THE STORY OF THE PROPHET MOSES (AND PROPHET AARON) - Worship of a Calf Statue that Made by Samiri

Surah Al-Baqarah verses 51-52:

وَإِذۡ وَٰعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَيۡلَةٗ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمۡ ظَٰلِمُونَ  ٥١ ثُمَّ عَفَوۡنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ  ٥٢

51.  And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him, while you were wrongdoers.

52.  Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.

Surah Al-A'raf verses 148-156:

وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوۡمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ مِنۡ حُلِيِّهِمۡ عِجۡلٗا جَسَدٗا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۚ أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمۡ وَلَا يَهۡدِيهِمۡ سَبِيلًاۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُواْ ظَٰلِمِينَ  ١٤٨ وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِيٓ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَرَأَوۡاْ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ قَالُواْ لَئِن لَّمۡ يَرۡحَمۡنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ  ١٤٩ وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَٰنَ أَسِفٗا قَالَ بِئۡسَمَا خَلَفۡتُمُونِي مِنۢ بَعۡدِيٓۖ أَعَجِلۡتُمۡ أَمۡرَ رَبِّكُمۡۖ وَأَلۡقَى ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأۡسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيۡهِۚ قَالَ ٱبۡنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱسۡتَضۡعَفُونِي وَكَادُواْ يَقۡتُلُونَنِي فَلَا تُشۡمِتۡ بِيَ ٱلۡأَعۡدَآءَ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡنِي مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ  ١٥٠ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِأَخِي وَأَدۡخِلۡنَا فِي رَحۡمَتِكَۖ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ  ١٥١ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ سَيَنَالُهُمۡ غَضَبٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَذِلَّةٞ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡمُفۡتَرِينَ  ١٥٢ وَٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلسَّيِّ‍َٔاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ  ١٥٣ وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى ٱلۡغَضَبُ أَخَذَ ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَۖ وَفِي نُسۡخَتِهَا هُدٗى وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِرَبِّهِمۡ يَرۡهَبُونَ  ١٥٤ وَٱخۡتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوۡمَهُۥ سَبۡعِينَ رَجُلٗا لِّمِيقَٰتِنَاۖ فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِيَّٰيَۖ أَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآۖ إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَهۡدِي مَن تَشَآءُۖ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَاۖ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡغَٰفِرِينَ  ١٥٥ ۞وَٱكۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَۚ قَالَ عَذَابِيٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَآءُۖ وَرَحۡمَتِي وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَيۡءٖۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِ‍َٔايَٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ  ١٥٦

148.  And the people of Moses made, after [his departure], from their ornaments a calf - an image having a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to a way? They took it [for worship], and they were wrongdoers.

149.  And when regret overcame them and they saw that they had gone astray, they said, "If our Lord does not have mercy upon us and forgive us, we will surely be among the losers."

150.  And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, indeed the people oppressed me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."

151.  [Moses] said, "My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the most merciful of the merciful."

152.  Indeed, those who took the calf [for worship] will obtain anger from their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world, and thus do We recompense the inventors [of falsehood].

153.  But those who committed misdeeds and then repented after them and believed - indeed your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.

154.  And when the anger subsided in Moses, he took up the tablets; and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for those who are fearful of their Lord.

155.  And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers.

156.  And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [Allah] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses -

Surah Thaha verses 85-98:

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَوۡمَكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِيُّ  ٨٥ فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَٰنَ أَسِفٗاۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَلَمۡ يَعِدۡكُمۡ رَبُّكُمۡ وَعۡدًا حَسَنًاۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡعَهۡدُ أَمۡ أَرَدتُّمۡ أَن يَحِلَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غَضَبٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ فَأَخۡلَفۡتُم مَّوۡعِدِي  ٨٦ قَالُواْ مَآ أَخۡلَفۡنَا مَوۡعِدَكَ بِمَلۡكِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا حُمِّلۡنَآ أَوۡزَارٗا مِّن زِينَةِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ فَقَذَفۡنَٰهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلۡقَى ٱلسَّامِرِيُّ  ٨٧ فَأَخۡرَجَ لَهُمۡ عِجۡلٗا جَسَدٗا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٞ فَقَالُواْ هَٰذَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ  ٨٨ أَفَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَلَّا يَرۡجِعُ إِلَيۡهِمۡ قَوۡلٗا وَلَا يَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا نَفۡعٗا  ٨٩ وَلَقَدۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ هَٰرُونُ مِن قَبۡلُ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِۦۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ فَٱتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوٓاْ أَمۡرِي  ٩٠ قَالُواْ لَن نَّبۡرَحَ عَلَيۡهِ عَٰكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرۡجِعَ إِلَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ  ٩١ قَالَ يَٰهَٰرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذۡ رَأَيۡتَهُمۡ ضَلُّوٓاْ  ٩٢ أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِۖ أَفَعَصَيۡتَ أَمۡرِي  ٩٣ قَالَ يَبۡنَؤُمَّ لَا تَأۡخُذۡ بِلِحۡيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأۡسِيٓۖ إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقۡتَ بَيۡنَ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَمۡ تَرۡقُبۡ قَوۡلِي  ٩٤ قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكَ يَٰسَٰمِرِيُّ  ٩٥ قَالَ بَصُرۡتُ بِمَا لَمۡ يَبۡصُرُواْ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضۡتُ قَبۡضَةٗ مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذۡتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتۡ لِي نَفۡسِي  ٩٦ قَالَ فَٱذۡهَبۡ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ أَن تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوۡعِدٗا لَّن تُخۡلَفَهُۥۖ وَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَٰهِكَ ٱلَّذِي ظَلۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ عَاكِفٗاۖ لَّنُحَرِّقَنَّهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَنسِفَنَّهُۥ فِي ٱلۡيَمِّ نَسۡفًا  ٩٧ إِنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عِلۡمٗا  ٩٨

85.  [Allah] said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you [departed], and the Samiri has led them astray."

86.  So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, "O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise? Then, was the time [of its fulfillment] too long for you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord descend upon you, so you broke your promise [of obedience] to me?"

87.  They said, "We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people [of Pharaoh], so we threw them [into the fire], and thus did the Samiri throw."

88.  And he extracted for them [the statue of] a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot."

89.  Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?

90.  And Aaron had already told them before [the return of Moses], "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."

91.  They said, "We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us."

92.  [Moses] said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,

93.  From following me? Then have you disobeyed my order?"

94.  [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.' "

95.  [Moses] said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"

96.  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."

97.  [Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, 'No contact.' And indeed, you have an appointment [in the Hereafter] you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast.

98.  Your god is only Allah, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge."

Moses came down from Mount Sinai by bringing the Torah to the place of his people. After arriving, it was seen that the Children of Israel were partying and worshiping a golden calf statue. They have violated the agreement so that they do not worship other than Allah. The Prophet Moses became angry and sad.

Then the Prophet Moses rebuked his people and asked if they really could not wait for the Prophet Moses to return from Mount Sinai after facing Allah SWT. The Children of Israel replied that the incident of the worship of a cow statue occurred because of the actions of one of the Children of Israel, namely Samiri. The Children of Israel felt heavy carrying lots of jewelry from the Egyptians. So Samiri told them to throw the many jewels into a burning fire pit. So they threw away the jewelry and Samiri also threw it. Then a statue of a calf is formed that can voiced from the fire pit. According to some interpreters, that sound comes from the cavity of a calf statue that the wind passes through certain techniques. There are also those who argue that the calf is animate.

Samiri invited the Children of Israel to worship the statue. Samiri said a lie that the statue was an offering taught by the Prophet Moses, but forgot to say it. This action is truly a misguided act. The statue cannot answer the question at all, does not provide benefits and does not reject harm.

Prophet Aaron had warned his people not to worship other than Allah SWT and indeed his people were only given trials from Allah SWT with that object. But the Children of Israel did not care about the warning of the Prophet Aaron and instead threatened him. They will continue to worship the statue until Moses returns. Finally the Prophet Aaron was forced to yield and continued to be patient.

In a state of anger, the Prophet Moses immediately approached the Prophet Aaron while throwing away the Law. Prophet Moses rebuked his brother who had been given the trust to lead the Children of Israel. Prophet Moses said that why Prophet Aaron let his people go astray. The Prophet Aaron answered while trying to calm the Prophet Moses. Prophet Aaron said that he was considered a weak person. Prophet Aaron also did not want to make the Children of Israel divided and more sinful if he continued to oppose Prophet Aaron.

Then, the Prophet Moses approached Samiri and rebuked him that why Samiri did something that was so forbidden by Allah SWT. Samiri replied that he had known something, namely a handful of traces of the apostle he had taken and thrown into the fire pit. Lust has persuaded him to commit a deed. In the opinion of some interpreters, the traces of the apostles are the teachings of the apostles. According to this version, Samiri took part in the teachings of the Prophet Moses and threw down the teachings, so that he became misguided. There are also interpreters who argue that the apostle's traces are traces of the horse's foot ridden by Gabriel (Jibril) when accompanying the Children of Israel through the divided sea. The former stamping of the horse was taken by Samiri and thrown into a fire pit.

For Samiri's mistakes, the Prophet Moses drove Samiri away. Samiri must not socialize with the community. That said, if Samiri was touched a human being, his body would become hot or feverish, that is the punishment in the world. And the punishment in the hereafter is hell fire of course. Then the Prophet Moses burned the calf statue and threw the ashes into the sea.

Then the Prophet Moses ordered his people who had worshiped a calf statue to repent to Allah SWT earnestly. Moses chose seventy of the best people from his people to go to Mount Sinai. They are invited to ask forgiveness for their sinners.

That said, when he arrived at the mountain, there came a thick cloud covering the mountain. Moses and his people entered the cloud. They immediately prostrated themselves. When prostrating, the chosen people heard the conversation between Prophet Moses and Allah SWT. So those people feel they want to see Allah SWT directly.

After the conversation between Allah SWT and Prophet Moses was finished, they told the Prophet Moses that they would not believe before they could see God directly. Because of their impudence, Allah SWT sent sudden thunder which grabbed them to lose their lives.

The Prophet Moses was sad to see this incident. So the Prophet Moses begged Allah SWT to forgive them and they could live again. Allah SWT granted his prayer. Seventy people who died live again. Then the Prophet Moses ordered the people to swear to make the Torah as a way of life, carry out orders and stay away from the prohibition of Allah SWT.

Surah Al-Baqarah verses 55-56:

وَإِذۡ قُلۡتُمۡ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى ٱللَّهَ جَهۡرَةٗ فَأَخَذَتۡكُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمۡ تَنظُرُونَ  ٥٥ ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَٰكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَوۡتِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ  ٥٦

55.  And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah outright"; so the thunderbolt took you while you were looking on.

56.  Then We revived you after your death that perhaps you would be grateful.