قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى 96
Translations
He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."
Transliteration
Qala basurtu bima lam yabsuru bihi faqabadtu qabdatan min athari ar-rasuli fanabadhtuha wa kadhalika sawwalat li nafsee
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the statement of Samiri, who fashioned the golden calf while Musa was on Mount Tur receiving the Torah. Samiri claims he perceived something the people did not—likely referring to the angel Jibril departing with Musa—and took a handful of dust from the angel's footprint, casting it into the molten calf to animate it. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that Samiri's action exemplifies how personal desires (nafs) can lead one to rationalize grave sins and associate partners with Allah, despite the absence of any divine command.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of the golden calf incident (Surah Ta-Ha, verses 85-98), which recounts events from when Bani Isra'il deviated during Musa's absence. While Surah Ta-Ha is Meccan, this narrative reflects historical events from the Torah period, serving as a moral lesson for the Meccan audience about the consequences of shirk and following one's desires over divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the golden calf is referenced in multiple hadith collections. Related to the theme of following desires: 'The greatest enemy of Allah is his own desire' (a saying attributed to wisdom traditions). Also relevant: Hadith in Sahih Bukhari regarding the trials of the Children of Israel and their tendency toward idolatry.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns against the dangerous deception of the soul, wherein we justify wrongdoing through false reasoning and self-persuasion. We must guard against rationalizing sins and remain steadfast to divine truth rather than succumbing to the whispers of our desires and the influences of those around us.