Prophet Mūsā: Part 4 — Banū Isrāʾīl at the Gates and the Golden Calf
Section 23 of 25 · Lives of the Prophets
What Made You Hasten?
When Mūsā went to meet Allah (swt) at al-Ṭūr — and we talked about Mūsā asking to see Allah (swt), and we talked about the conversation between Allah and Mūsā — Allah (swt) said to Mūsā: why were you in a hurry to meet Me, and leave your people? Allah (swt) had made an appointment with Mūsā, so Mūsā was very eager to go and meet Allah (swt), and he went in a hurry. So Allah (swt) asked Mūsā:
۞ وَمَآ أَعْجَلَكَ عَن قَوْمِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ قَالَ هُمْ أُو۟لَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ
““What has caused you to hurry before your people, O Mūsā?” He said, “Here they are just behind me, and I hurried towards You, my Lord, so that You be pleased.” He said, “We have then put your people to test after you (left them) and Sāmiriyy has misguided them.”” (20:83–85)
And what made you hasten from your people, O Mūsā? Mūsā said: they are close on my footsteps, and I hastened to You, O my Lord, that You might be pleased. So Mūsā left his people close by, and he went to meet Allah (swt). Mūsā did not leave his people alone; he appointed his brother to be the leader in his absence. He appointed Hārūn: ukhlufnī fī qawmī — be my successor among my people. And he went to meet Allah (swt).
Allah (swt) told Mūsā what was going on. Mūsā did not know what was happening, so Allah (swt) told him what was happening at that very moment. Allah (swt) says: verily, We have tried your people in your absence, and al-Sāmirī has led them astray. Allah said: We are putting your people through a test, and al-Sāmirī is leading them astray. This is a man called al-Sāmirī, from Banū Isrāʾīl. He led them astray.