26. Surah Ash-Shu'ara, English Translation

These are the verses of the clear Book.

Perhaps you ˹O Prophet˺ will grieve yourself to death over their disbelief.

If We willed, We could send down upon them a ˹compelling˺ sign from the heavens, leaving their necks bent in ˹utter˺ submission to it.

Whatever new reminder comes to them from the Most Compassionate, they always turn away from it.

They have certainly denied ˹the truth˺, so they will soon face the consequences of their ridicule.

Have they failed to look at the earth, ˹to see˺ how many types of fine plants We have caused to grow in it?

Surely in this is a sign. Yet most of them would not believe.

And your Lord is certainly the Almighty, Most Merciful.

˹Remember˺ when your Lord called out to Moses, “Go to the wrongdoing people—

the people of Pharaoh. Will they not fear ˹Allah˺?”

He replied, “My Lord! I fear that they will reject me.

And ˹so˺ my heart will be broken and my tongue will be tied. So send Aaron along ˹as a messenger˺.

Also, they have a charge against me,¹ so I fear they may kill me.”

Allah responded, “Certainly not! So go, both of you, with Our signs. We will be with you, listening.

Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are messengers from the Lord of all worlds,

˹commanded to say:˺ ‘Let the Children of Israel go with us.’’”

Pharaoh protested, “Did we not raise you among us as a child, and you stayed several years of your life in our care?

Then you did what you did,¹ being ˹utterly˺ ungrateful!”

Moses replied, “I did it then, lacking guidance.

So I fled from you when I feared you. Then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me one of the messengers.

How can that be a ‘favour,’ of which you remind me, when ˹it was only because˺ you ˹have˺ enslaved the Children of Israel?”

Pharaoh asked, “And what is ‘the Lord of all worlds’?”

Moses replied, “˹He is˺ the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, if only you had sure faith.”

Pharaoh said to those around him, “Did you hear ˹what he said˺?”

Moses added, “˹He is˺ your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”

Pharaoh said ˹mockingly˺, “Your messenger, who has been sent to you, must be insane.”

Moses responded: “˹He is˺ the Lord of the east and west, and everything in between, if only you had any sense.”

Pharaoh threatened, “If you take any other god besides me, I will certainly have you imprisoned.”

Moses responded, “Even if I bring you a clear proof?”

Pharaoh demanded, “Bring it then, if what you say is true.”

So he threw down his staff and—behold!—it became a real snake.

Then he drew his hand ˹out of his collar˺ and it was ˹shining˺ white for all to see.

Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, “He is indeed a skilled magician,

who seeks to drive you from your land by his magic. So what do you propose?”

They replied, “Let him and his brother wait and dispatch mobilizers to all cities

to bring you every skilled magician.”

So the magicians were assembled at the set time on the appointed day.

And the people were asked, “Will you join the gathering,

so that we may follow the magicians if they prevail?”

When the magicians came, they asked Pharaoh, “Shall we have a ˹suitable˺ reward if we prevail?”

He replied, “Yes, and you will then certainly be among those closest to me.”

Moses said to them, “Cast whatever you wish to cast.”

So they cast down their ropes and staffs, saying, “By Pharaoh’s might, it is we who will surely prevail.”

Then Moses threw down his staff, and—behold!—it devoured the objects of their illusion!

So the magicians fell down, prostrating.

They declared, “We ˹now˺ believe in the Lord of all worlds—

the Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

Pharaoh threatened, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? He must be your master who taught you magic, but soon you will see. I will certainly cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, then crucify you all.”

They responded, “˹That would be˺ no harm! Surely to our Lord we will ˹all˺ return.