وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌ ۚ أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا ۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا۟ ظَـٰلِمِينَ 148
Translations
And the people of Moses made, after [his departure], from their ornaments a calf - an image having a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to a way? They took it [for worship], and they were wrongdoers.
Transliteration
Wa-ttakhaza qawmu Musa min ba'dihi min huliyyihim 'ijlan jasadan lahu khuar. Alam yaraw annahu la yukallimuhum wa la yahdihim sabila. Ittakhazuhu wa kanu zalimin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
After Moses departed to receive the Torah, his people fashioned a golden calf from their ornaments as an object of worship, and it produced a lowing sound. The ayah sarcastically challenges them: did they not see that this calf could neither speak to them nor guide them to any path? Ibn Kathir explains that this act was a grave transgression—they knowingly chose idolatry despite witnessing Allah's miracles, demonstrating the weakness of human resolve when separated from divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative recounting the incident of the golden calf (al-'ijl al-dhahab), which occurred during Prophet Musa's absence of forty days on Mount Sinai. This Meccan surah presents this story to warn the Quraysh against similar idolatry and to illustrate the consequences of abandoning monotheism. The broader context emphasizes that despite witnessing Allah's signs, people can still fall into shirk if they lack sincere faith.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the golden calf is extensively referenced in Sahih Bukhari (Hadith 3397) where the Prophet Muhammad discusses how Samiri deceived the Israelites. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, there are hadiths about the punishment the Israelites faced for this transgression, reinforcing the severity of idolatry.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that intellectual recognition of truth is insufficient without steadfast adherence to it; when believers are tested by the absence of visible leadership or divine signs, they must hold firm to their principles rather than succumb to desires and peer pressure. For modern readers, it serves as a cautionary reminder that material prosperity and borrowed practices can easily lead communities astray from monotheism and truth.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ لَيْسَ بِى ضَلَـٰلَةٌ وَلَـٰكِنِّى رَسُولٌ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
[Noah] said, "O my people, there is not error in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the worlds.
وَقَطَّعْنَـٰهُمُ ٱثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًا ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰهُ قَوْمُهُۥٓ أَنِ ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنۢبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۚ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْغَمَـٰمَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes [as distinct] nations. And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, "Strike with your staff the stone," and there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Every people [i.e., tribe] knew its watering place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails, [saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you." And they wronged Us not, but they were [only] wronging themselves.
فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ ۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ
Then We will surely relate [their deeds] to them with knowledge, and We were not [at all] absent.
وَإِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱسْكُنُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ وَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌ وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًا نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطِيٓـَٔـٰتِكُمْ ۚ سَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when it was said to them, "Dwell in this city [i.e., Jerusalem] and eat from it wherever you will and say, 'Relieve us of our burdens [i.e., sins],' and enter the gate bowing humbly; We will [then] forgive you your sins. We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward]."