Surah 28. Al-Qasas

Ta. Sin. Mim.¹

  - Mohammad Asad

See Appendix II.

Tua Sin M'im.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Ta-Sin-Mim.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Ta.Sin.Mim.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Ta. Sin. Mim. ³³²⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 3137 to xxvi. 1.

THESE ARE MESSAGES of a divine writ clear in itself and clearly showing the truth.²

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of the above rendering of the adjective mubin, see note [2] on 12:1 .

These are the verses of the Glorious Book that makes the things clear.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

These are the verses of the clear Book.

  - Mustafa Khattab

These are revelations of the Scripture that maketh plain.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

These are Verses of the Book that makes (things) clear. ³³²⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 3138 to xxvi. 2.

We [now] convey unto thee some of the story of Moses and Pharaoh, setting forth the truth for [the benefit of] people who will believe.

  - Mohammad Asad

In all truth, We narrate to you some information about Musa (Moses) and Fir'on (Pharaoh) for the instruction of the believers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

We narrate unto thee (somewhat) of the story of Moses and Pharaoh with truth, for folk who believe.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We rehearse to thee some of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in Truth for people who believe. ³³²⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The part of the story of Moses told here is how Moses and his mother were guided in the child's infancy, that even as he grew up, he might be prepared for his high destiny; how in youth he trusted Allah in the most awkward situations and sought His help; how he fled into exile, and yet found love and support because of his well-doing: and how, when he was called to his mission, he received Allah's favour, which defeated all the plots of his enemies. Thus Allah's Plan works continuously in the web of events. Those who have faith will thus see the hand of Allah in everything and welcome the light that comes to them by Revelation. With such a Faith there is no room for Chance or blind Fate.

Behold, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into castes.³ One group of them he deemed utterly low; he would slaughter their sons and spare [only] their women:⁴ for, behold, he was one of those who spread corruption [on earth].

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "parties" or "sects" - here undoubtedly referring to the division of people into "high" and "low-born": a division which the Qur'an utterly condemns. The group which, as mentioned in the next sentence, Pharaoh "deemed utterly low" were the Israelites, who had been placed on the lowest rung of the Egyptian social scale and were deprived of almost all human rights.

See note [7].

The fact is that Fir'on elevated himself in the land and divided its residents into groups, one group of which he persecuted, putting their sons to death and sparing only their females. Indeed he was one of the mischief-makers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! Pharaoh exalted himself in the earth and made its people castes. A tribe among them he suppressed, killing their sons and sparing their women. Lo! he was of those who work corruption.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Truly Pharaoh elated himself in the land and broke up its people into sections depressing a small group among them: their sons he slew but he kept alive their females: for he was indeed a maker of mischief. ³³²⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For a king or ruler to make invidious distinctions between his subjects, and specially to depress or oppress any particular class of his subjects, is a dereliction of his kingly duties, for which he is responsible to Allah. Pharaoh and his clique were intoxicated with pride of race and pride of material civilization, and grievously oppressed the Israelites. Pharaoh decreed that all male sons born to his Israelite subjects should be killed, and the females kept alive for the pleasure of the Egyptians. Moses was saved in a wonderful way, as related further.

But it was Our will to bestow Our favour upon those [very people] who were deemed [so] utterly low in the land, and to make them forerunners in faith,⁵ and to make them heirs [to Pharaoh's glory],

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "leaders" or "exemplars" (a'immah, sing. imam) - an allusion to the historical fact that the Hebrews were the first to accept a monotheistic creed in a clear, unequivocal formulation, and thus became the forerunners of both Christianity and Islam.

But We wanted to favor those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders, and make them the heirs,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

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

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We desired to show favor unto those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them examples and to make them the inheritors,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We wished to be gracious to those who were being depressed in the land to make them leaders (in faith) and make them heirs ³³³⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What Pharaoh wished was to crush them. But Allah's Plan was to protect them as they were weak, and indeed to make them custodians and leaders in His Faith, and to give them in inheritance a land "flowing with milk and honey". Here they were established in authority for such time as they followed Allah's Law. As regards Pharaoh and his ministers and hosts, they were to be shown that they would suffer, at the hands of the Israelites, the very calamities against which they were so confidently taking precautions for themselves.