20:17 What is that in your right hand, Moses?” He said, “It is my staff. I lean on it and beat
the leaves down with it for my sheep, among other things.” Allah said, “Throw it down,
Moses!” He threw it down, and it turned into a slithering serpent. Allah said, “Grab it and do
not be afraid. We will change it back to its former state. Now put your hand under your arm.
It will come out white [with leprosy], but unhurt. Another sign so that We may show you
Our greatest signs.
Go to Pharaoh, because he has exceeded all limits.”
20:25 Moses said, “My Lord, relieve my mind and make my task easy. Untie my tongue so
they can understand what I say. Give me an assistant from my family—Aaron, my brother—
add his strength to mine, and make him share my task. We will glorify you without pause,
because you are always watching.” He said, “Moses, your request is granted. We have
shown you favor before. Our message to your mother inspired her saying: ‘Put him into a
chest and throw it in the river; the river will leave him on the bank where he will be found
by an enemy to Me and to him.’ But I cast my love down upon you so that you might be
raised under my eye.”
20:40 “Your sister went and said, ‘May I bring you someone to nurse him?’ Then We
returned you to your mother so that her tears would be dried, and so she would not grieve.
When
you killed a man,
We saved you from trouble, and tried you severely.
You stayed with
the Median [a city on the Red Sea] people for many years, and then you came here by My
decree. I have chosen you for Myself. You and your brother go with My signs and do not
fail to remember Me. Go to Pharaoh, because he has exceeded all limits, but speak gently to
him; hopefully, he will listen or be afraid.”
20:45 They said, “Lord, we are afraid that
he will be arrogant toward us, or try to harm us.”
20:46 He said, “Do not be afraid, because I am with the both of you. I will listen and watch
over you. Go to him and say, ‘Surely we have been sent by your Lord. Let the Children of
Israel go with us and do not torment them. We bring you a sign from your Lord, and peace
to him who follows His guidance. It has been revealed to us that those who reject him and
turn away will be punished.”’
20:49
And Pharaoh said, “Who
is your Lord, Moses?”
20:50 Moses said, “Our Lord is the One who created everything and gave it all purpose.”
20:51 Pharaoh replied, “What is the state of the previous generations?”
20:52 Moses said, “That knowledge is with My Lord, recorded in His book. My Lord never
errs and He never forgets. He has spread the earth for you like a carpet and made paths for
you to follow. He has sent down the rain from heaven, and from that we produce the various
herbs: (Saying) ‘Eat and feed your cattle. Surely, there are signs here for a thinking man. We
created you from it, we will return you to it, and from it we will raise you a second time.’”
20:56 We showed him all of Our signs, but he rejected and refused them. He said, “Moses,
have you come to drive us from our land with your magic? We will surely produce magic to
match your own. Let us schedule a contest—which neither of us should miss—in a neutral
location.”
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20:59 Moses said, “Let us meet on the day of the feast. Gather the people together at mid-
day.”
20:60 So Pharaoh and his magicians made their plans and came to the meeting.
20:61 Moses said to them, “Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah, or He will
destroy you with His punishment. A liar is always destroyed.”
20:62 The magicians discussed their plans in secret. They said, “These two are expert
magicians who plan to drive you from your land with their magic and to destroy your way of
life. Make your plans and come and form ranks. Whoever wins today will gain the upper
hand.” They said, “Moses, will you throw down your rod first, or shall we?” He said, “You
cast first.” Then, through their magic, their ropes and rods appeared to run, and Moses
became afraid.
20:68 We said, “Do not be afraid, you will have the upper hand. Cast down what is in your
right hand. It will swallow up what they have made because it is nothing but a magicians
trick, and a magician,
no matter how good, will not be successful.”
20:70 The magicians threw themselves down and worshipped. They said, “We believe in the
Lord of Moses and Aaron.” Pharaoh said, “Will you believe in him before I give my
permission? This must be the master who taught you your magic. I will cut off your hands
and feet on opposite sides and crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely
learn then which of us gives the more terrible and long-lasting punishment.”
20:72 They said, “We will never have more regard for you than we do for the clear signs
that have been revealed to us, or than we have for our creator. So decree whatever you will
decree. Your decrees are only good in this life. We believe in our Lord that He may forgive
our sins and magic which you forced upon us. Allah is better and more lasting than you. Hell
surely waits for the guilty who come before their Lord. There they will neither live nor die,
but lofty positions wait for the believers who come righteously before their Lord! They will
dwell in eternal gardens with underground rivers. This is the reward of the pure.”
20:77 We revealed to Moses, “Take away My servants and travel by night. Cleave a dry
path through the sea for them. Do not be afraid of being overtaken and have no fear.”
Pharaoh and his army followed, but the sea overwhelmed them, because he misled his
people by not guiding them.
20:80 Children of Israel! We saved you from your enemies, and We made a pact with you
on the sacred side of the mountain and sent down to you manna and quails. We said, “Eat
the good things that We have given you, but not to excess, or My wrath may fall on you, and
whoever My wrath falls upon will surely perish. I will surely forgive him who turns to Allah
and
believes and does good deeds, and listens to guidance.”
20:83 (Allah said) “Moses, why have you hurried ahead of your people?”
20:84 Moses said, “Lord, they are right behind me, but I have hurried to be with you to
please you.”
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