May Allah Curse Fir'aun.

Behold, thy Lord called Musa: "Go to the people of iniquity,
"The people of Fir'aun: will they not fear Allah?"

He said: "O my Lord! I do fear that they will charge me with falsehood:
"My breast will be straitened. And my speech may not go (smoothly): so send unto Harun.

"And (further), they have a charge of crime against me; and I fear they may slay me."
Allah said: "By no means! Proceed then, both of you, with Our Signs; We are with you, and will listen (to your call).

"So go forth, both of you, to Fir'aun, and say: 'We have been sent by the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds;
"`Send thou with us the Children of Israel.'"

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(Fir'aun) said: "Did we not cherish thee as a child among us, and didst thou not stay in our midst many years of thy life?
"And thou didst, a deed of thine which (thou knowest) thou didst, and thou art an ungrateful (wretch)!"

Musa said: "I did it then, when I was in error.
"So I fled from you (all) when I feared you; but My Lord has (since) invested me with judgment (and wisdom) and appointed me as one of the Messengers.

"And this is the favour with which thou dost reproach me, that you hast enslaved the Children of Israel!"

Fir'aun said: "And what is the 'Lord and Cherisher of the worlds'?"

(Musa) said: "The Lord and Cherisher of the heavens and the earth, and all between, if ye want to be quite sure."

(Fir'aun) said to those around: "Do ye not listen (to what he says)?"

(Musa) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers from the beginning!"

(Fir'aun) said: "Truly your messenger who has been sent to you is a veritable madman!"

(Musa) said: "Lord of the East and the West, and all between! If ye only had sense!"

(Fir'aun) said: "If thou dost put forward any god other than me, I will certainly put thee in prison!"

(Musa) said: "Even if I showed you something clear (and) convincing?"

(Fir'aun) said: "Show it then if thou tellest the truth!"
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So (Musa) threw his rod, and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)!
And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders!

(Fir'aun) said to the Chiefs around him: "This is indeed a sorcerer well-versed:
"His plan is to get you out of your land by his sorcery; then what is it ye counsel?"

They said: "Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while), and dispatch to the Cities heralds to collect,
"And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed."

So the sorcerers were got together for the appointment of a day well-known,

And the people were told: "Are ye (now) assembled?
"That we may follow the sorcerers (in religion) if they win?"

So when the sorcerers arrived, they said to Fir'aun: "Of course, shall we have a (suitable) reward if we win?"

He said: "Yea, (and more), for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)."

Musa said to them: "Throw ye that which ye are about to throw!"

So they threw their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the might of Fir'aun, it is we who will certainly win!"

Then Musa threw his rod, when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake!
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Then did the sorcerers fall down, prostrate in adoration,
Saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds.
"The Lord of Musa and Harun."

Said (Fir'aun): "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! But soon shall ye know! "But sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross!"

They said: "No matter! For us, we shall but return to our Lord!

"Only, our desire is that our Lord will forgive us our faults, that we may become foremost among the Believers!"

[Shu3ara2 10-51]
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