Surah 28. Al-Qasas

Said one of the two [daughters]: "O my father! Hire him: for, behold, the best [man] that thou couldst hire is one who is [as] strong and worthy of trust [as he]!"

  - Mohammad Asad

One of the daughters said: "Father, hire this man. The best that one can hire is a man who is strong and trustworthy."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

One of the two women said: O my father! Hire him! For the best (man) that thou canst hire is the strong, the trustworthy.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[After some time, the father] said: "Behold, I am willing to let thee wed one of these two daughters of mine on the understanding that thou wilt remain eight years in my service; and if thou shouldst complete ten [years], that would be [an act of grace] from thee, for I do not want to impose any hardship on thee: [on the contrary,] thou wilt find me. if God so wills, righteous in all my dealings."²²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "one of the righteous."

The old man said to Musa: "I am willing to give you one of my daughters in marriage if you stay in my service for eight years; but you may complete ten if you wish. I do not want to put you in trouble; Allah willing, you will find me one of the righteous."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: Lo! I fain would marry thee to one of these two daughters of mine on condition that thou hirest thyself to me for (the term of) eight pilgrimages. Then if thou completest ten it will be of thine own accord, for I would not make it hard for thee. Allah willing, thou wilt find me of the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Answered [Moses]: "Thus shall it be between me and thee! Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, let there be no ill-will against me. And God be witness to all that we say!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Musa replied: "So be it an agreement between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, let there be no compulsion on me. Allah is the witness to what we have agreed upon."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: That (is settled) between thee and me. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there will be no injustice to me, and Allah is Surety over what we say.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND WHEN Moses had fulfilled his term, and was wandering with his family [in the desert], he per-ceived a fire on the slope of Mount Sinai;²³ [and so] he said to his family: "Wait here. Behold, I perceive a fire [far away]; perhaps I may bring you from there some tiding,²⁴ or [at least] a burning brand from the fire, so that you might warm yourselves."

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of Moses' wanderings in the desert, see note [7] on 20:10 ; for that of the allegory of the "fire", note [7] on {27:7-8}. - Throughout this work, the noun at-tur ("the mountain") is being rendered as "Mount Sinai", for it is to this and to no other mountain that the Qur'an invariably refers in the above term.

Sc., "as to which way we are to pursue".

After completing the term of his agreement, when Musa (Moses) was travelling with his family, he saw a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He said to his family: "Stay here, I saw a fire, I hope to bring some information from there or a lighted torch with which you may warm yourselves."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then, when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was traveling with his housefolk, he saw in the distance a fire and said unto his housefolk: Bide ye (here). Lo! I see in the distance a fire; peradventure I shall bring you tidings thence, or a brand from the fire that you may warm yourselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But when he came close to it, a call was sounded from the right-side bank of the valley, out of the tree [burning] on blessed ground:²⁵ "O Moses!one of the righteous Verily, I am God, the Sustainer of all the worlds!"

  - Mohammad Asad

As in 19:52 and 20:80 , the reference to the "right" side has a connotation of "blessedness": see in this respect note [25] on 74:39 . As regards the "blessed ground", see note [9] on the expression "twice-hallowed valley" in {20: 12}. The "tree" referred to in the above verse is obviously identical with the "burning bush" of the Bible (Exodus iii,2).

But when he reached there, a voice called out to him from the right side of the valley of the blessed spot from a tree , saying: "O Musa, surely I am Allah the Rabb of the Worlds."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when he reached it, he was called from the right side of the valley in the blessed field, from the tree: O Moses! Lo! I, even I, am Allah, the Lord of the Worlds;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [then He said]: "Throw down thy staff!" But as soon as [Moses] saw it move rapidly, as if it were a snake, he drew back [in terror], and did not [dare to] return.²⁶ [And God spoke to him again:] "O Moses! Draw near, and have no fear - for, behold, thou art of those who are secure [in this world and in the next]!²⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

The miracle of the staff has, possibly, a symbolic significance: see surah {20}, note [14].

Cf. 27:10 - "no fear need the message-bearers have in My Presence".

Then Allah commanded, "Throw down your staff." When Musa saw that the staff was writhing like a snake, he turned his back and fled, and did not even look behind. Allah said, "O Musa, come back and do not fear; you are quite safe.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Throw down thy staff. And when he saw it writhing as it had been a demon, he turned to flee headlong, (and it was said unto him): O Moses! Draw nigh and fear not. Lo! thou art of those who are secure.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"[And now] put thy hand into thy bosom: it will come forth [shining] white, without blemish.²⁸ And [henceforth] hold thine arm close to thyself, free of all fear.²⁹ "These, then, shall be the two signs [of thy bearing '; a message] from thy Sustainer³⁰ unto Pharaoh and his great ones - for, behold, they are people depraved!"

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [85] on 7:108 .

As pointed out by Zamakhshari, the above idiomatic sentence is a metonym recalling a well-known gesture of terror- the involuntary stretching-forth of one's hands or arms when suddenly faced with something terrifying; conversely, the "holding of one's arm [lit., "wing"] close to oneself" is expressive of freedom from fear. In the present instance, the phrase echoes the concluding words of verse {31} "behold, thou art of those who are secure [in this world and in the next]".

The "two signs" (burhanan) may be understood as Moses' ability to remain, by virtue of his certainty of God's omnipresence, forever free of all physical or moral fear, as well as his ability to show that appearance and reality are not always identical.

Now put your hand into your pocket: it will come out shining white without any harm to you - whenever you feel afraid, draw your hand towards yourself to ward off fear - these are two credentials from your Rabb towards Fir'on and his chiefs, surely they are wicked people."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Thrust thy hand into the bosom of thy robe, it will come forth white without hurt. And guard thy heart from fear. Then these shall be two proofs from your Lord unto Pharaoh and his chiefs: Lo! they are evil living folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said [Moses]: "O my Sustainer! I have slain one of them, and so I fear that they will slay me...³¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and thus make it impossible for me to accomplish my mission": for, as regards himself, Moses was henceforth free of fear.

Musa submitted: "Rabb! I have killed one of them: I fear that they will put me to death.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: My Lord! Lo! I killed a man among them and I fear that they will kill me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And my brother Aaron - he is far better in speech than I am.³² Send him, therefore, as a helper, so that he might [more eloquently] bear witness to my speaking the truth: for I fear indeed that they will give me the lie."

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {20:27-28] and {26:12-13}, as well as the corresponding notes.

My brother Haroon (Aaron), he is more eloquent in speech than I: send him with me as a helper to confirm my words; I fear that they will treat me as a liar."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

My brother Aaron is more eloquent then me in speech. Therefor send him with me as a helper to confirm me. Lo! 1 fear that they will give the lie to me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said He: "We shall strengthen shine arm through thy brother, and endow both of you with power, so that they will not be able to touch you:³³ by virtue of Our messages shall you two, and all who follow you, prevail!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "so that they will not reach you".

Allah replied: "We will certainly strengthen your arm with your brother and give both of you such authority that they shall not be able to harm you. Now proceed with Our signs. You, and those who follow you, will surely triumph."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: We will strengthen thine arm with thy brother, and We will give unto you both power so that they cannot reach you for Our portents. Ye twain, and those who follow you, will be the winners.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BUT AS SOON as Moses came unto them with Our clear messages [Pharaoh and his great ones] said: "All this is nothing but spellbinding eloquence devised [by man]:³⁴ and never did we hear [the like of] this, [nor has it ever been heard of] in the time of our forebears of old!"

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [12] on 74:24 , which is the earliest Qur'anic instance of the term sihr in the above connotation.

When Musa (Moses) came to them (Fir'on and his chiefs) with Our clear signs and invited them to Islam, they said: "This is nothing but baseless sorcery; we never heard such a thing in the time of our forefathers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But when Moses came unto them with Our clear tokens, they said: This is naught but invented magic. We never heard of this among our fathers of old.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And Moses replied: "My Sustainer knows best as to who comes with guidance from Him, and to whom the future belongs!³⁵ Verily, never will evil-doers attain to a happy state!"

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of the above phrase, see surah {6}, note [118].

Musa stated: "My Rabb knows best who it is that comes with guidance from Him and who will gain the reward of the hereafter; surely the wrongdoers will not attain felicity."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Moses said: My Lord is best aware of him who bringeth guidance from His presence, and whose will be the sequel of the Home (of bliss). Lo! wrong-doers will not be successful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Whereupon Pharaoh said: "O you nobles! I did not know that you could have any deity other than myself!³⁶ Well, then, O Haman, kindle me a fire for [baking bricks of] clay, and then build me a lofty tower, that haply I may have a look at the god of Moses³⁷ - although, behold, I am convinced that he is of those who [always] tell lies!"

  - Mohammad Asad

In view of the fact that the ancient Egyptians worshipped many gods, this observation is not to be taken literally; but since each of the Pharaohs was regarded as an incarnation of the divine principle as such, he claimed - and received - his people's adoration as their "Lord All-Highest" (cf. 79:24 ), combining within himself, as it were, all the qualities attributable to gods.

Or: "ascend to the god of Moses". Whichever of the two meanings is given to the verb ittali'u, Pharaoh's demand for a "lofty tower" is not only an allusion to the building of one of the great pyramids (see note [6] above), but also a derisory, contemptuous reference to Moses' concept of God as an all-embracing Power, inconceivably high above all that exists.

Fir'on said: "O Chiefs! You have no other god that I know of, except myself. O Haman! Bake for me bricks from clay and build me a high tower so that I may climb it to see the God of Musa; most surely I think him to be one of the liars."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Pharaoh said: O chiefs! I know not that ye have a god other than me, so kindle for me (a fire) , O Haman, to bake the mud; and set up for me a lofty tower in order that I may survey the god of Moses; and lo! I deem him of the liars.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thus arrogantly, without the least good sense,³⁸ did he and his hosts behave on earth - just as if they thought that they would never have to appear before Us [for judgment]!³⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "without [any] truth" or "justification" (bi-ghayr al-haqq).

Lit., "and they thought that they would not be brought back to Us". There is no doubt that the ancient Egyptians did believe in a life after death, and that this belief included the concept of a divine judgment as well. Since, however, the particular Pharaoh whom Moses confronted is said to have behaved with an arrogance opposed to all good sense, the Qur'an - by implication - likens his attitude to that of a person who does not believe in resurrection and in man's ultimate responsibility before God: hence my rendering of the conjunctive particle wa at the beginning of the above clause as "just as if".

He and his warriors were arrogant in the land without any right; they thought that they would never be brought back to Us.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And he and his hosts were haughty in the land without right, and deemed that they would never be brought back to Us.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And so We seized him and his hosts and cast them into the sea: and behold what happened in the end to those evildoers:

  - Mohammad Asad

So We seized him and his warriors, and flung them into the sea. See what was the end of wrongdoers?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Therefor We seized him and his hosts, and abandoned them unto the sea. Behold the nature of the consequence for evil-doers!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall