28:1  Ta Seen Meem,

28:2  these are the verses of the Book that make everything clear.

28:3  We recite to you from the story of Moses and Pharaoh setting out the Truth for people who believe.

28:4  Pharaoh exalted himself and divided the people into factions: oppressing a segment of them, slaughtering their sons while sparing the women. He was one of those who spread corruption.

28:5  But, We wanted to favor those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders and make them inheritors of the land

28:6  and to empower them and show Pharaoh, Haman and their soldiers through them the very thing that they feared

28:7  So, We inspired Moses' mother, "Nurse him for now; but when you fear for his safety, put him into the river; do not be afraid and do not grieve. We will return him to you and will make him a messenger."

28:8  And Pharaoh's people picked him up, to become later an enemy to them and a source of grief, [since] Pharaoh and Haman and their soldiers were sinners.

28:9  Pharaoh's wife said, "He will be a delight for my eyes and yours. Do not kill him; He may be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son." They did not realize [the consequences of] what was going on.

28:10  [Later] Moses' mother felt her heart totally empty. She was about to disclose the matter had We not strengthened her heart that she would be counted among the believers.

28:11  And she said to his sister, "Follow him," so she watched him from a distance without being noticed.

28:12  And We made him reject all wet nurses, so she said, "Shall I tell you about a household that will feed him for you and be good to him?"

28:13  And We returned him to his mother so that she might delight her eyes with him, not grieve and know that God's promise is true. But most people do not know.

28:14  And when he attained his full strength and maturity, We gave him judgment and knowledge. And thus We reward those who do of good.

28:15  [One day] he entered the town unnoticed and found two men fighting, one from his own people and the other from his enemy. The one from his own people cried out to him for help against the enemy, so Moses struck him and killed him. [Moses] said, "This must be from Satan's doing. He is clearly an enemy who clearly leads [people] astray."

28:16  He said, "My Lord, I have done wrong. Please forgive me," and He forgave him. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful-to-all.

28:17  [Moses] said, "My Lord, with all of Your blessings to me, I will never support those who do evil."

28:18  Next morning, he entered the town, fearful and anxious, when suddenly the man who sought his help the previous day cried out to him again for help. Moses said to him, "You are clearly a troublemaker."

28:19  As [Moses] was about to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, [the man] said, "Moses, do you want to kill me as you killed that man yesterday? You want only to be an oppressor in the land and do not want to put things right."

28:20  And a man came from the far end of the town, running. He said, "Moses, they are talking about killing you, so leave; I am giving you a good advice."

28:21  So [Moses] left the town, fearful and on his guard. He said, "My Lord, save me from these oppressive people."

28:22  And as he made his way toward Midian, he was saying, "Perhaps my Lord will guide me in the right way."

28:23  When he came to the well of Midian, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and beside them he found two women holding back their flocks. He said, "What is going on?" They said, "We cannot water until the shepherds take their flocks away, and our father is an old man."

28:24  So he watered their flocks for them. Then he went back to the shade and said, "My Lord, I am very much in need for whatever good You might send down to me."

28:25  Then, one of the two women came walking toward him shyly and said, "My father would like to pay you for having watered [our flock] for us." So when Moses came to him and told him his story, he said, "Don't be afraid. You have escaped from those oppressive people."

28:26  One of the women said, "Father, hire him. A strong and the trustworthy man is the best that you can hire."

28:27  He said, "I want to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you, on [condition] that you work for me for eight full years; but if you complete ten, it will be seen [as a favor] from you. I do not wish to make things difficult for you. You will find me to be, God willing, a fair man."

28:28  [Moses] said, "That is a deal between us. Whichever of the two terms I complete, there should be no bad feelings toward me. May God be Witness over what we say."

28:29  When Moses completed the term and was traveling with his family, he noticed a fire from the direction of the mountain. He said to his family, "Stay here, I have seen a fire. Perhaps I will bring you from there [some] information or burning wood from the fire that you may warm yourselves."

28:30  But when he came to the fire, a voice called from the right side of the valley from the tree on the blessed spot, "Moses, I am God, Lord of the worlds."

28:31  "Throw down your staff." But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he fled in fear and would not return. "Moses [he was called again], comeback and do not be afraid. You are one of those who are safe.

28:32  Insert your hand in your garment; it will come out white, but unharmed. And hug your arms to your sides to still your fear, for those are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his inner circle. They have been defiant and disobedient people."

28:33  He said, "My Lord, I killed one of them, and I fear they will kill me.

28:34  My brother Aaron can speak better than I, so send him with me to support me and confirm my words. I fear they will call me a liar."

28:35  [God] said, "We will strengthen you through your brother and We shall give you both power so that they cannot touch you. With our signs, you and those who follow you will be victorious."

28:36  But when Moses came to them with Our clear signs, they said, "This is only false magic. We have not heard of this from our forefathers."

28:37  Moses said, "My Lord knows best who has come with guidance from Him and whose end will be best in the Hereafter. Those who are unjust do not succeed."

28:38  Pharaoh said, "Counselors, I have not known you to have a god other than Me. Haman, light me a fire to bake clay, and then build me a tower that I may climb up to Moses' God. I think he's a liar."

28:39  He and his soldiers behaved arrogantly in the land, as they did not know the Truth, and they thought that they would not return to Us.

28:40  So, We took him and his soldiers and threw them into the sea. See what became of the unjust.

28:41  We made them leaders calling [others] to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will receive no help.

28:42  And We pursued them with a curse in this world, and, on the Day of Resurrection, they will be among the despised.

28:43  After We had destroyed the earlier generations, We gave Moses the Book as enlightenment to the people, and as guidance and mercy so that they might be reminded.

28:44  You [Prophet], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We gave Our command to Moses, and you were not a witness.

28:45  But We produced [many] generations [after Moses], and life dragged on for them. You were not dwelling among the people of Midian, reciting Our verses to them, but We have always sent messages to people.

28:46  Nor were you on the side of the mount when We called [Moses], but [you were sent] as a mercy from your Lord to warn a people to whom no messenger had come before, so that they might be reminded,

28:47  that if a disaster should strike them for what they have done, they would not be able to say, "Our Lord, if You had only sent a messenger to us so we could have followed Your instructions and became believers."

28:48  But even when the Truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why Was [the Prophet] not given signs like those given to Moses?" Did they not previously deny what Moses was given? They said, "[These are just] two magicians supporting each other, and we are denying each of them."

28:49  Say, "If you are truthful, then bring a Book from God that gives better guidance than either of them that I may follow it."

28:50  But if they do not respond to you, then know that they are only following their whims and desires. And who is more lost than one who follows his own whims and desires without guidance from God? God does not guide unjust people.

28:51  We have continuously conveyed the Word to them that they might take heed.

28:52  Those to whom We gave the Book before [are bound to] believe it.

28:53  When it is recited to them, they say, "We believe in it. It is the Truth from our Lord. We had devoted ourselves to God even before this came to us."

28:54  They will be given their reward twice for what they patiently endured, and [because] they ward off evil with good, and give from what we have provided for them.

28:55  When they hear worthless talk, they turn away from it and say, "We have our deeds, and you have your deeds. Peace be with you; we do not seek the company of the ignorant."

28:56  "You [Prophet] cannot guide [to the Truth] whom you love, but God guides him who wants to be guided. And He knows best those who are guided".

28:57  They say, "If we were to follow the guidance with you, we would be torn from our land." Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary, to which are brought all kind of fruits, as provisions from Us? But most of them do not understand.

28:58  How many towns have We destroyed which lived in ease and plenty but were ungrateful? Here are their dwellings, virtually uninhabited since their time. We have inherited them.

28:59  Your Lord never destroys cities unless He [first] sends a messenger in their midst reciting Our verses, nor would We destroy cities unless their inhabitants were evil.

28:60  [People] whatever you are given is only for the [passing] enjoyment and vanity of this life, but what is with God is better and more lasting. Will you not, then, use reason?

28:61  Is the one who sees the fulfillment of the good promise We gave him [about the Hereafter] like the one We provided with worldly enjoyment [but] who, on the Day of Resurrection, is summoned [for punishment]?

28:62  On that Day, He will call them and say, "Where are My partners whom you used to claim?"

28:63  Those against whom the charge will be proved will say, "Our Lord, these are the people we led astray, just as we, too, were led astray. We declare our innocence to You; it was not us they were worshipping.

28:64  It will be said to them, "Call those 'partners.' " They will call them, but they will not respond to them, and they will see the punishment [that awaits]. If only they had followed Our guidance!

28:65  On that day He will call them and say, "How did you respond to My Messengers?"

28:66  All their usual arguments will be of no use to them that Day, and they will not [be able to] ask one another.

28:67  As for the one who has repented, believed, and done righteous deeds, he can hope that to be counted among the successful.

28:68  Your Lord creates whatever He wills and chooses; The choice is never theirs. May God be exalted in His Glory and far above all they associate with Him.

28:69  Your Lord knows what their hearts conceal and what they declare.

28:70  He is God; there is no god except Him. [All] praise belongs to Him in this world and the next. The judgment is His, and to Him you will be returned.

28:71  Say, "Just think, if God were to make the night continuous for you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than God could bring you light? Will you not listen?"

28:72  Say, "Just think, what if God should make daylight continuous for you until the Day of Resurrection, what god other than God could bring you the night in which to rest? Will you not see?"

28:73  But, out of His mercy, He made the night and the day for you so that you may rest, and seek from His favor, and perhaps give thanks.

28:74  On the Day He will call them and say, "Where are those you used to claim as My partners?"

28:75  We will pull out a witness from every nation and say, "Produce your evidence." They will then know that the Truth belongs to God alone, and [the gods] they have invented have forsaken them.

28:76  Korah was one of Moses' people, but he exploited them. We allowed him to have treasures, the keys to which would burden even a band of strong men. When his people told him, "Don't gloat . God does not like it, when people gloat,

28:77  seek the Hereafter with what God has given you, but do not neglect your share of this world. Do good as God has done good to you. Do not seek to cause corruption in the land, for God does not like those who spread corruption."

28:78  His answer was, "I was able to obtain this [wealth] because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that God had destroyed many generations before him, who had greater power than he, and greater wealth? But the criminals will not even be asked about their sins.

28:79  So he came out, in his splendor, before his people. Those who desired this worldly life said, "How we wish to have been given like what Korah had been given; he is truly a most fortunate man."

28:80  But those who had been given knowledge said, "You are wrong! God's reward is better for him who believes and does good deeds; only those with great patience will obtain this."

28:81  And We caused the earth to swallow him and his house. There was no one to help him against God, nor could he help himself.

28:82  And those who had wished in the previous day to be in his place said, "As if God gives abundantly or sparingly, to whomever He wishes of His servants. Oh! If God had not been gracious to us, He would have caused the earth to swallow us too. Alas, those who deny the truth will never succeed."

28:83  We grant a home in the Hereafter to those who do not desire superiority on earth or to spread corruption, for the [best] outcome is for those who are mindful of God.

28:84  Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgment] with a good deed will have a better reward, and whoever comes with an evil deed will be punished only for what they have done.

28:85  He who ordained the Qur'an for you [Prophet] will see you back to your destination. Say, "My Lord best knows he who brought true guidance, and he who is clearly lost."

28:86  You [Prophet] could not have expected that the Book would be conveyed to you, but [It is] a mercy from your Lord. So do not back up the unbelievers,

28:87  and never let them turn you away from God's revelations after they have been revealed to you. [Instead], invite people to your Lord. Never be one of those who associate others with God,

28:88  and do not invoke another god besides God; there is no god except Him. All things will perish except His Face. Judgment belongs to Him, and to Him you will be returned.