Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 10

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And cast your staff down.” So when he saw it moving, as if it was a snake, he retreated turning his back, and did not look behind. “O Mūsā, be not scared. I am such that the messengers are not scared before Me,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Now, throw down your staff!” But when he saw it slithering like a snake, he ran away without looking back. ˹Allah reassured him,˺ “O Moses! Do not be afraid! Messengers should have no fear in My presence.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Throw down your staff!” But when he saw it slithering as if it were a snake, he turned and ran away without looking back. “O Moses, do not be afraid! Indeed, the messengers should have no fear in My presence,

A. J. Arberry

Cast down thy staff.' And when he saw it quivering like a serpent he turned about, retreating, and turned not back. 'Moses, fear not; surely the Envoys do not fear in My presence,

Abdul Haleem

Throw down your staff,’ but when he saw it moving like a snake, he turned and fled. ‘Moses, do not be afraid! The messengers need have no fear in My presence,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And cast thou down thy staff. Then when he saw it wriggling as though it were a serpent, he turned in flight and looked not back. O Musa! fear thou not; verily in My presence the sent ones fear not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Now do thou throw thy rod!" But when he saw it moving (of its own accord) as if it had been a snake, he turned back in retreat, and retraced not his steps; "O Moses!" (it was said), "Fear not; truly, in My presence, those called as messengers have no fear,-

Abul Ala Maududi

Now cast your rod!" But when he saw the rod writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned his back in retreat and did not even look behind. "O Moses, have no fear. Messengers have no fear in My presence,

Ahmed Ali

Throw down your staff." When he saw it wriggling like a serpent he turned his back and fled without turning (to look). "O Moses," (said the voice), "be not fearful. Surely those sent as messengers do not fear in My presence,

Ahmed Raza Khan

“And put down your staff”; so when he saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned moving away without looking back; We said, “O Moosa, do not fear; indeed the Noble Messengers do not fear in My presence.”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘Throw down your staff!’ When he saw it wriggling, as if it were a snake, he turned his back [to flee], without looking back. ‘O Moses! ‘Do not be afraid. Indeed the apostles are not afraid before Me,

Ali Ünal

"Now, throw down your staff." (He threw it, and) when he saw it slithering as if a snake, he turned his back to flee. "O Moses, have no fear. The Messengers (those who enjoy nearness to Me and therefore absolute security) do not (have any reason to) feel fear in My Presence.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`And put down your staff (on the ground).´ When (Moses put down his staff) he saw it shifting about as if it were a tiny serpent with quick movements, he turned his back retreating and did not look behind. (Whereupon We said,) `O Moses! do not fear. Verily, I am the One in Whose presence the Messengers need have no fear.

English Literal

And throw/throw away your stick/cane, so when he saw it , it shakes/moves as if it is a Jinn he turned away giving his back, and he did not follow/succeed/track: "You Moses, do not fear, that I, the messengers do not fear at/by/near Me."

Faridul Haque

“And put down your staff”; so when he saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned moving away without looking back; We said, “O Moosa, do not fear; indeed the Noble Messengers do not fear in My presence.”

Hamid S. Aziz

"O Moses! Verily, I am Allah, the Mighty, the Wise;

Hilali & Khan

"And throw down your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and did not look back. (It was said): "O Musa (Moses)! Fear not, verily! The Messengers fear not in front of Me.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when he came to it, a voice issued, saying: Blessed is he who is in search of fire and those around it. And glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And cast down your staff. So when he saw it in motion as if it were a serpent, he turned back retreating and did not return: O Musa! fear not; surely the apostles shall not fear in My presence;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And throw down thy staff! But when he saw it writhing as it were a demon, he turned to flee headlong; (but it was said unto him): O Moses! Fear not! the emissaries fear not in My presence,

Muhammad Sarwar

Throw down your staff." When Moses saw his staff on the ground moving like a living creature, he stepped back and did not come forward again. The Lord said,"Moses, do not be afraid. Messengers do not become afraid in My presence".

Qaribullah & Darwish

Cast down your staff' And when he saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned about retreating, and did not turn back. 'Moses, do not fear, indeed theMessengers do not fear (when they are) with Me,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"And throw down your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and did not look back. (It was said:) "O Musa! Fear not: verily, the Messengers fear not in front of Me."

Wahiduddin Khan

Throw down your staff." But when he saw it moving like a snake, he turned and fled. "Moses, do not be afraid! The messengers need have no fear in My presence;

Talal Itani

Throw down your staff.” But when he saw it quivering, as though it were a demon, he turned around not looking back. “O Moses, do not fear; the messengers do not fear in My presence.

Tafsir jalalayn

Throw down your staff', and he threw it down. And when he saw it wriggling, moving, like a serpent, a slender snake, he turned his back in flight and did not come back. God, exalted be He, says; `O Moses, do not fear, it. Surely in My presence, before Me, the messengers do not fear, any snake or otherwise,

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ

"And throw down your stick!"

Then He commanded him to throw down the stick that was in his hand, so that He might show him clear proof that He is the One Who is able to do all things, whatever He wills.

When Musa threw that stick down, it changed into the form of a huge and terrifying snake, moving quickly despite its size.

Allah says;

...
فَلَمَّا رَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ

But when he saw it moving as if it were a Jann (snake).

Jann refers to a type of snake that is the fastest-moving and most agile.

When Musa saw that with his own eyes,

...
وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ

he turned in flight, and did not look back.

meaning, he did not turn around, because he was so afraid.

Allah's saying;

...
يَا مُوسَى لَاا تَخَفْ إِنِّي لَاا يَخَافُ لَدَيَّ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

O Musa! Fear not;verily, the Messengers fear not in front of Me.

means, `do not be afraid of what you see, for I want to choose you as a Messenger and make you a great Prophet.'

إِلاَّ مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْنًا بَعْدَ سُوءٍ فَإِنِّي غَفُورٌ رَّحِيم