TA HA (20)

(ta ha)

Ta Ha. (20:1)

We have sent the Quran only as reminder (20:2)

for those who have fear (of disobeying God), not to make you, (Muhammad), miserable (20:3).

It is a revelation from the Creator of the earth and the high heavens (20:4).

The Beneficent God is dominant over the Throne (of the realm) (20:5).

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth, all that lies between them, and lies below the earth. (20:6)

Whether or not you express (your thoughts) in words, God certainly knows all unspoken thoughts and all that is even more difficult to find (20:7). God is the only Lord and to Him belong all the exalted Names. (20:8) (Muhammad), have you heard the story of Moses? (20:9).

When he saw the fire, he said to his family, "Wait here for I can see a fire. Perhaps I shall bring you a burning torch or find a way to some fire" (20:10).

When he came near the fire he was called, "Moses, (20:11) I Am your Lord. Take off your shoes; you are in the holy valley of Tuwa (20:12).

I have chosen you as My Messengers. Listen to the revelation (20:13).

I Am the only God. Worship Me and be steadfast in prayer to have My name always in your mind (20:14).

Although it is certain that the Day of Judgment will come, I prefer to keep it almost a secret so that every soul will receive the recompense for what it has done (on its own) (20:15).

Let not the unbelievers who follow their vain desires make you forget the Day of Judgment, lest you will perish." (20:16)

The Lord asked, "Moses, what is in your right hand?" (20:17).

He replied, "It is my staff. I lean on it, bring down leaves for my sheep with it and I need it for other reasons. (20:18)

The Lord said, "Moses, throw it on the ground" (20:19).

Moses threw it on the ground and suddenly he saw that it was a moving serpent (20:20).

The Lord said, "Hold the serpent and do not be afraid; We will bring it back to its original form." (20:21)

"Now - as another Sign - place your hand under your arm and it will come out sheer white without harm (or stain) (20:22).

This We have done to show you some of Our greater miracles (20:23).

Go to the Pharaoh; he has become a rebel." (20:24)

Moses said, "Lord, grant me courage (20:25).

Make my task easy (20:26) and my tongue fluent (20:27) so that they may understand me (20:28).

Appoint a deputy (for me) from my own people (20:29).

Let it be my brother Aaron (20:30) to support me (20:31).

Let him be my partner in this task (20:32) so that we may glorify (20:33) and remember you often (20:34).

You are Well Aware of our situation." (20:35)

The Lord said, "Moses, your request is granted (20:36).

It is the second time that We have bestowed upon you Our favor (20:37).

Remember when We inspired your mother with a certain inspiration (20:38)

to lace her child in a chest and throw it into the sea which would hurl it towards the shore. Then an enemy of Mine who was also the enemy of the child would pick it up from there. I made you attractive and loveable so that you would be reared before My own eyes (20:39).

Your sister went to them and said, "May I show you someone who will nurse this child?" We returned you to your mother to make her rejoice and forget her grief. You slew a man and We saved you from trouble. We tried you through various trials. Then you stayed some years with the people of Midian (Shu'ayb and his family) and after that you came back to Egypt as was ordained (20:40).

I chose you for Myself. (20:41)

"Go with your brother. Take My miracles and do not be reluctant in preaching My message (20:42).

Go both of you to the Pharaoh; he has become a rebel (20:43).

Both of you must speak with him in a gentle manner so that perhaps he may come to himself or have fear (of God)." (20:44)

They said, "Lord, we are afraid of his transgression and rebellion against us" (20:45).

The Lord replied them, "Do not be afraid; I Am with you all the time, listening and seeing." (20:46)

They came to the Pharaoh and told him that they were the Messengerss of his Lord and that they wanted him to let the Israelites go with them and stop afflicting the Israelites with torment. They told the Pharaoh, "We have brought miracles from Our Creator. Peace be with those who follow the right guidance (20:47).

It is revealed to us that those who call our message a lie or turn away from it will face the torment." (20:48)

The Pharaoh asked them, "Who is your Lord?" (20:49).

They replied, "Our Lord is the One Who has created all things and has given guidance" (20:50).

He then asked, "What do you know about the past generations?" (20:51)

Moses replied, "The knowledge about it is with my Lord in the Book. My Lord is free from error and forgetfulness (20:52).

It is God who has made the earth as a cradle for you with roads for you to travel. He has sent water from the sky to produce various pairs of plants (20:53).

Consume them as food or for grazing your cattle. In this there is evidence (of the existence of God) for the people of reason" (20:54).

We have created you from the earth to which We will return you and will bring you back to life again (20:55). We showed the Pharaoh all of Our miracles, but he called them lies and turned away from them. (20:56)

He said to Moses, "Have you come to expel us from our land through your magic? (20:57).

We shall also answer you by magic. Let us make an appointment for a contest among us and let each of us be present at a certain time in the appointed place" (20:58).

Moses said, "Let the contest take place on the Day of Feast so that all the people can come together during the brightness of the day." (20:59)

The Pharaoh returned to organize his plans and then attended the appointment (20:60).

Moses told them, (the magicians) "Woe to you if you invent falsehood against God; you will be destroyed by the torment. Whoever invents falsehood against God will certainly be lost." (20:61)

They started arguing and whispering to each other (20:62) and said, "These two people are magicians. They want to expel you from your land through their magic and to destroy your own tradition (20:63).

Bring together your devices and come forward in ranks; the winner will, certainly, have great happiness" (20:64).

They said, "Moses, would you be the first to show your skill or should we be the first to throw down our devices?" (20:65).

Moses said, "You throw first." When they did, their ropes and staffs through their magic seemed to be moving (20:66).

Moses felt afraid within himself (20:67).

We told him, "Do not be afraid for you will be the winner (20:68).

Throw down what is in your right hand and it will swallow up all that they have performed; theirs is only a magical performance. Magicians can find no happiness in whatever they do." (20:69)

The magicians bowed down in prostration saying, "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron" (20:70).

The Pharaoh said, "Since you believed in him without my permission, then Moses certainly must be your chief who has taught you magic. I shall cut your hands and feet on alternate sides and crucify you on the trunk of the palm-tree. You shall certainly find which among us can afflict a more severe and lasting punishment" (20:71).

They (the magicians) said, "We would never prefer you to the miracles that we have seen or to our Creator. Do what you want. This life is only for a short time (20:72). We have faith in our Lord so that He will forgive our sins and our magical performances that you forced us to show. God is better than all things and His rewards last longer." (20:73)

The dwelling place of one who comes into the presence of his Lord as a criminal will be hell wherein he will never die nor enjoy his life (20:74).

One who comes into the presence of his Lord with faith and righteous deeds (20:75) will be rewarded by high status in the gardens of Eden wherein streams flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves. (20:76)

We sent revelations to Moses telling him, "Travel with My servants during the night and strike a dry road across the sea (for them).

Have no fear of being overtaken (by the Pharaoh) nor of anything else" (20:77).

The Pharaoh and his army chased Moses and his people but were drowned by the sea (20:78). The Pharaoh and his people had gone away from guidance. (20:79)

Children of Israel, We saved you from your enemy and promised to settle you on the right side of the peaceful Mount Tur (Sinai) (20:80) and We sent you manna and quails (20:81).

I allowed you to consume the pure sustenance which We had given you but not to become rebels, lest you become subject to My wrath. Whoever becomes subject to My wrath will certainly be destroyed. I am All-forgiving to the righteously striving believers who repent and follow the right guidance. (20:82)

The Lord asked, "Moses, what made you attend your appointment with Me before your people?" (20:83).

Moses replied, "They are just behind me. I came earlier to seek Your pleasure" (20:84).

The Lord said, "We tested your people after you left them and the Samiri made them go astray." (20:85)

Moses, sad and angry, returned to his people saying, "My people, did not the Lord make you a gracious promise? Why did you disregard your appointment with me? Was it because of the long time or did you want to become subject to the wrath of your Lord?" (20:86).

They replied, "We did not go against our promise with you out of our own accord. We were forced to carry people's ornaments. We threw them away and so did the Samiri (20:87).

Then the Samiri forged the body of a motionless calf which gave out a hollow sound." The people said, "This is your Lord and the Lord of Moses whom he (Moses) forgot to mention" (20:88).

Did they not consider that the calf could not give them any answer, nor it could harm or benefit them? (20:89)

Aaron had told them before, "My people, you are deceived by the calf. Your Lord is the Beneficent God. Follow me and obey my orders" (20:90).

They said, "We shall continue worshipping the calf until Moses comes back." (20:91)

Then Moses asked Aaron, "What made you not follow me when you saw them in error? (20:92).

Did you disobey my orders?" (20:93).

Aaron replied, "Son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or head. I was afraid that you might consider me responsible for causing discord among the children of Israel and would not pay attention to my words." (20:94)

Moses asked, "Samiri, what were your motives?" (20:95).

He replied, "I had the skill (of carving) which they did not have. I followed some of the Messengers's (Moses) tradition, but I then ignored it. Thus, my soul prompted me (to carve a golden calf with an artificial hollow sound) (20:96).

Moses said, "Go away! Throughout your life you will not be able to let anyone touch you. This will be your punishment in this life. The time for your final punishment is inevitable. You will never be able to avoid it. Look at your god which you have been worshipping. We will burn it in the fire and scatter its ashes into the sea." (20:97)

Your Lord is the One who is the only God and He has the knowledge of all things. (20:98)

Thus We tell you, (Muhammad), the stories of the past and We have given you the Quran (20:99).

Whoever disregards (the Quran) will be heavily burdened with sin on the Day of Judgment (20:100) with which he will live forever. On the Day of Judgment it will be a terrible load for him to carry (20:101). On the day when the trumpet will be sounded We will raise the criminals from their graves and their eyes will be turned blue and blind. (20:102)

They will slowly talk to each other and say, "Our life on earth was as short as ten days" (20:103).

We know best what they say. The moderate ones among them will say, "You did not live on earth for more than a day." (20:104) (Muhammad), they will ask you about the mountains. Tell them, "My Lord will grind them to powder (20:105) and leave them so smoothly levelled (20:106) that you will see no depression or elevation in it" (20:107).

On that day they will follow their caller without deviation. Their voices will be low in the presence of the Beneficent God. You will hear nothing but the tread of the marching feet (20:108).

On that day no one's intercession will be of any benefit unless he has received permission from the Beneficent God and whose word is acceptable to Him. (20:109)

God knows all that is in front of them and behind them and they can not encompass His knowledge (20:110).

Faces will be humble before the Everlasting and the Self-existing God. Despair will strike those who are loaded with the burden of injustice (20:111).

The righteously striving believers should have no fear of being treated with injustice or inequity. (20:112)

We have revealed the Quran in the Arabic language containing various warnings so that it may cause them to have fear (of God) or take heed (20:113).

God is the Most High and the True King. (Muhammad), do not be hasty in reading the Quran to the people before the revelation has been completed. "Say, My Lord, grant me more knowledge." (20:114)

We had commanded Adam (certain matters).

He forgot Our commandment and We did not find in him the determination to fulfil Our commandments (20:115). When We told the angels to prostrate before Adam they all obeyed except Iblis (satan) who refused (20:116).

We said, "Adam, this (satan) is your enemy and the enemy of your spouse. Let him not expel you and your spouse from Paradise lest you plunge into misery (20:117).

In Paradise you will experience no hunger, nakedness, (20:118) thirst, or exposure to the hot Sun." (20:119)

Satan, trying to seduce him, said, "Adam, do you want me to show you the Tree of Eternity and the Everlasting Kingdom?" (20:120).

Adam and his wife ate (fruits) from the tree and found themselves naked. Then they started to cover themselves with the leaves from the garden. Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray (20:121).

His Lord forgave him, accepted his repentance, and gave him guidance. (20:122)

God then told them, "Get out of here all of you; you are each other's enemies. When My guidance comes to you, those who follow it will not go astray nor will they endure any misery (20:123).

Whoever ignores My guidance will live a woeful life and will be brought in Our presence blind on the Day of Judgment (20:124).

He will say, "My Lord, why have you brought me back to life blind; before I could see?" (20:125).

The Lord will say, "This is true. But just as you forgot Our revelations that had come to you, so, too, are you forgotten on this day." (20:126)

Thus We recompense those who are unjust and have no faith in Our revelations. The torment in the life to come will be more severe and last longer. (20:127)

Is it not a warning for them to see how many generations living before them We destroyed and how they are now walking in their ruins? In this there is the evidence (of the Truth) for the people of reason. (20:128)

Had not the word of your Lord been decreed (otherwise), the unbelievers deserved immediate punishment. The appointed time for their punishment will inevitably come. (20:129) (Muhammad), have patience with what they say, glorify your Lord, and always praise Him before sunrise, sunset, in some hours of the night and at both the beginning and end of the day, so that perhaps you will please your Lord (20:130).

Do not be envious of what We have given to some people as means of enjoyment and worldly delight. Such means are a trial for them, but the reward that you will receive from your Lord will be far better and everlasting (20:131).

Instruct your family to pray and to be steadfast in their worship. We do not ask any sustenance from you; it is We who give you sustenance. Know that piety will have a happy end. (20:132)

They have said, "Why has he, (Muhammad), not brought some miracle from his Lord?" Have they not received the previously revealed heavenly Books as the evidence of the Truth (20:133).

Had We destroyed them with a torment before the coming of Muhammad they would have said, "Lord, would that you had sent us a Messengers so that we could have followed Your revelations before being humiliated and disgraced." (20:134)

(Muhammad), tell them, "Everyone is waiting. Wait and you shall know very soon who will be the followers of the right path with the right guidance." (20:135)