Pharaoh, dealings with Moses

Then We sent after them Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, but they were unjust toward them.¹ So see how was the end of the corrupters.

And Moses said, "O Pharaoh, I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds

[Who is] obligated not to say about Allāh except the truth. I have come to you with clear evidence from your Lord, so send with me the Children of Israel."¹

[Pharaoh] said, "If you have come with a sign, then bring it forth, if you should be of the truthful."

So he [i.e., Moses] threw his staff, and suddenly it was a serpent, manifest.¹

And he drew out his hand; thereupon it was white [with radiance] for the observers.

Said the eminent among the people of Pharaoh, "Indeed, this is a learned magician

Who wants to expel you from your land [through magic], so what do you instruct?"

They said,¹ "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers

Who will bring you every learned magician."

And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."

He said, "Yes, and, [moreover], you will be among those made near [to me]."

They said, "O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]."

He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.¹

And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.

So the truth was established, and abolished was what they were doing.

And they [i.e., Pharaoh and his people] were overcome right there and became debased.

And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allāh].

They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds,

The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him¹ before I gave you permission. Indeed, this is a conspiracy which you conspired in the city to expel therefrom its people. But you are going to know.

I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides; then I will surely crucify you all."

They said, "Indeed, to our Lord we will return.

And you do not resent us except because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us. Our Lord, pour upon us patience¹ and let us die as Muslims [in submission to You]."

And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."

Said Moses to his people, "Seek help through Allāh and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allāh. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous."

They said, "We have been harmed before you came to us and after you have come to us." He said, "Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and grant you succession in the land and see how you will do."

And We certainly seized¹ the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and a deficiency in fruits that perhaps they would be reminded.

But when good [i.e., provision] came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allāh, but most of them do not know.

And they said, "No matter what sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you."

So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood as distinct signs, but they were arrogant and were a criminal people.

And when the punishment descended upon them, they said, "O Moses, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. If you [can] remove the punishment from us, we will surely believe you, and we will send with you the Children of Israel."

But when We removed the punishment from them until a term which they were to reach,¹ then at once they broke their word.

So We took retribution from them, and We drowned them in the sea because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them.

And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and the western ones, which We had blessed. And the good word [i.e., decree] of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building.

Then We sent after them Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his establishment with Our signs, but they behaved arrogantly and were a criminal people.

So when there came to them the truth from Us, they said, "Indeed, this is obvious magic."

Moses said, "Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed."

They said, "Have you come to us to turn us away from that upon which we found our fathers and so that you two may have grandeur in the land? And we are not believers in you."

And Pharaoh said, "Bring to me every learned magician."

So when the magicians came, Moses said to them, "Throw down whatever you will throw."

And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allāh will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allāh does not amend the work of corrupters.

And Allāh will establish the truth by His words, even if the criminals dislike it."

But no one believed Moses, except [some] offspring [i.e., youths] among his people, for fear of Pharaoh and his establishment that they would persecute them. And indeed, Pharaoh was haughty within the land, and indeed, he was of the transgressors.

And Moses said, "O my people, if you have believed in Allāh, then rely upon Him, if you should be Muslims [i.e., submitting to Him]."

So they said, "Upon Allāh do we rely. Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial for the wrongdoing people

And save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people."

And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah¹ and establish prayer and give good tidings to the believers."

And Moses said, "Our Lord, indeed You have given Pharaoh and his establishment splendor and wealth in the worldly life, our Lord, that they may lead [men] astray from Your way. Our Lord, obliterate their wealth and harden their hearts so that they will not believe until they see the painful punishment."

[Allāh] said, "Your supplication has been answered."¹ So remain on a right course and follow not the way of those who do not know."

And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him, he said, "I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims."

Now? And you had disobeyed [Him] before and were of the corrupters?

So today We will save you in body¹ that you may be to those who succeed you a sign. And indeed, many among the people, of Our signs, are heedless.