Surah 20. Ta-Ha

Hence, let not anyone who does not believe in its coming¹³ and follows [but] his own desires divert thee from [belief in] it, lest thou perish!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "in it".

Therefore, let not any, who does not believe in this fact and follow his own desires, turn your away, lest you should perish."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

Therefor, let not him turn thee aside from (the thought of) it who believeth not therein but followeth his own desire, lest thou perish.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Therefore let not such as believe not therein but follow their own lusts divert thee therefrom lest thou perish!" ²⁵⁴⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Moses had yet to meet the formidable opposition of the arrogant, Pharaoh and his proud Egyptians, and latter, the rebellion of his own people. In receiving his commission, he is warned of both dangers. This relates to man's own soul: when once the light reaches him, let him hold fast to it lest he perish. He will be beset with dangers of all kinds around him...the worst will be the danger of unbelieving people who seem to thrive on their selfishness and in following their own vain desires!

"Now, what is this in thy right hand, O Moses?"

  - Mohammad Asad

"O Musa what is in your right hand?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Allah added,' 'And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And what is that in thy right hand, O Moses?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And what is that in thy right hand O Moses?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He answered: "It is my staff; I lean on it; and with it I beat down leaves for my sheep; and [many] other uses have I for it."

  - Mohammad Asad

Musa replied: "It is my staff; I lean on it, I beat down fodder with it for my flocks and I have also other uses for it".

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 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.

He said: This is my staff whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He said "It is my rod: on it I lean; with it I beat down fodder for my flocks; and in it I find other uses." ²⁵⁴⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Now comes the miracle of the rod. First of all, the attention of Moses himself is drawn to it, and he thinks of the ordinary uses to which he puts it in his daily life.

Said He: "Throw it down, O Moses!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah said "Toss it down O Musa".

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah said, 'Throw it down, O Moses!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: Cast it down, O Moses!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Allah) said "Throw it O Moses!"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So he threw it - and lo! it was a snake, moving rapidly.

  - Mohammad Asad

So he toss it down and saw that it became a snake active in motion.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

So he cast it down, and Lo! it was a serpent, gliding.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He threw it and behold! it was a snake active in motion. ²⁵⁴⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. vii. 107, where a different word (thu'ban) is used for "snake", and the qualifying adjective is "plain (for all to see)". The scene there is before Pharaoh and his magicians and people: the object is to show the hollowness of their magic by a miracle: the rod appears before them as a long and creeping writhing serpent. Here there is a sign to present Allah's power to Moses's mind and understanding: the rod becomes a Haiy (a live snake), and its active motion is what is most to be impressed on the mind of Moses, for there were no other spectators.

Said He: "Take hold of it, and fear not: We shall restore it to its former state.¹⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

The miraculous transformation of the staff into a serpent has, I believe, a mystic significance: it seems to be an allusion to the intrinsic difference between appearance and reality, and, consequently, to the spiritual insight into this difference bestowed by God on His chosen servants (cf. the experience of Moses with the unnamed sage described in (18:66-82}). This interpretation finds strong support in 27:10 and 28:31 , in both of which places it is said that Moses saw the staff "move rapidly, as if it were a serpent (ka’annaha jann)"

Allah said: "Catch it and don't be afraid, We shall change it to its original shape.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: Grasp it and fear not. We shall return it to its former state.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Allah) said "Seize it and fear not: We shall return it at once to its former condition"...

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Now place thy hand within thy armpit: it will come forth [shining] white, without blemish,¹⁵ as another sign [of Our grace],

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., strangely luminescent by virtue of the prophethood to which he had been raised. (See also note [85] on 7:108 .)

Now put your hand under your armpit, it shall become shining white without hurting you, this will be another Sign.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And put your hand under your armpit, it will come out 'shining' white, unblemished,¹ as another sign,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 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.

And thrust thy hand within thine armpit, it will come forth white without hurt. (That will be) another token.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Now draw thy hand close to thy side: it shall come forth white (and shining) without harm (or stain) as another Sign ²⁵⁵⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The second of the greater Miracles shown to Moses was the "White (shining) Hand". Ordinarily, when the skin becomes white, it is a sign of disease, leprosy or something loathsome. Here there was no question of disease: on the contrary, the hand was glorified, and it shone as with a divine light. Such a miracle was beyond Egyptian or human magic.

so that We might make thee aware of some of Our greatest wonders.

  - Mohammad Asad

These miracles are given to you, in order to show you some of Our Great Signs.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

That We may show thee (some) of Our greater portents,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"In order that We may show thee (two) of Our Greater Signs.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"[And now] go thou unto Pharaoh: for, verily, he has transgressed all bounds of equity."¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

This seems to be a reference to Pharaoh’s greatest sin, namely, his claim to divine status (cf. 28:38 and 79:24 ).

Now go to Fir'on (Pharaoh) for he has indeed transgressed all bounds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Go to Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed 'all bounds'.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Go thou unto Pharaoh! Lo! he hath transgressed (the bounds).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Go thou to Pharaoh for he had indeed transgressed all bounds." ²⁵⁵¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Moses, having been spiritually prepared now gets his definite commission to go to Pharaoh and point out the error of his ways. So inordinate was Pharaoh's vanity that he had it in his mind to say: "I am your Lord Most High!" (lxxix. 24).

Said [Moses]: "O my Sustainer! Open up my heart [to Thy light],

  - Mohammad Asad

Musa prayed: "O Rabb! Open my heart,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Moses prayed, 'My Lord! Uplift my heart for me,

  - Mustafa Khattab

(Moses) said: My Lord! Relieve my mind

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Moses) said: "O my Lord! expand me my breast;" ²⁵⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The breast is reputed to be the seat of knowledge and affections. The gift of the highest spiritual insight is what he prays for first. Cf. xciv. 1. This was the most urgent in point of time. There are three other things he also asks for: viz. (1) Allah's help in his task, which at first appears difficult to him, (2) the gift of eloquence, and the removal of the impediment from his speech; and (3) the counsel and constant attendance with him of his brother Aaron, whom he loved and trusted, for he would otherwise be alone among the Egyptians.

and make my task easy for me,

  - Mohammad Asad

ease my task

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and make my task easy,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And ease my task for me;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Ease my task for me;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and loosen the knot from my tongue

  - Mohammad Asad

and remove the impediment from my speech

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and remove the impediment from my tongue

  - Mustafa Khattab

And loose a knot from my tongue,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And remove the impediment from my speech. ²⁵⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Literally, "Loosen a knot from my tongue".

so that they might fully understand my speech,¹⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "remove all impediment from my speech" (cf. Exodus iv, 10, "I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue"), which would imply that he was not gifted with natural eloquence.

so that people may understand what I say

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

so people may understand my speech,¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Moses (ﷺ) put a brand of fire in his mouth, which hindered his speech as he grew up. In this verse, he prays to Allah to help him speak clearly, and his prayer is answered.

That they may understand my saying.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"So they may understand what I say:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and appoint for me, out of my kinsfolk, one who will help me to bear my burden:¹⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

This is the primary meaning of the term wazir (lit., "burden-carrier", derived from wizr, "a burden"); hence its later - post-classical - application to government ministers.

and grant me a minister from my family;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and grant me a helper from my family,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Appoint for me a henchman from my folk,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And give me a Minister from my family

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Aaron, my brother.

  - Mohammad Asad

Haroon my brother.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Aaron, my brother.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Aaron, my brother.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Aaron my brother;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali