only they had been open to guidance.”

That day God will call to them and say, “What was the answer you gave to the messengers?”

Then the whole story that day will seem obscure to them, like light to the blind, and they will not even be able to question each other

But any who in this life had repented, believed, and worked righteousness, will have hopes to be among those who achieve salvation

Your Lord creates and chooses as He pleases. No choice do they have. Glory be to God, and far is He above the partners they ascribe to Him

And your Lord knows all that their hearts conceal and all that they reveal

And He is God. There is no god but He. To Him is the praise, at the first and at the last, for Him is the command, and to Him will you all be brought back

Say, do you see that if God were to make the night perpetual over you until the Day of Accountability, what god is there, other than God, that can give you light? Will you not then listen

Say, do you see that if God were to make the day perpetual over you until the Day of Accountability, what god is there, other than God, that can give you a night in which you can rest? Will you not then see

It is out of His mercy that He has made for you night and day, that you may rest therein, and that you may seek his grace, in order that you may be grateful

The day that He will call on them, He will say, “Where are my partners whom you imagined to be such?”

And from each people will We draw a witness, and We will say, “Produce your proof.” Then they will know that the truth is for God, and the lies which they invented, will leave them in the lurch

Qarun was indeed of the people of Moses, but he acted insolently towards them. Such were the treasure We bestowed on him, and its keys would have been a burden even to a body of strong men. Behold, his people said to him, “Exult not, for God does not love those who exult in riches

“But seek with the wealth which God has bestowed on you, the home of the hereafter, but do not forget your share in the present, but do good, as God has been good to you, and do not seek opportunities to do wrong in the land, for God does not love those who do wrong.”

He said, “This has been given to me because of what I know.” Did he not know that God had caused to perish before him, entire generations which were superior to him in strength and greater in the riches they had accumulated? But the wrong-doers are not called immediately to account for their sins

So he went to his people with the pride of his worldly glitter. Said those whose goal is the life of the present, “Oh I wish we had the like of what Qarun has, he is truly a master of good fortune.”

But those who had been granted true knowledge said, “Unfortunately for you, the reward of God in the hereafter is best for those who believe and work righteousness, but none will attain this, except those who persevere in good.”

Then We caused the earth to swallow him up, and his house, and he had not the least little group to help him against God, nor could he defend himself

And those who had envied his position the day before began to say, “It is indeed God Who enlarges the provisions or restricts them for any of His servants He pleases. Had it not been that God was gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up. Indeed those who reject God will never prosper.”

The home of the hereafter, We will give it to those who do not intend haughtiness or wrong on earth, and the end is best for the righteous

If any does right, the reward for him is better than his deed, but if any does wrong, the doers of wrong are only punished to the extent of what they do

Indeed He Who ordained the Quran for you, will bring you back to the place of return. Say, “My Lord knows best who it is who brings true guidance, and who is in manifest error.”

And you were not expecting that the Book would be sent to you, except as a mercy from your Lord. Thus do not be a support to the rejecters

And let nothing keep you back from the signs of God after they have been revealed to you, and invite the people to your Lord, and be not of the company of those who join gods with God

And call not on another god, besides God. There is no god but He. Everything that exists will perish, except His Face. To Him belongs the command, and to Him will you all be brought back