Verses 144–149
7. Al-A'raaf · The Heights
Makkan206 verses
قَالَ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنِّى ٱصْطَفَيْتُكَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ بِرِسَٰلَٰتِى وَبِكَلَٰمِى فَخُذْ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ
7:144He said, ‘O Moses, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My speech. So take what I give you, and be among the grateful.’1
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْأَلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ مَّوْعِظَةًۭ وَتَفْصِيلًۭا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍۢ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا۟ بِأَحْسَنِهَا ۚ سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ دَارَ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ
7:145We wrote for him in the tablets advice concerning all things and an elaboration of all things, [and We said], ‘Hold on to them with power, and bid your people to hold on to the best of [what is in] them. Soon I shall show you the abode of the transgressors.2
سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَٰتِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ سَبِيلَ ٱلرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًۭا وَإِن يَرَوْا۟ سَبِيلَ ٱلْغَىِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا غَٰفِلِينَ
7:146Soon I shall turn away from My signs those who are unduly arrogant in the earth: [even] though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it, and if they see the way of rectitude they will not take it as [their] way, and if they see the way of error they will take it as [their] way. That is because they deny Our signs and are oblivious to them.’
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَلِقَآءِ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَٰلُهُمْ ۚ هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
7:147Those who deny Our signs and the encounter of the Hereafter, their works have failed. Shall they not be requited for what they used to do?
وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًۭا جَسَدًۭا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌ ۚ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا ۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا۟ ظَٰلِمِينَ
7:148The people of Moses took up in his absence a calf [cast] from their ornaments—a body that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not regard that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it up [for worship] and they were wrongdoers.3
وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِىٓ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا۟ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ قَالُوا۟ لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
7:149But when they became remorseful and realised they had gone astray, they said, ‘Should our Lord have no mercy on us, and forgive us, we will be surely among the losers.’4
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 144
1.Selection is the sign of this order that the demand of Moosa (a.s.) was not the result of any weak faith otherwise he would be warned of this deed and not given an authority.
Verse 148
2.After going away of Moosa (a.s.) to Mount Sinai, Samri deliberated on this chance as a boon. He knew the mentality of the community that in spite of the 23 years of religious war of Moos a (a.s.) and his missionary work, Samri saw the idol worshipping in far away countries and the demand for a man made god, hence he took the support of the desire of Bani Israel and prepared a graven image and announced in the community that he is yours and also Moosa’s (a.s.) god. Due to the foolishness and ignorance, people of community started worshipping the calf and did not listen to Haroon (a.s.) This shows that the misled community does not care of the successor of the prophet and give priority of their own made God. Allah gave one answer of making God that raise a voice is not an attain perfection. Just see they can’t talk and can’t give guidance and this helpless image cannot be a god. After the death of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), the same change came in people of Islam just as the change came in the people of Bani Israel. After Moosa’s (a.s.) going to Mount Sinai community made attainment of voice only and disregarded the suitability of guidance.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
The mention of prophethood with his being as the one addressed by Allah indicates that this distinction is with respect to common people, though there can be other personalities who are addressed by Allah. Also the Taurat is an exhortation for everything while Quran is the criterion of everything. Therefore its status is definitely higher than Taurat.
- 1
This denotes the people of that time and that is why an the messages have been mentioned, otherwise there were many other prophets apart from Moosa (a.s.). That Moosa (a.s.) was the Kaleem at that time was indeed a great distinction, but the status of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is safe in itself when he was given the honour of being addressed by Allah during Meraj (ascension).
- 2
This is an idiom that the consequences of disobedience shall be soon exposed.
- 3
Samri had not drawn an image. He had made a statue that emitted a sound.
- 4
It is a simile that a person in extreme regret begins to bite his fingers and that his face falls on his hands.
Benefit
The making of gold calf by Samri is a sign of the worship of affluence by the Jews. It is said that the women of Bani Israel had hired the jewellery from the people of Firon and when they all were destroyed they became the owner of all this jewellery. This was finally squandered by them in Allah’s disobedience.