قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ 85
Translations
[Allāh] said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you [departed], and the Sāmirī has led them astray."
Transliteration
Qala fa-inna qad fatanna qawmaka min ba'dika wa-aadallahummu as-samiri
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah informs Musa that after his departure to receive the Torah, his people were tested (fitna) and led astray by as-Samiri, who crafted the golden calf for them to worship. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this test was a trial of their faith to reveal their true spiritual condition, and as-Samiri's influence represented how easily people can be misguided from monotheism toward idolatry when leadership is absent. The ayah emphasizes that even a divinely guided community can fall into grave error through the persuasion of a single misguided individual.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the narrative of Musa's journey to Mount Sinai (20:11-98), where he was commanded to receive the Torah tablets. The context shows the forty-day absence of Musa and the vulnerability of Bani Israel without direct prophetic guidance, making them susceptible to as-Samiri's deception and idol-making.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the golden calf is referenced in Sahih Bukhari (3:4385) regarding the people's deviation. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains hadiths about trials (fitna) separating the sincere believers from the hypocrites, directly relating to the concept of 'fatanna' (tested/tried) in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that even believers guided by prophets can be vulnerable to misguidance when they lack firm connection to divine truth and are influenced by charismatic but corrupt individuals. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of personal Islamic knowledge, critical thinking, and holding fast to authentic sources of faith rather than blindly following persuasive figures.
Related Ayahs
وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِى فَٱضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا لَّا تَخَـٰفُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ
And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken [by Pharaoh] nor be afraid [of drowning]."
كَذَٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ ۚ وَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكَ مِن لَّدُنَّا ذِكْرًا
Thus, [O Muḥammad], We relate to you from the news of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you from Us a message [i.e., the Qur’ān].
قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا ٱلْأُولَىٰ
[Allāh] said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition.
فَأْتِيَاهُ فَقُولَآ إِنَّا رَسُولَا رَبِّكَ فَأَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَا تُعَذِّبْهُمْ ۖ قَدْ جِئْنَـٰكَ بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُ عَلَىٰ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ
So go to him and say, 'Indeed, we are messengers of your Lord, so send with us the Children of Israel and do not torment them. We have come to you with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon he who follows the guidance.