Juz 16: Al-Kahf 75 to Ṭā Hā
Section 16 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
16. The Israelites and the Story of Samiri
After the miraculous deliverance from Pharaoh, Musa (peace be upon him) faced another challenge – guiding the very people he had rescued. The trial with the Children of Israel proved in many ways more difficult than confronting Pharaoh, as they repeatedly displayed ingratitude, disobedience, and weak conviction despite witnessing extraordinary divine interventions.
When Musa departed to receive the Torah on Mount Tur, leaving his people under Harun's supervision, a man named Samiri led them into idolatry. This episode reveals how quickly people can revert to falsehood when their faith lacks depth:
فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ
“Then he brought forth for them a calf, which was (merely) a body with a lowing sound. Then they said, 'This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.'”
Samiri exploited the people's weakness and fabricated a golden calf that produced a sound resembling a cow's lowing. Despite having witnessed Allah's signs and their deliverance from Pharaoh, many Israelites quickly abandoned monotheism for this lifeless idol, demonstrating how easily faith can be undermined when it derives from witnessing miracles rather than deep understanding.
Upon returning and discovering this apostasy, Musa was furious. His anger was directed first at his brother Harun:
قَالَ يَا هَارُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ ۖ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي
“He (Musa) said, 'O Hārūn, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray, from following my way? Did you, then, disobey my command?'”
Harun's response reveals he had tried his best but feared causing division:
قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأْسِي ۖ إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِي
“He said, 'O son of my mother, do not hold me by my beard, nor by my head. I feared that you would say, 'You have caused discord among the children of Isrā'īl and did not observe my advice”