Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
القصص
Al-Qasas
The Stories · Meccan · 88 ayahs
28:1–6Page 385
طسٓمٓ ١
Ṭā, Seen, Meem.1
تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ٱلۡمُبِينِ ٢
These are verses of the clear Book.
نَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡكَ مِن نَّبَإِ مُوسَىٰ وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٣
We recite to you from the news of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for a people who believe.
إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِيَعٗا يَسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَآئِفَةٗ مِّنۡهُمۡ يُذَبِّحُ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيِۦ نِسَآءَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ ٤
Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.
وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتُضۡعِفُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَنَجۡعَلَهُمۡ أَئِمَّةٗ وَنَجۡعَلَهُمُ ٱلۡوَٰرِثِينَ ٥
And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors
وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَٰمَٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَحۡذَرُونَ ٦
And establish them in the land and show Pharaoh and [his minister] Hāmān and their soldiers through them1 that which they had feared.
Pharaoh is mentioned here as being guilty of creating great unrest in his land. He gave every conceivable advantage to his race (Egyptians) and deprived the Israelites of all facilities. Not only this, he also started having their newborn children killed so that their race should gradually be exterminated. Pharaoh’s unfair discrimination between the two races of Egypt amounted to interference with the system of nature that is, ‘fasad,’ in terms of God’s laws. Decisions regarding honour and dishonour are made by God. God’s decision was contrary to Pharaoh’s will. God decided to give honour and power to the Children of Israel and to destroy Pharaoh along with his armies. On conclusion of the missionary process through Moses, Pharaoh, though given a last chance to reform, proved himself to be deserving of punishment. Therefore, God ordained that he be drowned in the sea so that nothing should be left of his influence in Egypt. Subsequently, Children of Israel who had left Egypt were made rulers of Syria and Palestine.
28:7–9Page 386
وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنۡ أَرۡضِعِيهِۖ فَإِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَأَلۡقِيهِ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحۡزَنِيٓۖ إِنَّا رَآدُّوهُ إِلَيۡكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ ٧
And We inspired to the mother of Moses, "Suckle him; but when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers."
فَٱلۡتَقَطَهُۥٓ ءَالُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمۡ عَدُوّٗا وَحَزَنًاۗ إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَٰمَٰنَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُواْ خَٰطِـِٔينَ ٨
And the family of Pharaoh picked him up [out of the river] so that he would become to them an enemy and a [cause of] grief. Indeed, Pharaoh and Hāmān and their soldiers were deliberate sinners.
وَقَالَتِ ٱمۡرَأَتُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قُرَّتُ عَيۡنٖ لِّي وَلَكَۖ لَا تَقۡتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوۡ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدٗا وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ ٩
And the wife of Pharaoh said, "[He will be] a comfort of the eye [i.e., pleasure] for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son." And they perceived not.1
In the period when Moses was born, the children of the Israelites were being killed. Moses’ mother was worried on this account. At that time, probably by means of a dream, she was shown how he could escape if she put him in a small box and floated it down the river Nile. Three months later, she floated Moses in a small boat. While floating, this boat arrived in front of Pharaoh’s palace. Pharaoh’s wife (Aasia) who was a virtuous lady, was filled with pity on seeing the innocent and charming face of Moses. So, on her advice, Moses was kept in Pharaoh’s palace. Tradition has it that at this juncture, Pharaoh’s wife said that the baby may become a source of happiness for them. Pharaoh replied saying, ‘For you, not for me.’ Pharaoh might have said so because of being emotionally unattached but it later turned out to be true.
28:10–14Page 386
وَأَصۡبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَٰرِغًاۖ إِن كَادَتۡ لَتُبۡدِي بِهِۦ لَوۡلَآ أَن رَّبَطۡنَا عَلَىٰ قَلۡبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٠
And the heart of Moses' mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.
وَقَالَتۡ لِأُخۡتِهِۦ قُصِّيهِۖ فَبَصُرَتۡ بِهِۦ عَن جُنُبٖ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ ١١
And she said to his sister, "Follow him"; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not.
۞ وَحَرَّمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبۡلُ فَقَالَتۡ هَلۡ أَدُلُّكُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِ بَيۡتٖ يَكۡفُلُونَهُۥ لَكُمۡ وَهُمۡ لَهُۥ نَٰصِحُونَ ١٢
And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before,1 so she said, "Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?"
فَرَدَدۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّهِۦ كَيۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَ وَلِتَعۡلَمَ أَنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ١٣
So We restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allāh is true. But most of them [i.e., the people] do not know.
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ حُكۡمٗا وَعِلۡمٗاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ١٤
And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.
The process of the protection of Moses is attributed entirely to God, though the sequence of events seems to have taken place as per the ‘cause and effect’ principle. One can gather from this, that in the present world of trial, God’s will manifests itself in terms of the ‘cause and effect’ chain and not in the form of supernatural wonders or magical feats. Moses was set afloat in the river in a state of helplessness, but he reached the bank safe and sound. The king ruling at the time planned to kill him, but God ordained that he be brought up by that very king. He was born in an ordinary family, but God so arranged matters that he became connected with the royal palace and became acquainted with the learning and etiquette of the highest standard. This is an example which shows that Almighty God’s powers are unlimited and there is nobody who can prevent His plans from coming into effect.
28:15–17Page 387
وَدَخَلَ ٱلۡمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفۡلَةٖ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيۡنِ يَقۡتَتِلَانِ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ وَهَٰذَا مِنۡ عَدُوِّهِۦۖ فَٱسۡتَغَٰثَهُ ٱلَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ عَلَى ٱلَّذِي مِنۡ عَدُوِّهِۦ فَوَكَزَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيۡهِۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنۡ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَدُوّٞ مُّضِلّٞ مُّبِينٞ ١٥
And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people1 and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and [unintentionally] killed him. [Moses] said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمۡتُ نَفۡسِي فَٱغۡفِرۡ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٦
He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنۡ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرٗا لِّلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ ١٧
He said, "My Lord, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals."
This incident happened in the capital of Egypt before Moses received prophethood. One day, he saw an Egyptian and an Israelite fighting with each other. The Israelite called upon Moses (who was an Israelite himself) to help him. Moses wanted to separate them, but the Egyptian turned on Moses who in self-defence, gave him a blow. Accidentally, the blow led to the death of the Egyptian. The Egyptians at that time were committing atrocities on the Israelites on a large scale. In this context, had Moses viewed the matter from the communal point of view, he would have treated it as a heroic feat and boasted about it. But, on the contrary, he was very sorry about the Egyptian’s death. He immediately turned towards God and prayed for His forgiveness. ‘I will never be a helper of the guilty’ means, ‘I will not support anybody without investigating the matter.’ A person’s apparently belonging to an oppressed community and his soliciting support by accusing another person of oppression are not enough to prove that the latter is really an oppressor and that the former (the complainant) is really the oppressed person. Therefore, the right approach on such occasions is for the matter to be properly investigated and support should be extended to a complainant only when, on impartial investigation, his being oppressed has been established.
28:18–21Page 387
فَأَصۡبَحَ فِي ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفٗا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِي ٱسۡتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِ يَسۡتَصۡرِخُهُۥۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيّٞ مُّبِينٞ ١٨
And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."
فَلَمَّآ أَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يَبۡطِشَ بِٱلَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوّٞ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقۡتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلۡتَ نَفۡسَۢا بِٱلۡأَمۡسِۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارٗا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡلِحِينَ ١٩
And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he1 said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."
وَجَآءَ رَجُلٞ مِّنۡ أَقۡصَا ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ يَسۡعَىٰ قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱلۡمَلَأَ يَأۡتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقۡتُلُوكَ فَٱخۡرُجۡ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ ٢٠
And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, "O Moses, indeed the eminent ones are conferring over you [intending] to kill you, so leave [the city]; indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors."
فَخَرَجَ مِنۡهَا خَآئِفٗا يَتَرَقَّبُۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٢١
So he left it, fearful and anticipating [apprehension]. He said, "My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people."
The next day Moses found that the same Israelite was fighting with another Egyptian. This gave a clear indication that he was a quarrelsome person and was in the habit of picking quarrels with someone or the other every day. So, inspite of his being an Israelite, Moses held him guilty. The proof of the Israelite’s being guilty was further strengthened by the fact that, when the Israelite found that Moses was not supporting him on that day and was on the contrary blaming him, he stooped to meanness. In an irresponsible manner, he revealed the secret of the previous day’s killing, which till then had not come to anybody’s knowledge. When the killer’s name was made public by the Israelite, many people heard about it. In a few days the news spread everywhere. Ultimately, there was a discussion among the rulers about killing Moses. One virtuous man who came to know about it, met Moses secretly and advised him that it would be better if he went away. So, he left Egypt and set forth for Midian (Madyan). Midian was situated on the west coast of the Gulf of Aqaba and outside the limits of Pharaoh’s empire.
28:22–24Page 388
وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلۡقَآءَ مَدۡيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّيٓ أَن يَهۡدِيَنِي سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ٢٢
And when he directed himself toward Madyan, he said, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the sound way."
وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدۡيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيۡهِ أُمَّةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمۡرَأَتَيۡنِ تَذُودَانِۖ قَالَ مَا خَطۡبُكُمَاۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسۡقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصۡدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيۡخٞ كَبِيرٞ ٢٣
And when he came to the water [i.e., well] of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women holding back [their flocks]. He said, "What is your circumstance?" They said, "We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and our father is an old man."
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ إِلَيَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَقِيرٞ ٢٤
So he watered [their flocks] for them; then he went back to the shade and said, "My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need."
Moses’s departure took him on a journey towards an unknown destination. Moses had the same intense feelings as a believer’s heart experiences under such circumstances. Proceeding on the strength of prayers, he reached Midian after a ten day journey. Following his urge to help the weak, Moses helped the two girls of Madyan. The father of the girls was an elderly gentleman who belonged to the progeny of Abraham through his son Midyaan. Incidentally, Moses also belonged to the progeny of Abraham through his son Isaac (Ishaq), which made them blood relations. At that time, this prayer spontaneously fell from Moses’s lips, ‘Lord, I am truly in need of whatever blessing You may send down for me.’ This prayer shows the condition of a believer in such circumstances. He entrusts all his affairs to the care of God. He has the firm belief that whatever a man receives comes from God, and that whatever is received from God is ‘good’.
28:25–28Page 388
فَجَآءَتۡهُ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا تَمۡشِي عَلَى ٱسۡتِحۡيَآءٖ قَالَتۡ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدۡعُوكَ لِيَجۡزِيَكَ أَجۡرَ مَا سَقَيۡتَ لَنَاۚ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُۥ وَقَصَّ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡقَصَصَ قَالَ لَا تَخَفۡۖ نَجَوۡتَ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٢٥
Then one of the two women came to him walking with shyness. She said, "Indeed, my father invites you that he may reward you for having watered for us." So when he came to him1 and related to him the story, he said, "Fear not. You have escaped from the wrongdoing people."
قَالَتۡ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا يَٰٓأَبَتِ ٱسۡتَـٔۡجِرۡهُۖ إِنَّ خَيۡرَ مَنِ ٱسۡتَـٔۡجَرۡتَ ٱلۡقَوِيُّ ٱلۡأَمِينُ ٢٦
One of the women said, "O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy."
قَالَ إِنِّيٓ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أُنكِحَكَ إِحۡدَى ٱبۡنَتَيَّ هَٰتَيۡنِ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَأۡجُرَنِي ثَمَٰنِيَ حِجَجٖۖ فَإِنۡ أَتۡمَمۡتَ عَشۡرٗا فَمِنۡ عِندِكَۖ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أَشُقَّ عَلَيۡكَۚ سَتَجِدُنِيٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ٢٧
He said, "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these, my two daughters, on [the condition] that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be [as a favor] from you. And I do not wish to put you in difficulty. You will find me, if Allāh wills, from among the righteous."
قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكَۖ أَيَّمَا ٱلۡأَجَلَيۡنِ قَضَيۡتُ فَلَا عُدۡوَٰنَ عَلَيَّۖ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٞ ٢٨
[Moses] said, "That is [established] between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete - there is no injustice to me, and Allāh, over what we say, is Witness."
That day, the girls returned home earlier than usual. When their father asked the reason, they told him that a traveller had arranged for their cattle to be watered early. The girl’s father asked them why they had not brought him home so that he could partake of their meal. So, one of the girls went back to the well and brought Moses along with her. It took only a few days to show that Moses was hard working as well as honest. So, the old gentleman, agreeing with his daughter’s opinion, kept Moses in his service permanently. The fact is that, honesty and hard work embrace all the necessary qualities. If any candidate has to be chosen, there is no better standard than these two qualities by which to judge him. At a later stage, the old gentleman gave one of his daughters in marriage to Moses. However, as he was in dire need of a young man to look after his household and property, he made Moses agree to reside with him for eight years or ten years, thereafter he could go anywhere he liked.
28:29–32Page 389
۞ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى ٱلۡأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهۡلِهِۦٓ ءَانَسَ مِن جَانِبِ ٱلطُّورِ نَارٗاۖ قَالَ لِأَهۡلِهِ ٱمۡكُثُوٓاْ إِنِّيٓ ءَانَسۡتُ نَارٗا لَّعَلِّيٓ ءَاتِيكُم مِّنۡهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوۡ جَذۡوَةٖ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَصۡطَلُونَ ٢٩
And when Moses had completed the term and was traveling with his family, he perceived from the direction of the mount a fire. He said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire. Perhaps I will bring you from there [some] information or burning wood from the fire that you may warm yourselves."
فَلَمَّآ أَتَىٰهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَٰطِيِٕ ٱلۡوَادِ ٱلۡأَيۡمَنِ فِي ٱلۡبُقۡعَةِ ٱلۡمُبَٰرَكَةِ مِنَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ أَن يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنِّيٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ٣٠
But when he came to it, he was called from the right side of the valley in a blessed spot - from the tree,1 "O Moses, indeed I am Allāh, Lord of the worlds."
وَأَنۡ أَلۡقِ عَصَاكَۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهۡتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنّٞ وَلَّىٰ مُدۡبِرٗا وَلَمۡ يُعَقِّبۡۚ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَقۡبِلۡ وَلَا تَخَفۡۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓمِنِينَ ٣١
And [he was told], "Throw down your staff." But when he saw it writhing as if it was a snake, he turned in flight and did not return.1 [Allāh said], "O Moses, approach and fear not. Indeed, you are of the secure.
ٱسۡلُكۡ يَدَكَ فِي جَيۡبِكَ تَخۡرُجۡ بَيۡضَآءَ مِنۡ غَيۡرِ سُوٓءٖ وَٱضۡمُمۡ إِلَيۡكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ ٱلرَّهۡبِۖ فَذَٰنِكَ بُرۡهَٰنَانِ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَإِيْهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ ٣٢
Insert your hand into the opening of your garment; it will come out white, without disease. And draw in your arm close to you [as prevention] from fear, for those are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his establishment. Indeed, they have been a people defiantly disobedient."
Moses was in Midian probably for ten years. During this period the former Pharaoh died and another member of the Pharaoh dynasty ascended the throne of Egypt. Then, Moses along with his wife (and, according to the Torah, with two children) left again for Egypt. On the way, he underwent the divine test on Mount Tur (Mount Sinai). God, who directly talked to a man on Mount Sinai, can also directly address all other human beings and apprise them of His will. But this is not the way of God. Direct address means removal of the curtain, while the considerations of human trial demand that the curtain should remain in place. So God reveals His message only to a selected person and causes this message to be delivered indirectly through him to others.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences