Chapter 11

Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ

سورۃ القصص

Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ (The Stories) — Sūra 28

Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ was revealed in Mecca. It contains eighty-eight (88) verses and one (1) rukūʿ.

طسم

Ṭā Sīn Mīm

These are the detached letters (ḥurūf al-muqaṭṭaʿāt) known in their full meaning to Allah and His Messengerﷺalone. They are among the mysteries (mutashābihāt) of the Qurʾān.

تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ

Tilka āyātu l-kitābi l-mubīn

"These are the verses of the clear Book." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:2)

Translation: These are the verses of the luminous and manifest Scripture.

نَتْلُو عَلَيْكَ مِن نَّبَإِ مُوسَىٰ وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Natlū ʿalayka min nabaʾi Mūsā wa-Firʿawna bi-l-ḥaqqi li-qawmin yuʾminūn

"We recite to you from the account of Mūsā and Pharaoh with truth — for a people who believe." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:3)

Translation: We relate to you, in truth, some of the tidings of Mūsā and Pharaoh — for the benefit of those who believe.

Commentary: The phrase bi-l-ḥaqq — "with truth" — distinguishes the Qurʾānic narrative from the distorted versions found in earlier scriptures. Li-qawmin yuʾminūn — "for a people who believe": the narrative serves a purpose; it is not mere history but a source of light and guidance for the faithful.

The Oppression of Pharaoh

إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Inna Firʿawna ʿalā fī l-arḍi wa-jaʿala ahlahā shiyaʿan yastaḍʿifu ṭāʾifatan minhum yudhabbiḥu abnāʾahum wa-yastaḥyī nisāʾahum innahu kāna mina l-mufsidīn

"Indeed Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a group among them, slaughtering their sons and keeping their women alive. Truly, he was of the corrupters." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:4)

Translation: Pharaoh had grown enormously arrogant in the land and divided its people into factions. He oppressed a group among them — the Children of Isrāʾīl — slaughtering their sons and keeping their women alive. He was indeed one of the great corrupters.

Commentary: The political condition described here illustrates the social catastrophe that results from tyranny (ṭughyān): the ruler fractures society into subservient factions, targeting the weak while maintaining the strong as instruments of his power. The commentator remarks that this pattern repeats in every age of oppression: those who are organised and powerful oppress; those who are scattered and weak are subjugated. The antidote is unity (ijtimāʿ), discipline, and reliance upon Allah — the very qualities that allowed the Children of Isrāʾīl to eventually overcome Pharaoh. The Qurʾān commands: wa-aʿiddū lahum mā staṭaʿtum min quwwa — "Prepare for them whatever power you are able" (al-Anfāl 8:60) — yet also warns against taking disbelievers as allies (awliyāʾ) at the expense of the community of believers.

The Divine Promise to the Oppressed

وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ

Wa-nurīdu an namunna ʿalā lladhīna stuḍʿifū fī l-arḍi wa-najʿalahum aʾimmatan wa-najʿalahumu l-wārithīn

"And We desired to bestow favour upon those who had been oppressed in the land, and to make them leaders and to make them the inheritors." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:5)

Translation: And it was Our will to show grace to those who had been rendered weak and helpless on the earth — to make them leaders and to make them the inheritors of the land.

وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ

Wa-numakkina lahum fī l-arḍi wa-nuriya Firʿawna wa-Hāmāna wa-junūdahumā minhum mā kānū yaḥdharūn

"And to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Hāmān, and their forces that which they had been dreading from them." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:6)

Translation: And to establish them firmly in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Hāmān, and their armies the very thing they had been fearing from these oppressed people.

Commentary: The divine reversal of fortune is one of the grand themes of the Qurʾān. What tyrants most fear — the rise of the oppressed — is precisely what Allah brings about. This is a source of profound consolation and hope for all communities suffering under injustice. The commentator here urges the Muslim community: know that Allah's promise is true; victory belongs to the patient, the united, the disciplined believers. Befriending the enemies of Islam while abandoning fellow Muslims only delays and deepens the community's humiliation.

The Birth of Mūsā (upon him be peace)

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ

Wa-awḥaynā ilā ummi Mūsā an arḍiʿīhi fa-idhā khifti ʿalayhi fa-alqīhi fī l-yammi wa-lā takhāfī wa-lā taḥzanī innā rāddūhu ilayki wa-jāʿilūhu mina l-mursalīn

"And We inspired the mother of Mūsā: 'Suckle him; and when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear and do not grieve — We will return him to you and will make him one of the messengers.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:7)

Translation: And We inspired the mother of Mūsā (upon him be peace) through divine intuition (waḥy ilhāmī): "Nurse him; but when you fear for his life, set him upon the river — and have no fear and no grief. We shall return him to you, and We shall make him one of the messengers."

Commentary: The waḥy (divine inspiration) to the mother of Mūsā (upon him be peace) was not prophetic revelation (waḥy nabuwwa) — she was not a prophetess — but rather ilhām (direct divine inspiration into the heart) and ilqāʾ (a divine prompting placed in the mind). The promise contained in this verse is extraordinary: amid a command that seems dangerous and heart-breaking, Allah gives two assurances — "We will return him to you" and "We will make him a messenger." In one act, the mother casts her infant into the river and receives back a prophet. This is the divine paradox that underlies all trust in Allah: what appears as loss is the beginning of the greatest gain.

فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ

Fa-ltaqaṭahu ālu Firʿawna li-yakūna lahum ʿaduwwan wa-ḥazanan inna Firʿawna wa-Hāmāna wa-junūdahumā kānū khāṭiʾīn

"Then the household of Pharaoh picked him up — so that he might become to them an enemy and a cause of grief. Truly Pharaoh, Hāmān, and their armies were sinners." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:8)

Translation: The household of Pharaoh then retrieved him from the river — that he might become their enemy and their source of grief. Truly Pharaoh, Hāmān, and their forces were transgressors.

Commentary: The divine irony (istidlāj) is complete: the very family that ordered the killing of Israelite infants raised the one who would destroy their kingdom. Li-yakūna lahum ʿaduwwan wa-ḥazanan — "so that he might become to them an enemy and a grief" — this lām is not the lām of purpose but of consequence: they picked him up intending kindness, but the outcome — divinely ordained — was his becoming their nemesis.

وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّي وَلَكَ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰ أَن يَنفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

Wa-qālati mraʾatu Firʿawna qurratu ʿaynin lī wa-laka lā taqtulūhu ʿasā an yanfaʿanā aw nattakhidhaahu waladan wa-hum lā yashʿurūn

"And the wife of Pharaoh said: 'A comfort of the eye for me and for you — do not kill him; perhaps he will benefit us, or we may take him as a son.' And they were unaware." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:9)

Translation: And Pharaoh's wife — Āsiya (may Allah be pleased with her) — said: "He is a joy and delight for my eyes and for yours! Do not kill him. Perhaps he will be of benefit to us, or we shall adopt him as our son." They were unaware of what was ordained.

Commentary: Āsiya bint Muzāḥim (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Pharaoh, was a great believer. Her intercession on behalf of the infant Mūsā (upon him be peace) was divinely guided; its ultimate fruit was her own eventual faith and martyrdom. She is counted among the four greatest women in Islamic tradition, as mentioned in the ḥadīth of the Prophetﷺ «أفضل نساء أهل الجنة خديجة وفاطمة ومريم وآسية»(al-Ḥākim).

The Mother of Mūsā

وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ فَارِغًا إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ لَوْلَا أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Wa-aṣbaḥa fuʾādu ummi Mūsā fārighan in kādat la-tubdī bihi lawlā an rabaṭnā ʿalā qalbihā li-takūna mina l-muʾminīn

"And the heart of the mother of Mūsā became empty — she was near to revealing the matter, had We not fortified her heart so that she would remain among the believers." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:10)

Translation: The heart of the mother of Mūsā (upon him be peace) became void of all else — she was on the verge of disclosing his identity, had We not fortified her heart, so that she might remain steadfast among the believers.

Commentary: Fārighan — "empty": emptied of everything except grief and longing. The divine mercy here is the rabt — the binding and steadying of the heart — a specific act of divine grace by which Allah preserved her from a disclosure that would have endangered the infant. This is among the clearest Qurʾānic evidences that Allah directly intervenes to protect those He loves.

وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَن جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

Wa-qālat li-ukhtihī quṣṣīhi fa-baṣurat bihi ʿan junubin wa-hum lā yashʿurūn

"And she said to his sister: 'Follow him.' So she watched him from afar, while they were unaware." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:11)

Translation: She said to his sister: "Track him." So the sister followed him from a distance, discreetly, and the people of Pharaoh's household were not aware of her.

وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ

Wa-ḥarramnā ʿalayhi l-marāḍiʿa min qablu fa-qālat hal adullukum ʿalā ahli baytin yakfulūnahu lakum wa-hum lahū nāṣiḥūn

"And We had already made wet-nurses forbidden to him — so his sister said: 'Shall I direct you to a household who will nurse him for you and be sincere caretakers for him?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:12)

Translation: We had previously made all other wet-nurses unsuitable for him. So his sister approached and said: "Shall I show you a family who will nurse him for you and be devoted and well-wishing towards him?"

فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Fa-radadnāhu ilā ummihi kay taqarra ʿaynuhā wa-lā taḥzana wa-li-taʿlama anna waʿda llāhi ḥaqqun wa-lākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūn

"So We returned him to his mother so that her eye might be comforted and she would not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true — but most of them do not know." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:13)

Translation: Thus We reunited Mūsā (upon him be peace) with his mother — so that her eye might be cooled with joy, so that she would not grieve, and so that she might know with certainty that the promise of Allah is truth. Yet most people do not comprehend.

Commentary: The reunion of Mūsā (upon him be peace) with his mother through the very stratagem of his sister is among the most sublime narratives of divine providence in the Qurʾān. Wa-li-taʿlama anna waʿda llāhi ḥaqq — "that she might know the promise of Allah is truth": every believer should take this verse to heart. Allah's promises, however impossible they may appear in the moment of trial, are absolutely reliable.

Mūsā's Youth and the Incident in Egypt

وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَىٰ آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Wa-lammā balaghha ashuddahu wa-istawā ātaynāhu ḥukman wa-ʿilman wa-kadhālika najzī l-muḥsinīn

"And when he reached his full strength and was complete, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:14)

Translation: When Mūsā (upon him be peace) reached the fullness of his manhood and came into his strength, We bestowed upon him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who excel in goodness.

وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Wa-dakhala l-madīnata ʿalā ḥīni ghaflatin min ahlihā fa-wajada fīhā rajulayni yaqtatilāni hādhā min shīʿatihi wa-hādhā min ʿaduwwihi fa-staghāthahu lladhī min shīʿatihi ʿalā lladhī min ʿaduwwihi fa-wakkazahu Mūsā fa-qaḍā ʿalayhi qāla hādhā min ʿamali l-shayṭāni innahu ʿaduwwun muḍillun mubīn

"He entered the city at a time when its people were unaware, and found there two men fighting — one from his people, and one from his enemy. The one from his people cried out to him against the one from his enemy — so Mūsā struck him and finished him off. He said: 'This is from the work of Satan; he is a clearly misleading enemy.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:15)

Translation: He entered the city undetected, during a time of inattention among its inhabitants. He found two men brawling: one from his own people, the Israelites, and one from the people of Pharaoh, the Egyptians. The Israelite cried out to him for help against the Egyptian — so Mūsā (upon him be peace) struck the Egyptian a blow that proved fatal. He said: "This was the doing of Satan — he is a manifest, misguiding enemy."

Commentary: This incident is central to Mūsā's biography: an unintentional killing (qatl khataʾ in intent, though the act was deliberate) that became the catalyst for his flight from Egypt. His immediate declaration — hādhā min ʿamali l-shayṭān — "this is from Satan's doing" — reveals his spiritual insight. He does not justify the act but recognises the role of haste (tasarruʿ) and passion in leading to an action whose consequences far outweigh its immediate justification.

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Qāla rabbi innī ẓalamtu nafsī fa-ghfir lī fa-ghafara lahū innahu huwa l-ghafūru l-raḥīm

"He said: 'My Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.' So He forgave him; verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:16)

Translation: He said: "My Lord! I have indeed wronged myself — forgive me." And Allah forgave him. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ

Qāla rabbi bi-mā anʿamta ʿalayya fa-lan akūna ẓahīran li-l-mujrimīn

"He said: 'My Lord, by the favour You have shown me, I will never be a supporter of the wrongdoers.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:17)

Translation: He said: "My Lord! By the grace You have bestowed upon me, I shall never be a helper or ally to those who commit crimes and injustice."

Commentary: This vow of Mūsā (upon him be peace) is a model of post-repentance resolve: after seeking forgiveness, he makes a firm commitment to reform. To receive divine forgiveness and then repeat the same error — or align oneself with evildoers — is the betrayal of that forgiveness. Ẓahīr li-l-mujrimīn — an "aid" or "support" to criminals: this includes both direct assistance and tacit complicity.

Mūsā Flees Egypt

فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي اسْتَنصَرَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَىٰ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Fa-aṣbaḥa fī l-madīnati khāʾifan yataraqqabu fa-idhā lladhī stamṣarahū bi-l-amsi yastaṣrikhuhū qāla lahū Mūsā innaka la-ghawiyyun mubīn

"So he became fearful in the city, watching anxiously — and behold, the one who had sought his help the day before was crying out to him again. Mūsā said to him: 'You are indeed a plainly contentious person.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:18)

Translation: He spent the morning in the city, fearful and watchful. Then, suddenly, the very same man who had sought his help the previous day was again crying out for his assistance. Mūsā (upon him be peace) said to him: "You are clearly a person who stirs up trouble."

Commentary: Mūsā (upon him be peace) recognised that the Israelite's constant quarreling was reckless and self-destructive. The word ghawī — "wayward, straying" — suggests one who consistently acts against his own interests and brings harm upon himself and others through impulsive behaviour.

فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَن يَبْطِشَ بِالَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالْأَمْسِ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ

Fa-lammā arāda an yabṭisha bi-lladhī huwa ʿaduwwun lahumā qāla yā Mūsā a-turīdu an taqtulanī kamā qatalta nafsan bi-l-amsi in turīdu illā an takūna jabbāran fī l-arḍi wa-mā turīdu an takūna mina l-muṣliḥīn

"When he was about to seize the one who was an enemy to both of them, the man said: 'O Mūsā! Do you intend to kill me as you killed a person yesterday? You only wish to be a tyrant in the land, and you do not wish to be among the reformers.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:19)

Translation: When Mūsā (upon him be peace) moved to strike the man who was the enemy of both of them, the Egyptian said: "O Mūsā! Do you intend to kill me as you killed a man yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land — you have no desire to be among the reformers."

Commentary: It is significant that this accusation of tyranny (jabbāriyya) comes from an oppressor's side. The oppressor, when confronted with force, immediately invokes the language of law and reform against the one who stands up to them. This rhetoric has been repeated throughout history.

وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِّنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّ الْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ

Wa-jāʾa rajulun min aqṣā l-madīnati yasʿā qāla yā Mūsā inna l-malaʾa yaʾtamirūna bika li-yaqtulūka fa-khruj innī laka mina l-nāṣiḥīn

"And a man came running from the furthest part of the city. He said: 'O Mūsā! The council is conspiring against you to kill you — so leave! I am indeed one of those who sincerely advise you.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:20)

Translation: A man came running from the far end of the city and said: "O Mūsā! The council of Pharaoh is plotting to kill you — flee at once! I am one of your sincere well-wishers."

Commentary: This anonymous informant is remembered in tradition as a believer among Pharaoh's court. His act of warning Mūsā (upon him be peace) at personal risk to himself is a manifestation of faithfulness (amāna) and true sincerity (naṣīḥa) — advising for the sake of another's well-being even when it entails personal danger.

فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

Fa-kharaja minhā khāʾifan yataraqqabu qāla rabbi najjinī mina l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn

"So he left it fearful and watchful, saying: 'My Lord! Save me from the wrongdoing people.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:21)

Translation: So Mūsā (upon him be peace) left the city in a state of fear and watchfulness, supplicating: "My Lord! Deliver me from this people of oppressors."

Mūsā at the Well of Madyan

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

Wa-lammā tawajjaha tilqāʾa Madyana qāla ʿasā rabbī an yahdiyannī sawāʾa l-sabīl

"And when he turned his face toward Madyan, he said: 'Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right path.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:22)

Translation: When Mūsā (upon him be peace) set his face toward Madyan, he said: "Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the straight and right path."

Commentary: The word ʿasā — "perhaps" — when used by a prophet does not express doubt about divine guidance but rather reflects the adab (spiritual courtesy) of dependence upon Allah. The great mufassirūn note that ʿasā from Allah and His prophets in such contexts indicates certainty (taḥqīq). Mūsā, without any provisions, without any map, walked alone through the wilderness from Egypt to Madyan — a distance of days — guided solely by trust in Allah.

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

Wa-lammā warada māʾa Madyana wajada ʿalayhi ummatan mina l-nāsi yasqūna wa-wajada min dūnihimu mraʾatayni tadhūdāni qāla mā khaṭbukumā qālatā lā nasqī ḥattā yuṣdira l-riʿāʾu wa-abūnā shaykhun kabīr

"When he came to the water of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering their flocks, and he found besides them two women keeping their flocks back. He said: 'What is your situation?' They replied: 'We cannot water until the shepherds have departed, for our father is an elderly man.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:23)

Translation: When he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found a crowd of people watering their animals. And besides them, he found two women who were holding their flock back. He asked: "What is your situation?" They replied: "We cannot water our flock until the shepherds finish and leave. And our father is an old man."

Commentary: The modesty (ḥayāʾ) of these two young women — waiting at a distance rather than mingling with the men at the well — is held up by the commentators as a model of Islamic propriety. Their explanation — abūnā shaykhun kabīr ("our father is an old, aged man") — establishes the context: necessity, not inclination, has brought them to the well; they are not there for any improper purpose.

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

Fa-saqā lahumā thumma twallā ilā l-ẓilli fa-qāla rabbi innī limā anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqīr

"So he watered for them, then he turned away to the shade and said: 'My Lord! Indeed I am in need of whatever good You might send down to me.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:24)

Translation: So Mūsā (upon him be peace) watered their flock for them, then withdrew to the shade and said: "My Lord! I am truly in need of whatever good You may send down to me."

Commentary: This supplication of Mūsā (upon him be peace) at the well of Madyan is among the most moving in the Qurʾān — a man alone, exhausted, hungry, a fugitive from the most powerful empire of his age, turning entirely to Allah. Faqīr — "in need" — he acknowledges his complete dependence. And the divine response comes immediately: the two women return with an invitation. The Qurʾān teaches that the supplication uttered in absolute need, from the depths of dependence upon Allah, is never unanswered.

The Daughters of Shuʿayb and the Marriage Agreement

فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ قَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي يَدْعُوكَ لِيَجْزِيَكَ أَجْرَ مَا سَقَيْتَ لَنَا

Fa-jāʾathu iḥdāhumā tamshī ʿalā istiḥyāʾin qālat inna abī yadʿūka li-yajziyaka ajra mā saqayta lanā

"Then one of the two women came to him walking with modesty and said: 'My father invites you so that he may reward you for watering our flocks.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:25)

Translation: Then one of the two women came to him, walking with evident modesty, and said: "My father invites you, to reward you for watering our flock."

Commentary: Tamshī ʿalā istiḥyāʾ — "walking with modesty": this phrase is celebrated in Islamic literature as the epitome of the virtue of ḥayāʾ in a woman. The daughter of Shuʿayb (upon him be peace) — most likely Ṣafūrā, who later became the wife of Mūsā — came to deliver the invitation while maintaining her modesty in every gesture.

قَالَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَا أَبَتِ اسْتَأْجِرْهُ إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ

Qālat iḥdāhumā yā abati staʾjirhu inna khayra mani staʾjarta l-qawiyyu l-amīn

"One of them said: 'O my father! Hire him; the best man you can hire is one who is strong and trustworthy.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:26)

Translation: One of the two said: "O my father! Engage him as a worker. The best person you can employ is one who is strong and trustworthy."

Commentary: This verse is widely cited in Islamic ethics (akhlāq) and governance as articulating the two essential prerequisites for any entrusted position: quwwa (capability, strength) and amāna (trustworthiness, integrity). Neither alone is sufficient — a capable person without integrity misuses their power; an honest person without ability fails their responsibility. The daughter's recommendation of Mūsā (upon him be peace) on these grounds, based on witnessing him single-handedly water their flock and then withdrawing modestly, shows her own perceptive character.

قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ابْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَىٰ أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

Qāla innī urīdu an unkiḥaka iḥdā ibnatayya hātayni ʿalā an taʾjuranī thamāniya ḥijajin fa-in atamamta ʿashran fa-min ʿindika wa-mā urīdu an ashuqqa ʿalayka sta-tajidunī in shāʾa llāhu mina l-ṣāliḥīn

"He said: 'I intend to give you in marriage one of my two daughters on the condition that you work for me for eight years; but if you complete ten, that is of your own accord. I do not wish to make things difficult for you — you will find me, God willing, among the righteous.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:27)

Translation: Shuʿayb (upon him be peace) said: "I intend to give you one of these two daughters of mine in marriage, on condition that you work for me for eight years. If you complete ten, that is your own choice and generosity. I have no wish to impose hardship upon you — you will find me, if Allah wills, among the righteous."

Commentary: This is a contract (ʿaqd) combining both marriage (nikāḥ) and employment (ijāra). The Ḥanafī scholars discuss the legal form of this contract; the most widely accepted position is that the mahr (dower) here consisted of the labour (khidma), which is permissible according to the majority. The clause in shāʾa llāh — "if Allah wills" — in Shuʿayb's own declaration models the Islamic etiquette of including divine permission in all future commitments.

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ أَيَّمَا الْأَجَلَيْنِ قَضَيْتُ فَلَا عُدْوَانَ عَلَيَّ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ

Qāla dhālika baynī wa-baynaka ayyamā l-ajalayni qaḍaytu fa-lā ʿudwāna ʿalayya wa-llāhu ʿalā mā naqūlu wakīl

"He said: 'That is the agreement between me and you — whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there shall be no injustice against me; and Allah is the guardian over what we say.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:28)

Translation: Mūsā (upon him be peace) said: "That is the agreement between us. Whichever of the two terms I fulfil, no claim shall be held against me. And Allah is the witness and guardian over what we say."

Commentary: Mūsā accepts the terms and invokes Allah as the guarantor (wakīl) of the agreement. This is the Islamic form of a binding commitment: to invoke Allah as witness upon a solemn contract.

The Return to the Sacred Valley and Divine Call

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آنَسَ مِن جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

Fa-lammā qaḍā Mūsā l-ajala wa-sāra bi-ahlihī ānasa min jānibi l-ṭūri nāran qāla li-ahlihī mukthū innī ānastu nāran laʿallī ātīkum minhā bi-khabarin aw jadhwatin mina l-nāri laʿallakum taṣṭalūn

"When Mūsā had completed the term and was travelling with his family, he perceived from the side of the Mount a fire. He said to his family: 'Stay here; I have perceived a fire — perhaps I will bring you some news from it or a burning brand from the fire so that you may warm yourselves.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:29)

Translation: When Mūsā (upon him be peace) had fulfilled his term and was journeying with his family, he perceived a fire on the side of the Mountain. He said to his household: "Stay here — I see a fire. Perhaps I shall bring you news from it, or a burning ember from the fire so you may warm yourselves."

Commentary: The moment of divine encounter arrives at the completion of his years of service and patient preparation. The spiritual masters note that Mūsā (upon him be peace) was longing for the intimacy of the divine presence (unsiyu bi-llāh) — and it is precisely at the moment when his heart was fixed upon that single point of yearning, while going to meet an earthly need (fire for warmth), that the divine call came. Such is the way of divine grace (faḍl Allāh): what appears as an ordinary errand becomes the occasion for the most extraordinary encounter.

فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِي الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَن يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Fa-lammā atāhā nūdiya min shāṭiʾi l-wādi l-aymani fī l-buqʿati l-mubārakati mina l-shajarati an yā Mūsā innī anā llāhu rabbu l-ʿālamīn

"When he came to it, a voice called out from the right bank of the valley, in the blessed spot, from the tree: 'O Mūsā! Indeed I am Allah, Lord of all the worlds.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:30)

Translation: When he reached it, a voice called out from the right bank of the valley, in a blessed portion of the earth, proceeding from the tree: "O Mūsā! Indeed I am Allah, Lord of all the worlds."

Commentary: Al-buqʿa l-mubāraka — the blessed spot: this is the Sacred Valley (al-wādī l-muqaddas) at the foot of Mount Ṭūr (Sinai). The divine self-declaration innī anā llāhu — "I am Allah" — is the foundational statement of tawḥīd, delivered directly to Mūsā (upon him be peace) as the ground of his mission. The commentator notes: when the human heart concentrates in complete attention — all distraction removed, all anxiety stilled — the divine light that has always been nearer than the jugular vein manifests. It is not that the divine light comes from afar; it is that we are too preoccupied to perceive it. The fire that Mūsā sought was an earthly preoccupation; what he found was the Light of Heaven.

The Two Signs Given to Mūsā

وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّىٰ مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ يَا مُوسَىٰ أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآمِنِينَ

Wa-an alqi ʿaṣāka fa-lammā raʾāhā tahtazzu ka-annahā jānnun wallā mudbiran wa-lam yuʿaqqib yā Mūsā aqbil wa-lā takhaf innaka mina l-āminīn

"'And cast down your staff.' When he saw it moving as if it were a serpent, he turned back in flight and did not look around. 'O Mūsā! Come forward and do not fear — you are among the secure.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:31)

Translation: "Cast your staff down!" When Mūsā (upon him be peace) saw it writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned and fled and did not look back. Then the call came: "O Mūsā! Come forward — do not be afraid. You are among those who are in security."

اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِن رَّبِّكَ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ

Usluk yadaka fī jaybika takhruj bayḍāʾa min ghayri sūʾin wa-ḍmum ilayka janāḥaka mina l-rahbi fa-dhānika burhānāni min rabbika ilā Firʿawna wa-malaʾihi innahum kānū qawman fāsiqīn

"'Insert your hand into your collar; it will emerge white without blemish. And draw your hand to yourself to ward off fear — these are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his council; they have been a people of wickedness.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:32)

Translation: "Now place your hand in your collar; it will emerge radiant white, without any blemish. And draw your arm close to suppress fear. These two are proofs from your Lord — directed to Pharaoh and his council. They are a people given to transgression and rebellion."

Commentary: Wa-ḍmum ilayka janāḥaka min al-rahb — "draw your arm to yourself from the terror": the scholars explain that embracing one's own body — placing the hand against the side — has a calming effect upon intense fear. This is confirmed in the Sunnah as well: the Prophetﷺused to calm himself in distress. The two miracles — the staff and the luminous hand — are described as burhānāni (two proofs, two demonstrations), reinforcing the epistemic basis of Mūsā's mission.

Mūsā's Request for His Brother Hārūn

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا فَأَخَافُ أَن يَقْتُلُونِ

Qāla rabbi innī qataltu minhum nafsan fa-akhāfu an yaqtulūn

"He said: 'My Lord, I killed one of them, so I fear they will kill me.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:33)

Translation: He said: "My Lord! I have killed one of their people, so I fear they will put me to death."

وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ

Wa-akhī Hārūnu huwa afṣaḥu minnī lisānan fa-arsilhu maʿiya ridʾan yuṣaddiqunī innī akhāfu an yukadhdhibūn

"And my brother Hārūn — he is more eloquent of tongue than I; so send him with me as a supporter to confirm me — for I fear they will call me a liar." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:34)

Translation: "And my brother Hārūn (upon him be peace) — his tongue is more eloquent than mine. Send him with me as a strengthening helper to confirm my words. I fear they may accuse me of lying."

قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِآيَاتِنَا أَنتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَالِبُونَ

Qāla sanashudd ʿaḍudaka bi-akhīka wa-najʿalu lakumā sulṭānan fa-lā yaṣilūna ilaykumā bi-āyātinā antumā wa-mani ttabaʿakumā l-ghālibūn

"He said: 'We will strengthen your arm through your brother and will invest both of you with authority — so they shall not be able to reach you. By Our signs, you two and those who follow you will be the victors.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:35)

Translation: Allah said: "We shall reinforce your strength through your brother, and We shall grant both of you authority and dominance — such that they will not be able to overpower you. By virtue of Our signs, you two and those who follow you will be the victors."

Commentary: The divine promise is comprehensive: mutual support between the two brothers, divine authority (sulṭān) granted to them, protection from their enemies through divine signs, and ultimate victory for the believers. Antumā wa-mani ttabaʿakumā l-ghālibūn — "you two and those who follow you are the victors" — this is the divine law: those who align themselves with the truth, carried by a prophet, ultimately prevail.

Mūsā (upon him be peace) Before Pharaoh

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مُوسَىٰ بِآيَاتِنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَمَا سَمِعْنَا بِهَٰذَا فِي آبَائِنَا الْأَوَّلِينَ

Fa-lammā jāʾahum Mūsā bi-āyātinā bayyinātin qālū mā hādhā illā siḥrun muftaran wa-mā samiʿnā bi-hādhā fī ābāʾinā l-awwalīn

"When Mūsā came to them with Our clear signs, they said: 'This is nothing but a fabricated sorcery, and we never heard of this in the time of our forebears.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:36)

Translation: When Mūsā (upon him be peace) came before them bearing Our clear and evident signs, they said: "This is nothing but fabricated sorcery — we never heard of such a thing among our earliest forefathers."

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِمَن جَاءَ بِالْهُدَىٰ مِنْ عِندِهِ وَمَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَاقِبَةُ الدَّارِ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Wa-qāla Mūsā rabbī aʿlamu bi-man jāʾa bi-l-hudā min ʿindihi wa-man takūnu lahū ʿāqibatu l-dāri innahu lā yufliḥu l-ẓālimūn

"And Mūsā said: 'My Lord best knows who has come with guidance from Him, and who shall have the best outcome of the Final Abode; the wrongdoers shall not succeed.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:37)

Translation: Mūsā (upon him be peace) replied: "My Lord knows best who has come with guidance from His presence, and whose will be the favourable outcome in the Final Abode. Truly the wrongdoers do not prevail."

Pharaoh's Arrogance

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ

Wa-qāla Firʿawnu yā ayyuhā l-malaʾu mā ʿalimtu lakum min ilāhin ghayrī fa-awqid lī yā Hāmānu ʿalā l-ṭīni fa-jʿal lī ṣarḥan laʿallī aṭṭaliʿu ilā ilāhi Mūsā wa-innī la-aẓunnuhu mina l-kādhibīn

"And Pharaoh said: 'O chiefs! I know of no deity for you other than myself. So kindle for me, O Hāmān, a fire upon the clay — make me a lofty tower that I may look upon the God of Mūsā; and I think he is among the liars.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:38)

Translation: Pharaoh declared: "O nobles! I know of no god for you except myself. So, O Hāmān! Fire the clay and build me a lofty tower — perhaps I can scale it and catch sight of the God of Mūsā. I believe this man is a liar."

Commentary: The commentator notes a historical parallel from Mughal India, where Emperor Akbar similarly accepted divine honours. The reference to this pattern in history is not to excuse it but to show that the arrogance of claiming divinity is not unique to Pharaoh — it is a recurring temptation of absolute power. The Qurʾān establishes unambiguously: there is no god but Allah, and every claim to divinity is an absurd lie that history exposes and destroys.

وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا يُرْجَعُونَ

Wa-stakbara huwa wa-junūduhū fī l-arḍi bi-ghayri l-ḥaqqi wa-ẓannū annahum ilaynā lā yurjaʿūn

"He and his forces were arrogant in the land without right, and they thought they would not be returned to Us." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:39)

Translation: Pharaoh and his armies were arrogant in the land without any justification, and they imagined they would never be brought back to Us.

فَأَخَذْنَاهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ

Fa-akhadhnāhu wa-junūdahu fa-nabadhunāhum fī l-yammi fa-nẓur kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu l-ẓālimīn

"So We seized him and his armies and cast them into the sea. See then how the outcome of the wrongdoers was." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:40)

Translation: So We seized Pharaoh and his armies and hurled them into the sea. Consider then what the end of the oppressors was.

The Cursed Leaders

وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يُنصَرُونَ

Wa-jaʿalnāhum aʾimmatan yadʿūna ilā l-nāri wa-yawma l-qiyāmati lā yunṣarūn

"And We made them leaders who call to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:41)

Translation: We made them into leaders — leaders who invite to the Fire. And on the Day of Resurrection they shall not be helped.

Commentary: Aʾimmatan yadʿūna ilā l-nār — "leaders who call to the Fire": this is the anti-type of the true imam, who calls to guidance and mercy. Every leader who uses their authority to promote falsehood, oppression, or disbelief takes on this terrible quality — they become leaders toward destruction. The commentator here draws a powerful reflection on the nature of political and social leadership: those who are given authority and use it to mislead are doubly guilty, for their influence multiplies the error.

The Scripture Given to Mūsā

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الْأُولَىٰ بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Wa-laqad ātaynā Mūsā l-kitāba min baʿdi mā ahlaknā l-qurūna l-ūlā baṣāʾira li-l-nāsi wa-hudan wa-raḥmatan laʿallahum yadhdhakkarūn

"And We gave Mūsā the Scripture after We had destroyed the earlier generations — as illuminations for people, and a guidance and mercy — that they might be reminded." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:43)

Translation: And We gave Mūsā (upon him be peace) the Scripture after We had annihilated those earlier generations — as clear illuminations for humanity, a guidance and a mercy — so that they might take heed and reflect.

The Qurʾān Bears Witness to What Mūsā Received

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَى الْأَمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

Wa-mā kunta bi-jānibi l-gharbiyyi idh qaḍaynā ilā Mūsā l-amra wa-mā kunta mina l-shāhidīn

"And you were not on the western side when We decreed to Mūsā the command, nor were you among the witnesses." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:44)

Translation: You, O Prophetﷺ, were not on the western slope of the mountain when We delivered the command to Mūsā (upon him be peace), and you were not among those present as witnesses.

Commentary: This and the verses that follow constitute one of the most powerful Qurʾānic arguments for the prophethood of Muḥammadﷺ. His accurate knowledge of events that he never witnessed and could not have known through any ordinary means is itself a proof (burhān) of divine revelation. The phrase wa-mā kunta — "and you were not there" — repeated in these verses, emphasises that this knowledge came not through historical research or oral tradition but directly from the All-Knowing Allah.

وَلَٰكِنَّا أَنشَأْنَا قُرُونًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُ

Wa-lākinnā anshaʾnā qurūnan fa-taṭāwala ʿalayhimu l-ʿumur

"But We created generations and ages passed over them." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:45)

Translation: Rather, We brought forth generations after generations, and long ages passed over them — causing the original teachings to fade and become distorted.

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الطُّورِ إِذْ نَادَيْنَا وَلَٰكِن رَّحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّا أَتَاهُم مِّن نَّذِيرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Wa-mā kunta bi-jānibi l-ṭūri idh nādaynā wa-lākin raḥmatan min rabbika li-tundhira qawman mā atāhum min nadhīrin min qablika laʿallahum yadhdhakkarūn

"And you were not beside the Mount when We called out. But it is a mercy from your Lord so that you may warn a people to whom no warner came before you — that they might be reminded." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:46)

Translation: And you were not at the side of the Mount when We called out to Mūsā (upon him be peace). But this knowledge has come to you as a mercy from your Lord — so that you may warn a people to whom no warner had come before you — that they might take heed.

Commentary: The coming of the Prophetﷺwith the Qurʾān to the Arabs, who had received no prophet since the distant period of Ismāʿīl (upon him be peace), is described here as divine mercy (raḥma). The Qurʾān is thus not merely a text for the Arabs or for a single era; it is the mercy of Allah extended to all who were without guidance.

The Qurʾān Cannot Be Replaced by Human Opinion

وَلَوْلَا أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُوا رَبَّنَا لَوْلَا أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا فَنَتَّبِعَ آيَاتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Wa-lawlā an tuṣībahum muṣībatun bi-mā qaddamat aydīhim fa-yaqūlū rabbanā lawlā arsalta ilaynā rasūlan fa-nattabiʿa āyātika wa-nakūna mina l-muʾminīn

"And lest a calamity should befall them because of what their hands have put forward, and they say: 'Our Lord! Why did You not send us a messenger so that we might follow Your signs and be among the believers?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:47)

Translation: And lest — had a calamity befallen them due to their own actions — they say: "Our Lord! Why did You not send us a messenger so that we could follow Your signs and be among the believers?"

Commentary: The sending of the Prophetﷺremoves every excuse (ḥujja) before Allah on the Day of Judgement. Allah's mercy is such that He does not punish a people without first sending them a clear messenger with clear signs. The Prophetﷺwas sent precisely to remove that potential excuse for all humanity.

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِن عِندِنَا قَالُوا لَوْلَا أُوتِيَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ قَالُوا سِحْرَانِ تَظَاهَرَا وَقَالُوا إِنَّا بِكُلٍّ كَافِرُونَ

Fa-lammā jāʾahumu l-ḥaqqu min ʿindinā qālū lawlā ūtiya mithla mā ūtiya Mūsā a-wa-lam yakfurū bi-mā ūtiya Mūsā min qablu qālū siḥrāni taẓāharā wa-qālū innā bi-kullin kāfirūn

"But when the truth came to them from Us, they said: 'Why has he not been given the like of what was given to Mūsā?' Did they not disbelieve in what was given to Mūsā before? They said: 'Two instances of sorcery supporting each other,' and they said: 'We disbelieve in both.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:48)

Translation: Yet when the truth came to them from Us, they said: "Why has he not been given signs like those given to Mūsā?" Did they not previously reject what was given to Mūsā (upon him be peace)? They said: "Two sorceries backing each other up!" — and they declared: "We reject both."

Commentary: The inconsistency of the opponents is exposed: they demand the miracles of Mūsā, yet when reminded that their own forefathers rejected Mūsā's signs, they call both prophets "sorcerers." This is the typical rhetorical evasion of those who do not seek truth but seek arguments to justify their pre-determined rejection.

Those Who Believe Among the People of Earlier Scripture

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Alladhīna ātaynāhumu l-kitāba min qablihi hum bihī yuʾminūn

"Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it — they believe in it." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:52)

Translation: And those to whom We gave the Scripture before the Qurʾān — they are among those who affirm faith in it.

وَإِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ

Wa-idhā yutlā ʿalayhim qālū āmannā bihi innahu l-ḥaqqu min rabbinā innā kunnā min qablihi muslimīn

"And when it is recited to them they say: 'We believe in it; it is the truth from our Lord. We were already Muslims before this.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:53)

Translation: When the Qurʾān is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it — this is the truth from our Lord. We were already in a state of submission before this."

أُولَٰئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Ulāʾika yuʾtawna ajrahum marratayni bi-mā ṣabarū wa-yadraʾūna bi-l-ḥasanati l-sayyiʾata wa-mimmā razaqnāhum yunfiqūn

"Those will be given their reward twice because of their patience, and they avert evil with good, and spend from what We have provided for them." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:54)

Translation: Such people will receive their reward twice over, on account of their patient endurance. They repel evil with good and spend in charity from what We have provided them.

Commentary: The double reward (ajr marratayni) is for those who held faith in their previous scripture and then believed in the Qurʾān upon hearing it — combining two acts of faith with patience, moral uprightness, and generosity.

وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ

Wa-idhā samiʿū l-laghwa aʿraḍū ʿanhu wa-qālū lanā aʿmālunā wa-lakum aʿmālukum salāmun ʿalaykum lā nabtaghī l-jāhilīn

"And when they hear vain speech, they turn away from it and say: 'For us are our deeds and for you are your deeds. Peace be upon you — we do not seek the company of the ignorant.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:55)

Translation: When they hear foolish and offensive speech, they simply turn away from it and say: "Our deeds are ours and your deeds are yours. Peace upon you — we have no desire for the company of the ignorant."

Commentary: This noble response — civility, non-engagement with foolishness, dignified withdrawal — is the model of the true believer confronted with those who wish to draw them into pointless disputes or crude debate. The greeting of salām (peace) offered even to those who mock them is itself a spiritual gesture: the believer does not allow the conduct of others to debase their own character.

The Guidance of the Prophetﷺ

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

Innaka lā tahdī man aḥbabta wa-lākinna llāha yahdī man yashāʾu wa-huwa aʿlamu bi-l-muhtadīn

"Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are rightly guided." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:56)

Translation: Truly, O Prophetﷺ, you cannot guide whoever you love; it is Allah who guides whom He wills. And He knows best who are fit for guidance.

Commentary: This verse was revealed concerning Abū Ṭālib, the Prophet'sﷺbeloved uncle, who died without embracing Islam despite all of the Prophet'sﷺefforts and love. The verse teaches a fundamental theological point: guidance (hidāya in its deepest sense of tawfīq, i.e., Allah's enabling a person to accept truth) belongs to Allah alone. The Prophet'sﷺrole is irāʾat al-ṭarīq — showing the path — not īṣāl ilā l-maṭlūb — bringing the person to their destination. The latter is Allah's alone to grant.

The World's Transience

وَقَالُوا إِن نَّتَّبِعِ الْهُدَىٰ مَعَكَ نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا

Wa-qālū in nattabiʿi l-hudā maʿaka nutakhaṭṭaf min arḍinā

"They said: 'If we follow the guidance with you, we will be swept away from our land.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:57)

Translation: They said: "If we follow guidance along with you, we will be forcibly uprooted from our land."

أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّهُمْ حَرَمًا آمِنًا يُجْبَىٰ إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رِزْقًا مِّن لَّدُنَّا

A-wa-lam numakkin lahum ḥaraman āminan yujbā ilayhi thamarātu kulli shayʾin rizqan min ladunnā

"Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary to which fruits of all things are brought — a provision from Us?" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:57)

Translation: "Did We not establish for them a sacred and secure sanctuary (ḥaram) to which the fruits of every kind are brought as provision from Us?"

Commentary: The Quraysh feared that accepting Islam would bring political and economic disaster upon Mecca. Allah refutes their concern: He Himself established the sanctuary of Mecca as a place of security and abundance. To think that following divine guidance would lead to material loss is to misunderstand the divine law of provision (rizq). It is disobedience to Allah — not obedience — that brings ruin.

The Fate of Prosperous Cities That Transgressed

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَن مِّن بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ

Wa-kam ahlaknā min qaryatin baṭirat maʿīshatahā fa-tilka masākinuhum lam tuskan min baʿdihim illā qalīlan wa-kunnā naḥnu l-wārithīn

"And how many a city did We destroy that was arrogant in its livelihood — so there are their dwellings, uninhabited after them except briefly. And We are the inheritors." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:58)

Translation: How many a city have We destroyed that had grown insolent in its prosperity! Their homes stand deserted — scarcely inhabited after them. And We are the inheritors.

Commentary: The word baṭira — "arrogant in its livelihood" — describes the spiritual disease of prosperity without gratitude: when material abundance leads to forgetfulness of Allah, ingratitude, and moral corruption, the divine law of accountability (sunnat Allāh fī l-umam) activates. The ruins of such cities become signs (āyāt) and lessons for those who come after.

وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يَبْعَثَ فِي أُمِّهَا رَسُولًا يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِنَا وَمَا كُنَّا مُهْلِكِي الْقُرَىٰ إِلَّا وَأَهْلُهَا ظَالِمُونَ

Wa-mā kāna rabbuka muhlikat l-qurā ḥattā yabʿatha fī ummihā rasūlan yatlū ʿalayhim āyātinā wa-mā kunnā muhlikī l-qurā illā wa-ahluhā ẓālimūn

"And your Lord would not destroy the cities until He had sent into their mother city a messenger to recite Our signs to them. And We would not destroy the cities except while their people were wrongdoers." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:59)

Translation: Your Lord never destroys any city without first having sent a messenger to its principal centre (umm al-qurā) to recite Our signs to the people. We never destroy cities except when their inhabitants have become oppressors.

Commentary: This verse establishes the foundational Maturīdī-Ḥanafī principle regarding divine justice (ʿadl ilāhī): Allah does not punish without prior warning and clear communication (itmām al-ḥujja). A messenger is sent; the signs are recited; only then, if the people persist in oppression (ẓulm), does divine retribution descend. This is why the Maturīdī school holds that divine punishment without prior prophetic warning would be impossible — not because of any constraint on divine power, but because of the divine attribute of perfect justice.

The Transience of This World vs. the Permanence of the Hereafter

وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَمَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتُهَا وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

Wa-mā ūtītum min shayʾin fa-matāʿu l-ḥayāti l-dunyā wa-zīnatuhā wa-mā ʿinda llāhi khayrun wa-abqā a-fa-lā taʿqilūn

"And whatever you have been given is but the enjoyment of the worldly life and its adornment, while what is with Allah is better and more lasting — will you not then reason?" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:60)

Translation: And whatever has been given to you is nothing but the enjoyment and adornment of the life of this world, while what is with Allah is far better and more enduring. Will you not use your reason?

Commentary: The commentator reflects deeply here on a common human failing: worldly people invest their deepest trust in the promises of other humans while viewing Allah's promises with scepticism. Yet the wealth of a friend has limits, while the treasury of Allah is boundless. The one who has truly understood this principle lives in the world without being enslaved to it.

The Day of Judgement

وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

Wa-yawma yunādīhim fa-yaqūlu ayna shurakāʾiya lladhīna kuntum tazʿumūn

"And the Day He will call to them and say: 'Where are My alleged partners whom you used to claim?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:62)

Translation: And recall the Day when He will call out to them and say: "Where are My so-called partners, those whom you used to claim?"

وَنَزَعْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا فَقُلْنَا هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ فَعَلِمُوا أَنَّ الْحَقَّ لِلَّهِ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ

Wa-nazaʿnā min kulli ummatin shahīdan fa-qulnā hātū burhānakum fa-ʿalimū anna l-ḥaqqa li-llāhi wa-ḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūn

"And We will draw out from every nation a witness and say: 'Bring your proof!' Then they will know that the truth belongs to Allah, and all they had fabricated will have deserted them." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:75)

Translation: And We shall bring forth from every nation a witness, and say: "Bring your evidence!" Then they will come to know that all truth belongs to Allah, and everything they had fabricated will vanish away from them.

The Parable of the False Leaders

الَّذِينَ حَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلُ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ أَغْوَيْنَا أَغْوَيْنَاهُمْ كَمَا غَوَيْنَا تَبَرَّأْنَا إِلَيْكَ مَا كَانُوا إِيَّانَا يَعْبُدُونَ

Alladhīna ḥaqqa ʿalayhimu l-qawlu yaqūlūna rabbanā hāʾulāʾi lladhīna aghwaynā aghwaynāhum kamā ghawaynā tabarraʾnā ilayka mā kānū iyyānā yaʿbudūn

"Those against whom the word of punishment has been established will say: 'Our Lord! These are the ones we misled; we misled them as we ourselves were misled. We disown them before You; it was not us they were worshipping.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:63)

Translation: Those against whom the divine decree of punishment has been confirmed will say: "Our Lord! These are the ones we led astray — we misled them just as we ourselves were misled. We now disown them before You; they were not truly worshipping us."

Commentary: The false objects of worship — idols, tyrants, false leaders — will publicly disavow those who followed them. The followers sought relationship (ʿibāda) with these objects; the objects now declare: mā kānū iyyānā yaʿbudūn — "they were not really worshipping us." This is because true worship (ʿibāda ḥaqīqīya) belongs only to Allah; whatever was directed at false objects was ultimately directed at the worshipper's own desires (hawā) and selfishness.

Night and Day as Signs

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ اللَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَاءٍ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ

Qul a-raʾaytum in jaʿala llāhu ʿalaykumu l-layla sarmadan ilā yawmi l-qiyāmati man ilāhun ghayru llāhi yaʾtīkum bi-ḍiyāʾin a-fa-lā tasmaʿūn

"Say: 'Do you see, if Allah were to make the night unceasing over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Will you not then listen?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:71)

Translation: Say: "Consider — if Allah were to make the night perpetual over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you light? Will you not listen?"

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَنْ إِلَٰهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ

Qul a-raʾaytum in jaʿala llāhu ʿalaykumu l-nahāra sarmadan ilā yawmi l-qiyāmati man ilāhun ghayru llāhi yaʾtīkum bi-laylin taskunūna fīhi a-fa-lā tubṣirūn

"Say: 'Do you see, if Allah were to make the day unceasing over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you night in which to find rest? Will you not then see?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:72)

Translation: Say: "Consider — if Allah were to make the day unceasing over you until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allah could bring you night in which to find rest? Will you not see?"

وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Wa-min raḥmatihi jaʿala lakumu l-layla wa-l-nahāra li-taskunū fīhi wa-li-tabtaghū min faḍlihi wa-laʿallakum tashkurūn

"And it is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day — that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you might give thanks." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:73)

Translation: And it is from His mercy that He made for you both night and day — that you might rest in the night, and seek His provision by day, and that you might give thanks.

Commentary: The alternation of night and day, so familiar as to be taken entirely for granted, is here presented as one of the great mercies of Allah. The night enables rest and renewal (sukūn); the day enables work and the seeking of livelihood (ibtighaʾ al-faḍl). Both are gifts; both call for gratitude.

The Day of Standing

وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ

Wa-yawma yunādīhim fa-yaqūlu ayna shurakāʾiya lladhīna kuntum tazʿumūn

"And the Day when He will call out to them and say: 'Where are My alleged partners whom you used to claim?'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:74)

Translation: And recall the Day when He calls out to them: "Where are My supposed partners whom you used to claim?"

Wa-nazaʿnā min kulli ummatin shahīdan fa-qulnā hātū burhānakum fa-ʿalimū anna l-ḥaqqa li-llāhi wa-ḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūn

"And We shall draw out from every community a witness and say: 'Bring your proof!' Then they will know that all truth belongs to Allah, and all they had fabricated will have left them." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:75)

Translation: We shall bring forth from every nation a witness and say: "Bring your proof!" Then they will come to know that all truth belongs to Allah, and all their fabrications will have abandoned them.

إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ

Inna Qārūna kāna min qawmi Mūsā fa-baghā ʿalayhim wa-ātaynāhu mina l-kunūzi mā inna mafātīḥahū la-tanūʾu bi-l-ʿuṣbati ulī l-quwwati idh qāla lahū qawmuhū lā tafraḥ inna llāha lā yuḥibbu l-farīḥīn

"Indeed, Qārūn was of the people of Mūsā (upon him be peace), but he transgressed against them. We had given him treasures such that the very keys to them would have weighed down a company of men of great strength. His people said to him: 'Do not exult — Allah does not love those who exult.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:76)

Translation: Indeed, Qārūn was from among the people of Mūsā (upon him be peace), yet he oppressed them. We had bestowed upon him such treasures that the very keys alone would have burdened a group of strong men to carry. His own people counselled him: "Do not be arrogant and self-satisfied — Allah does not love the boastful."

Commentary: Qārūn (Korah in the Biblical tradition) was a kinsman of Mūsā (upon him be peace) — according to the commentators, his cousin — yet he rebelled against him and sided with Firʿawn's court. The enormity of his wealth is conveyed by the image of the keys alone requiring a team of strong men to carry; the chests they opened must be imagined as vaster still. His people's counsel not to be fariḥ (exultant, vainglorious) is a reminder that worldly prosperity is a trust (amāna), not a prize.

وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

Wa-btaghi fī-mā ātāka llāhu l-dāra l-ākhirata wa-lā tansa naṣībaka mina l-dunyā wa-aḥsin kamā aḥsana llāhu ilayka wa-lā tabghi l-fasāda fī l-arḍi inna llāha lā yuḥibbu l-mufsidīn

"And seek, through what Allah has given you, the abode of the Hereafter; and do not neglect your share of this world. Do good as Allah has done good to you. And do not seek corruption in the land — indeed, Allah does not love the corrupters." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:77)

Translation: Seek, in what Allah has granted you, the abode of the Hereafter; yet do not forget your lawful portion of this world. Do good, just as Allah has done good to you. And do not seek to spread corruption upon the earth — Allah does not love those who cause corruption.

Commentary: This counsel is one of the most balanced statements in the Qurʾān on the relationship between worldly life and the Hereafter. It neither demands absolute renunciation of the world — lā tansa naṣībaka min al-dunyā ("do not forget your share of this world") — nor permits the world to become one's ultimate horizon. Wealth is to be a means of doing good in gratitude for the good Allah has shown; it is not to be hoarded or deployed in oppression and corruption. The Sufi masters note that the true naṣīb (portion) of this world allotted to the believer is precisely what is needed for worship and service, not excess.

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِي

Qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿilmin ʿindī

"He said: 'I was only given it on account of knowledge that I possess.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:78)

Translation: Qārūn replied: "I have received all this only because of my own knowledge and expertise."

Commentary: This is the eternal boast of the self-made man — that wealth is the fruit of personal genius rather than divine bestowal. The attribution of success to one's own cleverness or acumen (ʿilm ʿindī) is the very root of ingratitude (kufr al-niʿma). Commentators note that his "knowledge" may refer to alchemy, commerce, or some inherited expertise; in any case, to attribute such extraordinary wealth purely to one's own skill is a form of ghurūr (spiritual delusion).

أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

A-wa-lam yaʿlam anna llāha qad ahlaka min qablihi mina l-qurūni man huwa ashaddu minhu quwwatan wa-aktharu jamʿan wa-lā yusʾalu ʿan dhunūbihimu l-mujrimūn

"Did he not know that Allah had already destroyed before him generations of men mightier than him in power and greater in accumulation? The guilty are not questioned about their sins." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:78)

Translation: Did he not know that Allah had already destroyed before him entire generations — men mightier in strength and greater in accumulated wealth? The criminals shall not be questioned about their sins [for their guilt is manifest].

Commentary: History itself is the refutation of Qārūn's pride. Generation after generation of those who surpassed him in power and riches were brought to nothing by Allah's decree. The final clause — that the guilty shall not be questioned — means their accountability is swift and decisive; they will not be summoned to debate but will be overtaken by punishment, for their crimes are already fully known to the All-Knowing.

فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ فِي زِينَتِهِ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا يَا لَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ قَارُونُ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ

Fa-kharaja ʿalā qawmihi fī zīnatihī qāla lladhīna yurīdūna l-ḥayāta l-dunyā yā-layta lanā mithla mā ūtiya Qārūnu innahū la-dhū ḥaẓẓin ʿaẓīm

"Then he went out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the life of this world said: 'Would that we had the like of what has been given to Qārūn — he is indeed the possessor of a tremendous fortune!'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:79)

Translation: So he came out before his people in all his finery and splendour. Those who craved the life of this world exclaimed: "Would that we had the like of what Qārūn has been given — he is truly a man of magnificent fortune!"

Commentary: The public procession of Qārūn's wealth was a spectacle designed to overawe. The people of this world (alladhīna yurīdūna l-ḥayāta l-dunyā) were transfixed with envy; they saw only the glitter. Worldliness (dunyāwiyyat) is precisely this inversion of values — mistaking material abundance for divine favour, and measuring human worth by possessions.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ

Wa-qāla lladhīna ūtū l-ʿilma waylakum thawābu llāhi khayrun li-man āmana wa-ʿamila ṣāliḥan wa-lā yulaqqāhā illā l-ṣābirūn

"But those who had been given knowledge said: 'Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for one who believes and acts righteously — and none shall receive it except the steadfastly patient.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:80)

Translation: But those endowed with knowledge said: "Woe to you! Allah's reward is far better for one who believes and does righteous deeds — yet none shall attain this [insight] except those who are steadfastly patient."

Commentary: Against the chorus of worldly envy, the people of knowledge (alladhīna ūtū l-ʿilm) — the scholars, the wise, the God-fearing — raised a counter-voice. Their counsel contains two great truths: first, that divine thawāb (reward) infinitely surpasses any worldly ḥaẓẓ (fortune); and second, that this truth is only tasted by the patient (al-ṣābirūn). Patience (ṣabr) here is not mere endurance but the active orientation of the heart away from the temptations of immediate gratification toward the eternal good. The Sufi masters observe that ṣabr is among the highest stations on the path to Allah.

فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الْأَرْضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُ مِن فِئَةٍ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُنتَصِرِينَ

Fa-khasafnā bihī wa-bidārihī l-arḍa fa-mā kāna lahū min fiʾatin yanṣurūnahū min dūni llāhi wa-mā kāna mina l-muntaṣirīn

"So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling. And he had no company to help him against Allah, nor was he among those who could defend themselves." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:81)

Translation: Then We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. He had no party to come to his aid against Allah, nor was he of those capable of helping themselves.

Commentary: The punishment of Qārūn was swift and total — the earth opened and engulfed him together with his palace and all his treasures. The Arabic khasf (swallowing by the earth) is the most humiliating of destructions — the very ground, normally the support of human life and habitation, became his tomb. Not a single supporter could defend him; no coalition, no gold, no status availed. This is the paradigmatic Qurʾānic illustration of how divine punishment renders all human power and wealth instantly void.

وَأَصْبَحَ الَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا مَكَانَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَوْلَا أَن مَّنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا وَيْكَأَنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ

Wa-aṣbaḥa lladhīna tamannaw makānahū bi-l-amsi yaqūlūna waykaʾanna llāha yabsuṭu l-rizqa li-man yashāʾu min ʿibādihī wa-yaqdiru lawlā an manna llāhu ʿalaynā la-khasafa binā waykaʾannahū lā yufliḥu l-kāfirūn

"And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say: 'It is as though Allah expands provision for whomever He wills among His servants and restricts it. Had Allah not shown us favour, He might have caused the earth to swallow us too. It is as though the disbelievers do not prosper.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:82)

Translation: And those who had coveted his position the very day before began to say: "Ah — it is indeed Allah who expands provision for whomever He wills among His servants and constricts it for others. Had Allah not been gracious to us, the earth might well have swallowed us too! Truly, the disbelievers do not succeed."

Commentary: The transformation is instantaneous and complete. Yesterday's envious crowd becomes today's chastened congregation. The expression waykaʾanna (translated "it is as though," "how extraordinary that") carries a tone of sudden, startled realisation — the shock of witnessing a truth one had ignored. Their new confession is itself a profound theological lesson: rizq (provision) is entirely in Allah's hand, expanded or constricted according to His wisdom and not according to human merit or cleverness. The note of personal mercy — lawlā an manna llāhu ʿalaynā — reflects the believer's awareness that they too could have been destroyed had Allah not protected them from the same spiritual disease of envy and worldliness.

تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

Tilka l-dāru l-ākhiratu najʿaluhā li-lladhīna lā yurīdūna ʿuluwwan fī l-arḍi wa-lā fasādan wa-l-ʿāqibatu li-l-muttaqīn

"That is the abode of the Hereafter — We assign it to those who do not desire exaltation upon the earth nor corruption. And the [ultimate] outcome belongs to the God-fearing." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:83)

Translation: That abode of the Hereafter — We reserve it for those who seek neither arrogant dominion in the earth nor corruption therein. And the final, blessed outcome belongs to the God-fearing.

Commentary: This verse sets out the central qualification for inheriting the eternal abode: the absence of the twin diseases of ʿuluww (haughtiness, seeking supremacy over others) and fasād (corruption, spreading harm). Both Qārūn and Firʿawn exemplified precisely these two traits. The true heirs of Paradise are those who tread the earth with humility and build rather than corrupt. The Maturīdī theologians note that the ʿāqiba (ultimate outcome) is guaranteed by divine promise to the muttaqūn (the God-fearing), regardless of how the worldly scales may appear to be tipping at any given moment.

مَن جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا وَمَن جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى الَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Man jāʾa bi-l-ḥasanati fa-lahū khayrun minhā wa-man jāʾa bi-l-sayyiʾati fa-lā yujzā lladhīna ʿamilū l-sayyiʾāti illā mā kānū yaʿmalūn

"Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed shall have better than it [in reward]. And whoever comes with an evil deed — those who committed evil deeds shall be recompensed only with what they used to do." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:84)

Translation: Whoever comes [before Allah on the Day of Resurrection] with a good deed shall receive better than it in return. And whoever comes with an evil deed — those who did evil shall be repaid only with the equivalent of what they had done.

Commentary: This is one of the great verses of divine generosity (karam): a good deed is rewarded by better than its equivalent — the Aḥādīth specify that a single good deed is multiplied tenfold to seven-hundredfold and beyond — while an evil deed incurs only its own weight in punishment, no more. This asymmetry is a mercy: the scales of justice are tilted toward forgiveness and magnification of the good. Imām al-Māturīdī (may Allah have mercy on him) and the Ahl al-Sunna hold that this divine generosity (faḍl) is one of the clearest revelational proofs of Allah's infinite mercy.

إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَىٰ مَعَادٍ قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ مَن جَاءَ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَمَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

Inna lladhī faraḍa ʿalayka l-qurʾāna la-rādduka ilā maʿādin qul rabbī aʿlamu man jāʾa bi-l-hudā wa-man huwa fī ḍalālin mubīn

"Indeed, He who has made the recitation of the Qurʾān obligatory upon you will surely return you to a place of return. Say: 'My Lord knows best who has come with guidance and who is in manifest error.'" (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:85)

Translation: Truly, He who has made the Qurʾān binding upon you will assuredly return you to [your] place of return [Makkah — or the Hereafter]. Say: "My Lord knows best who has brought guidance and who is in manifest misguidance."

Commentary: The commentators offer two readings of maʿād here: (1) the return to Makkah — a promise to the Prophetﷺof his return to his beloved birthplace after the emigration, fulfilled in the Conquest of Makkah; and (2) the return to the Hereafter — the universal maʿād (resurrection) common to all. Both meanings may be held together. The closing declaration — that Allah alone knows who is truly guided — removes the burden of judgment from the Prophetﷺ: his duty is to deliver and convey, not to compel or condemn.

وَمَا كُنتَ تَرْجُو أَن يُلْقَىٰ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابُ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْكَافِرِينَ

Wa-mā kunta tarjū an yulqā ilayka l-kitābu illā raḥmatan min rabbika fa-lā takūnanna ẓahīran li-l-kāfirīn

"You had no expectation that the Book would be conveyed to you — it came only as a mercy from your Lord. So do not ever be a supporter of the disbelievers." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:86)

Translation: You did not expect that the Book would be revealed to you — it came only as a mercy from your Lord. So let it never be that you become a partisan or supporter of the disbelievers.

Commentary: The revelation of the Qurʾān is here framed entirely as an act of divine mercy — raḥma min rabbika — not as something the Prophetﷺsought or deserved by prior claim. This roots all prophetic mission in grace alone. The injunction not to be a ẓahīr (supporter, backer) of the disbelievers is directed at the Prophetﷺas a model for the entire community: no social pressure, tribal loyalty, or diplomatic accommodation should cause the believer to give cover or support to those who reject the truth.

وَلَا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ وَادْعُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

Wa-lā yaṣuddunnaka ʿan āyāti llāhi baʿda idh unzilat ilayka wa-dʿu ilā rabbika wa-lā takūnanna mina l-mushrikīn

"And let them not divert you from the signs of Allah after they have been revealed to you. Call to your Lord, and do not be of the polytheists." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:87)

Translation: Do not let them turn you away from the signs of Allah after they have been sent down to you. Call people to your Lord, and do not be of the polytheists.

Commentary: The three commands of this verse constitute the complete prophetic programme: (1) remain firm on the revelation; (2) actively call to Allah (daʿwa); (3) maintain absolute monotheism. The sequence is important: first rootedness in revelation, then mission, then the personal spiritual protection of pure tawḥīd. The Sufi masters note that the deepest meaning of lā takūnanna mina l-mushrikīn is not merely the avoidance of overt idol-worship but the purification of the heart from any reliance, love, or fear directed at other than Allah — the inner shirk of attachment.

وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Wa-lā tadʿu maʿa llāhi ilāhan ākhara lā ilāha illā huwa kullu shayʾin hālikun illā wajhahū lahū l-ḥukmu wa-ilayhi turjaʿūn

"And do not invoke alongside Allah any other deity. There is no god but He. Everything is perishing except His Face. To Him belongs all judgment, and to Him you shall be returned." (al-Qaṣaṣ 28:88)

Translation: Do not call upon any other deity alongside Allah. There is no god but He. Everything shall perish — save His Face. To Him belongs all authority and judgment, and to Him you shall all return.

Commentary: This is the majestic closing verse of Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ — a statement of pure tawḥīd that gathers together ontology, eschatology, and worship into a single breath. Kullu shayʾin hālikun illā wajhahū ("everything is perishing except His Face"): the Arabic hālik carries the sense of being intrinsically perishable, not merely that destruction will eventually come — everything created is in a state of passing-away in relation to the Eternal. The exception is wajhahu — His Face, His Essence, His Divinity. Imām al-Māturīdī (may Allah have mercy on him) explains this as affirming that Allah's Dhāt (Essence) alone is truly and absolutely self-subsistent (qayyūm). The final note — wa-ilayhi turjaʿūn — closes the Sūra as it opened: the entire human drama of Mūsā (upon him be peace), Firʿawn, Qārūn, and the believers finds its resolution only in return to Him.

Concluding Reflection on Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

A-ḥasiba l-nāsu an yutrakū an yaqūlū āmannā wa-hum lā yuftanūn

"Do people suppose they will be left alone to say 'We believe' without being put to the trial?" (al-ʿAnkabūt 29:2)

Translation: Do people imagine that they will merely be left to say "We believe" and then not be tested?

Commentary: Although this verse belongs to Sūrat al-ʿAnkabūt (29), which immediately follows, the author cites it here as the organic thematic bridge from Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ — for al-Qaṣaṣ ends with the great testings of Mūsā (upon him be peace) and the Israelites, and the Qurʾān now turns to announce the universal law of trial (fitna) that applies to all who profess faith. The stories of all the prophets — of Mūsā, Sulaymān, Bilqīs, Qārūn, Firʿawn — are, in essence, case studies in divine testing and the differentiation of the truthful from the liars.

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

Wa-la-qad fatannā lladhīna min qablihim fa-la-yaʿlamanna llāhu lladhīna ṣadaqū wa-la-yaʿlamanna l-kādhibīn

"And indeed We tested those who came before them — and Allah will surely make evident those who were truthful, and will surely make evident the liars." (al-ʿAnkabūt 29:3)

Translation: We certainly tested those who came before them. So Allah will assuredly reveal those who were truthful, and He will assuredly reveal the liars.

Commentary: The divine knowledge referenced here — fa-la-yaʿlamanna llāhu — does not mean that Allah was previously ignorant and now comes to know. Allah's knowledge is eternal and absolute, without beginning or end; nothing is hidden from Him at any moment. Rather, the meaning is that His knowledge will be made manifest in the created realm — through events, through history, through the Day of Judgement — so that all of creation sees and knows what Allah has always known: who the truthful believers truly are, and who merely wore the garment of faith without its inner reality. This is the author's final note: the entire panorama of history recorded in al-Qaṣaṣ — and throughout this great Tafsīr — is the unfolding of this divine making-manifest, the supreme divine pedagogy by which truth is distinguished from falsehood before the eyes of all.