A portion have they in this world! Then to us they return! Then make we them to taste the vehement torment, for that they were unbelievers.

Recite to them the history of Noah,¹⁰ when he said to his people,—If, O my people! my abode with you, and my reminding you of the signs of God, be grievous to you, yet in God is my trust: Muster, therefore, your designs and your false gods, and let not your design be carried on by you in the dark: then come to some decision about me, and delay not.

And if ye turn your backs on me, yet ask I no reward from you: my reward is with God alone, and I am commanded to be of the Muslims.

But they treated him as a liar: therefore we rescued him and those who were with him in the ark, and we made them to survive the others; and we drowned those who charged our signs with falsehood. See, then, what was the end of these warned ones!

Then after him, we sent Apostles to their peoples, and they came to them with credentials; but they would not believe in what they had denied aforetime: Thus seal we up the hearts of the transgressors!

Then sent we, after them, Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his nobles with our signs; but they acted proudly and were a wicked people:

And when the truth came to them from us, they said, “Verily, this is clear sorcery.”

Moses said: “What! say ye of the truth after it hath come to you, ‘Is this sorcery?’ But sorcerers shall not prosper.”

They said: “Art thou come to us to pervert us from the faith in which we found our fathers, and that you twain shall bear rule in this land? But we believe you not.”

And Pharaoh said: “Fetch me every skilled magician.” And when the magicians arrived, Moses said to them, “Cast down what ye have to cast.”

And when they had cast them down, Moses said, “Verily, God will render vain the sorceries which ye have brought to pass: God prospereth not the work of the evildoers.

And by his words will God verify the Truth, though the impious be averse to it.

And none believed on Moses but a race among his own people, through fear of Pharaoh and his nobles, lest he should afflict them: For of a truth mighty was Pharaoh in the land, and one who committed excesses.

And Moses said: “O my people! if ye believe in God, then put your trust in Him—if ye be Muslims.”

And they said: “In God put we our trust. O our Lord! abandon us not to trial from that unjust people,

And deliver us by thy mercy from the unbelieving people.”

Then thus revealed we to Moses and to his brother: “Provide houses for your people in Egypt, and in your houses make a Kebla, and observe prayer and proclaim good tidings to the believers.”

And Moses said: “O our Lord! thou hast indeed given to Pharaoh and his nobles splendour and riches in this present life: O our Lord! that they may err from thy way! O our Lord! confound their riches, and harden their hearts that they may not believe till they see the dolorous torment.”

He said: “The prayer of you both is heard: pursue ye both therefore the straight path, and follow not the path of those who have no knowledge.”