Al-Qasas
The Story
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent.
Ṭa. Sin. Mim.
طسم
These are the signs of the explicit Scripture.
تلك ايت الكتب المبين
We recite to you, in truth, part of the information concerning Moussa and Fir'awn, for a people who believe.
نتلوا عليك من نبا موسي وفرعون بالحق لقوم يومنون
Fir'awn rose up in the land and split its inhabitants into factions; he kept a group of them weak, slaughtering their sons and violating the modesty of their women,
ان فرعون علا في الارض وجعل اهلها شيعا يستضعف طايفه منهم يذبح ابناهم ويستحي نساهم
for he was indeed one of the corrupters.
انه كان من المفسدين
We wanted to grace those who had been kept weak in the land, to make them leaders, to make them the heirs, to establish them firmly in the land, and to show Fir'awn, Haman, and their armies, through them, what they had been wary of.
ونريد ان نمن علي الذين استضعفوا في الارض ونجعلهم ايمه ونجعلهم الورثين ونمكن لهم في الارض ونري فرعون وهمن وجنودهما منهم ما كانوا يحذرون
We inspired Moussa's mother: "Take him into your care; and when you fear for him, cast him into the deep, without fear or grief,
واوحينا الي ام موسي ان ارضعيه فاذا خفت عليه فالقيه في اليم ولا تخافي ولا تحزني
for We will indeed restore him to you and make him one of the envoys."
انا رادوه اليك وجاعلوه من المرسلين
Fir'awn's clan picked him up, so that he would become, in the end, an enemy and a source of grief for them —
فالتقطه ال فرعون ليكون لهم عدوا وحزنا
Indeed, Fir'awn, Haman, and their armies were at fault.
ان فرعون وهمن وجنودهما كانوا خطين
Fir'awn's wife said: "A rest of the gaze for me and for you; do not kill him;
وقالت امرات فرعون قرت عين لي ولك لا تقتلوه
it may be that he will be useful to us, or that we adopt him as a son." They did not sense it.
عسي ان ينفعنا او نتخذه ولدا وهم لا يشعرون
The Conscience of Moussa's mother became vacant; she nearly made it appear, had We not bound her core, so that she would be among those who believe.
واصبح فواد ام موسي فرغا ان كادت لتبدي به لولا ان ربطنا علي قلبها لتكون من المومنين
She said to his sister: "Follow his trail." She saw him clearly from afar, without their sensing it.
وقالت لاخته قصيه فبصرت به عن جنب وهم لا يشعرون
We had beforehand prohibited him from being taken into care by anyone else; she then said: "Shall I point you to a family who will have custody of him for you, and who will be sincere toward him?"
وحرمنا عليه المراضع من قبل فقالت هل ادلكم علي اهل بيت يكفلونه لكم وهم له نصحون
Thus We restored him to his mother, so that her gaze might find rest, that she might not grieve, and that she would know that God's promise is true —
فرددنه الي امه كي تقر عينها ولا تحزن ولتعلم ان وعد الله حق
but most of them do not know.
ولكن اكثرهم لا يعلمون
When he reached his full maturity and had become established, We gave him judgment and knowledge —
ولما بلغ اشده واستوي اتينه حكما وعلما
thus do We recompense those who do good.
وكذلك نجزي المحسنين
He entered the Capital at a moment when its people were inattentive, and found there two men fighting: one from his own camp, the other from his enemies.
ودخل المدينه علي حين غفله من اهلها فوجد فيها رجلين يقتتلان هذا من شيعته وهذا من عدوه
The one from his own camp called on him for rescue against the one from his enemies; Moussa struck him with his fist and left him for dead.
فاستغثه الذي من شيعته علي الذي من عدوه فوكزه موسي فقضي عليه
He said: "This is the work of the Diverter;
قال هذا من عمل الشيطن
he is indeed an enemy, a manifest misleader."
انه عدو مضل مبين
He said: "My Guardian, I have indeed wronged myself; forgive me."
قال رب اني ظلمت نفسي فاغفر لي
He forgave him,
فغفر له
for it is indeed He, the Most-Forgiving, the Benevolent.
انه هو الغفور الرحيم
He said: "My Guardian, by the blessing You have granted me, I will never again be a support for the severed."
قال رب بما انعمت علي فلن اكون ظهيرا للمجرمين
He found himself in the Capital, fearful, on watch; and there was the one who, the day before, had asked for his help, crying out to him again for aid.
فاصبح في المدينه خايفا يترقب فاذا الذي استنصره بالامس يستصرخه
Moussa said to him: "You are surely a clearly errant man."
قال له موسي انك لغوي مبين
Then, as he was about to strike the one who was the enemy of the two, he said: "O Moussa, do you want to kill me as you killed a Self yesterday?
فلما ان اراد ان يبطش بالذي هو عدو لهما قال يموسي اتريد ان تقتلني كما قتلت نفسا بالامس
You only want to become a tyrant in the land; you do not want to be one of those who make things sound."
ان تريد الا ان تكون جبارا في الارض وما تريد ان تكون من المصلحين
A man came hurrying from the far end of the Capital.
وجا رجل من اقصا المدينه يسعي
He said: "O Moussa, the court is conspiring against you to kill you; leave — I am indeed a sincere advisor to you."
قال يموسي ان الملا ياتمرون بك ليقتلوك فاخرج اني لك من النصحين
He left it, fearful, on watch,
فخرج منها خايفا يترقب
and said: "My Guardian, save me from the wrongdoing people."
قال رب نجني من القوم الظلمين
As he headed toward Madyan, he said: "It may be that my Guardian will guide me to the straight way."
ولما توجه تلقا مدين قال عسي ربي ان يهديني سوا السبيل
When he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found there a community of men watering, and found, apart from them, two women holding back.
ولما ورد ما مدين وجد عليه امه من الناس يسقون ووجد من دونهم امراتين تذودان
He said: "What is your case?"
قال ما خطبكما
They said: "We do not water until the shepherds have driven off; and our father is a very old man."
قالتا لا نسقي حتي يصدر الرعا وابونا شيخ كبير
He watered for them, then moved off to the shade and said: "My Guardian, I am indeed in great need of whatever good You would send down to me."
فسقي لهما ثم تولي الي الظل فقال رب اني لما انزلت الي من خير فقير
One of the two came to him, walking with reserved modesty.
فجاته احديهما تمشي علي استحيا
She said: "My father calls you, to recompense you with the reward for having watered for us."
قالت ان ابي يدعوك ليجزيك اجر ما سقيت لنا
When he came to him and related to him his account, he said: "Do not fear, you have escaped the wrongdoing people."
فلما جاه وقص عليه القصص قال لا تخف نجوت من القوم الظلمين
One of the two said: "O my father, hire him;
قالت احديهما يابت استجره
the best one you could hire is one who is strong and trustworthy."
ان خير من استجرت القوي الامين
He said: "I wish to marry you to one of these two daughters of mine, on condition that you serve me for eight years;
قال اني اريد ان انكحك احدي ابنتي هتين علي ان تاجرني ثمني حجج
and if you complete ten, that will be of your own accord;
فان اتممت عشرا فمن عندك
I do not wish to impose a hardship on you —
وما اريد ان اشق عليك
you will find me, if God wills, among those who are sound."
ستجدني ان شا الله من الصلحين
He said: "That is understood between you and me;
قال ذلك بيني وبينك
whichever of the two terms I conclude, let there be no hostility against me."
ايما الاجلين قضيت فلا عدون علي
God is trustee over what we say.
والله علي ما نقول وكيل
When Moussa had concluded the term and set out with his family, he made out a fire on the side of the Mount.
فلما قضي موسي الاجل وسار باهله انس من جانب الطور نارا
He said to his family: "Stay here; I have made out a fire; perhaps I will bring you news from it, or a burning ember, perhaps you can warm yourselves."
قال لاهله امكثوا اني انست نارا لعلي اتيكم منها بخبر او جذوه من النار لعلكم تصطلون
When he reached it, he was called from the right side of the valley, in the blessed place, from the tree: "O Moussa, it is indeed I, God, the Guardian of all beings! Cast down your staff."
فلما اتيها نودي من شطي الواد الايمن في البقعه المبركه من الشجره ان يموسي اني انا الله رب العلمين وان الق عصاك
When he saw it vibrate as though it were an Occulted, he turned back in flight and did not return.
فلما راها تهتز كانها جان ولي مدبرا ولم يعقب
"O Moussa, come forward and do not fear;
يموسي اقبل ولا تخف
you are indeed among those who are secure.
انك من الامنين
Insert your hand into your neckline, it will come out white, without any harm;
اسلك يدك في جيبك تخرج بيضا من غير سو
and press your wing to yourself, against reverence.
واضمم اليك جناحك من الرهب
These, then, are two demonstrations from your Guardian, for Fir'awn and his court;
فذنك برهنان من ربك الي فرعون وملايه
they were a people of oversteppers."
انهم كانوا قوما فسقين
He said: "My Guardian, I indeed killed a Self among them and I fear they will kill me; but my brother Harun has a clearer tongue than mine — send him with me as a support, so that he may declare me veracious;
قال رب اني قتلت منهم نفسا فاخاف ان يقتلون واخي هرون هو افصح مني لسانا فارسله معي ردا يصدقني
for I fear they will deny me."
اني اخاف ان يكذبون
He said: "We will strengthen your arm through your brother, and We will appoint for you both an authority, so that they will not be able to reach you — through Our signs,
قال سنشد عضدك باخيك ونجعل لكما سلطنا فلا يصلون اليكما بايتنا
you two, and those who follow you, will be the victors."
انتما ومن اتبعكما الغلبون
When Moussa brought them Our clear signs, they said: "This is nothing but an invented illusion; we never heard of this among our earliest forefathers."
فلما جاهم موسي بايتنا بينت قالوا ما هذا الا سحر مفتري وما سمعنا بهذا في اباينا الاولين
Moussa said: "My Guardian knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and to whom the outcome of the abode will belong —
وقال موسي ربي اعلم بمن جا بالهدي من عنده ومن تكون له عقبه الدار
the wrongdoers indeed do not succeed."
انه لا يفلح الظلمون
Fir'awn said: "O court, I know of no deity for you other than myself. So kindle for me a fire upon clay, O Haman, and make me a belvedere, perhaps I will climb up to the deity of Moussa; for I surely presume he is among the liars."
وقال فرعون يايها الملا ما علمت لكم من اله غيري فاوقد لي يهمن علي الطين فاجعل لي صرحا لعلي اطلع الي اله موسي واني لاظنه من الكذبين
He grew proud, he and his armies, in the land, without any right, and they presumed they would never be returned to Us.
واستكبر هو وجنوده في الارض بغير الحق وظنوا انهم الينا لا يرجعون
So We seized him and his armies, and cast them into the deep —
فاخذنه وجنوده فنبذنهم في اليم
so look at what was the end of the wrongdoers.
فانظر كيف كان عقبه الظلمين
We made them leaders who call to the Fire,
وجعلنهم ايمه يدعون الي النار
and on the Day of Appearance, they will not be helped.
ويوم القيمه لا ينصرون
We made a curse follow them in the present life,
واتبعنهم في هذه الدنيا لعنه
and on the Day of Appearance they will be among the disfigured.
ويوم القيمه هم من المقبوحين
We certainly gave Moussa the Scripture, after having annihilated the first generations, as insights for mankind, guidance, and benevolence, perhaps they would remember.
ولقد اتينا موسي الكتب من بعد ما اهلكنا القرون الاولي بصاير للناس وهدي ورحمه لعلهم يتذكرون
You were not on the western side when We decreed the command to Moussa,
وما كنت بجانب الغربي اذ قضينا الي موسي الامر
nor were you among those who witnessed it.
وما كنت من الشهدين
But We caused generations to arise, and life grew long for them;
ولكنا انشانا قرونا فتطاول عليهم العمر
and you did not sojourn among the people of Madyan, reciting Our signs to them,
وما كنت ثاويا في اهل مدين تتلوا عليهم ايتنا
but it is We who sent you.
ولكنا كنا مرسلين
Nor were you on the side of the Mount when We called;
وما كنت بجانب الطور اذ نادينا
but it is a benevolence from your Guardian, so that you may warn a people to whom no warner had come before you, in the hope that they will remember.
ولكن رحمه من ربك لتنذر قوما ما اتيهم من نذير من قبلك لعلهم يتذكرون
And were it not that, when a misfortune strikes them for what their hands have prepared, they might say: "Our Guardian, why did You not send us a messenger, that we might have followed Your signs and been among the believers" —
ولولا ان تصيبهم مصيبه بما قدمت ايديهم فيقولوا ربنا لولا ارسلت الينا رسولا فنتبع ايتك ونكون من المومنين
when the truth came to them from Us, they said: "Why was he not given the like of what was given to Moussa?"
فلما جاهم الحق من عندنا قالوا لولا اوتي مثل ما اوتي موسي
Did they not disown what was given to Moussa before?
اولم يكفروا بما اوتي موسي من قبل
They said: "Two illusions supporting each other!"
قالوا سحران تظهرا
and they said: "We indeed disown all of it."
وقالوا انا بكل كفرون
Say: "Bring, then, a scripture from God more guiding than these two, and I will follow it, if you are veracious."
قل فاتوا بكتب من عند الله هو اهدي منهما اتبعه ان كنتم صدقين
If they do not respond to you, know that they only follow their emotions —
فان لم يستجيبوا لك فاعلم انما يتبعون اهواهم
and who is more astray than one who follows his emotion, without guidance from God?
ومن اضل ممن اتبع هويه بغير هدي من الله
God indeed does not guide the wrongdoing people.
ان الله لا يهدي القوم الظلمين
We made the saying reach them without a break, perhaps they will remember.
ولقد وصلنا لهم القول لعلهم يتذكرون
Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it believe in it;
الذين اتينهم الكتب من قبله هم به يومنون
and when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it; it is indeed the truth from our Guardian; we were, even before it, already true to God alone."
واذا يتلي عليهم قالوا امنا به انه الحق من ربنا انا كنا من قبله مسلمين
These will be given their reward twice over, for having been patient, for having pushed back evil with good, and for having spent from what We provided them.
اوليك يوتون اجرهم مرتين بما صبروا ويدرون بالحسنه السييه ومما رزقنهم ينفقون
And when they hear idle talk, they turn away from it and say: "To us our works, to you yours; peace upon you, we do not seek the ignorant."
واذا سمعوا اللغو اعرضوا عنه وقالوا لنا اعملنا ولكم اعملكم سلم عليكم لا نبتغي الجهلين
You indeed do not guide whom you love;
انك لا تهدي من احببت
but God guides whom He wills,
ولكن الله يهدي من يشا
and He knows best those who let themselves be guided.
وهو اعلم بالمهتدين
They said: "If we follow the guidance with you, we will be snatched from our land."
وقالوا ان نتبع الهدي معك نتخطف من ارضنا
Have We not firmly established them in an inviolable and secure precinct, to which the fruits of all things come thronging, as provision from Us?
اولم نمكن لهم حرما امنا يجبي اليه ثمرت كل شي رزقا من لدنا
But most of them do not know.
ولكن اكثرهم لا يعلمون
How many a city have We annihilated, that had grown wanton in its own livelihood!
وكم اهلكنا من قريه بطرت معيشتها
There are their dwellings, left uninhabited after them, save for a very few — and it is We who were the heirs.
فتلك مسكنهم لم تسكن من بعدهم الا قليلا وكنا نحن الورثين
Your Guardian never annihilates cities before raising up, in their metropolis, a messenger reciting Our signs to them;
وما كان ربك مهلك القري حتي يبعث في امها رسولا يتلوا عليهم ايتنا
nor have We ever annihilated cities except when their people were wrongdoers.
وما كنا مهلكي القري الا واهلها ظلمون
Whatever you have been given is but enjoyment of the present life and its adornment;
وما اوتيتم من شي فمتع الحيوه الدنيا وزينتها
what is with God is better and more lasting.
وما عند الله خير وابقي
Will you not then reason?
افلا تعقلون
Is one to whom We made a fine promise, which he will meet, comparable to one whom We let enjoy the present life, who will then, on the Day of Appearance, be among those brought forth?
افمن وعدنه وعدا حسنا فهو لقيه كمن متعنه متع الحيوه الدنيا ثم هو يوم القيمه من المحضرين
The day He calls them and says: "Where are My associates, whom you used to claim?"
ويوم يناديهم فيقول اين شركاي الذين كنتم تزعمون
Those against whom the saying will have proven true will say: "Our Guardian, these are the ones we made err; we made them err just as we ourselves erred;
قال الذين حق عليهم القول ربنا هولا الذين اغوينا اغوينهم كما غوينا
we declare ourselves quit before You;
تبرانا اليك
it was not us that they obeyed."
ما كانوا ايانا يعبدون
It will be said: "Call your associates." They will call them, but they will not respond to them; and they will see the punishment — if only they had let themselves be guided...
وقيل ادعوا شركاكم فدعوهم فلم يستجيبوا لهم وراوا العذاب لو انهم كانوا يهتدون
The day He calls them and says: "What did you answer the envoys?"
ويوم يناديهم فيقول ماذا اجبتم المرسلين
That day, the pieces of information will become obscure to them, and they will not question one another.
فعميت عليهم الانبا يوميذ فهم لا يتسالون
As for one who repented, believed, and did sound deeds, it may be that he is among those who succeed.
فاما من تاب وامن وعمل صلحا فعسي ان يكون من المفلحين
Your Guardian creates what He wills and opts;
وربك يخلق ما يشا ويختار
the option does not belong to them.
ما كان لهم الخيره
Glory be to God, far above what they associate with Him.
سبحن الله وتعلي عما يشركون
Your Guardian knows what their chests shelter and what they disclose.
وربك يعلم ما تكن صدورهم وما يعلنون
He is God; there is no deity but Him;
وهو الله لا اله الا هو
to Him belongs praise, in the first as in the last;
له الحمد في الاولي والاخره
to Him belongs the judgment,
وله الحكم
and to Him you will be returned.
واليه ترجعون
Say: "Have you considered: if God made the night perpetual for you until the Day of Appearance, what deity, other than God, would bring you brightness?
قل اريتم ان جعل الله عليكم اليل سرمدا الي يوم القيمه من اله غير الله ياتيكم بضيا
Will you not then hear?"
افلا تسمعون
Say: "Have you considered: if God made the day perpetual for you until the Day of Appearance, what deity, other than God, would bring you a night in which to rest?
قل اريتم ان جعل الله عليكم النهار سرمدا الي يوم القيمه من اله غير الله ياتيكم بليل تسكنون فيه
Will you not then see clearly?"
افلا تبصرون
It is out of His benevolence that He made for you the night and the day, so that you might rest and seek of His favor, and perhaps you will be grateful.
ومن رحمته جعل لكم اليل والنهار لتسكنوا فيه ولتبتغوا من فضله ولعلكم تشكرون
The day He calls them and says: "Where are My associates, whom you used to claim?"
ويوم يناديهم فيقول اين شركاي الذين كنتم تزعمون
We will draw out from every community a witness, and We will say: "Bring your demonstration." Then they will know that the truth belongs to God, and what they used to invent will stray away from them.
ونزعنا من كل امه شهيدا فقلنا هاتوا برهنكم فعلموا ان الحق لله وضل عنهم ما كانوا يفترون
Qaroon was of the people of Moussa; he committed iniquity against them —
ان قرون كان من قوم موسي فبغي عليهم
We had given him, among treasures, so much that its very keys surely weighed heavily on a band of men, possessors of strength.
واتينه من الكنوز ما ان مفاتحه لتنوا بالعصبه اولي القوه
His people then said to him: "Do not revel; God does not love those who revel;
اذ قال له قومه لا تفرح ان الله لا يحب الفرحين
seek instead, in what God has given you, the last abode,
وابتغ فيما اتيك الله الدار الاخره
without forgetting your portion of the present life;
ولا تنس نصيبك من الدنيا
do good as God has done good to you,
واحسن كما احسن الله اليك
and do not seek corruption in the land;
ولا تبغ الفساد في الارض
God does not love the corrupters."
ان الله لا يحب المفسدين
He said: "It has only been given to me on account of a knowledge that is mine."
قال انما اوتيته علي علم عندي
Did he not know that God had annihilated, before him, generations that were superior to him in strength and amassed more?
اولم يعلم ان الله قد اهلك من قبله من القرون من هو اشد منه قوه واكثر جمعا
The severed will not be questioned about their offenses.
ولا يسل عن ذنوبهم المجرمون
He went out before his people in all his adornment.
فخرج علي قومه في زينته
Those who wanted the present life said: "Ah, if only we had the like of what has been given to Qaroon! He surely has an immense share."
قال الذين يريدون الحيوه الدنيا يليت لنا مثل ما اوتي قرون انه لذو حظ عظيم
But those to whom knowledge had been given said: "Woe to you! God's requital is better for one who believes and does a sound deed;
وقال الذين اوتوا العلم ويلكم ثواب الله خير لمن امن وعمل صلحا
and that, only the patient receive it."
ولا يلقيها الا الصبرون
We caused the earth to swallow him and his abode;
فخسفنا به وبداره الارض
he had no battalion to help him besides God,
فما كان له من فيه ينصرونه من دون الله
nor was he among those who help themselves.
وما كان من المنتصرين
Those who, the day before, had wished for his position began to say: "Ah! So it is God who extends provision to whom He wills among His obedient ones, and measures it!
واصبح الذين تمنوا مكانه بالامس يقولون ويكان الله يبسط الرزق لمن يشا من عباده ويقدر
Had God not graced us, He would have swallowed us up too.
لولا ان من الله علينا لخسف بنا
Ah! So it is that those who disown never succeed."
ويكانه لا يفلح الكفرون
That last abode — We reserve it for those who want, in the land, neither to exalt themselves above others, nor corruption;
تلك الدار الاخره نجعلها للذين لا يريدون علوا في الارض ولا فسادا
and the outcome belongs to those who guard themselves.
والعقبه للمتقين
Whoever comes with good will have better than it;
من جا بالحسنه فله خير منها
and whoever comes with an evil deed — those who did evil deeds will be recompensed only for what they used to do.
ومن جا بالسييه فلا يجزي الذين عملوا السيات الا ما كانوا يعملون
He who made the Recitation an obligation for you will surely bring you back to an already appointed meeting.
ان الذي فرض عليك القران لرادك الي معاد
Say: "My Guardian knows best who comes with guidance and who is in manifest error."
قل ربي اعلم من جا بالهدي ومن هو في ضلل مبين
You were not hoping that the Scripture would be addressed to you; it is only by benevolence from your Guardian —
وما كنت ترجوا ان يلقي اليك الكتب الا رحمه من ربك
so never be a support for those who disown.
فلا تكونن ظهيرا للكفرين
Let them not bar you from the signs of God after they have been sent down to you;
ولا يصدنك عن ايت الله بعد اذ انزلت اليك
call to your Guardian,
وادع الي ربك
and never be among those who associate.
ولا تكونن من المشركين
Do not invoke, alongside God, another deity;
ولا تدع مع الله الها اخر
there is no deity but Him.
لا اله الا هو
Everything perishes, except His direction.
كل شي هالك الا وجهه
To Him belongs the judgment,
له الحكم
and to Him you will be returned.
واليه ترجعون