ভূমিকা

Did they not see that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it (for worship) and they were unjust.” Through these verses one of the lamentable and surprising events has been referred to. It happened among the Children of Israel after going Moses (as) to the tryst. That event was their worshipping Calf, which was arranged by a person called ‘Sāmiri’ and by means of some golden ornaments offered by the Children of Israel.

The verse implies that after going Moses to the tryst, his people made a calf out of their ornaments which was only a lifeless body with the mooing sound of a cow which they worshipped.

At first, it says: “And the people of Moses made of their ornaments a calf after him, a (mere) body that lowed…” Then the Qur’ān, scorning them, says: “…Did they not see that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way?…” The objective meaning of this question is that a true deity should recognize the right and wrong and be able to guide his followers. He should save the ability of speaking with his worshippers and guide them to the straight way, and teach them the way of worship.

“And when they smote their hands and saw that they had gone astray, they said: ‘Should our Lord have not mercy on us and forgive us (not), we shall certainly be of the losers’,” When Moses (as) came back from the mountain, the Children of Israel realized that they had made mistake and were of the losers.