Category: Al-Qasas

Ta-Sin-Mim [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings]

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

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

The fact is that Fir’on elevated himself in the land and divided its people into groups, one group of which he persecuted, putting their sons [newborn] to death and sparing only their females. Indeed he was one of the mischief-makers.
Meaning:-
Elevate: to raise or make higher in some respect, to promote, raise to a more important or impressive level.
Persecuted: to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict.

But We wanted to favor those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders, and make them the heirs,
Meaning:-
Oppresse:to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subject to
aburdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power:
Heirs: successor, beneficiary

And establish them in the land and show Fir’aun (Pharaoh) and [his minister] Haman and their soldiers through them that which they had feared.
Meaning:-
Haman: It is commonly believed that Hamân was in charge of architecture during the reign of Pharaoh at the time of Moses

So We revealed Our will to the mother of Musa: “Suckle him, and when you feel any danger to his life, cast him into the river without any fear or grief; for We shall certainly restore him to you and make him one of Our messengers.”
Meaning:-
Suckle: breastfeed, feed, nurse

Then the household of Fir’aun (Pharaoh) picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief. Verily! Fir’aun (Pharaoh), Haman [his minister] and their soldiers were sinners.

The wife of Fir’on said: “This child may become the comfort of the eyes for me and for you. Do not kill him. He may prove useful to us or it may be that we will adopt him as our son.” They were unaware of the result of what they were doing.

On the other hand, the heart of Musa’s mother was sorely troubled. She would have disclosed as to who he was, had We not strengthened her heart so that she might become one of the true believers.
Meaning:-
Sorely: to a very high degree or level of intensity (especially of an unwelcome or unpleasant state or emotion).

And she said to his sister, “Keep track of him!” So she (Musa’s sister) watched him from a distance, while they were unaware.

And We had caused him to refuse all wet-nurses at first, so his sister suggested, “Shall I direct you to a family who will bring him up for you and take good care of him?”
Meaning:-
Wet-nurses: a woman who breast feeds and cares for another’s child.

This is how We returned him to his mother so that her heart would be put at ease, and not grieve, and that she would know that Allah’s promise is ˹always˺ true. But most people do not know.

And when he reached full strength and maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward the good-doers.
Meaning:-
Wisdom: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.
Doers: a person who gets things done with vigor and efficiency

˹One day˺ he entered the city unnoticed by its people. There he found two men fighting: one of his own people, and the other of his enemies. The man from his people called to him for help against his foe. Thereupon Musa gave his foe a blow ‘punch’ which killed him. “This is the work of Shaitan, surely he is an enemy that openly misleads.”
Meaning:-
Foe: an enemy or opponent.
Blow: a forcible stroke delivered with the fist.

He said, “My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me,” and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Musa promised: “O my Lord! After this favor that You have bestowed on me, I shall never be a helping hand to the criminals.”
Meaning:-
Bestowed: to present as a gift, an honor

Next morning as he was walking in the city in fear and caution, suddenly he saw the same man who he had helped the day before cried out to him again for help. Musa replied: “You are certainly a misguided person.”

Then when Musa was about to lay his hands on a man who was an enemy to both of them, he cried out: “O Musa! Do you intend to kill me as you killed a person yesterday? You only want to become a tyrant in the land and have no intention of reforming anything.”
Meaning:-
Tyrant: a cruel and oppressive ruler.

At that time, there came a man running from the other end of the city and said: “O Musa! The chiefs are plotting to kill you, therefore, run away, surely I am your well wisher.”

So Moses left the city in a state of fear and caution, praying, “My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people.”

And as he made his way towards ‘the land of’ Midian, he said, “I trust my Lord will guide me to the right way.”

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found a group of people watering ˹their flocks˺. Apart from them, he noticed two women holding back ˹their flocks˺. He asked ˹them˺, “What is the problem?” They replied, “We cannot water ˹our animals˺ until the ˹other˺ shepherds are done, for our father is a very old man.”
Meaning:-
Flock: a number of animals of one kind, especially sheep, goats, or birds, thatkeep or feed together or are herded together.

So he watered their flocks for them and went back to the shade and prayed: “O Lord! Surely I am in desperate need of whatever good that You may send down to me.”
Meaning:-
Flock: a number of animals of one kind, especially sheep, goats, or birds, thatkeep or feed together or are herded together.

Soon after that, one of the two women came to him walking bashfully and said: “My father is calling you. He wishes to reward you for watering our flocks for us.” When Musa came to him and narrated his story, the old man said: “Have no fear. You have escaped from those wicked people.”
Meaning:-
Bashful: shy or timid
Flock:a number of animals of one kind, especially sheep, goats, or birds, thatkeep or feed together or are herded together.
Wicked: evil or morally wrong, sinful.

One of the two daughters suggested, “O my dear father! Hire him. The best that one can hire is a man who is strong and trustworthy.”

The old man said to Musa: “I am willing to give you one of my daughters in marriage if you stay in my service for eight years; but you may complete ten if you wish. I do not want to put you in trouble; Allah willing, you will find me one of the righteous.”

Musa replied: “So be it an agreement between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, let there be no compulsion on me. Allah is the witness to what we have agreed upon.”

After completing the term of his agreement, when Musa (Moses) was travelling with his family, he saw a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He said to his family: “Stay here, I saw a fire, I hope to bring some information from there or a lighted torch with which you may warm yourselves.”

But when he reached there, a voice called out to him from the right side of the valley of the blessed spot from a tree , saying: “O Musa, surely I am Allah the Lord of the Worlds.”

Then Allah commanded, “Throw down your stick.” When Musa saw that the stick was writhing like a snake, he turned his back and fled, and did not even look behind. Allah said, “O Musa, come back and do not fear; you are quite safe.
Meaning:-
Writhe: to move or proceed with twists and turns.
Fled: run away from a place or situation of danger.

Now put your hand into your pocket: it will come out shining white without any harm to you – whenever you feel afraid, draw your hand towards yourself to ward off fear – these are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs, surely they are wicked people.”
Meaning:-
Ward: guard; protect.
Credential: a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background,
Wicked: evil or morally wrong, sinful.

Musa submitted: “Lord! I have killed one of them: I fear that they will put me to death.

My brother Haroon (Aaron), he is more eloquent in speech than I: send him with me as a helper to confirm my words; I fear that they will treat me as a liar.”
Meaning:-
Eloquent: fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.

Allah replied: “We will certainly strengthen your arm with your brother and give both of you such authority that they shall not be able to harm you. Now proceed with Our signs. You, and those who follow you, will surely triumph.”
Meaning:-
Triumph: a great victory or achievement.

When Musa (Moses) came to them (Fir’on and his chiefs) with Our clear signs and invited them to Islam, they said ˹arrogantly˺, “This is nothing but baseless conjured magic ˹tricks˺. We have never heard of this in ˹the history of˺ our forefathers.”
Meaning:-
Conjured: call upon (a spirit or ghost) to appear, by means of a magic ritual.

And Moses said, “My Lord is more knowing [than we or you] of who has come with ˹true˺ guidance from Him and will fare best in the end. Indeed, wrongdoers do not succeed.”

Fir’on said: “O Chiefs! You have no other god that I know of, except myself. So bake bricks out of clay for me, O Hamân, and build me a high tower so that I may climb it to see the God of Musa; most surely I think him to be one of the liars.”
Meaning:-
Hamân: He commanded his minister and adviser Haman to bake bricks for him, i.e., to make bricks in order to build a Sarh, a exalted towering palace.

And he was arrogant, he and his soldiers, in the land, without right, and they thought that they would not be returned to Us.

So We took him and his soldiers and threw them into the sea. So see how was the end of the wrongdoers.
Meaning:-
Wrongdoer: a person who behaves illegally or dishonestly; an offender.

We made them leaders who started calling people to hellfire. And on the Day of Judgment they will not be helped.

We laid a curse on them in this world, And on the Day of Judgment they will be among the outcasts.
Meaning:-
Outcast: a person who is rejected, refused acceptance.

We gave Musa (Moses) the Book (Torah), after We had destroyed the former generations, an eye opener, a guide, and a blessing so that they may be reminded.

O Muhammad, you were not present on the western side of the mountain when We gave Musa the Law, nor did you witness that event.

We raised many generations and a long time has passed over them; you were not living among the people of Madyan, reciting to them Our revelations; but it is We Who are sending to you the news of that time.

Nor were you at the side of the mountain of Tur when We called out to Musa, but it is your Lord’s mercy that you are being given this information so that you may forewarn a nation to whom no Warner had come before you. Maybe they will take heed,

so that they may not be able to say, when a disaster befalls them on account of their misdeeds: “Our Lord, had You sent us a messenger, we should have followed Your revelations and became the believers.”

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Produce then a scripture from Allah which is a better guide than these two so I may follow it, if your claim is true.”
Meaning:-
Better guide than these two: I.e., the Torah and the Qur’an. The Gospel is not mentioned in this context because, as Jesus himself had stressed, his message was based on the Law of Moses, and was not meant to displace the latter.

So if they fail to respond to you, then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his [own] desire without guidance from Allah ? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Meaning:-
Astray: away from the correct path or direction, into error, into sin

And We have [repeatedly] conveyed to them the Qur’an that they might be reminded.

Those to whom We gave the Scripture [i.e. the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] before it ˹Quran˺, – they believe in it ‘the Quran’.

When it is recited to them they say: “We believe in it, surely this is the Truth from our Lord: indeed we were Muslims even before this.”

These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided them.

When they hear slanderous talk, they turn away from it, saying, “We are accountable for our deeds and you for yours. Peace ˹is our only response˺ to you! We want nothing to do with those who act ignorantly.”
Meaning:-
Slanderous: false, and damaging to someone’s reputation, a malicious.

O Prophet, you cannot give guidance to whom you wish, it is Allah Who gives guidance to whom He pleases, and He is quite aware of those who are guided.

They say ˹to the Prophet˺, “If we were to follow ˹true˺ guidance with you, we would certainly be snatched away from our land.” Have We not established for them a safe haven ˹in Mecca˺ to which fruits of all kinds are brought as a provision from Us? But most of them have no knowledge.

˹Imagine˺ how many a city have We destroyed that was insolent in its [way of] living, and those are their dwellings which have not been inhabited after them except a little. And We ˹alone˺ were the Successor.
Meaning:-
Insolent: disrespectful or arrogant, insultingly contemptuous in speech, showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.
Dwellings: residence, home, house, accommodations.
Inhabited: occupied; lived in.
Inheritors: a person who inherits something; an heir.

And never would your Lord have destroyed the cities until He had sent to their mother town a messenger reciting to them Our revelations. And We would not destroy the cities except while their people were wrongdoers.
Meaning:-
Wrongdoer: a person who behaves illegally or dishonestly; an offender.

Whatever ˹pleasure˺ you have been given is no more than ˹a fleeting˺ enjoyment and adornment of this worldly life. But ‘Hereafter’ what is with Allah is far better and more lasting. Will you not then understand?
Meaning:-
Fleeting: lasting for a very short time.
Adornment: something that adds attractiveness, something added to make a person more attractive

Can those to whom We have made a fine promise—which they will see fulfilled—be like those who We have allowed to enjoy the pleasures of this worldly life, but on the Day of Judgment will be brought ˹for punishment˺?

˹Watch for˺ the Day He will call to them, “Where are those you claimed were My associate-gods?”

Those ˹misleaders˺ who are proven guilty as charged ˹of Punishment˺ will cry: “Our Lord! These ˹followers˺ are the ones whom we led astray; we led them astray as we were astray ourselves. However, we disassociate ourselves ˹from them˺ before You. It was not us that they used to worship.”
Meaning:-
Astray: Astray: into wrongdoing, into error, into sin.

It will be said ˹to the disbelievers˺, “Call upon your associate-gods ˹for help˺.” So they will call them, but will get no answer. They will face the punishment and wish that they had accepted guidance.

Let them also not forget that, on that Day, He will call them and ask: “How did you answer Our Messengers?”

They will be so confused on that Day that they will not even ask one another.

But as for one who had repented (in this life), believed, and done righteousness, it is promised by Allah that he will be among the successful.

And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses, no choice have they (in any matter). Glorified be Allah, and exalted above all that they associate as partners (with Him).

Your Lord knows all that they conceal in their hearts and all that they reveal.
Meaning:-
Conceal: to hide, to keep secret, to prevent or avoid disclosing, keep secret.

He is Allah. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. All praise belongs to Him in this life and the hereafter. All authority is His. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.

Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, “Imagine if Allah were to make the night perpetual for you until the Day of Judgment, which god other than Allah could bring you sunlight? Will you not then listen?”
Meaning:-
Perpetual: never ending or changing.

Ask ˹them also˺, “Imagine if Allah were to make the day perpetual for you until the Day of Judgment, which god other than Allah could bring you night to rest in? Will you not then see?”
Meaning:-
Perpetual: never ending or changing.

And out of His mercy He has made for you the night and the day, that you may rest therein, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks.

And ˹watch for˺ the Day He will call to them, “Where are those you claimed were My associate-gods?”

And We shall bring forth a witness from every nation and ask: “Bring your proof about other deities (false gods) besides Me.” Then they shall come to know that in reality there is only One God, Allah, and all that they invented ˹gods˺ will have failed them.
Meaning:-
Deities: a god or goddess

Indeed, Korah was from the people of Moses, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. We had granted him such treasures that even their keys would burden a group of strong men. ˹Some of˺ his people advised him, “Do not be prideful! Surely Allah does not like the prideful.
Meaning:-
Korah: Korah was the cousin of Moses. Because of Korah’s close association with Pharaoh, he became very rich and started to behave arrogantly towards his own people. When he was asked repeatedly by Moses to pay his alms-tax to help poor Israelites, Korah refused and eventually conspired with a prostitute to damage the reputation of Moses, but Moses was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Rather, seek the ˹reward˺ of the Hereafter by means of what Allah has granted you, without forgetting your share of this world. And be good ˹to others˺ as Allah has been good to you. Do not seek to spread corruption in the land, for Allah certainly does not like the corruptors.”

He said, “I was only given it because of knowledge I have.” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.

Then he came out before his people in all his glamour. Those who desired the life of this world wished, “If only we could have something like what Korah has been given. He is truly a man of great fortune!”
Meaning:-
Korah: Korah was the cousin of Moses.

And those who were given the knowledge said: Woe to you! Allah’s reward is better for him who believes and does good, and none is made to receive this except the patient.
Meaning:-
Woe: great sorrow or distress.

Then We caused the earth to swallow him up, along with his home. There was no one to help him against Allah, nor could he even help himself.

And those who had desired (for a position like) his position the day before, began to say: “Know you not that it is Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it to whomsoever He pleases of His slaves. Had it not been that Allah was Gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up (also)! Know you not that the disbelievers will never be successful.

That ˹eternal˺ Home in the Hereafter We reserve ˹only˺ for those who seek neither tyranny nor corruption on the earth. The ultimate outcome belongs ˹only˺ to the righteous.
Meaning:-
Tyranny: an act or the pattern of harsh, cruel, and unfair control over other people

Anyone who brings a good deed shall have something even better; while anyone who brings an evil deed will find that those who perform evil deeds will be punished only to the extent of their misdeeds.

Verily, He Who has given you (O Muhammad) the Quran (i.e. ordered you to act on its laws and to preach it to others) will surely bring you back to the Ma’ad (place of return, either to Makkah or to Paradise after your death, etc.). Say (O Muhammad): “My Lord is Aware of him who brings guidance, and he who is in manifest error.”
Meaning:-
Manifest: clear or obvious to the eye or mind.

And you (O Muhammad) were not expecting that the Book (this Quran) would be sent down to you, but it is a mercy from your Lord. So never be a supporter of the disbelievers.

Do not let them turn you away from the revelations of Allah after they have been sent down to you. And invite [people] to your Lord. And never be of those who associate others with Allah.

And do not invoke any other god with Allah. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. Everything is bound to perish except He Himself. All authority belongs to Him. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
Meaning:-
Invoke: call on (a deity or spirit) in prayer, as a witness, or for inspiration, to call upon (an agent, esp God or another deity) for help.
Perish: disappear, to become destroyed or ruined : cease to exist or destruction: