Surah 20. Taha

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Verses [Section]: 1-24[1], 25-54 [2], 55-76 [3], 77-89 [4], 90-104 [5], 105-115 [6], 116-128 [7], 129-135 [8]

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Quran Text of Verse 55-76مِنْهَاFrom itخَلَقْنٰكُمْWe created youوَ فِیْهَاand in itنُعِیْدُكُمْWe will return youوَ مِنْهَاand from itنُخْرِجُكُمْWe will bring you outتَارَةًtimeاُخْرٰی another وَ لَقَدْAnd verilyاَرَیْنٰهُWe showed himاٰیٰتِنَاOur Signsكُلَّهَاall of themفَكَذَّبَbut he deniedوَ اَبٰی and refused قَالَHe saidاَجِئْتَنَاHave you come to usلِتُخْرِجَنَاto drive us outمِنْofاَرْضِنَاour landبِسِحْرِكَwith your magicیٰمُوْسٰی O Musa فَلَنَاْتِیَنَّكَThen we will surely produce for youبِسِحْرٍmagicمِّثْلِهٖlike itفَاجْعَلْSo makeبَیْنَنَاbetween usوَ بَیْنَكَand between youمَوْعِدًاan appointmentلَّاnotنُخْلِفُهٗwe will fail itنَحْنُ[we]وَ لَاۤand notاَنْتَyouمَكَانًا(in) a placeسُوًی even قَالَHe saidمَوْعِدُكُمْYour appointmentیَوْمُ(is on the) dayالزِّیْنَةِ(of) the festivalوَ اَنْand thatیُّحْشَرَwill be assembledالنَّاسُthe peopleضُحًی (at) forenoon فَتَوَلّٰیThen went awayفِرْعَوْنُFiraunفَجَمَعَand put togetherكَیْدَهٗhis planثُمَّthenاَتٰی came قَالَSaidلَهُمْto themمُّوْسٰیMusaوَیْلَكُمْWoe to you!لَا(Do) notتَفْتَرُوْاinventعَلَیagainstاللّٰهِAllahكَذِبًاa lieفَیُسْحِتَكُمْlest He will destroy youبِعَذَابٍ ۚwith a punishmentوَ قَدْAnd verilyخَابَhe failedمَنِwhoافْتَرٰی invented فَتَنَازَعُوْۤاThen they disputedاَمْرَهُمْ(in) their affairبَیْنَهُمْamong themوَ اَسَرُّواand they kept secretالنَّجْوٰی the private conversation قَالُوْۤاThey saidاِنْIndeedهٰذٰىنِthese twoلَسٰحِرٰنِ[two] magiciansیُرِیْدٰنِthey intendاَنْthatیُّخْرِجٰكُمْthey drive you outمِّنْofاَرْضِكُمْyour landبِسِحْرِهِمَاwith their magicوَ یَذْهَبَاand do awayبِطَرِیْقَتِكُمُwith your wayالْمُثْلٰی the exemplary فَاَجْمِعُوْاSo put togetherكَیْدَكُمْyour planثُمَّthenائْتُوْاcomeصَفًّا ۚ(in) a lineوَ قَدْAnd verilyاَفْلَحَ(will be) successfulالْیَوْمَtodayمَنِwhoاسْتَعْلٰی overcomes 20. Taha Page 316قَالُوْاThey saidیٰمُوْسٰۤیO Musa!اِمَّاۤEitherاَنْ[that]تُلْقِیَyou throwوَ اِمَّاۤorاَنْ[that]نَّكُوْنَwe will beاَوَّلَthe firstمَنْwhoاَلْقٰی throws قَالَHe saidبَلْNayاَلْقُوْا ۚyou throwفَاِذَاThen behold!حِبَالُهُمْTheir ropesوَ عِصِیُّهُمْand their staffsیُخَیَّلُseemedاِلَیْهِto himمِنْbyسِحْرِهِمْtheir magicاَنَّهَاthat theyتَسْعٰی (were) moving فَاَوْجَسَSo sensedفِیْinنَفْسِهٖhimselfخِیْفَةًa fearمُّوْسٰی Musa قُلْنَاWe saidلَا(Do) notتَخَفْfearاِنَّكَIndeed youاَنْتَyouالْاَعْلٰی (will be) superior وَ اَلْقِAnd throwمَاwhatفِیْ(is) inیَمِیْنِكَyour right handتَلْقَفْit will swallow upمَاwhatصَنَعُوْا ؕthey have madeاِنَّمَاOnlyصَنَعُوْاthey (have) madeكَیْدُa trickسٰحِرٍ ؕ(of) a magicianوَ لَاand notیُفْلِحُwill be successfulالسَّاحِرُthe magicianحَیْثُwhereverاَتٰی he comes فَاُلْقِیَSo were thrown downالسَّحَرَةُthe magiciansسُجَّدًاprostratingقَالُوْۤاThey saidاٰمَنَّاWe believeبِرَبِّin (the) Lordهٰرُوْنَ(of) Harunوَ مُوْسٰی and Musa قَالَHe saidاٰمَنْتُمْYou believeلَهٗ[to] himقَبْلَbeforeاَنْ[that]اٰذَنَI gave permissionلَكُمْ ؕto youاِنَّهٗIndeed heلَكَبِیْرُكُمُ(is) your chiefالَّذِیْthe one whoعَلَّمَكُمُtaught youالسِّحْرَ ۚthe magicفَلَاُقَطِّعَنَّSo surely I will cut offاَیْدِیَكُمْyour handsوَ اَرْجُلَكُمْand your feetمِّنْofخِلَافٍopposite sidesوَّ لَاُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْand surely I will crucify youفِیْonجُذُوْعِ(the) trunksالنَّخْلِ ؗ(of) date-palmsوَ لَتَعْلَمُنَّand surely you will knowاَیُّنَاۤwhich of usاَشَدُّ(is) more severeعَذَابًا(in) punishmentوَّ اَبْقٰی and more lasting قَالُوْاThey saidلَنْNeverنُّؤْثِرَكَwe will prefer youعَلٰیoverمَاwhatجَآءَنَاhas come to usمِنَofالْبَیِّنٰتِthe clear proofsوَ الَّذِیْand the One Whoفَطَرَنَاcreated usفَاقْضِSo decreeمَاۤwhateverاَنْتَyouقَاضٍ ؕ(are) decreeingاِنَّمَاOnlyتَقْضِیْyou can decreeهٰذِهِ(for) thisالْحَیٰوةَlifeالدُّنْیَاؕ(of) the world اِنَّاۤIndeed [we]اٰمَنَّاwe believeبِرَبِّنَاin our Lordلِیَغْفِرَthat He may forgiveلَنَاfor usخَطٰیٰنَاour sinsوَ مَاۤand whatاَكْرَهْتَنَاyou compelled usعَلَیْهِon itمِنَofالسِّحْرِ ؕthe magicوَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahخَیْرٌ(is) Bestوَّ اَبْقٰی and Ever Lasting اِنَّهٗIndeed heمَنْwhoیَّاْتِcomesرَبَّهٗ(to) his Lordمُجْرِمًا(as) a criminalفَاِنَّthen indeedلَهٗfor himجَهَنَّمَ ؕ(is) HellلَاNotیَمُوْتُhe will dieفِیْهَاin itوَ لَاand notیَحْیٰی live وَ مَنْBut whoeverیَّاْتِهٖcomes to Himمُؤْمِنًا(as) a believerقَدْverilyعَمِلَhe has doneالصّٰلِحٰتِthe righteous deedsفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseلَهُمُfor themالدَّرَجٰتُ(will be) the ranksالْعُلٰیۙ[the] high جَنّٰتُGardensعَدْنٍ(of) Edenتَجْرِیْflowsمِنْfromتَحْتِهَاunderneath themالْاَنْهٰرُthe riversخٰلِدِیْنَabiding foreverفِیْهَا ؕin itوَ ذٰلِكَAnd thatجَزٰٓؤُا(is) the rewardمَنْ(for him) whoتَزَكّٰی۠purifies himself

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Translation of Verse 55-76

55. “From the earth We have created you and to the earth We will return you, and from it We will bring you back (to life)”.⁶⁰

56. And We verily did show him all Our signs,⁶¹ but he belied and refused.

57. He said: “Have you come to drive us out from our land by your magic, O Moosa ?”⁶²

58. “So we will surely bring magic against you like this; so appoint a tryst between us and you,⁶³ which neither we nor you will fail to keep in an open flat ground.”⁶⁴

59. He said: “Your tryst will be the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen high.”⁶⁵

60. Then Firaun went, gathered all his tricks and, then came (to the appointed tryst).⁶⁶

61. Moosa said to them: “Woe to you! Invent no lie in respect of Allah, lest He destroy you by some punishment.” He who invents lies fails inevitably.⁶⁷

62. Then they debated among themselves and they kept their counsel secret.⁶⁸

63. They said ⁶⁹ : “These two are magicians who intend to drive you out from your country by their magic, and do away with your best religion.⁷⁰

64. “So muster all your trick and come in battle line⁷¹ Whoever is uppermost today will indeed be successful.”

65. They said: “O Moosa ! Either you cast down, or let us be the first to cast down.”

66. He said: “Nay, you cast down”⁷² Then verily their cords and their staves, by their magic, appeared to him as if they were running. ⁷³

67. And Moosa felt some fear in his heart.⁷⁴

68. We said: “Fear not! Surely you are the higher one”.

69. “Cast down what (staff) is in your right hand! It will swallow what they have made.”⁷⁵ Verily what they have made is the trick of the magician,⁷⁶ and a magician cannot be successful whatever path he may choose.⁷⁷

70. Eventually the magician prostrated themselves,⁷⁸ crying: We believe in the Lord of Haroon and Moosa.⁷⁹

71. He (Firaun) said: “How dare you believe in him before I give consent ?⁸⁰ Surely he is your master who has taught you magic.⁸¹ I will cut off your hands and feet on alternate sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will know for certain whose punishment is more terrible and more lasting.”⁸²

72. They answered: “We cannot prefer you to the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him who has created us. So decree what you will decree, your decision will be for the life of this world only.⁸³

73. “We have put our faith in our Lord so that He may forgive us our sins and the witchcraft that you have forced us to practise.⁸⁴ Allah is best and most lasting.⁸⁵

74. “Whoever comes before his Lord guilty will be consigned to Hell, where he will neither die nor live.⁸⁶,⁸⁷

75. “And whoever comes before Him a true believer, having done good acts, will be exalted to high ranks;⁸⁸

76. "Everlasting Gardens, underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. Such will be the reward for those who purify themselves.”⁸⁹

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Commentary

59. This is an additional statement from Allah on the reply of Prophet Moosa, so that the readers of Qur’an may have the aspects of monotheism more clear and more prominent. They said : “These two are magicians who intend to drive you out from your country by their magic, and do away with your best religion. “So muster all your trick and come in battle line Whoever is uppermost today will indeed be successful.” They said: “O Moosa ! Either you cast down, or let us be the first to cast down.”(Al-Quran)

60. Man is created from dust and after death he will mix with dust. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be raised again from that very earth. A man may die anywhere, in the sea or in the air or in the space, his final judgment will be delivered on this earth only.

61. That is: All the signs that were necessary to confirm the authenticity of the prophethood of Prophets Moosa and Haroon and to manifest the truth.

62. This was a false charge which Firaun levelled against Prophet Moosa, for he had not made any political plans for ousting the Firaun’s people from Egypt, but he himself wanted to leave Egypt with the Bani Israil, and he had demanded that no obstruction be caused in this scheme of his. Therefore, this charge of Firaun that Prophet Moosa had envisaged the ouster of Firaun and his people from Egypt was false, like the charge of necromancy against Prophet Moosa.

63.Prophet Moosa showed his miracle of conversion of his staff into a snake, but Firaun termed it as magic and threw challenge that he would also bring a similar magic against Prophet Moosa. He asked the two prophets to get ready for the competition and to fix a date for the same.

64. That is: The competition or the show down should be in an open ground so that everybody should be able to see it.

65. Prophet Moosa selected the Day of the festival so that more people should be able to come and witness the competition conveniently. This day might have been a day of the national festival.

The time ‘when the sun rises high’ was selected by Prophet Moosa so that the people might see his miracle in good light, and they should have no doubt in his staff transforming into a snake.

66. That is: After the dispersal of this meeting, Firaun busied himself in a conspiracy and tried to call magicians from every part of his country so that they should all unite and show their tricks, and from their efforts people should see that the conversion of Prophet Moosa’s staff into a snake was not divine miracle, but only a trick of magic from Moosa. Accordingly he gathered all his tricks and cunning crafts and came for the competition to the appointed ground with all his magicians on the appointed day.

67. That address of Prophet Moosa was directed towards the people of Firaun and his magicians, in which he warned them that to term Allah’s miracle as magic and His messenger as a magician is to impute falsehood to Allah, and whoever invents lies against Allah invites His wrath and punishment. Such people can achieve nothing but failure!

68. On hearing the timely warning of Prophet Moosa, the magicians were placed in a dilemma. They started consulting each other and wondered whether they should enter the competition or not.

69. The speakers might have been Firaun’s courtiers.

70. In this way the courtiers tried to provoke and prompt the magicians so that they should be incited to enter the fray with greater enthusiasm and vigour.

71. That is: There should be no differences among you. You should put up a united front against Moosa and Haroon.

72. Prophet Moosa preferred that the magicians should show their tricks first, and later on he would perform his miracle. Let the light of truth appear after the disappearance of the darkness of falsehood.

73. It is learnt that magic cannot change the reality of anything. It is only a deception of sight and a deception of thought. The strings and the sticks of the magicians had not really become snakes, but they merely looked like speedily creeping snakes. In the Surah A’raf, it is stated:

“And when they cast down (their ropes and sticks), they cast a spell on the people’s eyes.” (A’raf - 116).

And so far as Prophet Moosa is concerned, Qur’an says: it appeared to him that the magicians’ ropes and sticks were running. And that too when he knew beforehand that what the magicians would be presenting would be merely magic -(appearance)- and not the actual change of reality of things. And it was also for a very short time. For after a while their spell was broken. And this deception of the sight is only for a short time, after which it disappears. Therefore, it is not correct to think that Prophet Moosa, inspite of being prophet, was also affected or influenced by the magic. To be affected by the magic is one thing and to see the magic is another. Prophet Moosa had seen the magic, the reality of the magic. He was not at all affected or disturbed by the magic. His mental faculty was quite healthy and undisturbed. His noticing the rope and sticks as snakes is like somebody seeing a mirage considers it to be real water. It is obvious that this deception of sight is only for a short time and nobody would think it to be the result of the disturbance of the mental faculty.

74. Fear that the magic may not influence the people in such a way that they may not be able to distinguish between magic and miracle.

75. That is :It will eat up their magic. Accordingly wherever the snake of Prophet Moosa crept, it removed the spell of the magicians.

76. That is: It is the magician’s tricks and deception of sight. In reality their ropes and sticks had not become snakes.

77. Whatever tricks a magician may show or whatever spell he may work up, it cannot score a win against the divine miracle, nor can it achieve the real success. For the difference between magic and miracle, see Note No.169, Surah A’raf.

78. The result of this competition was that the spell of the magicians was broken, and Prophet Moosa’s staff became the manifestation of miracle by converting itself into a snake and swallowing of all the magicians’ snakes. Therefore, it became clear that whatever Prophet Moosa was presenting was not magic but a divine miracle, which is the proof of the fact that he was the messenger of Allah. Thus when the reality became manifest to the magicians, they spontaneously prostrated themselves. For further explanation, please see Note No.171, Surah A’raf.

79. Its explanation has been given in Notes Nos. 172 and 173, Surah A’raf.

80. This is the proof of the fact that Firaun’s claim of lordship was not of political supremacy but that of absolute supremacy, for he used to intervene in purely religious matters also. In his kingdom there was neither the freedom to propagate the religion of truth, nor any chance for any leadership to raise its head, nor could an individual of his kingdom put his faith in Allah’s religion on being prompted by his conscience.

81. When Firaun experienced defeat, he tried to veil his defeat by accusing Prophet Moosa of being the tutor of the magicians, and all of them had jointly conspired against him.

82. That is: On receiving this painful punishment you will realise whose -Allah’s or my punishment is more terrible. It gives an idea how much proud, tyrannical and rebellious was Firaun.

83. This was the strength of faith which bolstered up the courage of the magicians to stand up to Firaun. When faith influences a man’s heart, then man’s mind and way of thinking change and he becomes immensely courageous. What were these magicians, and what they became.

84.The magicians themselves did not want to compete with Allah’s messenger, but they were forced to do so by the king’s pressure.

85.That is: Firaun was alive but was mortal. However Allah is immortal and is forever. Therefore, He is the only Being on whom reliance can be placed and He is the only Being worthy of linking our hopes with.

86. This is Allah’s own statement, which is an addition to the statements of the magicians.

87.He will neither die, thus ending all his troubles, nor will he live that he may enjoy the fun of living. He will be in a state between the two which will be worse than we can imagine.

88. This association of good conduct and deeds with the faith clearly shows that this promise of paradise is only for those who will perform good deeds and acts after believing in Allah and His religion. It is a pity that Muslims have conveniently ignored this clear cut statement of the Qur’an, which has been repeated so often, and are relying on the hadith which in a general way states that those who merely believe in Allah and His messenger will be admitted to Paradise, for example in this hadith it is stated :

“Whoever said that there is no god but Allah entered the Paradise”. It is obvious that it cannot mean that a man may just utter by his mouth “La Ilaha Il-lallahu” and may subsequently do whatever he likes, he will have a place reserved for him in the Paradise. If the hadith is interpreted in the light of Qur’an, then there remains no chance of any misinterpretation. But the hadith has been separated from the obvious teachings of Qur’an and reliance is placed on its literal meaning, so that the benefits of the material world may also be enjoyed and the Paradise also may not be lost.