Trnaslation
After Moses (went to the mountain), his people made the body of a calf using their ornaments that produced low-pitched sounds. They took it for worship though they could see that it did not speak to them, nor did it provide any guidance; they were indeed unjust (to themselves). When they (some of them) realized their mistake and sought forgiveness, they said: “If our Sustainer God does not show mercy on us and forgive us, we will be in a state of loss.”
When Moses returned, he was overcome with grief and anger and said to his people: “Evil and shameful is what you have done after me. Could you not wait until God’s commands were given to you (as I was hoping to bring)?” He dropped the tablets and grabbed his brother (Aaron) by his head and pulled him toward himself. His brother said: “O Moses [son of my mother], our community considered me weak and disobeyed me. So let’s not make our adversaries relish my predicament, and do not consider me as one of the unjust people.” Moses regained calm: “My Sustainer God, forgive me and my brother, and consider us among those who receive Your mercy. You’re the most merciful of those who show mercy.” 379
Those who took the calf (for worship), they will face God’s displeasure and humiliation in this life. This is the nature of how We (God) deal with those who invent such falsehood. But to those who repent after such evil and reaffirm their faith, God is Ever Forgiving and Merciful! As Moses calmed down, he took up the tablets (to share with his people) in which the writings provided guidance and brought mercy for those who truly revered their Sustainer God. Moses chose seventy men for appointment with Us (God) and were overtaken by earthquake; Moses prayed: “If it was Your will, you could have removed them and me too already. Will you now destroy us for the acts of the fools among us? This was nothing but a serious trial from you (which we failed terribly)! You allow people to go astray as You will, and You guide people as You will. You are our Preserver; therefore, forgive us and show us (again) Your mercy, as You are the best among the Forgivers! Bless us with what is good in this world and in the life to come as we turn to You.” God responded: “My displeasure touches whom I will (as deserved by them), but My mercy is spread to everyone and everything. Such is the norm for those who behave responsibly, support others from their wealth [zakat], and take Our Guidance seriously.” 380
Interpretation
379 The story of the Children of Israel taking on the worship of the calf and their denial of the messages and guidance from the tablets is well documented in the Torah and the Bible. The Qur’an further reiterates the same incidents, with pertinent details (see also 20:90–97 for further details) but greater focus on the lessons learned from such incidents and from such generations who were blessed with the presence of Moses. People were impatient and could not wait for forty days until Moses could come back and provide the guidance that God had promised. Even Aaron’s presence and pleading did not help the situation. Even when the message came, it was difficult for them to give up old habits and erase notions of deities other than One God. The Qur’an also refutes Exodus 32:1–5, which implies that Aaron participated in the calf worship. The Qur’an also does not confirm Exodus 32:19, which implies that the tablets were broken and had to be redone, as if there were a second appointment with God like the first (Exodus 24:1).
Now let’s think of the current situation in many Muslim countries and Muslim communities where we have the Qur’an and the Prophet’s teachings in front of us in full view. There are people of conscience asking questions about our failures with gender equality; social justice; corrupt practices in governing the country; religious leaders more aligned with the powerful than with the truth and the people; marginalization of the faith to mere rituals in communities, encouraged by imams and community leaders; failure to distinguish Islamic teaching from cultural norms—these situations are no less serious than what God was displeased with in Moses’s time. Unless we can connect their failures with our own, take lessons from them, and do something about it as responsible human beings (muttaquin), the Qur’an will not help us become better people or a better person. God wills only when we will to change our condition. The current refugee crisis in Syria is a living example of our collective failure by the Syrian people themselves, the Muslims in neighboring countries, and the world at large.
380 The patience and perseverance that Moses demonstrated in the face of recurring moral and spiritual incursions by his generation is legendary—a lesson that we can all learn from. In our contemporary societies, we have seen people such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, who followed those footsteps in the face of enormous odds in their societies. Despite initial setbacks, the Prophet Moses gathered his people and led a collective show of repentance to God to seek His continued blessing. God affirms here that at any moment we show genuine remorse and resolve to mend our ways, God is always there to support us. God lays out a simple rule: to continue to receive His blessings, we have to (1) act responsibly, (2) be socially conscious and look at the interests of everyone, especially those who are less fortunate, and (3) show genuine commitment to understanding and implementing guidance from God to improve human conditions.
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REFLECTION
The story of Moses again shows us God’s continued forgiveness and blessings despite repeated failures by his community. For many communities of faithful in the world today, whether locally or nationally, similar situations exist that call for deeper reflections on the common causes.
ACTION
As we read the Qur’an, other Books of Revelations, and books on human knowledge and natural laws and discuss among ourselves the malaise and excesses of our societies, each of us has a responsibility—especially those of us who are professionals, since we have mastered certain skills and disciplines that we demonstrate in our professional lives every day—to mobilize some of our energy, skills, and precious time to make our societies and its members better, including ourselves.