Ta-Ha طه
Shall neither stray nor toil فلا يضل ولا يشقى
The section and its links
The All-Benevolent and His obedient ones (19-20, then 21-25)
Overview of section V
Read the section from its beginning: sura 19
Read with: the suras of the same shelf mark
- 26 Will you not guard yourselves?the public trial: the debate, the illusionists, the sea
- 27 He will show you His signsthe call and the signs, then a king who acknowledges
- 28 We will restore him to youMoussa's life, from his birth to Fir'awn's end
- 19 A remembrance of your Guardian's benevolencethe other half of the exposition: Zakariya, Maryam, the obedient ones
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
طه (Ṭa Ha).
طه
We did not send down upon you the Recitation for you to toil,
ما انزلنا عليك القران لتشقي
but as a reminder for whoever dreads,
الا تذكره لمن يخشي
a descent from the One who created the earth and the lofty heavens,
تنزيلا ممن خلق الارض والسموت العلي
the All-Benevolent, who established Himself upon the Edifice.
الرحمن علي العرش استوي
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens, whatever is on the earth, whatever is between them, and whatever is beneath the moist soil.
له ما في السموت وما في الارض وما بينهما وما تحت الثري
And if you say your saying aloud, He indeed knows the secret, and what is even more hidden.
وان تجهر بالقول فانه يعلم السر واخفي
God, there is no deity but Him.
الله لا اله الا هو
To Him belong the most beautiful attributes.
له الاسما الحسني
And has the discourse concerning Moussa reached you?
وهل اتيك حديث موسي
When he saw a fire, he said to his household: "Stay here, for I have made out a fire; perhaps I will bring you a firebrand from it, or find at the fire some guidance."
اذ را نارا فقال لاهله امكثوا اني انست نارا لعلي اتيكم منها بقبس او اجد علي النار هدي
When he reached it, he was called: "Moussa! It is indeed I, your Guardian. Take off your sandals, for you are in the sanctified valley of Tuwa."
فلما اتيها نودي يموسي اني انا ربك فاخلع نعليك انك بالواد المقدس طوي
And I have opted for you: so listen to what is revealed. Indeed it is I, God — there is no deity but Me. Obey Me, then, and maintain the Contact for My remembrance;
وانا اخترتك فاستمع لما يوحي انني انا الله لا اله الا انا فاعبدني واقم الصلوه لذكري
for the Hour is coming — I keep it almost hidden — so that every Self may be recompensed for what it has endeavoured.
ان الساعه اتيه اكاد اخفيها لتجزي كل نفس بما تسعي
Let not him who does not believe in it and follows his emotion bar you from it, or it would be your fall.
فلا يصدنك عنها من لا يومن بها واتبع هويه فتردي
And what is that in your right hand, Moussa?
وما تلك بيمينك يموسي
He said: "It is my staff; I lean on it, I beat down leaves with it for my sheep, and I have other uses for it."
قال هي عصاي اتوكوا عليها واهش بها علي غنمي ولي فيها مارب اخري
He said: "Throw it down, Moussa."
قال القها يموسي
He threw it down, and behold, it was alive, moving swiftly.
فالقيها فاذا هي حيه تسعي
He said: "Take it, and do not fear: We shall restore it to its former state."
قال خذها ولا تخف سنعيدها سيرتها الاولي
And press your hand to your wing: it will come out white, without evil — another sign, that We may show you some of Our greatest signs.
واضمم يدك الي جناحك تخرج بيضا من غير سو ايه اخري لنريك من ايتنا الكبري
Go to Fir'awn: he has exceeded all measure.
اذهب الي فرعون انه طغي
He said: "My Guardian, open up my chest for me, ease my task for me, undo a knot from my tongue so that they may understand my saying, and appoint for me an assistant from among my own, Harun, my brother.
قال رب اشرح لي صدري ويسر لي امري واحلل عقده من لساني يفقهوا قولي واجعل لي وزيرا من اهلي هرون اخي
Strengthen through him my resolve, and associate him with my task, so that we may glorify You abundantly and remember You abundantly; You are All-Seeing of us."
اشدد به ازري واشركه في امري كي نسبحك كثيرا ونذكرك كثيرا انك كنت بنا بصيرا
He said: "Your request is granted, Moussa.
قال قد اوتيت سولك يموسي
We had indeed graced you another time, when We inspired your mother with what was inspired: 'Hurl him into the coffer, then hurl him into the deep;
ولقد مننا عليك مره اخري اذ اوحينا الي امك ما يوحي ان اقذفيه في التابوت فاقذفيه في اليم
let the deep cast him onto the shore; an enemy to Me and an enemy to him will take him.'
فليلقه اليم بالساحل ياخذه عدو لي وعدو له
And I cast upon you a love from Me, so that you might be formed under My watch — when your sister walked along and said: 'Shall I point you to one who will have custody of him?'
والقيت عليك محبه مني ولتصنع علي عيني اذ تمشي اختك فتقول هل ادلكم علي من يكفله
So We returned you to your mother, that her gaze might find rest and she not grieve.
فرجعنك الي امك كي تقر عينها ولا تحزن
And you killed a Self, and We saved you from anguish; and We tried you with a hard trial.
وقتلت نفسا فنجينك من الغم وفتنك فتونا
You remained years among the people of Madyan, then you came at the appointed measure, Moussa.
فلبثت سنين في اهل مدين ثم جيت علي قدر يموسي
And I formed you for Myself.
واصطنعتك لنفسي
Go, you and your brother, with My signs, and do not slow down in My remembrance.
اذهب انت واخوك بايتي ولا تنيا في ذكري
Go, both of you, to Fir'awn: he has exceeded all measure. Speak to him gently; perhaps he will remember, or feel dread."
اذهبا الي فرعون انه طغي فقولا له قولا لينا لعله يتذكر او يخشي
They said: "Our Guardian, we fear that he will rush against us or that he will exceed all measure."
قالا ربنا اننا نخاف ان يفرط علينا او ان يطغي
He said: "Do not fear: I am indeed with you both, I hear and I see.
قال لا تخافا انني معكما اسمع واري
So go to him and say: 'We are indeed two messengers of your Guardian; let the Sons of Israel go with us, and do not punish them; we have brought you a sign from your Guardian.
فاتياه فقولا انا رسولا ربك فارسل معنا بني اسريل ولا تعذبهم قد جينك بايه من ربك
And peace be upon whoever follows the guidance.
والسلم علي من اتبع الهدي
It has indeed been revealed to us that the punishment is upon whoever denies and turns his back.'"
انا قد اوحي الينا ان العذاب علي من كذب وتولي
He said: "And who is your Guardian, Moussa?"
قال فمن ربكما يموسي
He said: "Our Guardian is the One who endowed each thing with its own creation, then guided it."
قال ربنا الذي اعطي كل شي خلقه ثم هدي
He said: "And what of the former generations?"
قال فما بال القرون الاولي
He said: "Knowledge of them rests with my Guardian, in a record.
قال علمها عند ربي في كتب
My Guardian neither strays nor forgets."
لا يضل ربي ولا ينسي
He who made the earth for you a spread-out expanse, and cleared for you ways within it, and sent down water from the sky,
الذي جعل لكم الارض مهدا وسلك لكم فيها سبلا وانزل من السما ما
by which We brought forth pairs of vegetation of every kind.
فاخرجنا به ازوجا من نبات شتي
Eat, and graze your cattle.
كلوا وارعوا انعمكم
There are surely in that signs for those endowed with sagacity.
ان في ذلك لايت لاولي النهي
From it We created you, into it We shall bring you back, and from it We shall bring you out yet another time.
منها خلقنكم وفيها نعيدكم ومنها نخرجكم تاره اخري
We indeed showed him all Our signs, but he denied and refused.
ولقد ارينه ايتنا كلها فكذب وابي
He said: "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your illusion, Moussa? We shall surely bring you illusion to match it.
قال اجيتنا لتخرجنا من ارضنا بسحرك يموسي فلناتينك بسحر مثله
So set between us and you an appointment, which neither we nor you shall fail, at a fair place."
فاجعل بيننا وبينك موعدا لا نخلفه نحن ولا انت مكانا سوي
He said: "Your appointment shall be the day of adornment, and that mankind be gathered in broad morning."
قال موعدكم يوم الزينه وان يحشر الناس ضحي
Fir'awn turned his back, brought together his scheme, then came.
فتولي فرعون فجمع كيده ثم اتي
Moussa said to them: "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against God, lest He extirpate you with a punishment.
قال لهم موسي ويلكم لا تفتروا علي الله كذبا فيسحتكم بعذاب
And whoever invents has already failed."
وقد خاب من افتري
So they disputed among themselves over their matter and kept their secret talk hidden.
فتنزعوا امرهم بينهم واسروا النجوي
They said: "These two are surely two workers of illusion who wish to drive you out of your land with their illusion and to carry off your exemplary course of conduct.
قالوا ان هذن لسحرن يريدان ان يخرجاكم من ارضكم بسحرهما ويذهبا بطريقتكم المثلي
So bring together your scheme, then come in a single rank.
فاجمعوا كيدكم ثم ايتوا صفا
And today, whoever rises above has succeeded."
وقد افلح اليوم من استعلي
They said: "Moussa, either you throw, or we shall be the first to throw."
قالوا يموسي اما ان تلقي واما ان نكون اول من القي
He said: "Rather, you throw."
قال بل القوا
And behold, their ropes and their staffs, through their illusion, appeared to him to be moving swiftly.
فاذا حبالهم وعصيهم يخيل اليه من سحرهم انها تسعي
Moussa felt within himself a fear.
فاوجس في نفسه خيفه موسي
We said: "Do not fear, for it is you who are the uppermost.
قلنا لا تخف انك انت الاعلي
And throw what is in your right hand: it will snap up what they have contrived.
والق ما في يمينك تلقف ما صنعوا
What they have contrived is but a worker of illusion's scheme,
انما صنعوا كيد سحر
and the worker of illusion does not succeed, wherever he comes."
ولا يفلح الساحر حيث اتي
So the workers of illusion were cast down, prostrate.
فالقي السحره سجدا
They said: "We believe in the Guardian of Harun and Moussa."
قالوا امنا برب هرون وموسي
He said: "You gave him credit before I gave you permission! He is surely the greatest among you, who taught you illusion.
قال امنتم له قبل ان اذن لكم انه لكبيركم الذي علمكم السحر
I shall surely sever your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I shall surely fix you to the trunks of palm trees; and you shall surely know which of us is more severe in punishment and more lasting."
فلاقطعن ايديكم وارجلكم من خلف ولاصلبنكم في جذوع النخل ولتعلمن اينا اشد عذابا وابقي
They said: "We shall never prefer you over the clear proofs that have come to us, nor over the One who originated us.
قالوا لن نوثرك علي ما جانا من البينت والذي فطرنا
So decide whatever you are to decide:
فاقض ما انت قاض
you decide only over the near life.
انما تقضي هذه الحيوه الدنيا
We indeed believe in our Guardian, that He may forgive us our faults and the illusion to which you compelled us.
انا امنا بربنا ليغفر لنا خطينا وما اكرهتنا عليه من السحر
And God is better and more lasting."
والله خير وابقي
Indeed, whoever comes to his Guardian severed, for him is Jahannam, wherein he neither dies nor lives.
انه من يات ربه مجرما فان له جهنم لا يموت فيها ولا يحيي
And whoever comes to Him believing, having done sound deeds — for those, the highest degrees:
ومن ياته مومنا قد عمل الصلحت فاوليك لهم الدرجت العلي
Gardens of permanence, beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally.
جنت عدن تجري من تحتها الانهر خلدين فيها
And such is the recompense of whoever purifies himself.
وذلك جزا من تزكي
And We had indeed revealed to Moussa: "Set out by night with My obedient ones, and strike out for them a dry road through the sea; do not fear being overtaken, and do not dread."
ولقد اوحينا الي موسي ان اسر بعبادي فاضرب لهم طريقا في البحر يبسا لا تخف دركا ولا تخشي
So Fir'awn pursued them with his armies, and there covered them, from the deep, that which covered them.
فاتبعهم فرعون بجنوده فغشيهم من اليم ما غشيهم
And Fir'awn led his people astray; he did not guide them.
واضل فرعون قومه وما هدي
O Sons of Israel! We saved you from your enemy, and We made an appointment with you on the right side of the Mount, and We sent down upon you manna and quails.
يبني اسريل قد انجينكم من عدوكم ووعدنكم جانب الطور الايمن ونزلنا عليكم المن والسلوي
Eat of the wholesome things We have provided you, and do not exceed the measure therein, lest My anger fall upon you;
كلوا من طيبت ما رزقنكم ولا تطغوا فيه فيحل عليكم غضبي
and whoever is struck by My anger has sunk.
ومن يحلل عليه غضبي فقد هوي
And I am surely a Great Forgiver toward whoever repents, believes, does a sound deed, then lets himself be guided.
واني لغفار لمن تاب وامن وعمل صلحا ثم اهتدي
And what made you hasten away from your people, Moussa?
وما اعجلك عن قومك يموسي
He said: "They are here, on my tracks; and I hastened to You, my Guardian, that You might be pleased."
قال هم اولا علي اثري وعجلت اليك رب لترضي
He said: "We have indeed tried your people after you, and as-Samiri has led them astray."
قال فانا قد فتنا قومك من بعدك واضلهم السامري
So Moussa returned to his people, angry and bitter.
فرجع موسي الي قومه غضبن اسفا
He said: "O my people, did your Guardian not make you a fair promise?
قال يقوم الم يعدكم ربكم وعدا حسنا
Did the pact seem too long to you, or did you wish that an anger from your Guardian should fall upon you, that you thus failed your appointment with me?"
افطال عليكم العهد ام اردتم ان يحل عليكم غضب من ربكم فاخلفتم موعدي
They said: "We did not fail your appointment of our own will; but we were made to carry burdens of the people's adornments, and we hurled them away, and thus did as-Samiri also throw."
قالوا ما اخلفنا موعدك بملكنا ولكنا حملنا اوزارا من زينه القوم فقذفنها فكذلك القي السامري
So he brought forth for them a calf, a body that lowed, and they said: "This is your deity, and the deity of Moussa; but he has forgotten."
فاخرج لهم عجلا جسدا له خوار فقالوا هذا الهكم واله موسي فنسي
Do they not see that it returns them no saying, and holds for them neither harm nor benefit?
افلا يرون الا يرجع اليهم قولا ولا يملك لهم ضرا ولا نفعا
And Harun had indeed told them before: "O my people, you are only being tried by it;
ولقد قال لهم هرون من قبل يقوم انما فتنتم به
and indeed your Guardian is the All-Benevolent: so follow me, and defer to my command."
وان ربكم الرحمن فاتبعوني واطيعوا امري
They said: "We shall not cease to remain posted by it until Moussa returns to us."
قالوا لن نبرح عليه عكفين حتي يرجع الينا موسي
He said: "O Harun, what kept you, when you saw them straying, from following me? Did you then disobey my command?"
قال يهرون ما منعك اذ رايتهم ضلوا الا تتبعن افعصيت امري
He said: "Son of my mother, do not seize me by the beard nor by the head, for I dreaded you would say: 'You have divided the Sons of Israel, and you did not heed my saying.'"
قال يبنوم لا تاخذ بلحيتي ولا براسي اني خشيت ان تقول فرقت بين بني اسريل ولم ترقب قولي
He said: "And what is your case, Samiri?"
قال فما خطبك يسمري
He said: "I saw clearly what they did not see; so I seized a handful from the track of the messenger, then I cast it away — thus did my Self suggest it to me."
قال بصرت بما لم يبصروا به فقبضت قبضه من اثر الرسول فنبذتها وكذلك سولت لي نفسي
He said: "Go away then, for it is yours, in this life, to say 'Touch me not',
قال فاذهب فان لك في الحيوه ان تقول لا مساس
and there is indeed set for you an appointment you shall not fail.
وان لك موعدا لن تخلفه
And look at your deity, by which you stayed posted: we shall surely burn it, then we shall surely scatter it into the deep, utterly scattered."
وانظر الي الهك الذي ظلت عليه عاكفا لنحرقنه ثم لننسفنه في اليم نسفا
Your only deity is God, there is no deity but Him,
انما الهكم الله الذي لا اله الا هو
whose knowledge embraces all things.
وسع كل شي علما
Thus do We relate to you certain pieces of information about what has gone before,
كذلك نقص عليك من انبا ما قد سبق
and We have given you, from Ourselves, a reminder.
وقد اتينك من لدنا ذكرا
Whoever turns away from it shall indeed bear, on the Day of Appearance, a burden, abiding therein eternally,
من اعرض عنه فانه يحمل يوم القيمه وزرا خلدين فيه
and evil will be that freight for them on the Day of Appearance!
وسا لهم يوم القيمه حملا
The day the Horn is blown, We shall gather the severed, that day, livid, talking among themselves in undertones: "You remained no more than ten."
يوم ينفخ في الصور ونحشر المجرمين يوميذ زرقا يتخفتون بينهم ان لبثتم الا عشرا
We know best what they will say, when the most exemplary of them in his course of conduct will say: "You remained no more than a day."
نحن اعلم بما يقولون اذ يقول امثلهم طريقه ان لبثتم الا يوما
And they ask you about the mountains; say: "My Guardian will scatter them utterly, letting them be a level plain, wherein you will see neither crookedness nor rise."
ويسلونك عن الجبال فقل ينسفها ربي نسفا فيذرها قاعا صفصفا لا تري فيها عوجا ولا امتا
That day, they will follow the caller, in whom there is no crookedness,
يوميذ يتبعون الداعي لا عوج له
and the voices will become humble before the All-Benevolent; you will hear only a rustle.
وخشعت الاصوات للرحمن فلا تسمع الا همسا
That day, mediation will not avail, except for him to whom the All-Benevolent gives permission, and whose saying He is pleased to accept.
يوميذ لا تنفع الشفعه الا من اذن له الرحمن ورضي له قولا
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not encompass Him in their knowledge.
يعلم ما بين ايديهم وما خلفهم ولا يحيطون به علما
And the faces will bow low before the Living, the Self-Subsisting,
وعنت الوجوه للحي القيوم
and whoever bears a wrong will indeed have failed.
وقد خاب من حمل ظلما
And whoever does sound deeds, being a believer, shall fear neither wrong nor spoliation.
ومن يعمل من الصلحت وهو مومن فلا يخاف ظلما ولا هضما
Thus have We sent it down, a flawless Recitation, and We have diversified therein the threat, perhaps they will guard themselves, or it will give rise in them to a remembrance.
وكذلك انزلنه قرانا عربيا وصرفنا فيه من الوعيد لعلهم يتقون او يحدث لهم ذكرا
So exalted be God, the Sovereign, the Truth!
فتعلي الله الملك الحق
And do not hasten with the Recitation before its revelation is completed for you,
ولا تعجل بالقران من قبل ان يقضي اليك وحيه
and say: "My Guardian, increase me in knowledge."
وقل رب زدني علما
And We had indeed bound Adam by a pact before, but he forgot, and We found in him no firm resolve.
ولقد عهدنا الي ادم من قبل فنسي ولم نجد له عزما
And when We said to the Agents: "Prostrate before Adam", they prostrated,
واذ قلنا للمليكه اسجدوا لادم فسجدوا
save Iblis, who refused.
الا ابليس ابي
So We said: "O Adam! This is indeed an enemy to you and to your spouse; let him not drive you both out of the Garden, or you would toil.
فقلنا يادم ان هذا عدو لك ولزوجك فلا يخرجنكما من الجنه فتشقي
You have therein the assurance that you will not go hungry nor be unclothed,
ان لك الا تجوع فيها ولا تعري
nor that you will thirst therein, nor be exposed to the sun."
وانك لا تظموا فيها ولا تضحي
Then the Diverter whispered to him,
فوسوس اليه الشيطن
he said: "O Adam! Shall I point you to the tree of eternity and a dominion that does not decay?"
قال يادم هل ادلك علي شجره الخلد وملك لا يبلي
So they both ate from it, and their nakedness appeared to them, and they both set about stitching leaves from the Garden onto themselves.
فاكلا منها فبدت لهما سوتهما وطفقا يخصفان عليهما من ورق الجنه
And Adam disobeyed his Guardian, and erred.
وعصي ادم ربه فغوي
Then his Guardian elected him, turned toward him with clemency, and guided him.
ثم اجتبه ربه فتاب عليه وهدي
He said: "Descend from it, both of you, together,
قال اهبطا منها جميعا
enemies to one another.
بعضكم لبعض عدو
And should guidance come to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance shall neither stray nor toil;
فاما ياتينكم مني هدي فمن اتبع هداي فلا يضل ولا يشقي
and whoever turns away from My remembrance shall indeed have a straitened existence, and We shall gather him blind on the Day of Appearance."
ومن اعرض عن ذكري فان له معيشه ضنكا ونحشره يوم القيمه اعمي
He will say: "My Guardian, why have You gathered me blind, while I used to see clearly?"
قال رب لم حشرتني اعمي وقد كنت بصيرا
He will say: "Thus it is: Our signs came to you, and you forgot them;
قال كذلك اتتك ايتنا فنسيتها
and thus, today, you are forgotten."
وكذلك اليوم تنسي
Thus do We recompense whoever has been excessive and has not believed in the signs of his Guardian;
وكذلك نجزي من اسرف ولم يومن بايت ربه
and the punishment of the last life is more severe and more lasting.
ولعذاب الاخره اشد وابقي
Are they not guided by how many generations We annihilated before them, in whose dwellings they walk?
افلم يهد لهم كم اهلكنا قبلهم من القرون يمشون في مسكنهم
There are surely in that signs for those endowed with sagacity.
ان في ذلك لايت لاولي النهي
And had it not been for a word that preceded from your Guardian, and a term already set, it would have been inevitable.
ولولا كلمه سبقت من ربك لكان لزاما واجل مسمي
So be patient with what they say,
فاصبر علي ما يقولون
and glorify, with praise, your Guardian, before the rising of the sun and before its setting;
وسبح بحمد ربك قبل طلوع الشمس وقبل غروبها
and glorify Him during some hours of the night, and at the ends of the day, perhaps you will be well-pleased.
ومن اناي اليل فسبح واطراف النهار لعلك ترضي
And do not stretch your eyes toward what We have granted some pairs among them to enjoy — the glitter of the near life — that We may try them therein;
ولا تمدن عينيك الي ما متعنا به ازوجا منهم زهره الحيوه الدنيا لنفتنهم فيه
and the provision of your Guardian is better and more lasting.
ورزق ربك خير وابقي
And order your household to the Contact, and be constant in it:
وامر اهلك بالصلوه واصطبر عليها
We ask no provision of you,
لا نسلك رزقا
it is We who provide for you;
نحن نرزقك
and the outcome belongs to guardedness.
والعقبه للتقوي
And they said: "Why does he not bring us a sign from his Guardian!"
وقالوا لولا ياتينا بايه من ربه
Has there not come to them the clear proof of what is in the former chronicles?
اولم تاتهم بينه ما في الصحف الاولي
And had We annihilated them with a punishment before this, they would have said: "Our Guardian, why did You not send to us a messenger, that we might have followed Your signs before we were humiliated and disgraced?"
ولو انا اهلكنهم بعذاب من قبله لقالوا ربنا لولا ارسلت الينا رسولا فنتبع ايتك من قبل ان نذل ونخزي
Say: "Each one is biding his time; so bide your time, then:
قل كل متربص فتربصوا
you shall soon know who are the companions of the even path, and who has let himself be guided."
فستعلمون من اصحب الصرط السوي ومن اهتدي