RENAISSANCE MAY 2023

Qur’ ā nic Exegesis 11 | Monthly Renaissance May 2023 What is evident from the Qur’ ā n is that he was a very cunning and mischievous person hypocritical in nature who entered among the followers of Moses (sws) with evil motives. It will be evident from subsequent verses that he was a clever mystic who had the skill of playing mind tricks. Such people can easily deceive simpletons. Taking advantage of Moses’ (sws) absence, he tried to trick the masses. It is evident from details already mentioned that Moses (sws) had left before his scheduled time and then later God extended his term by ten days to train and instruct him. Thus S ā mir ī was afforded with opportune time to play his tricks. He gathered all those elements from the Israelites who already had a proclivity for idol-worship. He told them that no one knew where Moses (sws) had gone to search for God, and if they gave him some of their jewellery he would make a deity for them who would guide them; until when will they wait for Moses (sws) who had just disappeared? S ā mir ī was also a very adept idol-maker of Egypt. He made a calf from the jewellery given to him by the people. Such was its shape that when the wind passed through it, a certain sound came out of it. He regarded this sound, as will become evident later, to be a consequence of his magic. He was thereby able to fool the masses. Aaron (sws) tried his best to protect people from the mischief created by him, but he was not successful in suppressing elements which had been over-awed by Moses (sws). Matters became so bad that Aaron’s own life was subjected to danger and he felt that if he then took any step, instead of any benefit, great harm would come about and the whole community would be dismembered. Thus, he thought it best to leave matters up to Moses’ return. ﻌـﺪ ﻢرﺑﻜـﻢوﻋـﺪ ﺣـﺴ s ﻘﻮم ﻟـﻢ s ﻗﺎل uv ﻗﻮﻣﻪﻏﻀﺒﺎن ﺳﻔﺎ Dw !L ﺟﻊﻣﻮ x $ $ۡۡۡ $ًٰۡ & $ $ & &ۡ ' $ &ۡ ) $ $ $ $ $ )ٰۡۡۡ $ $ $ً ) $ $ٖ ) ) V $ $ $ ﻓﻄـﺎل y ﻨﺎ $ $ $ $ً ۡﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﻟﻌﻬﺪ م ردﺗﻢ نﻳﺤﻞﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢﻏﻀﺐﻣﻦرﺑﻜﻢﻓﺎﺧﻠﻔﺘﻢﻣﻮﻋﺪي﴿ ) ) )ۡۡۡ $ ' ' 'ۡۡۡ $ۡۡۡ & $ &ۡ $ۡ $ $ $ $ $ $ & & & ) 'ۡ ' )ٌ $ $ $ $ ' $ۡ $ $ $ۡ & ' &ۡ ٨٦﴾ 5 When Moses received news of what had happened, he was overcome by emotions that arise on such occasions. He returned 5. At this, Moses returned to his nation in great anger and grief and said: “People of My Nation! Had not your Lord made a very good promise with you? Has much time passed on you or did you want that your Lord’s wrath descend on you; for this reason, you have broken My covenant?”