Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Qasas Verse 38

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And Pharaoh said (to his people,) “O courtiers, I do not recognize any god for you other than me. So kindle for me, O Hāmān, a fire on the clay (to bake bricks) and build for me a tower, so that I may look on to the God of Mūsā. I deem him to be one of the liars.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Pharaoh declared, “O chiefs! I know of no other god for you but myself. So bake bricks out of clay for me, O  Hamân, and build a high tower so I may look at the God of Moses, although I am sure he is a liar.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Pharaoh said, “O chiefs, I do not know for you any god other than myself. So bake for me bricks out of clay, O Hāmān, and build for me a tower so that I may have a look at the God of Moses, for I think he is a liar.”

A. J. Arberry

And Pharaoh said, 'Council, I know not that you have any god but me. Kindle me, Haman, a fire upon the clay, and make me a tower, that I may mount up to Moses' god; for I think that he is one of the liars.'

Abdul Haleem

Pharaoh said, ‘Counsellors, you have no other god that I know of except me. Haman, light me a fire to bake clay bricks, then build me a tall building so that I may climb up to Moses’ God: I am convinced that he is lying.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And Fir'awn said: O chiefs! know not of a god for you except me. Wherefore light thou for me, O Haman! clay, and make me a lofty tower that I may ascend unto the God of Musa; and verily I imagine him to be of the liars.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Pharaoh said; "O Chiefs! no god do I know for you but myself; therefore, O Haman! light me a (kiln to bake bricks) out of clay, and build me a lofty palace, that I may mount up to the god of Moses; but as far as I am concerned, I think (Moses) is a liar!"

Abul Ala Maududi

Pharaoh said: "O nobles, I do not know that you have any god beside myself. Haman, bake bricks out of clay and build a lofty palace for me so that I may mount up and be able to observe the god of Moses, even though I believe that Moses is a liar."

Ahmed Ali

The Pharaoh said: "O nobles, I am not aware of any other lord of yours but myself. So, O Haman, fire some clay (bricks) to build a tower for me that I may mount up (and see) the God of Moses; for I think he is a liar."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And Firaun said, “O court members! I do not know of any other God for you, except myself; therefore, O Haman, build a lofty palace for me by baking concrete in order that I may sneak a look at the God of Moosa – and according to me, he is indeed a liar.”

Ali Quli Qarai

Pharaoh said, ‘O [members of the] elite! I do not know of any god that you may have besides me. Haman, light for me a fire over clay, and build me a tower so that I may take a look at Moses’ god, and indeed I consider him to be a liar!’

Ali Ünal

The Pharaoh (turned to the chiefs and) said: "O you nobles! I do not know that you have another deity than me. Well, then, O Haman, kindle (the furnace) for me to bake bricks, and make me a lofty tower so that I may have a look at the God of Moses, though I surely think that he is a liar."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And Pharaoh said, `O chiefs of my court! I know for you no god other than myself. And O Hâmân! light a fire for me on (the bricks of) clay and get a high building, (high like a tower) be built for me that I may (by climbing over it) have a look at the God of Moses, for I take him to be certainly of those who tell lies.´

English Literal

And Pharaoh said: "You, you the nobles/assembly, I did not know for you from a god other than me, so ignite/light/kindle for me you Haman on the mud/clay , so make/put for me a tall palace/tower maybe I look/see to Moses` God, and I, I think/suspect (E) him (he is) from the liars/falsifiers ."

Faridul Haque

And Firaun said, “O court members! I do not know of any other God for you, except myself; therefore, O Haman, build a lofty palace for me by baking concrete in order that I may sneak a look at the God of Moosa - and according to me, he is indeed a liar.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Moses said, "My Lord is best aware of who comes with guidance from Him, and whose end shall be the best. Verily, the unjust shall not be successful."

Hilali & Khan

Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "O chiefs! I know not that you have an ilah (a god) other than me, so kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a Sarhan (a lofty tower, or palace, etc.) in order that I may look at (or look for) the Ilah (God) of Musa (Moses); and verily, I think that he [Musa (Moses)] is one of the liars."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when Moses came to them with Our clear signs, they said: This is nothing but forged enchantment, and we never heard of it among our fathers of old!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And Firon said: O chiefs! I do not know of any god for you besides myself; therefore kindle a fire for me, O Haman, for brick, then prepare for me a lofty building so that I may obtain knowledge of Musa's god, and most surely I think him to be one of the liars.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And Pharaoh said: O chiefs! I know not that ye have a god other than me, so kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake the mud; and set up for me a lofty tower in order that I may survey the god of Moses; and lo! I deem him of the liars.

Muhammad Sarwar

The Pharaoh said, "My people, I know no one who could be your lord besides myself. Haman, construct for me a tower of baked bricks so that I may climb on it and see the God of Moses; I think he is a liar."

Qaribullah & Darwish

'Assembly' said Pharaoh, 'I do not know that you have any god except me' 'O Haman, kindle a fire upon clay and make me a tower so that I can climb to see the God of Moses, I think that he is one of the liars'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Fir`awn said: "O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me. So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake clay, and set up for me a Sarh in order that I may look at the God of Musa; and verily, I think that he (Musa) is one of the liars."

Wahiduddin Khan

Pharaoh said, "O nobles, I know of no god for you other than myself. So, Haman, burn me bricks of clay, and build me a high tower, so that I may have a look at the God of Moses, though I consider him to be one of the liars."

Talal Itani

Pharaoh said, “O nobles, I know of no god for you other than me. So fire-up the bricks for me O Hamaan, and build me a tower, that I may ascend to the God of Moses, though I think he is a liar.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And Pharaoh said, `O [members of the] council, I do not know of any god for you other than me. So kindle for me, O Hmn, [a fire] over the clay, and bake for me bricks [of clay], and make me a tower, a lofty palace, that I may take a look at the god of Moses, to observe him and inspect him; for truly I consider him to be a liar', in his claim of [the existence of] some other god and that he is his messenger.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Arrogance of Fir`awn and His ultimate Destiny

Allah tells;

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ

Fir`awn said;

Allah tells us of Fir`awn's disbelief and wrongdoing, and how he falsely claimed divinity for his evil self, may Allah curse him.

فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ فَأَطَاعُوهُ

Thus he fooled his people, and they obeyed him. (43;54)

He called on his people to recognize his divinity, and they responded, because of their weak and foolish minds.

So, he said;

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَاُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرِي

O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me.

Allah tells us about Fir`awn;

فَحَشَرَ فَنَادَى

فَقَالَ أَنَاْ رَبُّكُمُ الاٌّعْلَى

فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى

إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّمَن يَخْشَى

Then he gathered (his people) and cried aloud, saying;"I am your lord, most high."

So Allah, seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. Verily, in this is an instructive admonition for whosoever fears Allah. (79;23-26)

meaning;he brought his people together and called to them in a loud voice, shouting that, and they responded to him obediently. So Allah took revenge on him, and made him a lesson to others in this world and the Hereafter. He even confronted Musa with that, and said;

لَيِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـهَاً غَيْرِى لَاجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ

If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners. (26;29)

فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَى إِلَهِ مُوسَى

So kindle for me (a fire), O Haman, to bake (bricks out of) clay, and set up for me a Sarh in order that I may look at the God of Musa;

He commanded his minister and adviser Haman to bake bricks for him, i.e., to make bricks in order to build a Sarh, a exalted towering palace.

This is like the Ayah,

وَقَالَ فَرْعَوْنُ يهَـمَـنُ ابْنِ لِى صَرْحاً لَّعَـلِّى أَبْلُغُ الاٌّسْبَـبَ

أَسْبَـبَ السَّمَـوَتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَى إِلَـهِ مُوسَى وَإِنِّى لاّظُنُّهُ كَـذِباً وَكَـذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا كَـيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلاَّ فِى تَبَابٍ

And Fir`awn said;"O Haman! Build me a Sarh that I may arrive at the ways -- the ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the God of Musa, but verily, I think him to be a liar."

Thus it was made fair seeming, in Fir`awn's eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the path; and the plot of Fir`awn led to nothing but loss and destruction. (40;36-37)

Fir`awn built this tower, which was the highest structure ever seen on earth, because he wanted to show his people that Musa was lying when he claimed that there was a God other than Fir`awn.

Fir`awn said;

وَإِنِّي لَاإَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ



and verily, I think that he (Musa) is one of the liars.

meaning, `when he says that there is a lord other than me.'

The issue was not whether Allah had sent Musa, because he did not acknowledge the existence of the Creator in the first place. On the contrary, he said;
وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ
(And what is the Lord of Al-`Alamin) (26;23) and;
لَيِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـهَاً غَيْرِى لَاجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ
(If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners). (26;29) and he said;
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَاُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرِي
(O chiefs! I know not that you have a god other than me).

This was the view of Ibn Jarir.

And Allah tells;

وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِي الاْاَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَاا يُرْجَعُونَ