The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 127
PT. 16 ṬĀHĀ CH. 20 قَالُوا لَنْ نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَفِيْنَ حَتَّى They replied, “We shall not. 92 يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسى cease to worship it until Moses return to us. '2305 قَالَ يُهْرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ Moses said, “O Aaron, what. 93 RBJEKKOKUJE صلواة اَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى hindered thee, when thou didst see them gone astray, 94. 'From following me? Hast thou then disobeyed my command?'2306 قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذُ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلَا He answered, “O son of my. 95 بِرَأْسِي إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَاءِ يْلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبُ قَوْلِي mother, seize me not by my beard, nor by the hair of my head. I feared lest thou shouldst say, 'Thou hast caused a a7:151. heard His voice and had had communion with Him should have stooped so low as to worship a calf. The charge is patently so foolish that it has been dismissed as unfounded by Christian writers themselves (Enc. Brit. under "the Golden Calf" and under "Moses. ") As usual, in this case also the Bible has contradicted itself. Far from deserving condemnation on account of being involved in cow-worship, Aaron at God's command was to be dressed with holy garments, be anointed and sanctified by Moses (Exod. 40:13). The words "you have been tried by means of it" show that in the offer of calf-worship by the Sāmirī lay the greatest trial of the Israelites because this worship was calculated to destroy their national unity. The trials and 2041 tribulations which the Israelites had suffered at the hands of Pharaoh were nothing compared with the spiritual trial to which they had become exposed through the wicked designs of the Sāmirī. While the former had helped to cement their national unity, the latter had almost destroyed it. It had caused dissensions among the Israelites; and internecine discord and dissensions are more destructive of national unity than external dangers. 2305. Commentary: The verse shows that while Moses was held in awe by the Israelites they had no great respect for Aaron. 2306. Commentary: Moses here severely calls Aaron to account for not having properly looked after the spiritual welfare of the Israelites in his absence. The