Surah 20. Ta-Ha

gardens of perpetual bliss, through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for that shall be the recompense of all who attain to purity.

  - Mohammad Asad

- Gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow, live therein forever; such is the reward of those who purify themselves from evil.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. That is the reward of him who groweth.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND, INDEED, [a time came⁶⁰ when] We thus inspired Moses: "Go forth with My servants by night, and strike out for them a dry path through the sea; [and] fear not of being overtaken, and dread not [the sea]."⁶¹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., after all the trials which the Israelites had to undergo in Egypt, and after the plagues with which Pharaoh and his followers were afflicted (cf. {7 :130}ff.).

Referring to the phrase "strike out (idrib) for them a dry path through the sea", Tabari explains it as meaning "choose (ittakidh) for them a dry path". See also {26:63-66} and the corresponding notes [33] and [35].

We sent Our revelation to Musa, saying: "Set forth with my servants at night and strike a dry path for them through the sea without fear of being overtaken by Fir'on and without any fear while passing through the sea."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And verily We inspired Moses, saying: Take away My slaves by night and strike for them a dry path in the sea, fearing not to be overtaken, neither being afraid (of the sea).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And Pharaoh pursued them with his hosts: and they were overwhelmed by the sea which was destined to overwhelm them⁶²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "there overwhelmed them [that] of the sea which overwhelmed them" - expressing the inevitability of the doom which encompassed them.

Fir'on followed them with his armies but the waters completely overwhelmed them as it could overwhelm them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then Pharaoh followed with his hosts and there covered them that which did cover them of the sea.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

because Pharaoh had led his people astray and had not guided [them] aright.

  - Mohammad Asad

Thus Fir'on misled his people instead of guiding them aright.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Pharaoh led his folk astray, he did not guide them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O children of Israel! [Thus] We saved you from your enemy, and [then] We made a covenant with you on the right-hand slope of Mount Sinai,⁶³ and repeatedly sent down manna and quails unto you, [saying,]

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [38] on 19:52 . As regards God's "covenant" with the children of Israel, see 2:63 and {83}.

O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, We fixed a time to grant you The Taurat on the right side of Mount Tur and We sent down to you Manna (sweet dish) and Salva (quail meat)

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the holy mountain's side, and sent down on you the manna and the quails,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance,⁶⁴ but do not transgress therein the bounds of equity⁶⁵ lest My condemnation fall upon you: for, he upon whom My condemnation falls has indeed thrown himself into utter ruin!"⁶⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

The reference to God's bestowal of "manna (mann) and quails (salwa)" upon the Israelites during their wanderings in the Sinai Desert after their exodus from Egypt is found in the Qur'an in two other places as well (namely, in 2:57 and 7:160 ). According to Arab philologists, the term mann denotes not only the sweet, resinous substance exuded by certain plants of the desert, but also everything that is "bestowed as a favour", i.e., without any effort on the part of the recipient. Similarly, the term salwa signifies not merely "a quail" or "quails", but also "all that makes man content and happy after privation" (Qamus). Hence the combination of these two terms denotes, metonymically, the gift of sustenance freely bestowed by God upon the followers of Moses.

Or: "do not behave in an overweening manner" - i.e., "do not attribute these favours to your own supposed excellence on account of your descent from Abraham".

There is almost complete unanimity among the classical commentators in that God's "condemnation" (ghadab, lit., "wrath") is a metonym for the inescapable retribution which man brings upon himself if he deliberately rejects God's guidance and "transgresses the bounds of equity".

- saying: "Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance and do not transgress, lest you should incur My wrath, and whoever incurs My wrath is surely bound to perish,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(Saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and transgress not in respect thereof lest My wrath come upon you; and he on whom My wrath cometh, he is lost indeed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Yet withal, behold, I forgive all sins unto any who repents and attains to faith and does righteous deeds, and thereafter keeps to the right path.

  - Mohammad Asad

but the one who repents, becomes a believer, does good deeds and follows the Right Way shall be forgiven."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And lo! verily I am Forgiving toward him who repenteth and believeth and doeth good, and afterward walketh aright.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[AND GOD SAID:⁶⁷ ] "Now what has caused thee, O Moses, to leave thy people behind in so great a haste?"⁶⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

This passage relates to the time of Moses' ascent of Mount Sinai, mentioned in 2:51 and 7:142 .

Lit., "what has hastened thee ahead of thy people?" - implying that he should not have left them alone, without his personal guidance, at so early a stage in their freedom. In this inimitable elliptic manner the Qur'an alludes to the psychological fact that a community which attains to political and social freedom after centuries of bondage remains for a long time subject to the demoralizing influences of its past, and cannot all at once develop a spiritual and social discipline of its own.

When Musa came to the mount Tur Allah said: "But, why have you come with such a haste ahead of your people, O Musa?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And (it was said): What hath made thee hasten from thy folk, O Moses?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He answered: "They are treading in my foot-steps⁶⁹ while I have hastened unto Thee, O my Sustainer, so that Thou might be well-pleased [with me]."

  - Mohammad Asad

The classical commentators understand this phrase in its physical sense, i.e., "they are coming up behind me and are now close by". Since, however, Moses was obviously meant to be alone on his ascent of Mount Sinai, I am of the opinion that his answer has a tropical sense, expressing his assumption that the children of Israel would follow his guidance even in his absence: an assumption which proved erroneous, as shown in the sequence.

He replied: "They are close behind me, I hastened to You O Rabb so that You may be pleased".

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: They are close upon my track. I hastened unto Thee that Thou mightest be well pleased.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said He: "Then [know that], verily, in thy absence We have put thy people to a test, and the Samaritan has led them astray."⁷⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

The designation as-sf~miri is undoubtedly an adjectival noun denoting the person's descent or origin. According to one of the explanations advanced by Tabar~ and Zamakhsharl, it signifies "a man of the Jewish clan of the Samirah", i.e., the ethnic and religious group designated in later times as the Samaritans (a small remnant of whom is still living in Nablus, in Palestine). Since that sect as such did not yet exist at the time of Moses, it is possible that - as Ibn 'Abbas maintained (Razi) - the person in question was one of the many Egyptians who had been converted to the faith of Moses and joined the Israelites on their exodus from Egypt (cf. note [92] on 7:124 ): in which case the designation samiri might be connected with the ancient Egyptian shemer, "a foreigner" or "stranger". This surmise is strengthened by his introduction of the worship of the golden calf, undoubtedly an echo of the Egyptian cult of Apis (see note [113] on 7:148 ). In any case, it is not impossible that the latter-day Samaritans descended - or were reputed to descend - from this personality, whether of Hebrew or of Egyptian origin; this might partly explain the persistent antagonism between them and the rest of the Israelite community.

Allah said: "Well listen! We tested your people after you and the Samiri (Samaritan) has led them astray."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: Lo! We have tried thy folk in thine absence, and As-Samiri hath misled them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Thereupon Moses returned to his people full of wrath and sorrow, [and] exclaimed: "O my people! Did not your Sustainer hold out [many] a goodly promise to you? Did, then, [the fulfilment of] this promise seem to you too long in coming?⁷¹ Or are you, perchance, determined to see your Sustainer's condemnation fall upon you,⁷² and so you broke your promise to me?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Or, according to Zamakhsharl: "Did, then, the time [of my absence] seem too long to you?" (It is to be noted that the term 'ahd signifies a "time" or "period" as well as a "covenant" or promise".)

Lit., "Or have you decided that condemnation by your Sustainer should fall due upon you?"-i.e., "are you determined to disregard the consequences of your doings?"

So Musa returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow. He said: "O my people! Did your Rabb not make a gracious promise to you? Did my absence seem too long to you? Or was it to incur the wrath of your Rabb that you broke your promise with me?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then Moses went back unto his folk, angry and sad. He said: O my people! Hath not your Lord promised you a fair promise? Did the time appointed then appear too long for you, or did ye wish that wrath from your Lord should come upon you, that ye broke tryst with me?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They answered: "We did not break our promise to thee of our own free will, but [this is what happened:] we were loaded with the [sinful] burdens of the [Egyptian] people's ornaments, and so we threw them [into the firel,⁷³ and likewise did this Samaritan cast [his into it]."

  - Mohammad Asad

It is mentioned in Exodus xii, 35 that, immediately before their departure from Egypt, the Israelites "borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold". This "borrowing" was obviously done under false pretences, without any intention on the part of the Israelites to return the jewellery to its rightful owners: for, according to the Biblical statement (ibid., verse {36}), "they spoiled [i.e., robbed] the Egyptians" by doing so. While it is noteworthy that the Old Testament, in its present, corrupted form, does not condemn this behaviour, its iniquity seems to have gradually dawned upon the Israelites, and so they decided to get rid of those sinfully acquired ornaments (Baghawi, Zamakshari and - in one of his alternative interpretations - Razi).

They replied: "We broke the promise through no fault of ours. We were made to carry the burden of the peoples ornaments and throw them into the fire, thus Samiri suggested, who threw in something

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They said: We broke not tryst with thee of our own will, but we were laden with burdens of ornaments of the folk, then cast them (in the fire), for thus As-Samiri proposed;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But then, [so they told Moses,⁷⁴ the Samaritan] had produced for them [out of the molten gold] the effigy of a calf, which made a lowing sound;⁷⁵ and thereupon they said [to one another], "This is your deity, and the deity of Moses-but he has forgotten [his past]!"⁷⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

This interpolation is necessary in view of the change from the direct speech in the preceding verse to the indirect in this one and in the sequence.

See surah {7}, note [113].

An allusion to the fact that Moses had been brought up - obviously as an Egyptian - at Pharaoh's court.

and forged a calf in the shape of a body which produced the mooing sound. Then they cried out: `This is your god and the god of Musa, but Musa forgot to mention it to you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then he produced for them a calf, of saffron hue, which gave forth a lowing sound. And they cried: This is your God and the God of Moses, but he hath forgotten.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Why - did they not see that [the thing] could not give them any response, and had no power to harm or to benefit them?

  - Mohammad Asad

What! Could they not see that it did not respond to them and that it could neither harm them nor help them?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

See they not, then, that it returneth no saying unto them and possesseth for them neither hurt nor use?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And, indeed, even before [the return of Moses] had Aaron said unto them: "O my people! You are but being tempted to evil by this [idol] - for, behold, your [only] Sustainer is the Most Gracious! Follow me, then, and obey my bidding!"⁷⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "and do not follow the Samaritan". This is in sharp contrast to the Bible (Exodus xxxii, 1-5), which declares Aaron guilty of making and worshipping the golden calf.

Haroon had already told them: "O my people! This is but a test for you; for verily your Rabb is the Rahman (Allah): so follow me and do as I command you."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Aaron indeed had told them beforehand: O my people! Ye are but being seduced therewith, for lo! your Lord is the Beneficent, so follow me and obey my order.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[But] they answered: "By no means shall we cease to worship it until Moses comes back to us!"

  - Mohammad Asad

They had replied: "We will not abandon its worship until Musa's return."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They said: We shall by no means cease to be its votaries till Moses return unto us.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[And now that he had come back, Moses] said: "O Aaron! What has prevented thee, when thou didst see that they had gone astray,

  - Mohammad Asad

Then Musa addressed Haroon: " O Haroon! What prevented you from following me, when you saw them going astray?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He (Moses) said: O Aaron! What held thee back when thou didst see them gone astray,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

from [abandoning them and] following me? Hast thou, then, [deliberately] disobeyed my commandment?"⁷⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. the last sentence of 7:142 , where Moses, before leaving for Mount Sinai, exhorts Aaron to "act righteously" (islih). In this connection see also Aaron's reply to Moses in 7:150 , as well as the corresponding note [117].

Why did you disobey me?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That thou followedst me not? Hast thou then disobeyed my order?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Answered [Aaron]: "O my mother's son! Seize me not by my beard, nor by my head!⁷⁹ Behold, I was afraid lest [on thy return] thou say, 'Thou hast caused a split among the children of Israel, and hast paid no heed to my bidding!'"⁸⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

See 7:150 .

Lit., "to my word" or "to what I had said" - evidently, about the importance of keeping the people united (Zamakhshari).

Haroon replied: "O son of my mother! Do not seize me by my beard nor pull the hair of my head, in fact I was afraid lest you might say: `You have caused a division, through civil war, among the Children of Israel and did not respect to what I said, 'to keep peace'."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He said: O son of my mother! Clutch not my beard nor my head! I feared lest thou shouldst say: Thou hast caused division among the Children of Israel, and hast not waited for my word.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Said [Moses]: "What, then, didst thou have in view, O Samaritan?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Then Musa addressed Samiri: "Now what you have to say about this, O Samiri?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

(Moses) said: And what has thou to say, O Samiri?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall