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 1-2420. Tahaبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِطٰهٰۚTa Ha مَاۤNotاَنْزَلْنَاWe (have) sent downعَلَیْكَto youالْقُرْاٰنَthe Quranلِتَشْقٰۤیۙthat you be distressed اِلَّا(But)تَذْكِرَةً(as) a reminderلِّمَنْfor (those) whoیَّخْشٰیۙfear تَنْزِیْلًاA revelationمِّمَّنْfrom (He) Whoخَلَقَcreatedالْاَرْضَthe earthوَ السَّمٰوٰتِand the heavensالْعُلٰیؕ[the] high اَلرَّحْمٰنُThe Most Graciousعَلَیoverالْعَرْشِthe Throneاسْتَوٰی is established لَهٗTo Him (belongs)مَاwhateverفِی(is) inالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ مَاand whateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ مَاand whateverبَیْنَهُمَا(is) between themوَ مَاand whateverتَحْتَ(is) underالثَّرٰی the soil وَ اِنْAnd ifتَجْهَرْyou speak aloudبِالْقَوْلِthe wordفَاِنَّهٗthen indeed Heیَعْلَمُknowsالسِّرَّthe secretوَ اَخْفٰی and the more hidden اَللّٰهُAllahلَاۤ(there is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاexceptهُوَ ؕHimلَهُTo Him (belong)الْاَسْمَآءُthe Namesالْحُسْنٰی the Most Beautiful وَ هَلْAnd hasاَتٰىكَcome to youحَدِیْثُthe narrationمُوْسٰیۘ(of) Musa اِذْWhenرَاٰhe sawنَارًاa fireفَقَالَthen he saidلِاَهْلِهِto his familyامْكُثُوْۤاStay hereاِنِّیْۤindeed Iاٰنَسْتُ[I] perceivedنَارًاa fireلَّعَلِّیْۤperhaps I (can)اٰتِیْكُمْbring youمِّنْهَاtherefromبِقَبَسٍa burning brandاَوْorاَجِدُI findعَلَیatالنَّارِthe fireهُدًی guidance فَلَمَّاۤThen whenاَتٰىهَاhe came to itنُوْدِیَhe was calledیٰمُوْسٰیؕO Musa اِنِّیْۤIndeed [I]اَنَاI Amرَبُّكَyour Lordفَاخْلَعْso removeنَعْلَیْكَ ۚyour shoesاِنَّكَIndeed youبِالْوَادِ(are) in the valleyالْمُقَدَّسِthe sacredطُوًیؕ(of) Tuwa 20. Taha Page 313وَ اَنَاAnd Iاخْتَرْتُكَ(have) chosen youفَاسْتَمِعْso listenلِمَاto whatیُوْحٰی is revealed اِنَّنِیْۤIndeed [I]اَنَاI AmاللّٰهُAllahلَاۤ(There is) noاِلٰهَgodاِلَّاۤbutاَنَاIفَاعْبُدْنِیْ ۙso worship Meوَ اَقِمِand establishالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerلِذِكْرِیْ for My remembrance اِنَّIndeedالسَّاعَةَthe Hourاٰتِیَةٌ(will be) comingاَكَادُI almostاُخْفِیْهَا[I] hide itلِتُجْزٰیthat may be recompensedكُلُّeveryنَفْسٍۭsoulبِمَاfor whatتَسْعٰی it strives فَلَاSo (do) notیَصُدَّنَّكَ(let) avert youعَنْهَاfrom itمَنْ(one) whoلَّا(does) notیُؤْمِنُbelieveبِهَاin itوَ اتَّبَعَand followsهَوٰىهُhis desiresفَتَرْدٰی lest you perish وَ مَاAnd whatتِلْكَ(is) thatبِیَمِیْنِكَin your right handیٰمُوْسٰی O Musa قَالَHe saidهِیَItعَصَایَ ۚ(is) my staffاَتَوَكَّؤُاI leanعَلَیْهَاupon itوَ اَهُشُّand I bring down leavesبِهَاwith itعَلٰیforغَنَمِیْmy sheepوَ لِیَand for meفِیْهَاin itمَاٰرِبُ(are) usesاُخْرٰی other قَالَHe saidاَلْقِهَاThrow it downیٰمُوْسٰی O Musa! فَاَلْقٰىهَاSo he threw it downفَاِذَاand behold!هِیَItحَیَّةٌ(was) a snakeتَسْعٰی moving swiftly قَالَHe saidخُذْهَاSeize itوَ لَاand (do) notتَخَفْ ۥfearسَنُعِیْدُهَاWe will return itسِیْرَتَهَا(to) its stateالْاُوْلٰی the former وَ اضْمُمْAnd draw nearیَدَكَyour handاِلٰیtoجَنَاحِكَyour sideتَخْرُجْit will come outبَیْضَآءَwhiteمِنْwithout anyغَیْرِwithout anyسُوْٓءٍdiseaseاٰیَةً(as) a signاُخْرٰیۙanother لِنُرِیَكَThat We may show youمِنْofاٰیٰتِنَاOur Signsالْكُبْرٰیۚthe Greatest اِذْهَبْGoاِلٰیtoفِرْعَوْنَFiraunاِنَّهٗIndeed heطَغٰی۠(has) transgressed

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Surah Introduction

Since Moses ( ﷺ ) and Adam ( ﷺ ) are mentioned passingly in the previous sûrah, their stories are recounted here in great detail. This Meccan sûrah reassures the Prophet ( ﷺ ) that the truth always prevails even against the most tyrannical opposition (in the form of Pharaoh) and that Allah is able to open even the hardest of hearts (in the form of Pharaoh's magicians). Both the beginning and the end of the sûrah emphasize the divine nature of the Quran as a source of guidance and eternal bliss. Those who turn away from the Quranic reminder are warned of misery in this world and horrifying punishment on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet ( ﷺ ) is advised to seek comfort in patience and prayer against pagan denial, which is detailed at the beginning of the next sûrah.

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Translation of Verse 1-241. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. Ṭâ-Hâ .

2. We have not revealed the Quran to you ˹O Prophet˺ to cause you distress,

3. but as a reminder to those in awe ˹of Allah˺.

4. ˹It is˺ a revelation from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens-

5. the Most Compassionate, ˹Who is˺ established on the Throne.

6. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth and whatever is in between and whatever is underground.

7. Whether you speak openly ˹or not˺, He certainly knows what is secret and what is even more hidden.

8. Allah-there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. He has the Most Beautiful Names.

9. Has the story of Moses reached you ˹O Prophet˺?

10. When he saw a fire, he said to his family, "Wait here, ˹for˺ I have spotted a fire. Perhaps I can bring you a torch from it, or find some guidance at the fire." ⁵⁸⁷

11. But when he approached it, he was called, "O Moses!

12. It is truly I. I am your Lord! So take off your sandals, for you are in the sacred valley of Ṭuwa.

13. I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed:

14. 'It is truly I. I am Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Me. So worship Me ˹alone˺, and establish prayer for My remembrance.

15. The Hour is sure to come. My Will is to keep it hidden, so that every soul may be rewarded according to their efforts.

16. So do not let those who disbelieve in it and follow their desires distract you from it, or you will be doomed.'"

17. ˹Allah added,˺ "And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?"

18. He replied, "It is my staff! I lean on it, and with it I beat down ˹branches˺ for my sheep, and have other uses for it." ⁵⁸⁸

19. Allah said, "Throw it down, O Moses!"

20. So he did, then-behold!-it became a serpent, slithering.

21. Allah said, "Take it, and have no fear. We will return it to its former state.

22. And put your hand under your armpit, it will come out ˹shining˺ white, unblemished, ⁵⁸⁹ as another sign,

23. so that We may show you some of Our greatest signs.

24. Go to Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed ˹all bounds˺."

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Commentary

587. Moses and his family lost their way in the dark while they were travelling from Midian to Egypt.

588. Moses could have just said, "A staff." But he volunteered to talk about the uses of the staff, adding that there are many other uses he has not mentioned, with the hope that Allah would ask him about it more. The reason is that Moses wanted to prolong the conversation with Allah as much as he could.

589. Moses, who was dark-skinned, was asked to put his hand under his armpit. When he took it out it was shining white, but not out of a skin condition like melanoma.