Moses

قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُۥٓ أَلَا تَسْتَمِعُونَ

Pharaoh said to those present, ‘Do you hear what he says?’

قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ ءَابَآئِكُمُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Moses said, ‘He is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.’

قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ

Pharaoh said, ‘This messenger who has been sent to you is truly possessed.’

قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

Moses continued, ‘Lord of the East and West and everything between them. If you would only use your reason!’

قَالَ لَئِنِ ٱتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـٰهًا غَيْرِى لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْمَسْجُونِينَ

But Pharaoh said [to him], ‘If you take any god other than me, I will throw you into prison,’

قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَىْءٍ مُّبِينٍ

and Moses asked, ‘Even if I show you something convincing?’

قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِۦٓ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ

‘Show it then,’ said Pharaoh, ‘if you are telling the truth.’

فَأَلْقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ

So Moses threw down his staff and- lo and behold!- it became a snake for everyone to see.

وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُۥ فَإِذَا هِىَ بَيْضَآءُ لِلنَّـٰظِرِينَ

Then he drew out his hand and- lo and behold!- it was white for the onlookers to see.

قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُۥٓ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَـٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ

Pharaoh said to the counsellors around him, ‘This man is a learned sorcerer!

يُرِيدُ أَن يُخْرِجَكُم مِّنْ أَرْضِكُم بِسِحْرِهِۦ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ

He means to use his sorcery to drive you out of your land! What do you suggest?’

قَالُوٓا۟ أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَٱبْعَثْ فِى ٱلْمَدَآئِنِ حَـٰشِرِينَ

They answered, ‘Delay him and his brother for a while, and send messengers to all the cities

يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ

to bring every accomplished sorcerer to you.’

فَجُمِعَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَـٰتِ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ

The sorcerers were [to be] assembled at the appointed time on a certain day

وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلْ أَنتُم مُّجْتَمِعُونَ

and the people were asked, "Are you all coming?

لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ ٱلسَّحَرَةَ إِن كَانُوا۟ هُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ

We may follow the sorcerers if they win!"

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ قَالُوا۟ لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَئِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِن كُنَّا نَحْنُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبِينَ

When the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, ‘Shall we be rewarded if we win?’

قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ

and he said, ‘Yes, and you will join my inner court.’

قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰٓ أَلْقُوا۟ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلْقُونَ

Moses said to them, ‘Throw down whatever you will.’

فَأَلْقَوْا۟ حِبَالَهُمْ وَعِصِيَّهُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ بِعِزَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّا لَنَحْنُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ

They threw their ropes and staffs, saying, ‘By Pharaoh’s might, we shall be victorious.’

فَأَلْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ

But Moses threw his staff and- lo and behold!- it swallowed up their trickery

فَأُلْقِىَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَـٰجِدِينَ

and the sorcerers fell down on their knees,

قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

exclaiming, ‘We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,

رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.’

قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَـٰفٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

Pharaoh said, ‘How dare you believe in him before I have given you permission? He must be the master who taught you sorcery! Soon you will see: I will cut off your alternate hands and feet and then crucify the lot of you!’

قَالُوا۟ لَا ضَيْرَ ۖ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ

‘That will do us no harm,’ they said, ‘for we are sure to return to our Lord.

إِنَّا نَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطَـٰيَـٰنَآ أَن كُنَّآ أَوَّلَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

We hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, as we were the first to believe.’

۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِىٓ إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ

Then We revealed Our will to Moses, ‘Leave with My servants by night, for you will be pursued!’

فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِى ٱلْمَدَآئِنِ حَـٰشِرِينَ

Pharaoh sent messengers into the cities, proclaiming,

إِنَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ

‘These people are a puny band––

وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَآئِظُونَ

they have enraged us-

وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَـٰذِرُونَ

and we are a large army, on the alert.’

فَأَخْرَجْنَـٰهُم مِّن جَنَّـٰتٍ وَعُيُونٍ

So it was that We made them leave their gardens and their springs,

وَكُنُوزٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ

their treasures and their noble dwellings-

كَذَٰلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَـٰهَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ

We gave [such] things [later]to the Children of Israel.

فَأَتْبَعُوهُم مُّشْرِقِينَ

Pharaoh and his people pursued them at sunrise,

فَلَمَّا تَرَٰٓءَا ٱلْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ

and as soon as the two sides came within sight of one another, Moses’ followers said, ‘We shall definitely be caught.’

قَالَ كَلَّآ ۖ إِنَّ مَعِىَ رَبِّى سَيَهْدِينِ

Moses said, ‘No, my Lord is with me: He will guide me,’

فَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْبَحْرَ ۖ فَٱنفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَٱلطَّوْدِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

and We revealed to Moses: ‘Strike the sea with your staff.’ It parted- each side like a mighty mountain-

وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ

and We brought the others to that place:

وَأَنجَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ أَجْمَعِينَ

We saved Moses and all his companions,

ثُمَّ أَغْرَقْنَا ٱلْـَٔاخَرِينَ

and drowned the rest.

إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَهْلِهِۦٓ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا سَـَٔاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ ءَاتِيكُم بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

Moses said to his family, ‘I have seen a fire. I will bring you news from there, or a burning stick for you to warm yourselves.’

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَنۢ بُورِكَ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

When he reached the fire, a voice called: ‘Blessed is the person near this fireand those around it; may God be exalted, the Lord of the Worlds.

يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ

Moses, I am God, the Mighty, the Wise.

وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ ۚ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَا تَخَفْ إِنِّى لَا يَخَافُ لَدَىَّ ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ

Throw down your staff,’ but when he saw it moving like a snake, he turned and fled. ‘Moses, do not be afraid! The messengers need have no fear in My presence,

إِلَّا مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًۢا بَعْدَ سُوٓءٍ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

I am truly most forgiving and merciful to those who do wrong,and then replace their evil with good.

وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوٓءٍ ۖ فِى تِسْعِ ءَايَـٰتٍ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًا فَـٰسِقِينَ

Put your hand inside your cloak and it will come out white, but unharmed. These are among the nine signs that you will show Pharaoh and his people; they have really gone too far.’

فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

But when Our enlightening signs came to them, they said, ‘This is clearly [just] sorcery!’

وَجَحَدُوا۟ بِهَا وَٱسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ

They denied them, in their wickedness and their pride, even though their souls acknowledged them as true. See how those who spread corruption met their end!