سورة القَصَص
Surah Al-Qasas 28:4
Narrative · Verse 4 of 88
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
(The facts are,) Pharaoh behaved arrogantly in (his) land. He divided its inhabitants into parties. He (oppressed them and thus) sought to weaken a section of them (- the Israelites). He killed their sons and sought to make their women immodest by sparing them. Infact he was of the evil doers.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Truly Pharaoh elated himself in the land and broke up its people into sections, depressing a small group among them: their sons he slew, but he kept alive their females: for he was indeed a maker of mischief.
Ahmed Ali
The Pharaoh had become high and mighty in the land, and divided the people into different classes, and impoverished one class, slaying its males and sparing its women, for he was indeed a tyrant.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
The Pharaoh turned into an arrogant tyrant in the land (of Egypt) and divided its people into castes. One group of them he humiliated and oppressed, slaughtering their sons and letting live their womenfolk (for further humiliation and suffering). He surely was one of those spreading disorder and corruption.
Daryabadi
Verily Fir´awn exalted himself in the earth and made the people thereof into sects, weakening a party among them, slaying their sons and letting their women live. Verify he was of the corrupters.
Faridul Haque
Indeed Firaun had achieved dominance in the earth and made its people subservient to him – seeing a group among them weak, he used to kill their sons and spare their women; he was indeed very mischievous.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Surely Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into parties, weakening one party from among them; he slaughtered their sons and let their women live. Surely he was one of the mischief-makers.
Maulvi Sher Ali
Verily, Pharaoh behaved arrogantly in the earth, and divided the people thereof into sections; he sought to weaken one section of them, slaughtering their sons and sparing their women. Certainly, he was one of the mischief-makers.
Muhammad Asad
Behold, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided its people into castes. One group of them he deemed utterly low; he would slaughter their sons and spare [only] their women for, behold, he was one of those who spread corruption [on earth].
Muhammad Musin Khan
Verily, Fir'aun (Pharaoh) exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them, killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidun (i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.).
Muhammad Pickthall
Lo! Pharaoh exalted himself in the earth and made its people castes. A tribe among them he oppressed, killing their sons and sparing their women. Lo! he was of those who work corruption.
Muhammad Sarwar
The Pharaoh dominated the land and divided its inhabitants into different groups, suppressing one group by killing their sons and keeping their women alive. He was certainly an evil-doer.
Muhammed ali Shakir
Surely Firon exalted himself in the land and made its people into parties, weakening one party from among them; he slaughtered their sons and let their women live; surely he was one of the mischiefmakers.
Rashad Khalifa
Pharaoh turned into a tyrant on earth, and discriminated against some people. He persecuted a helpless group of them, slaughtering their sons, while sparing their daughters. He was indeed wicked.
Shabbir Ahmed
Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and divided people into castes. A tribe among them (the Israelites) he oppressed, killing their sons and sparing their women. Surely, he was of the corrupters. (2:49, 7:141, 40:25)
Commentary 28:4 Shai‘an شِيَعًا signifies parties, groups and division including racial division based on birth. Here the word Shai‘an شِيَعًا refers to the division of…
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِّنْهُمْ
28:4 Shai‘an شِيَعًا signifies parties, groups and division including racial division based on birth. Here the word Shai‘an شِيَعًا refers to the division of people into high- and low-born, a division that is utterly condemned. Pharaoh is not a proper name but a title, a symbol for arrogance. The behaviour of some powerful nations toward the weaker is no different. They exploit them by creating divisions based on ethnic origins and religious beliefs.