THE STORY OF THE PROPHET AARON

Prophet Aaron is a prophet who was asked by Prophet Moses to Allah SWT to help and accompany him in teaching and developing the religion of Allah. Prophet Aaron was born as the second child of three brothers and he was the brother of the Prophet Moses and had an older sister named Miriam. His genealogy is Aaron bin Imran bin Qahits bin Lawi ibn Ya'qub ibn Ishak ibn Ibrahim. So, Prophet Aaron came from the Lawy tribe.

Aaron was born three years before Moses. The Prophet Aaron was sent to help Prophet Moses in leading the Children of Israel to the right path. Prophet Aaron is a person who is fluent and has a fixed position. He often followed Prophet Moses in delivering da'wah to Pharaoh, Haman, and Qarun. Prophet Moses admitted that his brother was indeed fluent in speaking and arguing, so he relied on Prophet Aaron while arguing with others.

Surah Al-Qashash verse 34:

وَأَخِي هَٰرُونُ هُوَ أَفۡصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانٗا فَأَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعِيَ رِدۡءٗا يُصَدِّقُنِيٓۖ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ أَن يُكَذِّبُونِ  ٣٤

34.  And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me."

When the Children of Israel were left by the Prophet Moses to pray on Mount Sinai, the Prophet Moses gave a mandate to the Prophet Aaron to lead, guard, and supervise the Children of Israel to avoid the mischief and heresy, and so that they always worship Allah SWT. However, when Prophet Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Children of Israel were tested by Allah SWT and did what they wished. Some of them worshiped calf statues made of gold. The heretical act was from Samiri's actions, who were the Children of Israel. Samiri could make the calf statue sound so that many of the Children of Israel were affected by Samiri's invitation to worship it.

Surah Al-A'raf verse 142:

۞وَوَٰعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَٰثِينَ لَيۡلَةٗ وَأَتۡمَمۡنَٰهَا بِعَشۡرٖ فَتَمَّ مِيقَٰتُ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَيۡلَةٗۚ وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَخِيهِ هَٰرُونَ ٱخۡلُفۡنِي فِي قَوۡمِي وَأَصۡلِحۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ  ١٤٢

142.  And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and perfected them by [the addition of] ten; so the term of his Lord was completed as forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron, "Take my place among my people, do right [by them], and do not follow the way of the corrupters."

Prophet Aaron had warned the Children of Israel that this heretical act was a big sin. However, all the advice of the Prophet Aaron towards goodness and truth was even opposed and ignored by them.

Surah Thaha verse 90:

وَلَقَدۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ هَٰرُونُ مِن قَبۡلُ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُم بِهِۦۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ فَٱتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوٓاْ أَمۡرِي  ٩٠

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."

After the Prophet Moses prayed for forty days to receive the call of Allah SWT on Mount Sinai, the Prophet Moses returned to his people and was surprised to know that they had worshiped other than Allah SWT, namely the statue of a calf. The Prophet Moses was not only angry with his people, but also rebuked the Prophet Aaron by pulling his head and beard.

Surah Thaha verses 92-94:

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

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.' "

Prophet Moses rebuked his brother and wanted to know about the cause he had let the Children of Israel go astray. Prophet Aaron told Prophet Aaron not to pull his beard. The word "my mother's son" shows that Prophet Harun wanted to explain well about the matter as a familiar brother. They are siblings who must be able to solve their problems well. The prophet Aaron spoke that he was worried that he would be called a person who divided the Children of Israel and was unable to maintain the mandate.

After that, Prophet Moses immediately approached Samiri and sent him away as a punishment for teaching heresy. The calf statue was burned and the ashes were thrown into the sea.

According to history, Prophet Aaron lived for 122 years. He died 11 months before the death of Moses in the land of Tiih, which was when the Children of Israel had not entered al-Ardh al-muqaddasah.

The Children of Israel are indeed stubborn, many problems, and difficult to lead. But thanks to the patience of Prophet Moses and Prophet Aaron in leading his people, the Children of Israel can follow the Shari'a of Allah contained in the Torah.