RENAISSANCE MAY 2023

Qur’ ā nic Exegesis 10 | Monthly Renaissance May 2023 also known how much Aaron (sws) would be able to control those mischief-mongers. In these circumstances, even a few days of his absence could have become a great trial. However, in his zeal and passion, he could not fully gauge the gravity of the situation. The consequence was very grave. It has been explained at a number of instances that if prophets of God make mistakes, it is never because of any inclination to any base desire or sentiment; at times, however, in their desire for the truth and pleasing God they do exceed the prescribed limits. This attitude, in itself is not something bad, yet since prophets of God are standards of the truth and all their words and deeds are examples for others, they are checked by Him for any excess. Thus Moses (sws) was also checked for his hastiness. In the introduction of this s ū rah , it has been mentioned that Prophet Mu ḥ ammad (sws) was taught to show patience. For this reason, this incident from the life of Moses (sws) has been specially mentioned. The purpose is to tell Mu ḥ ammad (sws) that showing patience and waiting for God’s decree is the right behaviour for such struggles in His cause; otherwise, at times, the most pious of intentions done with haste become a pitfall for many. ﻗﺎلﻓﺎﻧﺎﻗﺪﻓﺘﻨﺎﻗﻮﻣﻚﻣﻦ]ﻌﺪكو ﺿﻠﻬﻢ ﻟﺴﺎﻣﺮي﴿ & 'ۡ ) ) ) $ ' & $ & $ ' $ $ $ $ $ $ )ۡ $ oۡ $ ' $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ' ) ٨٥﴾ 4 The words ﻓﺘﻨﺎﻗﻮﻣﻚ $ $ۡ $ $ $ ' $ refer to the established practice of God that I have explained in detail under ﻓﺘﻮﻧﺎ ًۡﻓﺘﻨﻚ & & $ٰ ' $ $ in verse 40. Both individuals and nations constantly pass through various trials. Through these trials, the Almighty distinguishes the right from the wrong. Here the purpose is to say that God made Moses’ (sws) nation pass through a test and it failed the test: S ā mir ī led it astray. S ā mir ī is not mentioned in the Torah. Thus what is known about him is only that which is mentioned in the Qur’ ā n and what is stated ahead. The narrators of the Torah have ascribed all this mischief to Aaron (sws). It is a favour done by the Qur’ ā n that it has exposed the name of the actual originator of the mischief and absolved Aaron (sws) of this blame. Whether S ā mir ī belonged to the Israelites or to the Egyptians who had migrated with Moses (sws) is an irrelevant question that also has no benefit. I would not like to enter into this debate. 4. God said: “Then We have put your nation through a trial behind you and S ā mir ī has led it astray.”