Introduction to
Surah
20. TâHâ.
In the Name of Allâh, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
1. TâHâ.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'ân,
and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings.]
2. We have not sent
down the Qur'ân unto you (O Muhammad SAW) to cause you distress,
3. But only as a
Reminder to those who fear (Allâh).
4. A revelation from
Him (Allâh) Who has created the earth and high heavens.
5. The Most Beneficent
(Allâh) Istawâ (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne
(in a manner that suits His Majesty).
6. To Him belongs
all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and all
that is between them, and all that is under the soil.
7. And if you (O
Muhammad SAW)
speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret
and that which is yet more hidden.
8. Allâh! Lâ
ilâhla illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped
but He)! To Him belong the Best Names[].
9. And has there
come to you the story of Mûsa (Moses)?
10. When he saw a
fire, he said to his family: "Wait! Verily, I have seen a
fire, perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or
find some guidance at the fire."
11. And when he came
to it (the fire), he was called by name: "O Mûsa (Moses)!
12. "Verily!
I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred
valley, Tuwa.
13. "And I have
chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you.
14. "Verily!
I am Allâh! Lâ ilâha illa Ana (none has
the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform
AsSalât (Iqâmat-as-Salât)
for My Remembrance.
15. "Verily,
the Hour is coming and My Will is to keep it hidden that every
person may be rewarded for that which he strives.
16. "Therefore,
let not the one who believes not therein (i.e. in the Day of Resurrection,
Reckoning, Paradise and Hell, etc.), but follows his own lusts,[]
divert you therefrom, lest you perish.
17. "And what
is that in your right hand, O Mûsa (Moses)?"
18. He said: "This
is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches
for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses."
19. (Allâh)
said: "Cast it down, O Mûsa (Moses)!"
20. He cast it down,
and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.
21. Allâh said:"Grasp
it, and fear not, We shall return it to its former state,
22. "And press
your (right) hand to your (left) side, it will come forth white
(and shining), without any disease as another sign,
23. "That We
may show you (some) of Our Greater Signs.
24. "Go to Fir'aun
(Pharaoh)! Verily, he has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief
and disobedience, and has behaved as an arrogant, and as a tyrant)."
25. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence,
contentment, and boldness).
26. "And ease
my task for me;
27. "And make
loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (i.e. remove the incorrectness
from my speech) [That occurred as a result of a brand of fire
which Mûsa (Moses) put in his mouth when he was an infant].
[Tafsir At-Tabarî, Vol. 16, Page 159].
28. "That they
understand my speech,
29. "And appoint
for me a helper from my family,
30. "Hârûn
(Aaron), my brother;
31. "Increase
my strength with him,
32. "And let
him share my task (of conveying Allâh's Message and Prophethood),
33. "That we
may glorify You much,
34. "And remember
You much,
35. "Verily!
You are of us Ever a Well-Seer."
36. Allâh said:
"You are granted your request, O Mûsa (Moses)!
37. "And indeed
We conferred a favour on you another time (before).
38. "When We
inspired your mother with that which We inspired.
39. "Saying:
'Put him (the child) into the Tabût (a box or a case
or a chest) and put it into the river (Nile), then the river shall
cast it up on the bank, and there, an enemy of Mine and an enemy
of his shall take him.' And I endued you with love from Me, in
order that you may be brought up under My Eye,
40. "When your
sister went and said: 'Shall I show you one who will nurse him?'
So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes
and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved
you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial. Then
you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan (Midian).
Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained
(for you), O Mûsa (Moses)!
41. "And I have
Istana'tuka,[]
for Myself.
42. "Go you
and your brother with My Ayât (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and do not, you both,
slacken and become weak in My Remembrance.
43. "Go, both
of you, to Fir'aun (Pharaoh), verily, he has transgressed (all
bounds in disbelief and disobedience and behaved as an arrogant
and as a tyrant).
44. "And speak
to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allâh."
45. They said: "Our
Lord! Verily! We fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest
he should transgress (all bounds against us)."
46. He (Allâh)
said: "Fear not, verily! I am with you both, hearing and
seeing.
47. "So go you
both to him, and say: 'Verily, we are Messengers of your Lord,
so let the Children of Israel go with us, and torment them not;
indeed, we have come with a sign from your Lord! And peace will
be upon him who follows the guidance!
48. 'Truly, it has
been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies
[believes not in the Oneness of Allâh, and in His Messengers,
etc.], and turns away.'(from the truth and obedience of Allâh)"
49. Fir'aun (Pharaoh)
said: "Who then, O Mûsa (Moses), is the Lord of you
two?"
50. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and
nature, then guided it aright."
51. [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)]
said: "What about the generations of old?"
52. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a Record.
My Lord is neither unaware nor He forgets, "
53. Who has made
earth for you like a bed (spread out); and has opened roads (ways
and paths etc.) for you therein; and has sent down water (rain)
from the sky. And We have brought forth with it various kinds
of vegetation.
54. Eat and pasture
your cattle, (therein); verily, in this are proofs and signs for
men of understanding.
55. Thereof (the
earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from
it We shall bring you out once again.
56. And indeed We
showed him [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] all Our Signs and Evidences, but
he denied and refused.
57. He [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)]
said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your
magic, O Mûsa (Moses)?
58. "Then verily,
we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between
us and you, which neither we, nor you shall fail to keep, in an
open wide place where both shall have a just and equal chance
(and beholders could witness the competition)."
59. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival,
and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon)."
60. So Fir'aun (Pharaoh)
withdrew, devised his plot and then came back.
61. Mûsa (Moses)
said to them: "Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allâh,
lest He should destroy you completely by a torment. And surely,
he who invents a lie (against Allâh) will fail miserably."
62. Then they debated
with one another what they must do, and they kept their talk secret.
63. They said: "Verily!
These are two magicians. Their object is to drive you out from
your land with magic, and overcome your chiefs and nobles.
64. "So devise
your plot, and then assemble in line. And whoever overcomes this
day will be indeed successful."
65. They said:"O
Mûsa (Moses)! Either you throw first or we be the first
to throw?"
66. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "Nay, throw you (first)!" Then behold, their ropes
and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though
they moved fast.
67. So Mûsa
(Moses) conceived a fear in himself.
68. We (Allâh)
said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand.
69. "And throw
that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which
they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's
trick, and the magician will never be successful, no matter whatever
amount (of skill) he may attain."
70. So the magicians
fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of
Hârûn (Aaron) and Mûsa (Moses)."
71. [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)]
said: "Believe you in him [Mûsa (Moses)] before I give
you permission? Verily! He is your chief who taught you magic.
So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides,
and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of date-palms, and
you shall surely know which of us [I (Fir'aun Pharaoh)
or the Lord of Mûsa (Moses) (Allâh)] can give the
severe and more lasting torment."
72. They said: "We
prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and
to Him (Allâh) Who created us. So decree whatever you desire
to decree, for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the
world.
73. "Verily!
We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults,
and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allâh is better
as regards reward in comparison to your [Fir'aun's (Pharaoh)]
reward, and more lasting (as regards punishment in comparison
to your punishment)."
74. Verily! Whoever
comes to his Lord as a Mujrim (criminal, polytheist, disbeliever
in the Oneness of Allâh and His Messengers, sinner, etc.),
then surely, for him is Hell, therein he will neither die nor
live.
75. But whoever comes
to Him (Allâh) as a believer (in the Oneness of Allâh,
etc.), and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high
ranks (in the Hereafter),
76. 'Adn (Edn)
Paradise (everlasting Gardens), under which rivers flow, wherein
they will abide forever: such is the reward of those who purify
themselves [(by abstaining from all kinds of sins and evil deeds)
which Allâh has forbidden and by doing all that which Allâh
has ordained)].
77. And indeed We
inspired Mûsa (Moses) (saying): "Travel by night with
Ibâdi (My slaves) and strike a dry path for them
in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken [by Fir'aun (Pharaoh)]
nor being afraid (of drowning in the sea)."
78. Then Fir'aun
(Pharaoh) pursued them with his hosts, but the sea-water completely
overwhelmed them and covered them up.
79. And Fir'aun (Pharaoh)
led his people astray, and he did not guide them.
80. O Children of
Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant
with you on the right side of the Mount, and We sent down to you
Al-Manna[] and quails,
81. (Saying) eat
of the Taiyibât (good lawful things) wherewith We
have provided you, and commit no oppression therein, lest My Anger
should justly descend on you. And he on whom My Anger descends,
he is indeed perished.
82. And verily, I
am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness,
and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good
deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).
83. "And what
made you hasten from your people, O Mûsa (Moses)?"
84. He said: "They
are close on my footsteps, and I hastened to You, O my Lord, that
You might be pleased."
85. (Allâh)
said: "Verily! We have tried your people in your absence,
and As-Samiri has led them astray."
86. Then Mûsa
(Moses) returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow.
He said: "O my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair
promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did
you desire that wrath should descend from your Lord on you, so
you broke your promise to me (i.e disbelieving in Allâh
and worshipping the calf)?"
87. They said: "We
broke not the promise to you, of our own will, but we were made
to carry the weight of the ornaments of the [Fir'aun's (Pharaoh)]
people, then we cast them (into the fire), and that was what As-Samiri
suggested."
88. Then he took
out (of the fire) for them a statue of a calf which seemed to
low. They said: "This is your ilâh (god), and
the ilâh (god) of Mûsa (Moses), but [Mûsa
(Moses)] has forgotten (his god).'"
89. Did they not
see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that
it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?
90. And Hârûn
(Aaron) indeed had said to them beforehand: "O my people!
You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allâh)
the Most Beneficent, so follow me and obey my order."
91. They said: "We
will not stop worshipping it (i.e. the calf), until Mûsa
(Moses) returns to us."
92. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "O Hârûn (Aaron)! What stopped you when
you saw them going astray;
93. "That you
followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then
disobeyed my order?"
94. He [Hârûn
(Aaron)] said: "O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my
beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: 'You
have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have
not respected my word!' "
95. [Mûsa (Moses)]
said: "And what is the matter with you. O Samiri? (i.e. why
did you do so?)"
96. (Samiri) said:
"I saw what they saw not, so I took a handful (of dust) from
the hoof print of the messenger [Jibrael's (Gabriel) horse] and
threw it [into the fire in which were put the ornaments of the
Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people, or into the calf]. Thus my inner-self
suggested to me."
97. Mûsa (Moses)
said: "Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this
life will be that you will say: "Touch me not (i.e.you will
live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future
torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your
ilâh (god), to which you have been devoted. We will
certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea."
98. Your Ilâh
(God) is only Allâh, the One (Lâ ilâha
illa Huwa) (none has the right to be worshipped but He). He
has full knowledge of all things.
99. Thus We relate
to you (O Muhammad SAW)
some information of what happened before. And indeed We have given
you from Us a Reminder (this Qur'ân).
100. Whoever turns
away from it (this Qur'ân i.e. does not believe in it,
nor acts on its orders), verily, they will bear a heavy burden
(of sins) on the Day of Resurrection,[]
101. They will abide
in that (state in the Fire of Hell), and evil indeed will it be
that load for them on the Day of Resurrection;
102. The Day when
the Trumpet will be blown (the second blowing): that Day, We shall
gather the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists, sinners,
disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh, etc.) Zurqa:
(blue or blind eyed with black faces).[]
103. In whispers
will they speak to each other (saying): "You stayed not longer
than ten (days)."
104. We know very
well what they will say, when the best among them in knowledge
and wisdom will say: "You stayed no longer than a day!"
105. And they ask
you concerning the mountains, say; "My Lord will blast them
and scatter them as particles of dust.
106. "Then He
shall leave it as a level smooth plain.
107. "You will
see therein nothing crooked or curved."
108. On that Day
mankind will follow strictly (the voice of) Allâh's caller,
no crookedness (that is without going to the right or left of
that voice) will they show him (Allâh's caller). And all
voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent (Allâh),
and nothing shall you hear but the low voice of their footsteps.
109. On that day
no intercession shall avail, except the one for whom the Most
Beneficent (Allâh) has given permission and whose word is
acceptable to Him.
110. He (Allâh)
knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and
what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never
compass anything of His Knowledge.
111. And (all) faces
shall be humbled before (Allâh), the Ever Living, the One
Who sustains and protects all that exists. And he who carried
(a burden of) wrongdoing (i.e. he who disbelieved in Allâh,
ascribed partners to Him, and did deeds of His disobedience),
became indeed a complete failure (on that Day).
112. And he who works
deeds of righteousness, while he is a believer (in Islâmic
Monotheism) then he will have no fear of injustice, nor of any
curtailment (of his reward).
113. And thus We
have sent it down as a Qur'ân in Arabic, and have explained
therein in detail the warnings, in order that they may fear Allâh,
or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it (or to have
the honour for believing and acting on its teachings).
114. Then High above
all be Allâh, the True King. And be not in haste (O Muhammad
SAW) with the Qur'ân before
its revelation is completed to you, and say: "My Lord! Increase
me in knowledge."
115. And indeed We
made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found
on his part no firm will-power.
116. And (remember)
when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves to Adam."
They prostrated (all) except Iblîs (Satan), who
refused.
117. Then We said:
"O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife.
So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you be distressed
in misery.
118. Verily, you
have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein
nor naked.
119. And you (will)
suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat.
120. Then Shaitân
(Satan) whispered to him, saying : "O Adam! Shall I lead
you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste
away?"
121. Then they both
ate of the tree, and so their private parts appeared to them,
and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise
for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went
astray.
122. Then his Lord
chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance.
123. (Allâh)
said:"Get you down (from the Paradise to the earth), both
of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others. Then
if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My
Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery.
124. "But whosoever
turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'ân
nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship,
and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."
