قَالَ أَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ أَبْغِيكُمْ إِلَـٰهًا وَهُوَ فَضَّلَكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 140
Translations
He said, "Is it other than Allāh I should desire for you as a god while He has preferred you over the worlds?"
Transliteration
Qala a-ghayra Allahi abghikum ilahan wa huwa faddhalakum 'ala al-'alamin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Musa (Moses) rebukes the Children of Israel for their inclination toward idol worship after he left them to receive the Torah. He questions why they would seek any god besides Allah when He has favored them above all other nations with clear signs, miracles, and divine guidance. This ayah emphasizes the ingratitude and foolishness of turning away from the One True God despite receiving abundant blessings and proofs of His oneness.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of the Golden Calf incident (al-'ijl al-dhahab), which occurred when Musa left his people for forty nights to receive the Tablets of the Law. During his absence, the Children of Israel were misled by Samiri into crafting and worshipping a golden calf. The ayah reflects Musa's immediate response upon his return, expressing shock at their abandonment of monotheism despite Allah's clear favor upon them.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the Golden Calf is referenced in Sahih Muslim (hadith on the trials of the Ummah), where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned his community against similar acts of polytheism and idol worship. Additionally, Surah Al-A'raf 7:138-156 provides the complete narrative context found in authentic hadith collections discussing the story of Musa and his people.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that receiving divine blessings and clear proofs of God's existence carries with it a responsibility to maintain gratitude and steadfast belief. For contemporary believers, it serves as a reminder that no worldly attraction or momentary influence should lead us away from pure monotheism, especially when we have been blessed with knowledge and signs of Allah's favor.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ أَنجَيْنَـٰكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ۖ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِى ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ
And [recall, O Children of Israel], when We saved you from the people of Pharaoh, [who were] afflicting you with the worst torment - killing your sons and keeping your women alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.
وَجَـٰوَزْنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ ۚ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمُوسَى ٱجْعَل لَّنَآ إِلَـٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ
And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then they came upon a people intent in devotion to [some] idols of theirs. They [the Children of Israel] said, "O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods." He said, "Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلرِّجْزَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ هُم بَـٰلِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ
But when We removed the punishment from them until a term which they were to reach, then at once they broke their word.
وَكَتَبْنَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْأَلْوَاحِ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مَّوْعِظَةً وَتَفْصِيلًا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍ فَخُذْهَا بِقُوَّةٍ وَأْمُرْ قَوْمَكَ يَأْخُذُوا۟ بِأَحْسَنِهَا ۚ سَأُو۟رِيكُمْ دَارَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
And We wrote for him on the tablets [something] of all things - instruction and explanation for all things, [saying], "Take them with determination and order your people to take the best of it. I will show you the home of the defiantly disobedient."