so you shall know them.”
Your Lord is not unmindful
of what you do.
SURA 28
The Story (Al-Qasas)
The “story” is about Moses and Pharaoh, who occupy the first part of this late Meccan sura, numbering 88 verses. It also includes a cautionary tale about Qarun, a wealthy Israelite whose fortune did not save him, or his house, from being swallowed by the earth (v. 82). Anticipating Sura 55:26–27, the last verse declares, “All things shall pass away except His Face” (v. 88).
In the Name of God, the All Merciful, Ever Merciful
SECTION 1
1Ta Sin Mim.°
2These are verses of the clear Book.
3We recite to you the story
of Moses and Pharaoh—the truth
for people who believe.°
4Exalting himself in the land,
Pharaoh split its people into factions.
Oppressing a group of them,
he killed their sons
but spared their women.
He always sowed corruption.°
5But We intended to favor those
who were oppressed in the land,
to make them leaders, and heirs,
6to empower them in the land,
to bring before° Pharaoh, Haman,°
and all their forces
what they had always feared.
7We inspired Moses’ mother,
saying, “Suckle your child,
but if you fear for him,
place him in the river—
and do not fear or grieve.
We shall restore him to you,
and We shall make him
one of Our messengers.”
8Then the family of Pharaoh
picked him up—who would
become an enemy to them
and a source of grief—
Pharaoh, Haman, and their forces
were always sinners.
9Pharaoh’s wife cried,
“Here’s a joyful sight
for me and you! Don’t kill him.
Perhaps he’ll be of use to us, or
we might adopt him as a son”—
they were unaware [of God’s plan].
10But a void opened up
in the heart of Moses’ mother,
who might have disclosed his plight,
had We not strengthened her heart,
to make her a believer.
11She said to his sister,
“Follow Moses.”°
So she watched him from a distance,
though [the people of Pharaoh]
were unaware.
12We had ordained earlier
that he should not suckle
from wet nurses, so
his sister asked [Pharaoh’s house],
“Shall I show you
the people of a house
who will rear him for you
and take good care of him?”
13So We returned him to his mother,
that she might be comforted
and not grieve, and know
that God’s promise is true.
Yet most of them don’t know.°
SECTION 2
14When Moses reached
his maturity and manhood,
We endowed him with wisdom
and knowledge; this is how
We reward those who do good.
15He entered the city at a time
when its people would not notice.
He found two men fighting there,
one from his own people
and the other an enemy.
The former sought his help
against his enemy.
Moses struck him with his fist,
killing him.° He said,
“This must be Satan’s work,
for he is clearly an enemy
who leads astray.”
16He prayed, “My Lord,
I have wronged myself: forgive me.”
And God did forgive him—
He is Forgiving, Ever Merciful.
17He said, “My Lord,
because You have favored me,
I shall never support those who sin.”
18As the morning came,
he was in the city, fearful, wary,
when the man who had sought
his help the day before
called out to him for help again.
Moses said, “Clearly, it’s you
who are in the wrong!”
19Then, when Moses showed
his intent to strike the man who was
their common enemy, the man said,
“Moses, do you want to kill me
as you killed a person yesterday?
You want to be a tyrant in the land,
not someone who fosters the good.”°
20Then a man came, running,
from the farthest end of the city,
crying, “Moses, the chiefs
are conferring about you,
proposing to kill you. So leave!
This is my sincere advice to you.”°
21So he left from there,
fearful, wary, praying, “My Lord,
save me from people who do wrong.”
SECTION 3
22And when he turned his face
toward the land of Midian,° he said,
“May my Lord guide me
to the right way.”
23And when he came to
the wells of Midian,
he found a group of men there
watering their flocks,
and beside them two women
holding back their flocks. He asked,
“What’s the matter with you?”
They explained,
“We can’t water our flocks
until the shepherds drive theirs back—
our father is a very old man.”
24So he watered their flocks for them.
Then, turning back toward the shade,
he sighed, “My Lord, I am truly
in need of whatever good
You might send down to me.”
25Later, one of the two women
came to him, walking shyly,
“My father invites you,
so he might reward you
for watering our flocks.”
When Moses came to him and
narrated his story, the father said,
“Don’t be afraid—you have escaped
from people who do wrong.”
26One of the women said,
“My father, hire him—
the best person to hire is someone
strong and trustworthy.”
27The father said to Moses,
“I want to wed you to one
of my two daughters here,
if you’ll serve me for eight years.
But if you were to complete ten,
that would be up to you.°
I don’t want to burden you;
you’ll find me, God willing,
to be a righteous person.”
28Moses replied, “Let that be
the agreement between me and you.
Whichever of the two terms I fulfill,
don’t harbor animosity toward me,
for God is Witness to what we say.”
SECTION 4
29When Moses had fulfilled the term,
and was traveling with his family,
he glimpsed a fire
on the side of Mount Tur.
He said to his family, “Stay here,
I glimpsed a fire;
perhaps I can bring you
some word from it°
or firewood to warm yourselves.”
30But when he came to the fire,
he was called by a voice
from the right slope of the valley,
from a tree on hallowed ground,
“Moses, I am the One God,
Lord of the universe.
31“Now, throw down your staff.”
But when Moses saw it stirring,
like a snake, he turned in flight,
and did not return.
“Moses, draw near, and
don’t fear, for you are safe.
32“Slip your hand into your cloak—
it will come out gleaming white, unharmed.
Drop your hand by your side,
free from fear.° These shall be
two proofs from your Lord
to Pharaoh and his chiefs—
they are a wicked people.”
33Moses said, “My Lord,
I have killed one of them,
and I fear they will kill me.
34“Also, my brother Aaron
is more eloquent in speech than me,
so send him with me, as an aide,
to confirm what I say, for I’m afraid
they will call me a liar.”
35God said, “We shall strengthen
your arm through your brother,
and invest you both with authority,
beyond their reach. With Our signs
you and those who follow you
will be victorious.”°
36But when Moses came to them
with Our clear signs, they said,
“This is nothing but contrived magic.
We never heard the like of it
from our ancestors.”
37Moses replied, “My Lord knows best
who has come with guidance
from Him, and whose outcome
will prevail in the hereafter.
The wrongdoers will never thrive.”
38Pharaoh said, “Counselors,
I know of no god for you but me.
So, Haman, kindle for me
a fire to bake clay bricks,
and make me a towering edifice
so I may look upon
the God of Moses,
for I consider him a liar.”
39Hence Pharaoh and his forces
behaved arrogantly in the land
beyond their right, thinking
they would never be returned to Us.
40So We seized him and his forces,
and cast them into the sea—
observe the end of those
who do wrong!
41We made them leaders
who summon people to the fire;
on the day of resurrection
they shall find no help.
42In this world,
We laid a curse upon them,
and on the day of resurrection,
they shall be among the despised.
SECTION 5
43We gave the Book to Moses
—after We destroyed earlier generations—
to give insight to humankind,
as well as guidance and mercy,
that they might be reminded.
44You, Prophet, were not there
on the western side of the mountain°
when We decreed the commandment
to Moses—you were not a witness.
45We raised up generations over
long eras—you, Prophet, did not live
among the people of Midian,
reciting to them Our signs—
it is We who send [messengers].
46Nor were you at the side
of Mount Sinai when We called
to Moses;° yet you are sent
as a mercy from your Lord
to warn a people to whom
no one before you came to warn,
that they might be reminded,
47and may not say, if calamity
—brought by their own hands—
befalls them, “Our Lord,
if only You had sent us a messenger,
we would have followed Your signs
and would have been believers.”°
48But now, when the truth
has come to them from Us, they say,
“Why is he not given signs
like those given to Moses?”
And did they not also deny
what was given to Moses before?
“Two brands of sorcery,
hand in hand,” they say
and “We deny it all,” they say.
49Say, “Then bring a Book from God,
a better guide than either of these,
so I may follow it,
if you are speaking the truth.”°
50But if they don’t answer you,
know that they only follow
their own desires—who
goes further astray than someone
who follows their own desire
without guidance from God?
God does not guide
a people who do wrong.
SECTION 6
51And now indeed We have
conveyed to them the Word,
that they might be reminded.
52Those to whom
We gave the Book before
believe in it;
53and when it is recited to them,
they say, “We believe in it—it is
indeed the truth from our Lord.
In fact, even before it came,
we submitted to His will.”°
54They will be twice rewarded
for they have been patient,
they avert evil with good,
and spend in charity from
what we have given them;
55and when they hear idle talk,
they turn away from it, saying,
“Our deeds belong to us,
yours to you. Peace be with you.
We do not seek out the ignorant.”
56You, Prophet, cannot guide
all those you love.
But God guides whom He will,
and He knows best those
who will be guided.
57They say, “If we followed
the guidance with you, we would be
swept away from our land.”
Have We not set up for them
a safe sanctuary,° where fruits
of all kinds are brought,
as sustenance from Us?
Yet most of them do not know.
58And how many towns have
We destroyed, which exulted
in their easy living. And after them,
their homes were scarcely lived in—
We are the sole Heirs.°
59Your Lord never destroyed
the towns until he had sent
to their center° a messenger,
reciting to them Our signs;
nor would He have destroyed
these towns unless their people
had been wrongdoers.
60Whatever things you are given
are fleeting joys, adornment
of the life of this world;
but whatever is with God
is better and enduring.
Will you not, then, use reason?
SECTION 7
61Is a person to whom We made
a good promise and sees it fulfilled
like the person to whom We gave
the joys of the life of this world,
then, on the day of resurrection,
will be brought out [for punishment]?
62On the day that God
calls to them, He will ask,
“Where are the other gods
you claimed to be My partners?”
63Those with proof against them
will say, “Our Lord,
