The Quran

سورة القَصَص

Surah Al-Qasas 28:23

Narrative · Verse 23 of 88

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

Abdul Mannan Omar

And when he arrived at the water of Midian, he found there a party of men watering (their flocks) and he found two ladies (standing) apart from them, holding (their flock) back. He said, `What is your problem?´ they replied, `We cannot water (our flock) until the shepherds depart (having driven their flocks away), and our father is a very old man.´

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And when he arrived at the watering (place) in Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you?" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their flocks): And our father is a very old man.

Ahmed Ali

And when he came to the waters of Midian he found a crowd of people watering (their flocks), and saw two maidens holding back (their cattle). He asked: "What is the trouble with you?" They said: "We cannot water our flock till the shepherds have driven away theirs, and our father is a very old man."

12 more translations

Ali Unal

When he arrived at the wells of Midian, he found there a group of people watering their flocks, and he found, apart from them, two women (maidens) holding back their flock. He said: "What is the matter with you?" The two (women) said: "We do not water our flock until the shepherds take their flocks away. (It is we who do this work because) our father is a very old man."

Daryabadi

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found there a community of the people watering. And he found, apart from them, two women keeping back their flocks. He said: what aileth you twain! The twain said: we water not until the shepherds have driven away their flocks; and our father is a very old man.

Faridul Haque

And when he came to the water of Madyan he found a group of men, watering their animals; and away from them he found two women restraining their animals; he said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We do not water our animals till all the shepherds water and take away their animals; and our father is very old.”

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And when he came to the water of Midian, he found there a group of men watering, and he found besides them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What is the matter with you? They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water; and our father is a very old man.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And when he arrived at the water of Midian, he found there a party of men, watering their flocks. And he found beside them two women holding back their flocks. He said, `What is your the problem?' They replied, `We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds depart with their flocks, and our father is a very old man.'

Muhammad Asad

NOW WHEN he arrived at the wells of Madyan, he found there a large group of men who were watering [their herds and flocks]; and at some distance from them he came upon two women who were keeping back their flock.

Muhammad Musin Khan

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan (Midian) he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you?" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man."

Muhammad Pickthall

And when he came unto the water of Midian he found there a whole tribe of men, watering. And he found apart from them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What aileth you? The two said: We cannot give (our flocks) to drink till the shepherds return from the water; and our father is a very old man.

Muhammad Sarwar

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found some people watering (their sheep) and two women keeping the sheep away from the others. He asked the two women, "What is the matter with you?" They replied, "We cannot water our sheep until all the shepherds have driven away their flocks. Our father is an old man".

Muhammed ali Shakir

And when he came to the water of Madyan, he found on it a group of men watering, and he found besides them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What is the matter with you? They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water, and our father is a very old man.

Rashad Khalifa

When he reached Midyan's water, he found a crowd of people watering, and noticed two women waiting on the side. He said, "What is it that you need?" They said, "We are not able to water, until the crowd disperses, and our father is an old man."

Shabbir Ahmed

When he arrived at the wells of Midyan, he found a crowd of people watering their herds and flocks. And he found two women who were keeping away their flocks. He asked, "What is the matter with you?" They said, "We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds take back their flocks. And our father is a very old man."

Commentary 28:23 The old man is Shû‘aib (7:85; 20:40). The verse tells that women can go out of their homes to carry out their duties, but they should be modest in their…

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاءَ مَدْيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأَتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ ۖ قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا ۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسْقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاءُ ۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ

28:23 The old man is Shû‘aib (7:85; 20:40). The verse tells that women can go out of their homes to carry out their duties, but they should be modest in their walk and behaviour.