7. Al-A'raaf

He said: "Shall I seek for you an ilah (a god) other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the nations. (140)And (remember) when We rescued you from Fir'awn's people, who were afflicting you with the worst torment, killing your sons and letting your women live. And in that was a great trial from your Lord (141)

Reminding the Children of Israel of Allah's Blessings for Them

Musa reminded the Children of Israel of Allah's blessings, such as saving them from Fir'awn, his tyranny and the humiliation and disgrace they suffered. He reminded them of the glory and revenge against their enemy, when they watched them suffering in disgrace, destroyed by drowning and meeting utter demise. We mentioned this subject in the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.

And We appointed for Musa thirty nights and added ten, and he completed the term, appointed by his Lord, of forty nights. And Musa said to his brother Harun: "Replace me among my people, act in the right way and follow not the way of the mischief-makers. (142)

Musa fasts and worships Allah for Forty Days

Allah reminds the Children of Israel of the guidance that He sent to them by speaking directly to Musa and revealing the Tawrah to him. In it, was their law and the details of their legislation. Allah stated here that He appointed thirty nights for Musa. The scholars of Tafsir said that Musa fasted this period, and when they ended, Musa cleaned his teeth with a twig. Allah commanded him to complete the term adding ten more days, making the total forty. When the appointed term finished, Musa was about to return to Mount Tur, as Allah said,

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ

(O Children of Israel! We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount)[20:80].

Musa left his brother Harun with the Children of Israel and commanded him to use wisdom and refrain from mischief. This was only a reminder, for Harun was an honorable and noble Prophet who had grace and exalted standard with Allah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and the rest of the Prophets.

And when Musa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: "O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allah said: "You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me." So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers. (143)

Musa asks to see Allah

Allah said that when Musa came for His appointment and spoke to Him directly, he asked to see Him,

رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي

("O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You." Allah said: "You cannot see Me,")

You cannot' (Lan) by no means indicates that seeing Allah will never occur, as (the misguided sect of) Al-Mu'tazilah claimed. The Hadiths of Mutawatir grade narrated from the Messenger of Allah, affirm that the believers will see Allah in the Hereafter. We will mention these Hadiths under the explanation of Allah's statement,

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ - إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ

(Some faces that Day shall be radiant. Looking at their Lord.)[75:22-23]

In earlier Scriptures, it was reported that Allah said to Musa, "O Musa! No living soul sees Me, but will perish, and no solid but will be demolished." Allah said here,

فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ موسَى صَعِقًا

(So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa fell down unconscious.)

In his Musnad Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet ﷺ said about Allah's saying;

فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ

(And when his Lord appeared to the mountain,)

هكذا

(Like this) then he held out the tip of his little finger. At-Tirmidhi recorded this in the chapter of Tafsir for this Ayah, then he said; "This Hadith is Hasan Sahih Gharib."

This was also recorded by Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak through the route of Hamad bin Salamah, and he said; "This Hadith is Sahih according to the criteria of Muslim and they did not record it." And As-Suddi reported that 'Ikrimah reported from Ibn 'Abbas about Allah's saying,

فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ

(And when his Lord appeared to the mountain,) Only the extent of the little finger appeared from Him,

جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا

(He made it collapse) as dust;

وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا

(And Musa fell down unconscious) fainting from it. Ibn Jarir recorded these because of the relation to the word Al-Ghashi.

فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ

(Then when he (Musa) recovered his senses) after he lost consciousness,

قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ

(he said: "Glory be to You,") thus, praising, glorifying and honoring Allah since no living soul could see Him in this life and remain alive. Musa' statement,

تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ

("I turn to You in repentance") means, according to Mujahid, that from asking you to look at you,

وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

("and I am the first of the believers."), among the Children of Israel, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, and Ibn Jarir preferred this view. Or, according to another narration from Ibn 'Abbas, the …

(Allah) said: "O Musa I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful. (144)And We wrote for him on the Tablets the exhortation all things and the explanation for all things (and said): Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin your people to take the better therein. I shall show you the home of the rebellious (145)

Allah chooses Musa and gives Him the Tablets

Allah states that He spoke to Musa directly and informed him that He has chosen him above the people of his time, by His Message and by speaking to him.

Here we should mention that there is no doubt that Muhammad ﷺ is the chief of all the Children of Adam, the earlier and later ones among them. This is why Allah has chosen him to be the Final and Last Prophet and Messenger, whose Law shall remain dominant and valid until the commencement of the Last Hour. Muhammad's followers are more numerous than the followers of all Prophets and Messengers. After Muhammad ﷺ, the next in rank of honor and virtue is Ibrahim upon him be peace,, then Musa, son of 'Imran, who spoke to the Most Beneficent directly. Allah commanded Musa, saying,

فَخُذْ مَا آتَيْتُكَ

(So hold to that which I have given you), of My Speech and conversation with you,

وَكُن مِّنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ

(and be of the grateful) , for it and do not ask for what is beyond your capacity to bear.

Allah stated that He has written lessons and exhortation for all things and explanations for all things on the Tablets. It was said that in the Tablets, Allah wrote advice and the details of the commandments for lawful and prohibited matters. The Tablets contained the Tawrah, that Allah described;

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الْأُولَىٰ بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ

(And indeed We gave Musa – after We had destroyed the generations of old – the Scripture as an enlightenment for mankind)[28:43].

It was also said that Allah gave Musa the Tablets before the Tawrah, and Allah knows best. Allah said next,

فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ

(Hold unto these with firmness), be firm on the obedience,

وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا بِأَحْسَنِهَا

(and enjoin your people to take the better therein.)

Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah said, "Abu Sa'd narrated to us from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas that "Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to adhere to the toughest of what was ordained on his people." Allah's statement,

سَأُرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

(I shall show you the home of the rebellious), means, you will witness the recompense of those who defy My order and deviate from My obedience, the destruction, demise and utter loss they will suffer.

(Allah) said: "O Musa I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful. (144)And We wrote for him on the Tablets the exhortation all things and the explanation for all things (and said): Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin your people to take the better therein. I shall show you the home of the rebellious (145)

Allah chooses Musa and gives Him the Tablets

Allah states that He spoke to Musa directly and informed him that He has chosen him above the people of his time, by His Message and by speaking to him.

Here we should mention that there is no doubt that Muhammad ﷺ is the chief of all the Children of Adam, the earlier and later ones among them. This is why Allah has chosen him to be the Final and Last Prophet and Messenger, whose Law shall remain dominant and valid until the commencement of the Last Hour. Muhammad's followers are more numerous than the followers of all Prophets and Messengers. After Muhammad ﷺ, the next in rank of honor and virtue is Ibrahim upon him be peace,, then Musa, son of 'Imran, who spoke to the Most Beneficent directly. Allah commanded Musa, saying,

فَخُذْ مَا آتَيْتُكَ

(So hold to that which I have given you), of My Speech and conversation with you,

وَكُن مِّنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ

(and be of the grateful) , for it and do not ask for what is beyond your capacity to bear.

Allah stated that He has written lessons and exhortation for all things and explanations for all things on the Tablets. It was said that in the Tablets, Allah wrote advice and the details of the commandments for lawful and prohibited matters. The Tablets contained the Tawrah, that Allah described;

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الْأُولَىٰ بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ

(And indeed We gave Musa – after We had destroyed the generations of old – the Scripture as an enlightenment for mankind)[28:43].

It was also said that Allah gave Musa the Tablets before the Tawrah, and Allah knows best. Allah said next,

فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ

(Hold unto these with firmness), be firm on the obedience,

وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا بِأَحْسَنِهَا

(and enjoin your people to take the better therein.)

Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah said, "Abu Sa'd narrated to us from 'Ikrimah from Ibn 'Abbas that "Musa, peace be upon him, was commanded to adhere to the toughest of what was ordained on his people." Allah's statement,

سَأُرِيكُمْ دَارَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

(I shall show you the home of the rebellious), means, you will witness the recompense of those who defy My order and deviate from My obedience, the destruction, demise and utter loss they will suffer.

I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right, and (even) if they see all the Ayat, they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt it as the way, but if they see the way of error, they will adopt that way, that is because they have rejected Our Ayat and were heedless of them (146)Those who deny Our Ayat and the meeting in the Hereafter, vain are their deeds. Are they requited with anything except what they used to do (147)

Arrogant People will be deprived of Allah's Ayat

Allah said,

سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

(I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right).

Allah says, "I shall deprive the hearts of those who are too proud to obey Me, and arrogant with people without right, from understanding the signs and proofs that testify to My Might, Law and Commandments." And just as they acted arrogantly without justification, Allah has disgraced them with ignorance. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ

(And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time)[6:110], and,

فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ

(So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the right path).)[61:5] Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah commented on this Ayah,

سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

(I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right),

"(Allah says) I shall snatch away comprehension of the Qur'an from them and turn them away from My Ayat. " Ibn Jarir commented on Sufyan's statement that, "This indicates that this part of the Ayah is addressed to this Ummah." This is not necessarily true, for Ibn 'Uyaynah actually meant that this occurs in every Ummah and that there is no difference between one Ummah and another Ummah in this regard. Allah knows best. Allah said next,

وَإِن يَرَوْا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لَّا يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَا

(and (even) if they see all the Ayat, they will not believe in them). Allah said in a similar Ayah,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ آيَةٍ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ

(Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.)[10:96-97] Allah's statement,

وَإِن يَرَوْا سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لَا يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلًا

(And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt it as the way,) means, even if the way of guidance and safety appears before them, they will not take it, but if the way that leads to destruction and misguidance appears to them, they adopt that way. Allah explains why they do this,

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا

(that is because they have rejected Our Ayat), in their hearts,

وَكَانُوا عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ

(and were heedless of them.), gaining no lessons from the Ayat. Allah's …

And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it (for worship) and they were wrongdoers (148)And when they regretted and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall certainly be of the losers (149)

Story of worshipping the Calf

Allah describes the misguidance of those who worshipped the calf that As-Samiri made for them from the ornaments they borrowed from the Copts. He made the shape of a calf with these ornaments and threw in it a handful of dust from the trace of the horse that the Angel Jibril was riding, and the calf seemed to moo. This occurred after Musa went for the appointed term with his Lord, where Allah told him about what happened when he was on Mount Tur. Allah said about His Honorable Self,

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ

((Allah) said: "Verily, We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray")[20:85].

The scholars of Tafsir have different views over the calf, whether it actually became alive and mooing, or if it remained made of gold, but the air entering it made it appear to be mooing. These are two opinions. Allah knows best. It was reported that when the statue mooed, the Jews started dancing around it and fell into misguidance because they adored it. They said that this, the calf, is your god and the god of Musa, but Musa forgot it! Allah answered them,

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

(Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had neither power to harm them nor to do them good?)[20:89]. Allah said here,

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا

(Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way?)

Allah condemned the Jews for falling into misguidance, worshipping the calf and ignoring the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Lord and King of all things. They worshipped besides Him a statue made in the shape of a calf, that seemed to moo, but it neither spoke to them nor brought them any benefit. Rather, their very sense of reason was blinded because of ignorance and misguidance. Allah's statement,

وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ

(And when they regretted), and felt sorrow for their action,

وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

(and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we will certainly become among the losers.") or among the destroyed ones. This was their recognition of their sin and their way of seeking salvation from Allah the Most Mighty and Majestic.

And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it (for worship) and they were wrongdoers (148)And when they regretted and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall certainly be of the losers (149)

Story of worshipping the Calf

Allah describes the misguidance of those who worshipped the calf that As-Samiri made for them from the ornaments they borrowed from the Copts. He made the shape of a calf with these ornaments and threw in it a handful of dust from the trace of the horse that the Angel Jibril was riding, and the calf seemed to moo. This occurred after Musa went for the appointed term with his Lord, where Allah told him about what happened when he was on Mount Tur. Allah said about His Honorable Self,

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ

((Allah) said: "Verily, We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray")[20:85].

The scholars of Tafsir have different views over the calf, whether it actually became alive and mooing, or if it remained made of gold, but the air entering it made it appear to be mooing. These are two opinions. Allah knows best. It was reported that when the statue mooed, the Jews started dancing around it and fell into misguidance because they adored it. They said that this, the calf, is your god and the god of Musa, but Musa forgot it! Allah answered them,

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا

(Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had neither power to harm them nor to do them good?)[20:89]. Allah said here,

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلًا

(Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way?)

Allah condemned the Jews for falling into misguidance, worshipping the calf and ignoring the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Lord and King of all things. They worshipped besides Him a statue made in the shape of a calf, that seemed to moo, but it neither spoke to them nor brought them any benefit. Rather, their very sense of reason was blinded because of ignorance and misguidance. Allah's statement,

وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ

(And when they regretted), and felt sorrow for their action,

وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

(and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we will certainly become among the losers.") or among the destroyed ones. This was their recognition of their sin and their way of seeking salvation from Allah the Most Mighty and Majestic.

And when Musa returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said: "What an evil thing is that which you have done during my absence. Did you hasten in matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the Tablets and seized his brother by (the hair of) his head and dragged him towards him. He (Harun) said: "O son of my mother! Indeed the people judged me weak and were about to kill me, so make not the enemies rejoice over me, nor put me among the people who are wrongdoers. (150)He (Musa) said: "O my Lord! Forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. (151)

Allah states that when Musa returned to his people after conversation with his Lord, he became angry and full of regret. Abu Ad-Darda' said that Asif, or regret, is the severest type of anger.

قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِي مِن بَعْدِي

(He (Musa) said: "What an evil thing is that which you have done during my absence.") evil it is that which you committed after I departed and left you, by worshiping the calf,

أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ

(Did you hasten in the matter of your Lord?)

Musa said, 'You wanted me to rush back to you, even though [being there] this was Allah's decision?' Allah said next,

وَأَلْقَى الْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ

(And he threw down the Tablets and seized his brother by his head and dragged him towards him.)

This Ayah demonstrates the meaning of the Hadith,

لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَةِ

(Information is not the same as observation.)

It indicates that Musa threw down the Tablets because he was angry at his people, according to the majority of scholars of early and latter times. Allah said,

وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ

(and seized his brother by (the hair of) his head and dragged him towards him.) for Musa feared that Harun might have not tried hard enough to forbid them from their evil action. In another Ayah, Allah said,

قَالَ يَا هَارُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا - أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي - قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأْسِي إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِي

((He [Musa] said: "O Harun ! What prevented you when you saw them going astray. That you followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then disobeyed my order?" He [Harun] said: "O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: 'You have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected (waited or observed) my word!'")[20:92-94].

Here, Allah said that Harun said,

ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِيَ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

("O son of my mother! Indeed the people judged me weak and were about to kill me, so make not the enemies rejoice over me, nor put me among the people who are wrongdoers.")

Harun said, 'Do not place me on the same level as they are, as if I was one of them.' Further, Harun said, 'O son of my mother', so that Musa would feel more mercy and leniency towards him, even though Harun was also …