Category: Ash-Shu`araa’

Fir’on said: “Go ahead, show it if you are of the truthful.”

So [Musa (Moses)] threw his stick, and behold, it became a real snake.
Meaning:-
Behold: see or observe

Then he drew forth his hand ˹out of his collar˺ and it became shining bright for the spectators.
Meaning:-
Spectators: a person who watches at a show, game, or other event.

(Firon) said to the chiefs around him: Most surely this is a skillful magician,

“He wants to drive you out of your land by his magic. Now what is your advice?”

They replied, “Put him and his brother off for a while, and dispatch mobilizers to all cities
Meaning:-
Mobilizers: to assemble, to organize.

to bring you every skilled magician.”

So the magicians were assembled at the set time on the appointed day.

And the people were asked, “Will you join the gathering,

“That we may follow the magicians [who were on Fir’aun’s (Pharaoh) religion of disbelief] if they are the winners.”

So when the magicians arrived, they said to (Fir’aun) Pharaoh: “Of course – shall we have a (suitable) reward if we win?

Fir’on replied: “Yes of course! You will even be made my courtiers.”
Meaning:-
Courtier: adviser to the king or queen.

Moses said to them, “Throw whatever you will throw.”

Thereupon they threw down their sticks and ropes, saying: “By the glory of Fir’on, we shall be the winners.”

Then Musa threw down his stick/cane, and lo! It swallowed their false devices.
Meaning:-
Lo: used to attract attention, used to draw attention to an interesting or amazing event.
False: it is incorrect, untrue, said to fool or deceive someone
Devices: an objects

So the magicians fell down in prostration.
Meaning:-
Prostrate: lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward, especially in reverence or submission.

saying: “We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,

“The Lord of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron).”

Fir’on shouted: “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? He must be your master who taught you the magic. But soon you shall find out. I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides and crucify you all.”

They replied: “We don’t care! We are going to return to our Lord anyway.

We only desire that our Lord may forgive us our sins, as we are the first to believe.”

And We revealed to Musa, ˹saying,˺ “Leave with My servants travelling by night, surely you will be pursued.
Meaning:-
Pursue: capture, kill, follow in order to catch or attack them.

Then Fir’on ‘Pharaoh’ sent mobilizers to all cities,
Meaning:-
Mobilizers: to assemble (armed forces) into readiness for active service

They announced “These people are a small group.”

who have really enraged us,
Meaning:-
Enraged: very angry; furious.

while we have a large army, well prepared.”

So We removed them from gardens and springs

Treasures, and every kind of honorable place.

This is how they were made to lose, while on the other hand We made the Children of Israel possess them.
Meaning:-
Possess: to seize and take control of, to own or to have.

And so ‘the Egyptians’ caught up with them at sunrise;

When the two groups came face to face, the companions of Moses cried out, “We are overtaken for sure.”

Musa said: “Not at all! My Lord is with me; He will show me a way out.”

Then We revealed Our will to Musa: “Strike the sea with your stick,” and the sea was split, each part was like a huge mountain.

We made the other party (Fir’on and his army) follow them.

And We saved Musa (Moses) and all those with him.

Surely there is a lesson in this: yet most of these people do not learn this lesson to become believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

Tell them ˹O Prophet˺ the story of Ibrahim,

When he said to his father and his people, “What do you worship?”

They replied: “We worship idols, to which we are fully devoted.”
Meaning:-
Idols: a false god, statue, an object, an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.
Devoted: dedicated, extremely loving and loyal,

Ibrahim asked: “Do they hear you when you call on them?

Can they help you or harm you?”

They replied: “No! But we found our forefathers doing so.”

Abraham said, “Have you ˹really˺ considered what you have been worshipping—

you and your forefathers?

Indeed, they are ˹all˺ enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds,

“Who created me, and it is He Who guides me;

He is the One Who gives me food and drink,

Who gives me health when I get sick,

Who will cause me to die and then bring me back to life,

Who, I hope, will forgive me my mistakes on the Day of Judgment.”

After this, Ibrahim prayed: “O my Lord! Grant me wisdom, and join me with the righteous.

and grant me the power to convey the truth unto those who will come after me ‘later generations’.

Make me one of those awarded the Garden of Pleasure.

Forgive my father, for he is certainly one of the misguided.

do not hold me up in shame on the Day when everybody will be raised back to life

The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children

and when none shall be saved except him who will come before Allah with a pure heart,

when paradise shall be brought in the sight of the righteous;

whereas the blazing fire will be laid open before those who had been lost in grievous error;
Meaning:-
Blazing: burning brightly and with great heat, force,
Grievous: extremely serious or severe.
Error: a mistake, having incorrect or false knowledge. ·

and they will be asked: “Now, where are those whom you worshipped

besides Allah? Can they help you or even help themselves?”

Then the idols will be hurled headlong into Hell ‘Fire’, along with them all those ‘wretched fellows’ who had deviated from the right path.
Meaning:-
Idols: a false god, statue, an object, an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.
Hurled : throw (an object) with great force.
Headlong: With the head leading; headfirst, rashly, or really quickly.
Wretched: someone who is so miserable, deeply afflicted, very distressed, extremely or deplorably bad
Deviated: To turn aside from a course or way.

And the soldiers of Iblees, all together.

Wherein they will argue with one another

saying: “By Allah! We were clearly mistaken,

When we made you ‘false deities‘ equal to the Lord of the worlds;
Meaning:-
False deities Fake Gods or goddess, objects, Images or divine status.

It was the criminals who led us astray.
Meaning:-
Astray: away from the correct path or direction.

Now we have none to intercede for us,
Meaning:-
Intercede

Nor a true friend;

If only we could have a second chance ‘return to our worldly life’, we would be of the true believers.”

Surely in this sign there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

The people of Noah rejected the messengers.

Remember when their brother Noah asked them: “Have you no fear of Allah?

I am truly a trustworthy messenger to you.

so fear Allah and obey me.

I do not ask you any reward for my services, for my reward will be given by the Lord of the Worlds,

so fear Allah and obey me.”

They argued, “How can we believe in you, when you are followed ˹only˺ by the lowest [class of people]?”

He said: “I have no knowledge as to what they have been doing ‘in the past’;

their account is the concern of my Lord, if you could use your common sense!

Hence, I shall not drive away [any of] those [who profess to be] believers;

I am only sent with a clear warning.”

They threatened, “If you do not stop, O Noah, you will surely be stoned ˹to death˺.”
Meaning:-
Threatened: to give signs or warning of, in danger, or likely to stop existing.

He said, “My Lord, indeed my people have denied me.

“Therefore make a decisive judgement between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me.”
Meaning:-
Decisive: Settling an issue; producing a definite result.

So We saved him and those with him in the laden ship.
Meaning:-
Laden: heavily loaded.

Then We drowned the rest ‘disbelievers’ thereafter.
Meaning:-
Drowned: to die of suffocation under water, they die because they have gone or been pushed under water and cannot breathe.

Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

The people of ‘Ad, too, disbelieved their Messengers.

When their brother Hud said to them, “Will you not fear Allah ?

Surely I am a faithful messenger to you;

So fear Allah and obey me.

I do not ask you any reward for my services, for my reward will be given by the Lord of the Worlds.

“Do you build high palaces on every high place, while you do not live in them?

“And do you get for yourselves palaces (fine buildings) as if you will live therein forever.

Why do you act like cruel tyrants whenever you attack someone?
Meaning:-
Tyrants: a cruel and oppressive ruler, a sovereign or other ruler who uses power oppressively or unjustly.

So fear Allah and obey me.

Fear the One Who has given you all the things that you know.

He provided you with cattle, and children,

gardens and fountains.

Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a terrible day.”

They said, “It is all the same to us whether you warn ˹us˺ or not.

Such preaching is nothing but an ancient myth.
Meaning:-
Myth:any invented story, idea, or concept:

We are not going to be punished.”

So they disbelieved him and We utterly destroyed them. Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

The people of Thamud also disbelieved their messengers.

When their brother Salih (Saleh) said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him?

Surely I am a faithful messenger to you

So fear Allah and obey me.

I do not ask you any reward for my services, for my reward will be given by the Lord of the Worlds.

Do you think you will be ˹forever˺ left secure in ‘the enjoyment of’ what you have here:

In gardens and fountains,

and ˹various˺ crops, and palm trees ˹loaded˺ with tender fruit;

to carve homes in the mountains with great skill?

So fear Allah and obey me.

And do not obey the order of the transgressors,
Meaning:-
Transgressors: violating a law or command or going beyond a boundary or limit

Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend.”
Meaning:-
Amend: make better; improve.

They said, “You are only of those affected by magic.

You are no more than a human being like us. Bring forth a sign if you are one of the truthful.”

He said: This is a she-camel; she shall have her portion of water, and you have your portion of water on an appointed time;

And do not touch her with harm, lest you be seized by the punishment of a terrible day.”

But they killed her, becoming regretful.

so the punishment overtook them. Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

The people of Lut (Lot), also, disbelieved their messengers.

Remember when their brother Lut asked them: “Have you no fear of Allah?

Surely I am a faithful messenger to you;

So fear Allah and obey me.

And I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds;

“Must you, of all people, [lustfully] approach men,
Meaning:-
Lustfully: expressing strong sexual desire.

leaving the wives that your Allah has created for you? In fact, you are a transgressing people.”
Meaning:-
Transgressing: offend; sin, to go beyond a boundary or limit.

They replied, “If you do not desist, O Lot, you will surely be expelled.”
Meaning:-
Desist: stop, cease, quit, discontinue.
Expelled: to drive or force out or away, force ‘someone’ to leave a place, especially a country.

Lot responded, “I am truly one of those who despise your ˹shameful˺ practice.
Meaning:-
Despise: you dislike them and have a very low opinion of them.

My Lord, save me and my family from ‘the consequence of’ what they do.”
Meaning:-
Consequence: a result or effect of an action.

So We saved him and all of his family,

Except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind.

Then afterward We destroyed the others.

And We rained upon them a rain [of stones], and evil was the rain of those who were warned.

Surely in this story there is a great lesson, but most of these people do not learn a lesson to become believers.

And most surely your Lord is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The people of Aiykah, also, disbelieved their messengers.

Remember Shu’aib asked them: “Have you no fear of Allah?

Surely I am a faithful messenger to you;

So fear Allah and obey me.

And I do not ask you any reward for it, my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds;

“[Always] give full measure, and be not among those who [unjustly] cause loss [to others by fraud];

And weigh (things) with a right balance,

and do not defraud people of their property. Nor go about spreading corruption in the land.

Fear Him Who has created you and the generations before you”.

They said, “You are only of those affected by magic.

You are no more than a human being like us and we think that you are lying.

So cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon us, if what you say is true.”

Shu’aib said: “My Lord has full knowledge of all your actions”.

And they denied him, so the punishment of the day of the black ˹deadly˺ cloud seized them. Indeed, it was the punishment of a terrible day.

Indeed in that is a sign, but most of them were not to be believers.

The fact is that your Lord is the Mighty as well as the Merciful.

Surely this Qur’an is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.

The trustworthy Spirit ‘Angel Gabriel’ brought it down

upon your heart so that you may become one of those who are appointed by Allah to warn the people

in a plain Arabic language

And verily, it ‘the Quran, and its revelation to Prophet Muhammad’ is ‘announced’ in the Scriptures [i.e. the Taurat ‘Torah’ and the Injeel ‘Gospel’] of former people.

Is it not evidence enough for them that [so many] learned men from among the children of Israel have recognized this [as true]?

And if We had revealed it ‘this Quran’ unto any of the non-Arabs,

And he had recited it to them [perfectly], they would [still] not have been believers in it.

Thus have We caused this [message] to pass [unheeded] through the hearts of those who are lost in sin:
Meaning:-
Unheeded: overlooked, forgotten, neglected, unnoticed, disobeyed, disregarded or ignored

They will not believe in it until they see the painful punishment.

But the ‘Penalty’ will come to them of a sudden, while they perceive it not;
Meaning:-
Perceive: become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.

Then they will cry, “Can we be allowed more time?”

So for Our punishment are they impatient?

Just think! If We let them enjoy this life for many years,

Yet there comes to them at length the (Punishment) which they were promised!

It will profit them not that they enjoyed (this life)!

Never have We destroyed a town without sending down messengers to warn it,

As a reminder; and never have We been unjust.

It was not the devils who brought this ˹Quran˺ down:

it is neither in their interest nor in their power to produce such a masterpiece.

They are kept too far off to even hear it.

So do not call any other god beside Allah lest you become of those who will be punished,

And warn ˹all, starting with˺ your closest relatives,

And be kind and humble to the believers who follow you.

but if they disobey, tell them: “I am not accountable for what you do.”

Put your trust in the All-Mighty, the Merciful,

Who sees you when you rise ˹for prayer at night˺,

And your movements among those who fall prostrate (along with you to Allah in the five compulsory congregational prayers).
Meaning:-
Prostrate: lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downward, especially in reverence or submission

He is the One Who hears all and knows all.

Shall I tell you, O people, on whom the shaitans descend?
Meaning:-
Descend: make a sudden attack on.

They descend on every slandering sinner.
Meaning:-
Descend: make a sudden attack on.
Slander: blacken someone’s name, tell lies about, speak ill/evil of, sully someone’s reputation. make false and damaging statements about (someone).

They pass on what is heard ˹to half-truth˺, and most of them are liars.

As for poets, only the misguided follow them.

See you not that they speak about every subject (praising others right or wrong) in their poetry?

only saying what they never do?

Except those [poets] who believe and do righteous deeds and remember Allah often and defend [the Muslims] after they were wronged. The wrongdoers will come to know what ˹evil˺ end they will meet.