۞ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ 92
Translations
And Moses had certainly brought you clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in worship] after that, while you were wrongdoers.
Transliteration
Wa laqad jaa'akum Musa bil-bayyinati thumma ittakhadtumu al-'ijla min ba'dihi wa antum zalimun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the Children of Israel for their ingratitude and idolatry, reminding them that Prophet Musa came to them with clear signs and miracles (al-bayyinaat), yet they abandoned the true faith and fashioned the golden calf as an object of worship immediately after his departure. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this was a grave transgression and profound injustice (zulm) against themselves, demonstrating how knowledge and clear proofs do not guarantee obedience without sincere intention and sound hearts.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the Medinan context of Surah Al-Baqarah, which frequently addresses the People of the Book and their historical violations of covenant. The reference to the golden calf incident (mentioned in Surah Ta-Ha and Surah Al-A'raf) serves as a historical reminder to the Muslim community about the consequences of turning away from divine guidance, and implicitly warns the early Muslim community against similar lapses in faith.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the golden calf is referenced in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3401) where the Prophet Muhammad mentions that the Bani Israel were divided into 71 sects after Musa's time due to such disobedience. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, there are hadith discussions about the severity of shirk (associating partners with Allah) that contextually relate to this ayah's condemnation of idol worship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that possessing knowledge of divine truth and witnessing clear miracles is insufficient without genuine commitment and righteous conduct; we must continually guard our hearts against subtle forms of idolatry and prioritize obedience to Allah above our desires and cultural inclinations.
Related Ayahs
حَـٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle [i.e., ʿaṣr] prayer and stand before Allāh, devoutly obedient.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allāh has ordained for you. Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِى نَفْسَهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ مَرْضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ
And of the people is he who sells himself, seeking means to the approval of Allāh. And Allāh is Kind to [His] servants.