إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ سَيَنَالُهُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَذِلَّةٌ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُفْتَرِينَ 152
Translations
Indeed, those who took the calf [for worship] will obtain anger from their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world, and thus do We recompense the inventors [of falsehood].
Transliteration
Inna alladhina ittakhadhu al-'ijla sayanaluhum ghadabun min rabbihim wa dhillatun fi al-hayati al-dunya wa kadhalika najzi al-muftareen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns of severe consequences for those who worshipped the golden calf during Prophet Musa's absence: they will face Allah's wrath and humiliation in this worldly life. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this punishment serves as a deterrent against idolatry and fabricating false religious practices, and the phrase 'thus do We recompense the liars' extends this principle to all who fabricate lies against Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the extended narrative of Surah Al-A'raf (verses 138-156) which recounts the story of the Israelites' worship of the golden calf after Musa departed to receive the Torah. The Bani Israel had asked Harun to make them gods, and in his absence they crafted and worshipped the calf, representing a grave violation of monotheistic faith. This context underscores the severity of associating partners with Allah.
Related Hadiths
The principle of divine punishment for idolatry is reinforced in numerous hadiths, such as in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against shirk (associating partners with Allah) as the gravest sin. Related to consequences in this life, Sunan Ibn Majah records that nations that disobey Allah face humiliation and disgrace in their worldly affairs.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that abandoning monotheism and worshipping false deities brings both divine wrath and practical worldly consequences—humiliation and disgrace. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that deviating from sincere worship of Allah alone, whether through literal idolatry or spiritual negligence, inevitably results in spiritual and moral degradation that manifests in one's life.