The proud leaders of his people said, “O Shuaib, we swear we will banish you and the Muslims who are with you, from our town or you must return to our religion”; he said, “Even though we detest it?”

“We shall then have fabricated a lie against Allah if we return to your religion after Allah has rescued us from it; and it is not for any of us Muslims to return to your religion except if Allah, Who is our Lord, wills; the knowledge of our Lord encompasses all things; in Allah only we have trusted; our Lord! Decide with justice between us and our people – and Yours is the best decision.”

And the disbelieving leaders of his people said, “If you obey Shuaib, you will indeed be in a loss.”

Therefore the earthquake seized them – so at morning they remained lying flattened in their homes.

As if those who denied Shoaib had never lived in those homes; those who denied Shoaib, were themselves ruined.

So Shoaib turned away from them saying, “O my people! Indeed I did deliver my Lord’s message to you and gave you sound advice; so why should I grieve for the disbelievers?” (The people in the graves can hear the speech of those who are on earth.)

And never did We send any Prophet to a dwelling but We seized its people with hardship and adversity so that they may become humble.

Then We changed the misfortune into prosperity to the extent that they became numerous and said, “Indeed grief and comfort did reach our ancestors” – so We seized them suddenly in their neglect.

And had the people of the dwellings believed and been pious, We would have surely opened for them the blessings from the sky and from the earth, but in fact they denied, and We therefore seized them on account of their deeds.

Do the people of the dwellings not fear that Our wrath may come upon them at night while they are asleep?

Or do the people of the dwellings not fear that Our wrath may come upon them during the day, while they are playing?

Are they oblivious to Allah’s secret plan? So none is unafraid of Allah’s secret plan except the people of ruin!

Or did not those who inherited the land after its owners, get enough guidance that if We will, We can afflict them with calamity for their sins? And We set seals upon their hearts so they do not hear.

These are the dwellings – the affairs of which We relate to you (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him); and indeed their (respective) Noble Messengers came to them with clear proofs; so they were not able to believe in what they had denied before; this is how Allah sets seals upon the hearts of disbelievers.

And We found most of them not true to their words; and indeed We found most of them disobedient.

Then after them, We sent Moosa with our signs to Firaun and his court members, but they did injustice to those signs; therefore see what sort of fate befell the mischievous!

And Moosa said, “O Firaun! Indeed I am a Noble Messenger from the Lord Of The Creation.”

“It is obligatory for me not to speak concerning Allah except the truth; I have come to you all with a clear sign from your Lord, therefore let the Descendants of Israel go with me.”

Said Firaun, “If you have come with a sign, then present it if you are truthful!”

Therefore Moosa put down his staff – it immediately turned into a visible python.

And putting his hand in his bosom, withdrew it – so it shone brightly before the beholders.

Said the chieftains of Firaun’s people, “He is really an expert magician.”

“He wishes to expel you all from your kingdom; so what do you advise?”

They said, “Stop him and his brother, and send announcers to the cities to gather people.”

“To bring all the expert magicians to you.”

And the magicians came to Firaun, and said, “Will we get some reward if we are victorious?”

He said, “Yes, and you will then become close to me.”

They said, “O Moosa! You may throw first – or shall we be the first to throw?”

He said, “You throw”; when they threw, they cast a magic spell upon the people’s eyes and terrified them, and they brought a great magic.

And We inspired Moosa that, “Put forth your staff”; it immediately began swallowing up their fabrications.

So the truth was proved and their works were disproved.

They were therefore defeated here and they turned back humiliated.

And the magicians were obliged to fall prostrate.

They said, “We have accepted faith in the Lord Of The Creation.”

“The Lord of Moosa and Haroon.”

Said Firaun, “You have accepted faith in Him before I gave you permission! This is indeed a grand conspiracy you have plotted in the city, in order to expel its people from it; so now you will come to know!”

“I swear I will cut off your hands and your feet from alternate sides and then crucify you all.”

They said, “We shall return to our Lord.”

“And what did you dislike in us, except that we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us? Our Lord! Pour (bestow abundantly) patience on us, and bestow us death as Muslims.”

The chieftains of Firaun’s people said, “Are you releasing Moosa and his people to cause turmoil in the land, and for Moosa to abandon you and your appointed deities?” He said, “We shall now slay their sons and spare their women; and indeed we have power over them.”

Moosa said to his people, “Seek the help of Allah and patiently endure; indeed the Owner of the earth is Allah – He appoints as its successor whomever He wills; and the final triumph is for the pious.”

They said, “We have been oppressed before you came to us, and after you have come to us”; he said, “It is likely that your Lord may destroy your enemy and in his place make you the rulers of the earth, and then see what deeds you perform.”

And indeed We seized the people of Firaun with a famine of several years and with reduction of fruits, so that they may follow advice.

So when good would reach them they would say, “This is for us”; and when misfortune reached them, they would infer it as ill omens of Moosa and his companions; pay heed! The misfortune of their ill luck lies with Allah, but most of them are unaware.

And said, “You may come with any sign to us, in order to cast a magic spell on us – yet by no means are we going to believe in you.”

We therefore sent against them the flood and the locusts and the vermin (or insects) and the frogs and the blood – separate signs; in response they were proud and were a guilty people.

And whenever the punishment came upon them they said, “O Moosa! Pray to your Lord for us, by means of His covenant which you have; indeed if you lift the punishment from us we will surely accept faith in you and let the Descendants of Israel go with you.”

Consequently whenever We lifted the punishment from them for a term which they must reach, they used to then turn away.

We therefore took revenge from them; so We drowned them in the sea for they used to deny Our signs and were ignoring them.

And We made the people who were oppressed, the inheritors of the eastern and western parts of the land in which We placed blessings; and the good promise of your Lord was fulfilled for the Descendants of Israel – the reward of their patience; and We destroyed whatever Firaun and his people built and whatever they had contrived.

And We transported the Descendants of Israel across the sea – so they came across a people who used to squat in seclusion in front of their idols; they said, “O Moosa! Make a God for us, the way they have so many Gods!” He said, “You are indeed an ignorant people.”

“The condition they are in is, in fact, one of destruction – and all what they do is utter falsehood.”

He said, “Shall I seek for you a God other than Allah, whereas He has given you superiority above the entire world?” (By sending His message towards you).

And remember when We rescued you from Firaun’s people who were afflicting you with a dreadful torment; slaughtering your sons and sparing your daughters; and in it was a great favour from your Lord.

And We agreed with Moosa a covenant for thirty nights (of solitude) and completed it by adding ten to them, so the covenant of His Lord amounted to forty nights in full; and Moosa said to his brother Haroon, “Be my deputy over my people and make reform and do not allow the ways of the mischievous to enter.”

And when Moosa presented himself upon Our promise, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, “My Lord! Show me Your Self, so that I may see You”; He said, “You will never be able to see Me, but look towards the mountain – if it stays in its place, then you shall soon see Me”; so when his Lord directed His light on the mountain, He blew it into bits and Moosa fell down unconscious; then upon regaining consciousness he said, “Purity is to You! I incline towards You, and I am the first Muslim.”

Said Allah, “O Moosa! I have chosen you from mankind by (bestowing) My messages and by My speech; so accept what I have bestowed upon you and be among the thankful.”

And We wrote for him on the tablets, the advice for all things and the details of all things; and commanded “Accept it firmly and command your people to choose its good advices; soon I shall show you people the destination of the disobedient.”

“And I shall turn away from My signs the people who unjustly wish to be admired in the earth; and if they see all the signs, they would not believe them; and if they see the path of guidance, they would not prefer to tread it; and if they see the way of error, they would present themselves to tread it; that is because they denied Our signs and were ignoring them.

And those who denied Our signs and the confronting of the Hereafter – all their deeds are wasted; what recompense will they get, except what they used to do?

And behind Moosa, his people moulded a calf from their ornaments – a lifeless body making sounds like a cow; did they not see that it neither speaks to them nor guides them in any way? They chose it (for worship), and were unjust.

And when they repented and realised that they had gone astray, they said, “If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, we are ruined.”

And when Moosa returned to his people, angry and upset, he said, “What an evil way you have handled affairs on my behalf, behind me; did you hasten upon the command of your Lord?” And he cast down the stone tablets, and catching hold of his brothers hair, began pulling him towards him; said Haroon said, “O the son of my mother! The people thought I was weak and would have probably killed me; so do not make my enemies laugh at me and do not identify me with the unjust.”

He submitted, “My Lord! Forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy; and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.”

Indeed those who took the calf – the punishment from their Lord, and humiliation will reach them in the life of this world; and this is the way We reward those who fabricate lies.

And those who performed misdeeds and then repented and accepted faith – so after that, your Lord is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And when the anger of Moosa abated, he picked up the stone tablets; and in their texts are guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord.

And Moosa chose seventy men from his people for Our promise; therefore when the earthquake seized them, he submitted, “My Lord! If You had willed You could have destroyed them and me, even earlier! Will You destroy us for the deeds which the ignorant among us did? That is not but Your testing us; with it You send astray whomever You will and guide whomever You will; You are our Master, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the Best of the Forgiving.”

“And destine good for us in this world and in the Hereafter – We have indeed inclined towards You”; He said, “I give My punishment to whomever I will; and My mercy encompasses all things; so I shall soon destine favours for those who fear and pay the charity, and they believe in Our signs.”

“Those who will obey this Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), the Herald of the Hidden who is untutored* (except by Allah), whom they will find mentioned in the Taurat and the Injeel with them; he will command them to do good and forbid them from wrong, and he will make lawful for them the good clean things and prohibit the foul for them, and he will unburden the loads and the neck chains which were upon them; so those who believe in him, and revere** him, and help him, and follow the light which came down with him – it is they who have succeeded." (*The Holy Prophet was taught by Allah Himself – see Surah 55 Al-Rahman. **To honour the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him – is part of faith. To disrespect him is blasphemy.)

Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “O people! Indeed I am, towards you all, the Noble Messenger of Allah – for Whom (Allah) only is the kingship of the heavens and the earth; there is none worthy of worship, except Him – giving life and giving death; therefore believe in Allah and His Noble Messenger, the Prophet who is untutored (except by Allah), who believes in Allah and His Words, and obey him (the Prophet) to attain guidance.” (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is the Prophet towards all mankind.)

And among the people of Moosa is a group that shows the true path, and establishes justice with it.

And We divided them into twelve tribes, as separate groups; and when his people asked him for water, We revealed to Moosa, “Strike the rock with your staff”; so twelve springs gushed forth from it; each group recognised its drinking-place; and We made the clouds a canopy over them and sent down the Manna and the Salwa (birds) on them; “Eat of the good things we have provided you”; and they did not wrong Us in the least, but they used to wrong themselves.

And remember when they were commanded, “Reside in this township and eat whatever you wish in it, and say ‘Sins are forgiven’ and enter the gate prostrating – We will forgive you your sins; We shall soon bestow more upon the virtuous.”

So the unjust among them changed the words, contrary to what they had been commanded – consequently We sent down upon them a punishment from the sky – the recompense of their injustice.

And ask them (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) of the township that was by the sea; when they used to exceed in the matter of the Sabbath – when their fish used to come swimming atop the water in front of them on the day of Sabbath and not come on the days it was not Sabbath; this is how We used to test them, due to their disobedience.

And when a group among them said, “Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is going to destroy or mete out a severe punishment?” They said, “To have an excuse before your Lord, and that perhaps they may fear.”

And when they forgot the advices they had been given, We rescued those who forbade evil, and seized the unjust with a dreadful punishment – the recompense of their disobedience.

Consequently when they rebelled against the command to refrain, We said to them, “Be apes, despised!”

And remember when your Lord announced the command that till the Day of Resurrection I will certainly send such oppressors against them, who will inflict them with a dreadful punishment; indeed your Lord is swift in meting out punishment; and indeed He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And We divided them in the earth as separate groups; some of them are righteous and some are the other type; and We tested them with good (favours) and evil things (adversities) so that they may return.

And after them in their place, came those unworthy successors who inherited the Books – they accept the goods of this world (as bribes) and say, “We shall soon be forgiven”; and if similar goods come to them again, they would accept it; was not the covenant taken from them in the Book, that they must not relate anything to Allah except the truth, and they have studied it? And indeed the abode of the Hereafter is better for the pious; so do you not have sense?

And those who hold fast to the Book, and have kept the prayer established; and We do not waste the wages of the righteous.

And when We raised the Mount (Sinai) above them as if it were a canopy, and they thought that it would fall upon them; “Accept firmly what We have given you, and remember what is in it, so that you may become pious.”

And remember when your Lord brought forth the generations from the backs of the Descendants of Adam, and made them their own witness; “Am I not your Lord?”; they all said, “Yes surely You are, why not? We testify”; for you may say on the Day of Resurrection that, “We were unaware of this.”

Or you may say, “It is our ancestors who first ascribed partners (to Allah) and we were (their) children after them; so will You destroy us on account of the deeds of the followers of falsehood?”

And this is how We explain the verses in different ways, and so that they may return.

And O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) recite to them the case of the one to whom We gave Our revelations, and in response he departed from them completely – so Satan went after him – he therefore became of the astray.

And had We willed We could have raised him because of the revelations, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires; his condition therefore is like that of a dog; if you attack him he hangs out his tongue and if you leave him he hangs out his tongue; this is the state of the people who denied Our signs; therefore preach, so that they may give thought.

What an evil example is of those who denied Our signs and used to wrong only their own souls.

Whomever Allah guides – only he is on the right path; and whomever He sends astray – it is they who are the losers.

And indeed We have created many jinns and men for hell; they have hearts in which their is no understanding; and the eyes they do not see with; and the ears they do not hear with; they are like cattle – in fact more astray; it is they who are the neglectful.

And for Allah only are the best names, so invoke Him by them; and abandon those who depart from the truth regarding His names; they will soon receive the reward of their deeds.

And from Our creation is a group that shows the truth and establishes justice with it.

And those who denied Our signs – We shall soon steadily lead them towards the punishment, from the place they will not know.

And I will give them respite; indeed My secret plan is extremely solid.

Do they not ponder that their companion is far removed from insanity? In fact he is clearly a Herald of Warning.

Have they not pondered deeply regarding the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever things Allah created? And that possibly their promise (of death) may have come near? So after this*, in what will they believe? (*Advent of the Last Prophet and the Holy Qur’an.)

For one whom Allah sends astray, there is none to guide him; and He leaves them to wander in their rebellion.

They ask you about the Resurrection, as to when it is destined; say, “Indeed its knowledge is with my Lord; only He will manifest it at its time; it is proving cumbersome in the heavens and the earth; it will not come to you except suddenly”; they question you as if you have researched it deeply; say, “Indeed its knowledge is with Allah only but most people do not know.”

Say, “I have no autonomy to benefit or hurt myself, except what Allah wills; and were I to procure knowledge of the hidden on my own, it would be that I had accumulated a lot of good; and no misfortune would touch me; I am purely a Herald of Warning and Glad Tidings to the people who believe.”

It is He Who created you from a single soul, and from him made its mate for him to gain comfort with her; so when the male covered her, she was burdened lightly in her womb, and she therefore moved easily carrying it; and when she felt the burden heavy, they both cried to their Lord Allah, “Indeed You may give to us a child as You will, so we will surely be thankful.”

So when He bestowed them a normal child, they ascribed partners (to Him) in respect of what He had bestowed upon them; therefore Supreme is Allah, above all that they ascribe as partners.

Do they (the disbelievers) ascribe (false deities) that which do not create anything, but are themselves created?

And cannot provide any help to them, nor do they help themselves?

And if you call the disbelievers to guidance, they do not follow you; it is the same for you, whether you invite them or remain silent.

Indeed those whom you (the disbelievers) worship besides Allah are slaves like you – so call them and they may answer you, if you are truthful!

Do they have feet to walk with? Or have they hands to hold with? Or have they eyes to see with? Or have they ears to hear with? Say, “Call upon your ascribed partners and conspire against me, and do not give me respite.”

“Indeed my Protector is Allah Who has sent down the Book; and He befriends the righteous.”

“And those whom you worship besides Him cannot help you nor do they help themselves.”

And if you call them to guidance they do not listen; and you (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) observe them looking towards you, whereas they do not perceive anything.

And O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) adopt forgiveness, and enjoin virtue, and turn away from the ignorant.

And O listener! If the devil provokes you, seek the refuge of Allah; indeed He is All Hearing, All Knowing.

Indeed those who fear get alerted whenever a temptation from the devil troubles them, and they perceive immediately.

And the devils pull those who their brothers into error, and then do not make any relaxation.

And O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) when you do not bring to them a verse, they say, “Why did you not fabricate it?” Say, “I follow only what is divinely revealed to me from my Lord”; this (the Holy Qur’an) is an enlightenment from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for the Muslims.

And when the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and keep silent, so that you receive mercy.

And remember your Lord within your hearts humbly and with fear, and softly with your tongues, morning and evening, and do not be of the neglectful.

Indeed those who are with your Lord are not conceited towards worshipping Him, and they proclaim His Purity and it is to Him they prostrate. (Command of Prostration # 1)

They ask you O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) concerning the war booty; say, “Allah and the Noble Messenger are the owners of the war booty; so fear Allah and maintain friendship among yourselves; and obey Allah and His Noble Messenger, if you have faith."

Only they are the believers whose hearts fear when Allah is remembered, and their faith advances when His verses are recited to them, and who trust only in their Lord.

Those who keep the prayer established and spend in Our cause from what We have bestowed upon them.

These are the true Muslims; for them are ranks before their Lord, and forgiveness and an honourable sustenance.

The way your Lord caused you, O dear Prophet to come forth from your home with the truth; and indeed a group of Muslims were unhappy about it.

Disputing with you regarding the truth after it had been made clear, as if they were being herded towards a visible death.

And remember when Allah promised you that one of the two groups (of enemies) is for you, and you wished to get the one that posed no danger, and Allah willed to prove the truth with His Words, and to cut the origins of the disbelievers.

In order that He may prove the truth and disprove falsehood, even if the criminals get annoyed.

When you (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) were seeking the help of your Lord, so He answered your prayers that, “I will help you with a row of thousands of angels.”

And Allah did this just for your happiness and for your hearts to gain contentment; and help does not come except from Allah; indeed Allah is Almighty, Wise.

When He made the slumber overcome you, so it was as a peacefulness from Him, and sent down water from the sky upon you to purify you with it, and to remove the impurity of Satan from you, and to give your hearts fortitude and firmly establish your feet with it.

And when O dear Prophet, your Lord was inspiring the angels that, “I am with you – so make the believers stand firm; I will soon instil fear into the hearts of the disbelievers, so strike above the disbelievers’ necks and hit their each and every bone joint.”

This is because they opposed Allah and His Noble Messenger; and whoever opposes Allah and His Noble Messenger – then indeed Allah’s punishment is severe.

Therefore taste this for now, and along with it for the disbelievers is the punishment of fire.

O People who Believe! When you confront a large army of disbelievers in battle, do not turn your backs to them.

And on that day whoever turns his back to them, except for a battle strategy or to join one’s own company, has then turned towards Allah’s wrath, and his destination is hell; and what an evil place of return!

So you did not slay them, but in fact Allah slew them; and O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) you did not throw (the sand) when you did throw, but in fact Allah threw; and in order to bestow an excellent reward upon the Muslims; indeed Allah is the All Hearing, the All Knowing.

Therefore take this, and (know that) Allah will weaken the scheme of the disbelievers.

O disbelievers! If you seek a judgement, then this judgement has come to you; and if you desist, it is better for you; and if you return to mischief, We will punish you again; and your populace will not benefit you, however large it may be – and besides this, Allah is with the Muslims.

O People who Believe! Obey Allah and His Noble Messenger, and do not turn away from him after you have heard him speak.

And do not be like those who said, “We have heard”, whereas they do not hear.

Indeed the worst beasts in the sight of Allah are those (people) who are deaf, dumb – who do not have any sense.

And had Allah found any goodness in them, He would have made them hear; and had He made them hear they would, in the end, have turned away and gone back.

O People who Believe! Present yourselves upon the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, when the Noble Messenger calls you towards the matter that will bestow you life; and know that the command of Allah becomes a barrier between a man and his heart’s intentions, and that you will all be raised towards Him.

And fear the turmoil which will certainly not fall only upon a few selected unjust people among you; and know that Allah’s punishment is severe.

And remember when you were only a few and meek in the land, and feared that men may snatch you away – He therefore gave you refuge and strengthened you with His help, and gave you good things as sustenance, so that you may be thankful.

O People who Believe! Do not betray Allah and His Noble Messenger, nor purposely defraud your trusts.

And know that your wealth and your children are a test, and that with Allah is an immense reward.

O People who Believe! If you fear Allah, He will bestow upon you (the criterion) that with which you will separate the truth from falsehood, and He will unburden your misdeeds and forgive you; and Allah is the Extremely Munificent.

And remember O dear Prophet when the disbelievers were scheming against you to either imprison you, or to kill you or to banish you; and they were scheming, and Allah was making His secret plan; and Allah’s secret plan is the best.

And when Our verses are recited to them they say, “Yes, we have heard – if we wanted we could also say something like this – these are nothing but stories of former people!”

And when they said, “O Allah! If this (the Qur’an) is really the truth from You, then shower upon us a rain of stones from the sky, or bring upon us some painful punishment.”

And it is not for Allah to punish them while you O dear Prophet (Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) are amongst them; and Allah will not punish them as long as they are seeking forgiveness. (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is a mercy unto mankind.)

And what is with them that Allah should not punish them, whereas in fact they prevent from the Sacred Mosque and they are not worthy (of being the custodians) of it; only the pious are its befitting custodians, but most of them do not have knowledge.

And their prayer near the Kaa’bah is nothing except whistling and clapping; “So now taste the punishment – the result of your disbelief.”

Indeed the disbelievers spend their wealth in order to prevent people from the way of Allah; so they will spend it now, and then regret over it, then they will be defeated; and the disbelievers will be gathered towards hell.

In order that Allah may separate the filthy from the pure, and placing the filthy atop one another, make a heap and throw them into hell; it is they who are the losers.

Say to the disbelievers that if they desist, what has passed will be forgiven to them; and if they do the same, the tradition of former people has already passed.

And fight them until no mischief remains and the entire religion is only for Allah; then if they desist, Allah sees all what they do.

And if they turn away, then know that Allah is your Master; so what an Excellent Master and what an Excellent Supporter!