Surah Taha (The Letters "Ta, Ha") 20

Revealed 45th in the Qur'an

Read the Full Text with References to the Torah and the Gospel

20:1
Ta, Ha.

20:2
We have not sent the Qur'an down to you so that you may be distressed,

20:3
But only as a reminder for those who fear [God] -

20:4
A revelation from He who created the earth and high heavens,

20:5
The Most Gracious [who is] established above the Throne.

20:6
To Him [belongs] what is in the heavens and what is on the earth and what is between them and what is under the soil. *Deuteronomy 10:14

20:7
And if you speak the word aloud - then indeed, He knows the secret and what is [even] more hidden.

20:8
God - there is no god except Him. *Deuteronomy 4:35, *Deuteronomy 4:39, *1 Samuel 2:2, *2 Samuel 7:22, *1 Kings 8:60, *Isaiah 44:6, *Isaiah 44:8, *Isaiah 45:5 - 6, *Isaiah 45:21, *Mark 12:32 The best names [belong] to Him.

20:9
And has the story of Moses reached you? -

20:10
When he saw a fire and said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire; *Exodus 3:2 - 3 perhaps I can bring you a torch or find some guidance at the fire."

20:11
And when he came to it, he was called, "O Moses, *Exodus 3:4

20:12
Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals.  Indeed, you are in the holy valley of Tuwa. *Exodus 3:5, *Acts 7:33

20:13
And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed [to you].

20:14
Indeed, I am God. There is no god except Me, so serve Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.

20:15
Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives.

20:16
So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you would [then] perish.

20:17
And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?"

20:18
He said, "It is my staff; *Exodus 4:2 I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have other uses therein."

20:19
[God] said, "Throw it down, O Moses."

20:20
So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a live [snake], moving swiftly. *Exodus 4:3

20:21
[God] said, "Seize it and do not fear; We will return it to its former condition. *Exodus 4:4

20:22
And draw your hand in to your side; it will come out white without disease - another sign, *Exodus 4:6

20:23
So that We may show you [some] of Our greater signs.

20:24
Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed."

20:25
[Moses] said, "My Lord, open my heart for me [to love and submit to You]

20:26
And ease my task for me

20:27
And untie the knot from my tongue

20:28
So that they may understand my speech.

20:29
And appoint a minister for me from my family -

20:30
Aaron, my brother.

20:31
Increase my strength through him

20:32
And let him share my task

20:33
So that we may exalt You much

20:34
And remember You much.

20:35
Indeed, You are Seeing of us."

20:36
[God] said, "You have been granted your request, O Moses.

20:37
And We had already conferred favor upon you another time,

20:38
When We inspired to your mother what was [to be] inspired,

20:39
[Saying], 'Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river, and the river will throw it onto the bank; *Exodus 2:3, *Book of Jubilees 47:5 an enemy and an enemy to him will take him to Me.' And I bestowed love upon you from Me so that you would be brought up under My eye.

20:40
[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'May I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother *Exodus 2:7 - 8, *Book of Jubilees 47:8 - 9 so that she might be content and not grieve.  And you killed someone, *Exodus 2:12, *Book of Jubilees 47:13, *Acts 7:24 but We saved you from retaliation and tested you with a [severe] test.  And you remained [some] years among the people of Midian. *Exodus 2:15, *Book of Jubilees 48:1, *Acts 7:29 Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses.

20:41
And I produced you for Myself.

20:42
Go with My signs, you and your brother, and do not slacken in My remembrance.

20:43
Go to Pharaoh, both of you. Indeed, he has transgressed.

20:44
And speak to him with gentle speech so that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [God]."

20:45
They said, "Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten [punishment] against us or that he will transgress."

20:46
[God] said, "Do not fear. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.

20:47
So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send the Children of Israel with us *Exodus 7:2 and do not torment them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance.

20:48
Indeed, it has been revealed to us that the punishment will be upon whoever denies and turns away.'"

20:49
[Pharaoh] said, "So who is the Lord of you two, O Moses?" *Exodus 5:2

20:50
He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]."

20:51
[Pharaoh] said, "Then what is the case of the former generations?"

20:52
[Moses] said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a Book. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."

20:53
[It is He] who has made the earth as a cradle for you and inserted pathways therein for you and sent down water from the heaven, and We have produced pairs of various plants thereby.

20:54
Eat [therefrom] and pasture your livestock. Indeed, there are signs in that for those of intelligence.

20:55
We created you from the earth, and We will return you into it, *Genesis 3:19, *Job 10:9 and We will extract you from it another time.

20:56
And We certainly showed [Pharaoh] Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.

20:57
He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?

20:58
Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make an appointment in a fair place between us and you, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you."

20:59
[Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people gather at mid-morning."

20:60
So Pharaoh went away, put his plan together, and then came [to Moses].

20:61
Moses said to the magicians summoned by Pharaoh, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against God or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he who invents [such falsehood] has failed."

20:62
So they disputed over their affair amongst themselves and concealed their private conversation.

20:63
They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way.

20:64
So resolve upon your plan and then come [forward] in line. And he who overcomes has succeeded today."

20:65
They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."

20:66
He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed that they were moving [like snakes] to him from their magic.

20:67
And Moses sensed apprehension within himself.

20:68
We said, "Do not fear. Indeed, it is you who are superior.

20:69
And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is only the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."

20:70
So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." ~*Exodus 8:19

20:71
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in punishment and more enduring."

20:72
They said, "We will never prefer you over what clear proofs have come to us and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life. *Luke 12:4

20:73
Indeed, we have believed in our Lord so that He may forgive our sins and what you compelled us [to do] of magic. And God is better and more enduring."

20:74
Indeed, whoever comes as a criminal to his Lord - indeed, there [will be] Gehenna for him; he will neither die nor live therein.

20:75
But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - there will be the highest degrees [of position] for them -

20:76
Gardens of Eden in which rivers flow beneath, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.

20:77
And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night *Exodus 12:42 with My servants *Leviticus 25:55 and strike a dry path through the sea for them; *Book of Enoch 89:24, *Exodus 14:16 you will not fear being overtaken [by Pharaoh] nor be afraid [of drowning]."

20:78
So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, *Book of Enoch 89:25, *Exodus 14:23 and that which covered them [indeed] covered them from the sea, *Book of Enoch 89:27, *Exodus 14:28

20:79
And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide [them].

20:80
O Children of Israel, We delivered you from your enemy, and We made an appointment with you at the right side of the Mount, and We sent down manna to you *Exodus 16:15 and quails, *Exodus 16:13

20:81
[Saying], "Eat from the good things which We have provided you with and do not transgress [or oppress others] therein, unless My anger should descend upon you. And he whom My anger descends upon has certainly fallen.

20:82
But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance."

20:83
[God] said, "And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?"

20:84
He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You so that You may be pleased, my Lord."

20:85
[God] said, "But indeed, We have tempted your people after you [departed], and the Samiri has led them astray."

20:86
So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, "O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise? Then, was the time of the promise too long for you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord should descend upon you, so you broke your promise to me?"

20:87
They said, "We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people [of Pharaoh], *Exodus 12:35 so we threw them [into the fire], and thus the Samiri threw."

20:88
And he brought forth the body of a calf for them *Deuteronomy 9:16 which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, *Exodus 32:3 - 4 but he forgot."

20:89
Did they not see that it could not return any speech to them and that it did not possess any harm or benefit for them?

20:90
And Aaron had already told them before, "O my people, you are only being tempted by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Gracious, so follow me and obey my Commandments."

20:91
They said, "We will never cease being devoted to [the calf] until Moses returns to us."

20:92
[Moses] said, "O Aaron, when you saw them going astray, what prevented you

20:93
From following me? Then have you disobeyed my Commandments?"

20:94
[Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division amongst the Children of Israel, and you did not observe my word.'"

20:95
[Moses] said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"

20:96
He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus my soul enticed me."

20:97
[Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it is for you to say in life, 'Do not touch.' And indeed, you have an appointment [which] you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' which you remained devoted to. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast. *Exodus 32:20*Deuteronomy 9:21

20:98
Your God is only God, except for whom there is no god. *Deuteronomy 4:35, *Deuteronomy 4:39, *1 Samuel 2:2, *2 Samuel 7:22, *1 Kings 8:60, *Isaiah 44:6, *Isaiah 44:8, *Isaiah 45:5 - 6, *Isaiah 45:21, *Mark 12:32 He has encompassed all things in knowledge."

20:99
Thus, We relate the news to you of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you a Reminder from Us.

20:100
Whoever turns away from it - then indeed, he will bear a burden on the Day of Resurrection,

20:101
[Abiding] eternally therein, and it is evil as a load for them on the Day of Resurrection -

20:102
The Day the Trumpet will be blown. And We will gather the criminals blue-eyed that Day.

20:103
They will murmur amongst themselves, "You did not remain except for ten."

20:104
We are most knowing of what they say when the best of them in manner will say, "You did not remain except for one day."

20:105
And they ask you about the mountains, so say, "My Lord will blow them away with a blast.

20:106
And He will leave [the earth] a flat plain; *Baruch 5:7, *Shepherd of Hermas 3:4

20:107
You will not see any crookedness or any curve therein."

20:108
That Day, everyone will follow the Caller [with] no deviation therefrom, and voices will be stilled before the Most Gracious, so you will not hear [anything] except a whisper.

20:109
That Day, no intercession will benefit except one whom the Most Gracious has given permission to and has accepted his word.

20:110
God knows what is before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it in knowledge.

20:111
And [all] faces will be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. And he who carries injustice will have failed.

20:112
But he who does righteous deeds while he is a believer - he will neither fear injustice nor deprivation.

20:113
And thus We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an and have diversified the warnings therein so that perhaps they will fear [God] or it would cause them remembrance.

20:114
God is so high [above all], the King, the Truth. And, do not hasten with the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."

20:115
And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We did not find determination in him.

20:116
And when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," *Hebrews 1:6 and they prostrated, except Iblees; he refused.

20:117
So We said, "O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then do not let him remove you from the Garden so you would suffer.

20:118
Indeed, it is not for you to be hungry therein or unclothed.

20:119
And indeed, you will not be thirsty therein or suffer from heat."

20:120
Then Satan whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, should I direct you to the Tree of Eternity and a kingdom that will not deteriorate?"

20:121
And Adam and his wife ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, *Book of Enoch 32:6 and they began to fasten the leaves of the Garden over themselves. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.

20:122
Then his Lord chose him and turned to him [in forgiveness] and guided [him].

20:123
[God] said, "Descend from [the Garden] - all; some being enemies to one another. And if guidance should come to you from Me - then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].

20:124
And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him blind on the Day of Resurrection."

20:125
He will say, "My Lord, why have You gathered me [here] blind while I was [once] seeing?"

20:126
[God] will say, "Thus Our signs came to you, and you forgot them; and thus you will be forgotten this Day."

20:127
And thus We recompense he who transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and more enduring.

20:128
Then, does it not guide them [when they see] how many generations We destroyed before them as they walk among their dwellings? Indeed, there are signs in that for those of intelligence.

20:129
And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord, punishment would have been an obligation [due immediately], and [if not for] a specified term [decreed].

20:130
So be patient over what they say and exalt [God] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; *Psalms 113:3 and exalt [Him] during periods of the night *Psalms 92:1 - 2, *Psalms 119:55, *Luke 6:12 and at the ends of the day so that you may be satisfied.

20:131
And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [for it is only] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.

20:132
And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be patient therein. We do not ask you for provision; We provide for you, and the end is for those who fear [God].

20:133
And they say, "Why does he not bring us a sign from his Lord?" Has evidence not come to them from what was in the former Scriptures? *2 Ezra 1:35

20:134
And if We had destroyed them with a punishment before him, they would have said, "Our Lord, why did You not send a messenger to us so we could have followed Your verses before we were humiliated and disgraced?"

20:135
Say, "Each [of us] is waiting; so wait. For you will know who the companions of the sound path are, and who is guided."