The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 126
CH. 20 ṬĀHĀ PT. 16 اَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاً Could they not see that it. 90 VORKENSI ÝŠLJI returned to them no answer, and وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَ لَا نَفْعًان had no power to do them either harm or good?2303 R. 5. وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هُرُونُ مِنْ قَبْلُ يُقَوْمِ And Aaron had said to them. 91 E إِنَّمَا فَتِنْتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي ) before this, 'O <mark><mark><mark>my</mark></mark></mark> people, you have only been tried by means of it (the calf). And <mark>surely</mark>, the Gracious <mark><mark>God</mark></mark> is <mark><mark><mark>your</mark></mark></mark> <mark><mark><mark><mark>Lord</mark></mark></mark></mark>; so follow me and obey <mark><mark><mark>my</mark></mark></mark> command. '2304 lowing or bellowing) of a cow and of a calf; and the crying (i. e. bleating) of sheep, or that of goats and gazelles, and of any beast and the whizzing of arrow. They say i. e. he has a voice like the bellowing of the bull (Aqrab, Lane & Mufradāt). (so he gave up) means, he forgot or he abandoned or gave up or ceased acting (Aqrab & Mufradāt). See also 5:14 & 9:67. Commentary: The Israelites had lived in Egypt under bondage for a long time and during their bondage they had acquired many of the customs, ways of life and religious rites of their rulers, the Egyptians, <mark>who</mark> <mark>worship</mark>ped the cow (Enc. Rel. & Ethics, vol. 1, p. 507). In this way they had also developed a great liking for the cow, and taking advantage of Moses' absence Sāmirī led them into cow-<mark>worship</mark>. 2303. Commentary: The calf is denounced and condemned as a deity because it does not speak to its votaries. Of what use is that <mark><mark>god</mark></mark> <mark>who</mark> does not answer the prayer of his <mark>worship</mark>pers (21:66-67)? He is as dead as a log of wood. The difference between a living and a lifeless <mark><mark>god</mark></mark> is that the One speaks to His votaries and hears their supplications while the other does not. The <mark><mark>God</mark></mark> of Islam has not ceased to speak to His true <mark>worship</mark>pers. He still speaks to them as He spoke to Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all) and will continue to do so till the end of time. 2304. Commentary: The Quran here contradicts the Bible and clears Aaron of the charge of having made a molten calf for the Israelites to <mark>worship</mark> (Exod. 32:4). It says that not only did Aaron not fashion the calf for them but on the other hand prohibited them from <mark>worship</mark>ping the one which the Sāmirī had made for them. It offends against reason and common sense even to think that a Prophet of <mark><mark>God</mark></mark> <mark>who</mark> had 2040