Surah Al-Qasas (28): Read Online and Download - English Translation

This page contains all verses of surah Al-Qasas in addition to Interpretation of all verses by Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Hafiz Ibn Kathir). In the first part you can read surah القصص ordered in pages exactly as it is present in the Quran. To read an interpretation of a verse click on its number.

Information About Surah Al-Qasas

Surah Al-Qasas
سُورَةُ القَصَصِ
Page 387 (Verses from 14 to 21)

وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَٱسْتَوَىٰٓ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ وَدَخَلَ ٱلْمَدِينَةَ عَلَىٰ حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَٰذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ وَهَٰذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ ۖ فَٱسْتَغَٰثَهُ ٱلَّذِى مِن شِيعَتِهِۦ عَلَى ٱلَّذِى مِنْ عَدُوِّهِۦ فَوَكَزَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ فَقَضَىٰ عَلَيْهِ ۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِّلْمُجْرِمِينَ فَأَصْبَحَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَنصَرَهُۥ بِٱلْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ فَلَمَّآ أَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَبْطِشَ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَّهُمَا قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۢا بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۖ إِن تُرِيدُ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَن تَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِينَ وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ مِّنْ أَقْصَا ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱلْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَٱخْرُجْ إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّٰصِحِينَ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
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Listen to Surah Al-Qasas (Arabic and English translation)

Tafsir of Surah Al-Qasas (Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Hafiz Ibn Kathir)

English Translation

And when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good.

English Transliteration

Walamma balagha ashuddahu waistawa ataynahu hukman waAAilman wakathalika najzee almuhsineena

How Musa killed a Coptic Man

Having described Musa's beginnings, Allah then tells us that when he reached maturity, and was complete in stature, Allah gave him Hukm and religious knowledge. Mujahid said that this means prophethood.

وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(And thus do We reward the doers of good.) Then Allah describes how Musa reached the status that was decreed for him, that of Prophethood and speaking to Allah, as a direct consequence of killing the Coptic, which was the reason why he left Egypt and went to Madyan. Allah says:

وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَى حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا

(And he entered the city when its people were unaware.) Ibn Jurayj narrated from `Ata' Al-Khurasani, from Ibn `Abbas, "That was between Maghrib and `Isha'." Ibn Al-Munkadir narrated from `Ata' bin Yasar from Ibn `Abbas, "That was in the middle of the day." This was also the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Qatadah.

فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلاَنِ

(and he found there two men fighting,) meaning, hitting one another and struggling with one another.

هَـذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ

(one of his party, ) meaning, an Israelite,

وَهَـذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ

(and the other of his foes.) meaning, a Coptic. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Muhammad bin Ishaq. The Israelite man asked Musa, peace be upon him, for help, and Musa took advantage of the fact that people were not paying attention, so he went to the Coptic man and

فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَى فَقَضَى عَلَيْهِ

(so Musa struck him with his fist and he died.) Mujahid said, "This means he punched him with his fist." And then he died.

قَالَ

(He said) refers to Musa.

وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَى حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلاَنِ هَـذَا مِن شِيعَتِهِ وَهَـذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَاسْتَغَـثَهُ الَّذِى مِن شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِى مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَى فَقَضَى عَلَيْهِ قَالَ هَـذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَـنِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُّضِلٌّ مُّبِينٌ - قَالَ رَب إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَاغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ

("This is of Shaytan's doing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy." He said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me." Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. He said: "My Lord! For that with which You have favored me,) meaning, `what You have given me of prestige, power and blessings -- '

فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيراً

(I will nevermore be a helper of the criminals!) `those who disbelieve in You and go against Your commands.'

English Translation

And he entered the city at a time of inattention by its people and found therein two men fighting: one from his faction and one from among his enemy. And the one from his faction called for help to him against the one from his enemy, so Moses struck him and [unintentionally] killed him. [Moses] said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy."

English Transliteration

Wadakhala almadeenata AAala heeni ghaflatin min ahliha fawajada feeha rajulayni yaqtatilani hatha min sheeAAatihi wahatha min AAaduwwihi faistaghathahu allathee min sheeAAatihi AAala allathee min AAaduwwihi fawakazahu moosa faqada AAalayhi qala hatha min AAamali alshshaytani innahu AAaduwwun mudillun mubeenun

English Translation

He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

English Transliteration

Qala rabbi innee thalamtu nafsee faighfir lee faghafara lahu innahu huwa alghafooru alrraheemu

English Translation

He said, "My Lord, for the favor You bestowed upon me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals."

English Transliteration

Qala rabbi bima anAAamta AAalayya falan akoona thaheeran lilmujrimeena

English Translation

And he became inside the city fearful and anticipating [exposure], when suddenly the one who sought his help the previous day cried out to him [once again]. Moses said to him, "Indeed, you are an evident, [persistent] deviator."

English Transliteration

Faasbaha fee almadeenati khaifan yataraqqabu faitha allathee istansarahu bialamsi yastasrikhuhu qala lahu moosa innaka laghawiyyun mubeenun

How the Secret of this Killing became known

Allah tells us that when Musa killed that Coptic,

فِى الْمَدِينَةِ خَآئِفاً

(he became afraid in the city) meaning, of the consequences of his action,

يَتَرَقَّبُ

(looking about) means, turning around and watching out, waiting for the consequences of his action to befall him. He went out and about, and saw the man who sought his help the day before, fighting with another Coptic. When Musa passed by him, he called for his help again, against this other Coptic. Musa said to him:

إِنَّكَ لَغَوِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ

(Verily, you are a plain misleader!) meaning, `you obviously lead people astray and are very evil.' Then Musa intended to attack that Coptic, but the Israelite -- because of his own cowardice and weakness -- thought that Musa wanted to hit him because of what he had said, so he said, in self-defence --

يمُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَن تَقْتُلَنِى كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْساً بِالاٌّمْسِ

(O Musa! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday) Nobody except him and Musa, peace be upon him, knew about it, but when the other Coptic heard this, he took the news to Fir`awn's gate and told him about it. So Fir`awn came to know of it, and he became very angry and resolved to kill Musa, so he sent people after him to bring him to him.

English Translation

And when he wanted to strike the one who was an enemy to both of them, he said, "O Moses, do you intend to kill me as you killed someone yesterday? You only want to be a tyrant in the land and do not want to be of the amenders."

English Transliteration

Falamma an arada an yabtisha biallathee huwa AAaduwwun lahuma qala ya moosa atureedu an taqtulanee kama qatalta nafsan bialamsi in tureedu illa an takoona jabbaran fee alardi wama tureedu an takoona mina almusliheena

English Translation

And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, "O Moses, indeed the eminent ones are conferring over you [intending] to kill you, so leave [the city]; indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors."

English Transliteration

Wajaa rajulun min aqsa almadeenati yasAAa qala ya moosa inna almalaa yatamiroona bika liyaqtulooka faokhruj innee laka mina alnnasiheena

وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ

(And there came a man) He is described as being a man because he had the courage to take a different route, a shorter route than those who were sent after Musa, so he reached Musa first and said to him: "O Musa,

إِنَّ الْمَلاّ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ

(Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you.)," meaning, `they are consulting with one another about you.'

لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ

(to kill you, so escape.) means, from this land.

إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ

(Truly, I am one of the good advisers to you.)

English Translation

So he left it, fearful and anticipating [apprehension]. He said, "My Lord, save me from the wrongdoing people."

English Transliteration

Fakharaja minha khaifan yataraqqabu qala rabbi najjinee mina alqawmi alththalimeena

Musa, peace be upon him, in Madyan, and how He watered the Flocks of the Two Women

When the man told Musa about how Fir`awn and his chiefs were conspiring against him, he left Egypt on his own. He was not used to being alone, because before that he had been living a life of luxury and ease, in a position of leadership.

فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَآئِفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ

(So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear.) meaning, turning around and watching.

قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ

(My Lord! Save me from the people who are wrongdoers!) means, from Fir`awn and his chiefs. It was mentioned that Allah sent to him an angel riding a horse, who showed him the way. And Allah knows best.

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَآءَ مَدْيَنَ

(And when he went towards (the land of) Madyan,) means, he took a smooth and easy route -- and he rejoiced because of that.

قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّى أَن يَهْدِيَنِى سَوَآءَ السَّبِيلِ

(he said: "It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.") meaning, the most straight route. And Allah did indeed do that, for He guided him to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter, and caused him to be guided and to guide others.

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدْيَنَ

(And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan,) means, when he reached Madyan and went to drink from its water, for it had a well where shepherds used to water their flocks,

وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَينِ تَذُودَانِ

(he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back.) means, they were stopping their sheep from drinking with the sheep of those shepherds, lest some harm come to them. When Musa, peace be upon him, saw them, he felt sorry for them and took pity on them.

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا

(He said: "What is the matter with you") meaning, `why do you not water your flocks with these people'

قَالَتَا لاَ نَسْقِى حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَآءُ

(They said: "We cannot water until the shepherds take...") meaning, `we cannot water our flocks until they finish.'

وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

(And our father is a very old man.) means, `this is what has driven us to what you see.'

فَسَقَى لَهُمَا

(So he watered (their flocks) for them, )

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّى إِلَى الظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

(then he turned back to shade, and said: "My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!")

إِلَى الظِّلِّ

(to shade,) Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud and As-Suddi said: "He sat beneath a tree." `Ata' bin As-Sa'ib said: "When Musa said:

رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

("My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!") the women heard him."

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