۞ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ 92
Translations
And Moses had certainly brought you clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in worship] after that, while you were wrongdoers.
Transliteration
Wa laqad jaa'akum Musa bil-bayyinati thumma ittakhadtumu al-'ijla min ba'dihi wa antum zalimun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the Children of Israel for their ingratitude and idolatry, reminding them that Prophet Musa came to them with clear signs and miracles (al-bayyinaat), yet they abandoned the true faith and fashioned the golden calf as an object of worship immediately after his departure. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this was a grave transgression and profound injustice (zulm) against themselves, demonstrating how knowledge and clear proofs do not guarantee obedience without sincere intention and sound hearts.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the Medinan context of Surah Al-Baqarah, which frequently addresses the People of the Book and their historical violations of covenant. The reference to the golden calf incident (mentioned in Surah Ta-Ha and Surah Al-A'raf) serves as a historical reminder to the Muslim community about the consequences of turning away from divine guidance, and implicitly warns the early Muslim community against similar lapses in faith.
Related Hadiths
The incident of the golden calf is referenced in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 3401) where the Prophet Muhammad mentions that the Bani Israel were divided into 71 sects after Musa's time due to such disobedience. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, there are hadith discussions about the severity of shirk (associating partners with Allah) that contextually relate to this ayah's condemnation of idol worship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that possessing knowledge of divine truth and witnessing clear miracles is insufficient without genuine commitment and righteous conduct; we must continually guard our hearts against subtle forms of idolatry and prioritize obedience to Allah above our desires and cultural inclinations.
Related Ayahs
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allāh is swift in account.
وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتْبِعُونَ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مَنًّا وَلَآ أَذًى ۙ لَّهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh and then do not follow up what they have spent with reminders [of it] or [other] injury will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُۥ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَابٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ لَهُۥ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَأَصَابَهُ ٱلْكِبَرُ وَلَهُۥ ذُرِّيَّةٌ ضُعَفَآءُ فَأَصَابَهَآ إِعْصَارٌ فِيهِ نَارٌ فَٱحْتَرَقَتْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Would one of you like to have a garden of palm trees and grapevines underneath which rivers flow in which he has from every fruit? But he is afflicted with old age and has weak [i.e., immature] offspring, and it is hit by a whirlwind containing fire and is burned. Thus does Allāh make clear to you [His] verses that you might give thought.