Surah 28. Al-Qasas

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Verses [Section]: 1-13[1], 14-21 [2], 22-28 [3], 29-42 [4], 43-50 [5], 51-60 [6], 61-75 [7], 76-82 [8], 83-88 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1328. Al-Qasasبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِطٰسٓمّٓ Ta Seem Meem تِلْكَTheseاٰیٰتُ(are the) Versesالْكِتٰبِ(of) the Bookالْمُبِیْنِ the clear نَتْلُوْاWe reciteعَلَیْكَto youمِنْfromنَّبَاِ(the) newsمُوْسٰی(of) Musaوَ فِرْعَوْنَand Firaunبِالْحَقِّin truthلِقَوْمٍfor a peopleیُّؤْمِنُوْنَ who believe اِنَّIndeedفِرْعَوْنَFiraunعَلَاexalted himselfفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landوَ جَعَلَand madeاَهْلَهَاits peopleشِیَعًا(into) sectsیَّسْتَضْعِفُoppressingطَآىِٕفَةًa groupمِّنْهُمْamong themیُذَبِّحُslaughteringاَبْنَآءَهُمْtheir sonsوَ یَسْتَحْیٖand letting liveنِسَآءَهُمْ ؕtheir womenاِنَّهٗIndeed heكَانَwasمِنَofالْمُفْسِدِیْنَ the corrupters وَ نُرِیْدُAnd We wantedاَنْtoنَّمُنَّbestow a favorعَلَیuponالَّذِیْنَthose whoاسْتُضْعِفُوْاwere oppressedفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landوَ نَجْعَلَهُمْand make themاَىِٕمَّةًleadersوَّ نَجْعَلَهُمُand make themالْوٰرِثِیْنَۙthe inheritors 28. Al-Qasas Page 386وَ نُمَكِّنَAnd [We] establishلَهُمْthemفِیinالْاَرْضِthe landوَ نُرِیَand showفِرْعَوْنَFiraunوَ هَامٰنَand Hamanوَ جُنُوْدَهُمَاand their hostsمِنْهُمْthrough themمَّاwhatكَانُوْاthey wereیَحْذَرُوْنَ fearing وَ اَوْحَیْنَاۤAnd We inspiredاِلٰۤی[to]اُمِّ(the) motherمُوْسٰۤی(of) Musaاَنْthatاَرْضِعِیْهِ ۚSuckle himفَاِذَاbut whenخِفْتِyou fearعَلَیْهِfor himفَاَلْقِیْهِthen cast himفِیin(to)الْیَمِّthe riverوَ لَاand (do) notتَخَافِیْfearوَ لَاand (do) notتَحْزَنِیْ ۚgrieveاِنَّاIndeed Weرَآدُّوْهُ(will) restore himاِلَیْكِto youوَ جَاعِلُوْهُand (will) make himمِنَofالْمُرْسَلِیْنَ the Messengers فَالْتَقَطَهٗۤThen picked him upاٰلُ(the) familyفِرْعَوْنَ(of) Firaunلِیَكُوْنَso that he might becomeلَهُمْto themعَدُوًّاan enemyوَّ حَزَنًا ؕand a griefاِنَّIndeedفِرْعَوْنَFiraunوَ هَامٰنَand Hamanوَ جُنُوْدَهُمَاand their hostsكَانُوْاwereخٰطِـِٕیْنَ sinners وَ قَالَتِAnd saidامْرَاَتُ(the) wifeفِرْعَوْنَ(of) FiraunقُرَّتُA comfortعَیْنٍ(of the) eyeلِّیْfor meوَ لَكَ ؕand for youلَا(Do) notتَقْتُلُوْهُ ۖۗkill himعَسٰۤیperhapsاَنْ(that)یَّنْفَعَنَاۤhe may benefit usاَوْorنَتَّخِذَهٗwe may take himوَلَدًا(as) a sonوَّ هُمْAnd theyلَا(did) notیَشْعُرُوْنَ perceive وَ اَصْبَحَAnd becameفُؤَادُ(the) heartاُمِّ(of the) motherمُوْسٰی(of) Musaفٰرِغًا ؕemptyاِنْThatكَادَتْshe was nearلَتُبْدِیْ(to) disclosingبِهٖabout himلَوْ لَاۤif notاَنْthatرَّبَطْنَاWe strengthenedعَلٰی[over]قَلْبِهَاher heartلِتَكُوْنَso that she would beمِنَofالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ the believers وَ قَالَتْAnd she saidلِاُخْتِهٖto his sisterقُصِّیْهِ ؗFollow himفَبَصُرَتْSo she watchedبِهٖhimعَنْfromجُنُبٍa distanceوَّ هُمْwhile theyلَا(did) notیَشْعُرُوْنَۙperceive وَ حَرَّمْنَاAnd We had forbiddenعَلَیْهِfor himالْمَرَاضِعَthe wet nursesمِنْbeforeقَبْلُbeforeفَقَالَتْso she saidهَلْShall Iاَدُلُّكُمْdirect youعَلٰۤیtoاَهْلِ(the) peopleبَیْتٍ(of) a houseیَّكْفُلُوْنَهٗwho will rear himلَكُمْfor youوَ هُمْwhile theyلَهٗto himنٰصِحُوْنَ (will be) sincere فَرَدَدْنٰهُSo We restored himاِلٰۤیtoاُمِّهٖhis motherكَیْthatتَقَرَّmight be comfortedعَیْنُهَاher eyeوَ لَاand notتَحْزَنَshe may grieveوَ لِتَعْلَمَand that she would knowاَنَّthatوَعْدَthe Promise of Allahاللّٰهِthe Promise of Allahحَقٌّ(is) trueوَّ لٰكِنَّButاَكْثَرَهُمْmost of themلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ۠know

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Surah Introduction

In 26:18-19, Pharaoh reminds Moses ( ﷺ ) of his up-bringing in the care of Pharaoh and how Moses ( ﷺ ) killed an Egyptian (accidentally). Unlike the previous sûrah, this Meccan sûrah focuses on these two aspects of Moses' life in Egypt, along with his escape to Midian where he met his future wife. Another aspect is the story of Korah, one of the people of Moses, who behaved arrogantly, leading to his own destruction. Just like the previous sûrah, it reaffirms Allah's power and the authenticity of the Quran. Again, the Prophet ( ﷺ ) is reminded that his duty is not to convert, but to convey. After criticizing the polytheists (verses 45-75), the sûrah concludes by bidding the Prophet ( ﷺ ) to be steadfast. The next sûrah starts off by talking about steadfastness.

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Translation of Verse 1-131. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. Ṭâ-Sĩn-Mĩm .

2. These are the verses of the clear Book.

3. We narrate to you ˹O Prophet˺ part of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for people who believe.

4. Indeed, Pharaoh ˹arrogantly˺ elevated himself in the land and divided its people into ˹subservient˺ groups, one of which he persecuted, slaughtering their sons and keeping their women. He was truly one of the corruptors.

5. But it was Our Will to favour those who were oppressed in the land, making them models ˹of faith˺ as well as successors;

6. and to establish them in the land; and through them show Pharaoh, Hamân, ⁷⁹¹ and their soldiers ˹the fulfilment of˺ what they feared. ⁷⁹²

7. We inspired the mother of Moses: "Nurse him, but when you fear for him, put him then into the river, and do not fear or grieve. We will certainly return him to you, and make him one of the messengers."

8. And ˹it so happened that˺ Pharaoh's people picked him up, only to become their enemy and source of grief. Surely Pharaoh, Hamân, and their soldiers were sinful.

9. Pharaoh's wife said ˹to him˺, "˹This baby is˺ a source of joy for me and you. Do not kill him. Perhaps he may be useful to us or we may adopt him as a son." They were unaware ˹of what was to come˺.

10. And the heart of Moses' mother ached so much that she almost gave away his identity, had We not reassured her heart in order for her to have faith ˹in Allah's promise˺.

11. And she said to his sister, "Keep track of him!" So she watched him from a distance, while they were unaware.

12. And We had caused him to refuse all wet-nurses at first, so his sister suggested, "Shall I direct you to a family who will bring him up for you and take good care of him?"

13. This is how We returned him to his mother so that her heart would be put at ease, and not grieve, and that she would know that Allah's promise is ˹always˺ true. But most people do not know.

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Commentary

791. It is commonly believed that Hamân was in charge of architecture during the reign of Pharaoh at the time of Moses ( ﷺ ) .

792. The fulfilment of the Pharaoh's old dream that his reign would come to an end at the hands of a boy from the Children of Israel.