English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 26: Al-Shuara — The Poets (Revealed at Makkah: 11 sections, 227 verses)
Section 3 (Verses 26:34–26:51): Moses and the Enchanters
Translation:
قَالَ لِلۡمَلَاِ حَوۡلَہٗۤ اِنَّ ہٰذَا لَسٰحِرٌ عَلِیۡمٌ ﴿ۙ۳۴﴾
26:34 (Pharaoh) said to the chiefs around him: Surely this is a skilful enchanter,
یُّرِیۡدُ اَنۡ یُّخۡرِجَکُمۡ مِّنۡ اَرۡضِکُمۡ بِسِحۡرِہٖ ٭ۖ فَمَا ذَا تَاۡمُرُوۡنَ ﴿۳۵﴾
26:35 who desires to turn you out of your land with his enchantment. What is it then that you advise?
قَالُوۡۤا اَرۡجِہۡ وَ اَخَاہُ وَ ابۡعَثۡ فِی الۡمَدَآئِنِ حٰشِرِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۳۶﴾
26:36 They said: Put him off and his brother and send heralds into the cities
یَاۡتُوۡکَ بِکُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِیۡمٍ ﴿۳۷﴾
26:37 that they bring to you every skilful enchanter.
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَۃُ لِمِیۡقَاتِ یَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ ﴿ۙ۳۸﴾
26:38 So the enchanters were gathered together for the appointment of a well-known day,
وَّ قِیۡلَ لِلنَّاسِ ہَلۡ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّجۡتَمِعُوۡنَ ﴿ۙ۳۹﴾
26:39 and it was said to the people: Will you gather together?
لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَۃَ اِنۡ کَانُوۡا ہُمُ الۡغٰلِبِیۡنَ ﴿۴۰﴾
26:40 Perhaps we may follow the enchanters, if they are triumphant.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَۃُ قَالُوۡا لِفِرۡعَوۡنَ اَئِنَّ لَنَا لَاَجۡرًا اِنۡ کُنَّا نَحۡنُ الۡغٰلِبِیۡنَ ﴿۴۱﴾
26:41 So when the enchanters came, they said to Pharaoh: Will there be a reward for us, if we are triumphant?
قَالَ نَعَمۡ وَ اِنَّکُمۡ اِذًا لَّمِنَ الۡمُقَرَّبِیۡنَ ﴿۴۲﴾
26:42 He said: Yes, and surely you will then be among those who are nearest (to me).
قَالَ لَہُمۡ مُّوۡسٰۤی اَلۡقُوۡا مَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ مُّلۡقُوۡنَ ﴿۴۳﴾
26:43 Moses said to them: Throw down what you are going to throw.
فَاَلۡقَوۡا حِبَالَہُمۡ وَ عِصِیَّہُمۡ وَ قَالُوۡا بِعِزَّۃِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ اِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ الۡغٰلِبُوۡنَ ﴿۴۴﴾
26:44 So they threw down their cords and their rods and said: By Pharaoh’s power we shall most surely be victorious.
فَاَلۡقٰی مُوۡسٰی عَصَاہُ فَاِذَا ہِیَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا یَاۡفِکُوۡنَ ﴿ۚۖ۴۵﴾
26:45 Then Moses threw down his staff, and lo! it swallowed up their fabrication.
فَاُلۡقِیَ السَّحَرَۃُ سٰجِدِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۶﴾
26:46 And the enchanters were thrown down prostrate —
قَالُوۡۤا اٰمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۷﴾
26:47 They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,
رَبِّ مُوۡسٰی وَ ہٰرُوۡنَ ﴿۴۸﴾
26:48 the Lord of Moses and Aaron.
قَالَ اٰمَنۡتُمۡ لَہٗ قَبۡلَ اَنۡ اٰذَنَ لَکُمۡ ۚ اِنَّہٗ لَکَبِیۡرُکُمُ الَّذِیۡ عَلَّمَکُمُ السِّحۡرَ ۚ فَلَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۬ؕ لَاُقَطِّعَنَّ اَیۡدِیَکُمۡ وَ اَرۡجُلَکُمۡ مِّنۡ خِلَافٍ وَّ لَاُوصَلِّبَنَّکُمۡ اَجۡمَعِیۡنَ ﴿ۚ۴۹﴾
26:49 (Pharaoh) said: You believe in him before I give you permission; surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, so you will soon come to know. Certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.
قَالُوۡا لَا ضَیۡرَ ۫ اِنَّاۤ اِلٰی رَبِّنَا مُنۡقَلِبُوۡنَ ﴿ۚ۵۰﴾
26:50 They said: No harm; surely to our Lord we return.
اِنَّا نَطۡمَعُ اَنۡ یَّغۡفِرَ لَنَا رَبُّنَا خَطٰیٰنَاۤ اَنۡ کُنَّاۤ اَوَّلَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ﴿ؕ٪۵۱﴾
26:51 We hope that our Lord will forgive us our wrongs because we are the first of the believers.