21He replied, “This is how it will be:
your Lord has said, ‘It is easy for Me;
We will make him a sign
for humankind, and a mercy from
Our grace. It is a thing ordained.’ ”
22So she conceived him,
and withdrew with him
to a place far away.
23And the pains of labor drove her
to the trunk of a date palm. She cried,
“I wish I had died before this,
forgotten, and unknown!”
24But a voice called to her
from beneath, “Don’t grieve—
your Lord has set a stream
underneath you.
25“Shake the trunk of the date palm
toward you, to make fresh, ripe dates
fall upon you.
26“So eat and drink; be comforted,
and if you see anyone, say,
‘I have vowed to the All Merciful
that I shall fast, and today
I shall speak with no one.’ ”
27Then she came, carrying him,
to her people. They said, “Mary,
you’ve done something scandalous.°
28“Sister of Aaron, your father
was not a wicked man,
nor was your mother unchaste.”
29Then she pointed to the child;°
they asked, “How can we talk
with a child in its cradle?”
30He said, “I am a servant of God;
He has given me the Book,
and has made me a prophet.
31“He blessed me
wherever I may be,
and enjoined upon me
prayer and charity
as long as I live.
32“He made me solicitous
toward my mother, and neither
imperious nor wretched.
33“Peace be with me
the day I was born,
the day I die,
and the day
I will be raised alive.”
34This was Jesus, son of Mary,
this is the true statement°—
about which they dispute.
35It is not for God to bear a child.
Glory be to Him: when He decrees
something, He merely says to it,
“Be”—and it is.
36God is my Lord and your Lord,
so worship Him—
this is the straight path.
37But the sects differed
among themselves; what anguish
will come to those who disbelieve
from the witnessing°
of a momentous day.
38How keenly they will hear,
how keenly they will see,
on the day they come to Us.
But today the wrongdoers
are clearly astray.
39Warn them of the day of remorse,
when things will finally be decided
while they are heedless,
and do not believe.
40It is We who will inherit the earth,
and all those upon it—
to Us they will be returned.
SECTION 3
41And mention in the Book
the story of Abraham—
he was a man of truth, a prophet.
42He said to his father,
“Father, why do you worship
what can neither hear nor see,
and cannot profit you at all?
43“Father, knowledge has come
to me which you do not have.°
So follow me—I will guide you
to an even path.
44“Father, do not worship Satan,
for Satan is disobedient
to the All Merciful.
45“Father, I fear that punishment
from the All Merciful will strike you
and you’ll become an ally of Satan.”
46His father replied,
“Do you turn away from my gods,
Abraham? If you don’t stop,
I shall stone you.
Now keep away from me!”
47Abraham said,
“Peace be with you; I shall ask
my Lord to forgive you, for He
has been Ever Gracious to me.
48“But I will turn away from you
and what you call upon besides God,
and I will call upon my Lord.
I trust that my prayer to my Lord
will not be in vain.”
49So when he turned away
from them and those they
worshipped besides God,
We granted him Isaac and Jacob
as sons, and We made
each of them a prophet.
50We granted Our mercy to them,
and gave them high renown for truth.°
SECTION 4
51And mention in the Book
the story of Moses—he was chosen,
a messenger, and a prophet.°
52We called him from the right slope
of Mount Sinai, and We drew him
close for private converse.
53And through Our Mercy
We granted him
his brother Aaron as a prophet.
54And mention in the Book
the story of Ishmael—
he was true to his promise,
a messenger, a prophet.
55He would always enjoin
his people to perform prayer
and charity, and he was always
pleasing to his Lord.
56And mention in the Book
the story of Idris°—
he was a man of truth, a prophet:
57And We raised him
to an exalted station.
58These were among the prophets
God favored, from Adam’s progeny,
whom We carried in Noah’s ark,
as well as from the descendants
of Abraham and Israel, and from those
whom We guided and chose.
When verses of the All Merciful
were recited to them, they would
fall, prostrating themselves, in tears.
59But there came after them
people who neglected prayer
and followed their own desires.
Soon, they will meet perdition.
60Except those who repent,
and believe, and do good deeds.
These will enter the garden
and will not be wronged
in any way—
61eternal gardens, which
the All Merciful has promised
to His servants, in the unseen.
His promise, inexorable,
shall come to pass.
62There, they will not hear
vain discourse—only “Peace.”
And there, they will be provided for,
morning and evening.
63This is the garden
We shall bequeath
to our servants
who were mindful of Us.
64[The angels say,]
“We descend only
by command of your Lord.
To Him belongs
what lies before us,
what lies behind us, and
what lies between.
Your Lord is never forgetful.
65“Lord of the heavens and earth,
and of all that lies between them—
so worship Him, be steadfast
in His worship. Do you know
any who is worthy of His name?”
SECTION 5
66Humans say, “Once dead,
shall we be brought to life?”
67But don’t humans recall
that We created them before,
when they were nothing?
68By your Lord, then,
We shall gather them,
and the devils, [dragging them]
around hell, on their knees.
69Then We shall drag out
from each sect those who
most stubbornly opposed
the All Merciful.
70For We know best
those who most deserve
to burn there.
71And there is not one of you
who will not come to it—
a decree from your Lord
destined to pass.
72But We shall deliver those
who were mindful of God,
and We shall leave
the wrongdoers there,
on their knees.
73When Our clear signs
are recited to them,
the unbelievers taunt those
who believe, “Which of our two
parties is in a better position,
and has superior companions?”
74Yet how many generations
before them have We destroyed—
who were grander in possessions
as well as in outward pomp?
75Say, “The Most Merciful prolongs
the straying of those who stray,
until they see the punishment
promised them, either here
or in the coming hour.
Then they will know
who is in the worse position
and is weaker in force.”
76God increases guidance
for those who would be guided.
Enduring good deeds
are the best rewards
in the eyes of your Lord,
and best in their recompense.
77Have you then seen
the person who denies Our signs,
yet says, “I shall certainly
be given wealth and children?”
78Has he fathomed the unseen,
or secured an agreement
with the All Merciful?
79No—We shall record
what he says, and We shall
prolong his punishment.
80We shall inherit
all that he talks of,
and he shall come
before Us alone.
81Yet they have taken
gods other than God
to empower them.
82However, those gods
will reject their worship,
and become their adversaries.
SECTION 6
83Do you not see—
We have sent devils
against the unbelievers,
inciting them to sin?
84So make no haste against them,
for We are but counting their term.°
85On the day We gather
the God-fearing to the All Merciful,
as an assembly,
86and drive the sinners to hell,
like thirsty cows [to water],
87none shall have power
of intercession, except
those who secure an agreement
with the All Merciful.
88They say, “The All Merciful
has conceived a child.”
89Assuredly, you speak
of something monstrous—
90at which the heavens might be
cleaved asunder, and the earth
burst into pieces, and the mountains
collapse in complete ruin—
91that they deem the All Merciful
to have a child,
92for it is not seemly
for the All Merciful
to conceive a child.
93There is none in the heavens
and earth who will not come
before the All Merciful
as a servant.
94He has taken account of each,
and counted them, every single one.
95And each one of them
will come before Him, alone,
on the day of resurrection.
96the All Merciful will bestow
love on those
who believed and did good works.
97We have made the Quran
easy, in your own tongue,
so that you might use it
to give joyous news
to those who fear God,
and warn a stubborn people.
98And how many generations
have we destroyed before them—
can you trace even one of them
or hear from them
even a whisper?
SURA 20
Ta Ha (Ta Ha)
Dating from the middle Meccan period, this is the first sura to take its name from the initial and perplexing letters that mark it, as they do twenty-eight other suras in the Quran. Its 135 verses begin with the story of Moses (vv. 9–99), then the account of Adam and Eve (the latter unnamed—vv. 115–24), and end with encouragement to Muhammad to endure, pray, be steadfast, watch, and wait (vv. 130–35).
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1Ta Ha.°
2We have not revealed
the Quran to you
to bring you distress,
3but rather as a reminder
to those who fear God,
4a revelation from the One
Who created the earth
and the exalted heavens,
5the All Merciful, firmly poised
upon the throne.
6To Him belongs
all that is in the heavens
and all that is on the earth,
all between them,
and all beneath the soil.
7[Whatever is in your heart]
whether you speak it aloud [or not],
He knows what is secret
and what is most hidden.
8God—there is no god but He.
To Him belong
the Most Beautiful Names.
9Have you heard the story of Moses?
10When he saw a fire,
he said to his family,
“Stay here. I glimpsed a fire—
perhaps I can bring you
a burning brand from it
or find some guidance there.”
11When he drew near,
he was called, “Moses,
12“I am your Lord,
so remove your sandals,
for you are in
the sacred valley of Tuwa.°
13“And I have chosen you—
so listen closely
to what is now revealed.
14“I am the One God—
there is no god but Me,
so worship Me, and
be steadfast in prayer,
remembering Me.
15“The hour is coming
—though I choose to conceal it—
so that every soul may receive
the reward of its endeavor.
16“So don’t let those
who disbelieve in its coming,
and follow their own desires,
divert you from it,
bringing you to ruin.
17“And what is this
in your right hand, Moses?”
18Moses replied, “This is my staff—
I lean on it, and with it
I beat down leaves for my sheep,
and I have other uses for it.”
19God said,
“Throw it down, Moses.”
20He threw it down, and see,
it became a snake, darting quickly.
21God said, “Take hold of it
and don’t be afraid—
We shall restore it to its former state.
22“And place your hand under your arm:
it will come out gleaming white, though
unharmed—another sign—
23“so that We might show you
some of our greatest signs.
24“Go now to Pharaoh,
for he has done wrong.”
SECTION 2
25Moses implored, “My Lord,
enlarge my heart,°
26“make my task easy for me,
27“and remove the slur in my speech,°
28“so that they understand my words,
29“and give me someone to help,
from my family,
30“my brother Aaron—
31“fortify my strength through him,
32“and let him share my task,
33“so that we may glorify You,
34“and remember you,
