the quran in plain english

Bismillāh ir Raḥmān ir Raḥīm

 

Update on the Qur’ān in Plain English project

‘Īd Kareem

To date from all sources, up to this final night of Ramaḍān, we have received a total of ten dollars in zakāh.

To that very kind and generous, anonymous soul, jazakum Allāhu khairan.  Allāh knows who you are.

And may Allāh reward you with jannah.  Subḥānallāh.  

 

As of tonight, we have posted complete English versions of twenty-four sūrāt, comprising approximately

one fifth of the total number of ayāt al Qur’ān.  Insha’allāh, if we are able to inscribe new versions

of seven ayat per day, we will meet our goal of completing this English version of the Most Noble Book

by the end of Ramaḍān 1444, two years hence in 2023.

 

This week offers us the 28th sūrah of the Qur’ān, Sūrat al Qaṣaṣ ~ the Stories.  Al Qaṣaṣ relates in some detail

key events in the early life of the prophet Moses, ‘alayhi-s salām.  Some stories in al Qaṣaṣ also appear in

different form in the Book of Exodus of the Old Testament of the Bible.

 

Moses [Mūsā] was in an Egyptian village as a young man when he responded to a cry for help from a fellow

member of his tribe.  In the Qur’ān, Moses strikes the assailant once, thinking that he is assisting in self defence,

and the man falls dead.  Moses is mystified by the man’s sudden death.  He presumes it to be the work of the shayṭān,

immediately asks God’s forgiveness, and is forgiven.  Moses flees to Madyan the next day when he finds out he is being

sought for murder for this killing (Qur’an 28:20-28).

 

In the Book of Exodus 2:11-22, however, Moses intends to kill the man because he is an Egyptian attacking a Hebrew. 

Moses has consciousness of guilt in the Bible, first looking both ways “to see that there is no one” before he kills him,

and then he hides the body.  Moses flees to Midian after he is accosted by two fellow Hebrews who question whether

Moses thinks he has been appointed ruler and judge over them all, and if he plans to kill them, too.

 

This more favorable depiction of Moses in the Qur’ān compared to his portrayal in the Old Testament is in keeping with

the consistently more positive portrayal of other O.T. prophets in the Qur’ān.

 

Fleeing to Madyan, Moses meets two daughters of Jethro at a spring.  Finding them in distress, he helps the two to get

their herd watered, and later marries one.  He goes on to work for Jethro for ten years, in both the Qur’ān and the O.T.

 

Parallels between the prophetic careers of Moses and Muḥammad (ṣallā llāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) are then drawn in sequence

in the Qur’ān.

 

Moses is accused of fake sorcery by Pharaoh’s men when his two staffs become writhing serpents, a well known story in both texts. 

In al Qaṣaṣ, these signs, along with the commandments of Moses, are then compared to the ayāt, the signs or verses, of the Qur’ān.

The denial by Pharaoh and his men of the revelations of Moses is explicitly compared to the denial by the Quraysh of Muḥammad’s

revelation of the Qur’ān.  This comparison concludes with the following reminder to the Prophet, and to us:

 

And certainly We have conveyed to them the word,

So that they may remember.

 

Indeed, it is the truth from our Lord.

Indeed, before it we were Muslims.

 

Those will be given their reward twice,

Because they are patient, and they repel evil with good,

And they spend from what we have provided them.

 

And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say:

For us our deeds and for you your deeds.  Peace be upon you.

We do not seek the ignorant.

 

Indeed, you do not guide whom you like,

But Allāh guides whom He wills.

And He is most knowing of the guided ones.                  Q28:51-56 (abridged)

 

The sūrāh goes on to draw its lessons together with the the story of Qārūn, one of the people of Moses who was an oppressive tyrant. 

Qārūn enjoyed flaunting his wealth to the people, many of whom were envious.  The narrative reasons through the consequences for

the soul of this way of relating to human existence in the world, both on the part of Qārūn, and those who may be envious of his ilk.

The narration draws the conclusion that the cultivation of taqwā, God consciousness, is by far the better choice.

 

May we find refuge in God from envy and all other transgressions, and may we find our satisfaction and our reward

in the cultivation of taqwā ~ consciousness of God.

 

Please continue to visit the website to read new English versions of the remaining ninety sūrāt, which I will post

as they are completed, insha’Allāh.

 

‘Īd Mubarak.  May we all enjoy celebrating the conclusion of this blessèd month tomorrow evening, insha’Allāh.

 

Jazakum Allāhu khairan

 

~ Rasheed al Ḥajj abū Muṭahhar, 30 Ramaḍān 1442