Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Qasas Verse 31

Mufti Taqi Usmani

and saying, “Throw down your staff.” So when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned back in retreat, and did not look back. (Allah said to him), “O Mūsā come forward and do not fear; you are one of those in peace.

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! Draw near, and have no fear. You are perfectly secure.

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. [Allah said], “O Moses, come back, and have no fear; you are perfectly safe.

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, come forward, and fear not; for surely thou art in security.'

Abdul Haleem

Throw down your staff.’ When he saw his staff moving like a snake, he fled in fear and would not return. Again [he was called]: ‘Moses! Draw near! Do not be afraid, for you are one of those who are safe.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And cast thou down thy staff. And when he saw it stirring, as though it were a serpent, he turned in flight and looked not back. O Musa! draw nigh, and fear not; thou art of the secure ones.

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), "Draw near, and fear not; for thou art of those who are secure.

Abul Ala Maududi

He received the command: "Throw away your rod!" But when he saw the rod writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned back in retreat, and did not even look behind. (He was told): "O Moses, go ahead and have no fear. You are perfectly secure.

Ahmed Ali

Throw down your staff." When he saw it wriggling like a serpent, he turned about and fled without turning. "O Moses, approach," (said the Voice), "and have no fear. You will be safe.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“Put down your staff”; so when Moosa saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned moving away without looking back; “O Moosa! Come forth and do not fear; indeed you are in peace.”

Ali Quli Qarai

And: ‘Throw down your staff!’ And when he saw it wriggling as if it were a snake, he turned his back [to flee], without looking back. ‘Moses! Come forward, and do not be afraid. Indeed you are safe.’

Ali Ünal

"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, come forward and have no fear. You (chosen as a Messenger) are indeed of those who are secure.

Amatul Rahman Omar

`And put down your staff on the ground.´ Then, no sooner did he see it (- the staff) shifting like a tiny quickly moving serpent, than he turned his back and retreated and would not even look back. (God said,) `Moses! come forward, and have no fear. Surely, you are of those who are safe.

English Literal

And that (E) throw/throw away your stick/cane. So when he saw it it shakes/moves as though it (is) a Jinn , he turned away giving his back, and he did not follow/track . "You Moses approach/come, and do not fear, that you are from the safe/secure."

Faridul Haque

“Put down your staff”; so when Moosa saw it writhing like a serpent, he turned moving away without looking back; “O Moosa! Come forth and do not fear; indeed you are in peace.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And when he came to it he was called by a voice, from the right side of the valley, in the blessed field, out of a tree, "O Moses! Verily, I am Allah the Lord of the Worlds;

Hilali & Khan

"And throw your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and looked not back. (It was said): "O Musa (Moses)! Draw near, and fear not. Verily, you are of those who are secure.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Then when Moses had completed the term, and was travelling with his family, he perceived a fire on the side of the mountain. He said to his family: Wait, I see a fire; maybe I will bring to you from it some news or a brand of fire, so that you may warm yourselves.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And saying: Cast down you staff. So when he saw it in motion as if it were a serpent, he turned back retreating, and did not return. O Musa! come forward and fear not; surely you are of those who are secure;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Throw down thy staff. And when he saw it writhing as it had been a demon, he turned to flee headlong, (and it was said unto him): O Moses! Draw nigh and fear not. Lo! thou art of those who are secure.

Muhammad Sarwar

Throw down your staff." When Moses saw his staff moving on the ground like a living being he fled with no desire to step forward. He was told, "Moses, step forward. Do not be afraid; you will be safe and secure.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Cast down your staff' And when he saw his staff writhing as though it were a serpent, he turned about in retreat, and did not turn back. 'O Moses, approach and have no fear. You are surely safe.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"And throw your stick!" But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight, and looked not back. (It was said:) "O Musa! Draw near, and fear not. Verily, you are of those who are secure."

Wahiduddin Khan

Throw down your staff." And when he saw it move as though it were a serpent, he turned his back and fled, and did not look back. "O Moses," said the voice, "come forward and have no fear; you are quite safe.

Talal Itani

Throw down your staff.” And when he saw it wiggling, as if it were possessed, he turned his back to flee, and did not look back. “O Moses, come forward, and do not fear, you are perfectly safe.

Tafsir jalalayn

And; `Throw down your staff', and he threw it down. And when he saw it quivering, moving, as if it were a serpent (jnn; is a small snake [so called] because of the speed of its movement) he turned his back, to flee from it, and did not look back, in other words, he did not return, and so there called out [the voice]; `O Moses! Come forward, and do not be afraid. Indeed you are safe.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ

And throw your stick!

`the stick that is in your hand' -- as was stated in the Ayah,

وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يمُوسَى

قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّوُا عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَى غَنَمِى وَلِىَ فِيهَا مَأَرِبُ أُخْرَى

"And what is that in your right hand, O Musa!"

He said;"This is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses." (20;17-18)

The meaning is;`this stick, which you know so well;'

قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يمُوسَى

فَأَلْقَـهَا فَإِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَى

"Cast it down, O Musa!"

He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly. (20;19-20)

Musa knew that the One Who was speaking to him was the One Who merely says to a thing, "Be!" and it is, as we have already stated in (the explanation of) Surah Ta Ha.

And here Allah says;

فَلَمَّا رَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا

وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ يَا مُوسَى أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الاْمِنِينَ



But when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned in flight,

It moved so quickly, even though it was so big, and its mouth was so huge, with its jaws snapping. It swallowed every rock it passed, and every rock that fell into its mouth fell with a sound like a rock falling into a valley.

When he saw that;

وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ

he turned in flight, and looked not back.

he did not turn around, because it is human nature to flee from such a thing. But when Allah said to him;

يَا مُوسَى أَقْبِلْ وَلَاا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الاْامِنِينَ



O Musa! Draw near, and fear not. Verily, you are of those who are secure.

he came back to his original position.

Then Allah said