Surah Ţāhā (Ta-Ha) in English

1. قالوا يا موسى إما أن تلقي وإما أن نكون أول من ألقى

   65

   They said, ‘O Moses! Will you throw first, or shall we?’

   qālū yā-mūsā ʾimmā ʾan tulqiya wa-ʾimmā ʾan nakūna ʾawwala man ʾalqā

2. قال بل ألقوا فإذا حبالهم وعصيهم يخيل إليه من سحرهم أنها تسعى

   66

   He said, ‘No, you throw first.’ Thereupon, behold, their ropes and staffs appeared to him by their magic to wriggle swiftly.

   qāla bal ʾalqū fa-ʾidhā ḥibāluhum wa-ʿiṣiyyuhum yukhayyalu ʾilayhi min siḥrihim ʾannahā tasʿā

3. فأوجس في نفسه خيفة موسى

   67

   Then Moses felt a fear within his heart.

   fa-ʾawjasa fī nafsihī khīfatan mūsā

4. قلنا لا تخف إنك أنت الأعلى

   68

   We said, ‘Do not be afraid. Indeed, you will have the upper hand.

   qulnā lā takhaf ʾinnaka ʾanta l-ʾaʿlā

5. وألق ما في يمينك تلقف ما صنعوا إنما صنعوا كيد ساحر ولا يفلح الساحر حيث أتى

   69

   Throw down what is in your right hand, and it will swallow what they have conjured. What they have conjured is only a magician’s trick, and the magician does not fare well wherever he may show up.’

   wa-ʾalqi mā fī yamīnika talqaf mā ṣanaʿū ʾinnamā ṣanaʿū kaydu sāḥirin wa-lā yufliḥu s-sāḥiru ḥaythu ʾatā

6. فألقي السحرة سجدا قالوا آمنا برب هارون وموسى

   70

   Thereat the magicians fell down prostrating. They said, ‘We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses!’

   fa-ʾulqiya s-saḥaratu sujjadan qālū ʾāmannā bi-rabbi hārūna wa-mūsā

7. قال آمنتم له قبل أن آذن لكم إنه لكبيركم الذي علمكم السحر فلأقطعن أيديكم وأرجلكم من خلاف ولأصلبنكم في جذوع النخل ولتعلمن أينا أشد عذابا وأبقى

   71

   He said, ‘Did you believe in him before I should permit you? He is indeed your chief who has taught you magic! Surely, I will cut off your hands and feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will know which of us can inflict a severer and more lasting punishment.’

   qāla ʾāmantum lahū qabla ʾan ʾādhana lakum ʾinnahū la-kabīrukumu lladhī ʿallamakumu s-siḥra fa-la-ʾuqaṭṭiʿanna ʾaydiyakum wa-ʾarjulakum min khilāfin wa-la-ʾuṣallibannakum fī judhūʿi n-nakhli wa-la-taʿlamunna ʾayyunā ʾashaddu ʿadhāban wa-ʾabqā

8. قالوا لن نؤثرك على ما جاءنا من البينات والذي فطرنا فاقض ما أنت قاض إنما تقضي هذه الحياة الدنيا

   72

   They said, ‘We will never prefer you to the clear proofs which have come to us, and to Him who originated us. Decide whatever you want to decide. You can only decide about the life of this world.

   qālū lan nuʾthiraka ʿalā mā jāʾanā mina l-bayyināti wa-lladhī faṭaranā fa-qḍi mā ʾanta qāḍin ʾinnamā taqḍī hādhihi l-ḥayāta d-dunyā

9. إنا آمنا بربنا ليغفر لنا خطايانا وما أكرهتنا عليه من السحر والله خير وأبقى

   73

   We have indeed believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our offences and the magic you compelled us to perform. Allah is better and more lasting.’

   ʾinnā ʾāmannā bi-rabbinā li-yaghfira lanā khaṭāyānā wa-mā ʾakrahtanā ʿalayhi mina s-siḥri wa-llāhu khayrun wa-ʾabqā

10. إنه من يأت ربه مجرما فإن له جهنم لا يموت فيها ولا يحيى

    74

    Whoever comes to his Lord laden with guilt, for him shall be hell, where he will neither live nor die.

    ʾinnahū man yaʾti rabbahū mujriman fa-ʾinna lahū jahannama lā yamūtu fīhā wa-lā yaḥyā

11. ومن يأته مؤمنا قد عمل الصالحات فأولئك لهم الدرجات العلى

    75

    But whoever comes to Him with faith and he has done righteous deeds, for such shall be the highest ranks

    wa-man yaʾtihī muʾminan qad ʿamila ṣ-ṣāliḥāti fa-ʾulāʾika lahumu d-darajātu l-ʿulā

12. جنات عدن تجري من تحتها الأنهار خالدين فيها وذلك جزاء من تزكى

    76

    —the Gardens of Eden, with streams running in them, to abide in them [forever], and that is the reward of him who keeps pure.

    jannātu ʿadnin tajrī min taḥtihā l-ʾanhāru khālidīna fīhā wa-dhālika jazāʾu man tazakkā