In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent
(And God said): “Now what has caused you, Moses, to leave your people behind in so great a haste?” He answered: “They are treading in my footsteps, while I have hastened to You, my Lord, so that You might be well-pleased (with me).”
Said He: “Then (know that) in your absence We have put your people to a test, and the Samiri has led them astray.”
Thus Moses returned to his people full of wrath and sorrow: “My people,” he said, “Did not your Lord hold out a goodly promise to you? Did, then, (the fulfillment of) this promise seem to you too long in coming? Or are you determined to see your Lord’s condemnation fall upon you, and so you broke your promise to me?”
They answered: “We did not break our promise to you of our own free will.”
(Ta Ha: 20: 83-87)
God has appointed a time for Moses to meet Him at the Mount after forty days, when he would be given the commandments outlining the tasks his people will have to fulfill after the victory they were given. Victory carries with it its own tasks, as does faith. Hence, it was necessary for Moses to be psychologically prepared and ready to receive God’s commandments.
Thus, Moses went up the Mount, leaving his people down at the bottom, after asking his brother Aaron to deputize for him. Moses was dearly longing for this meeting, when he would stand in front of his Lord and address Him. He had this experience once before and he is so keen to experience it once more. Hence, he makes haste to stand in the presence of his Lord. He is totally unaware of what has already happened after he left. His people have perpetrated something serious down there at the bottom. His Lord tells him the news, pointing out what has taken place. The scene is shown to us and we listen to the conversation: “Now what has caused you, Moses, to leave your people behind in so great a haste?” He answered: “They are treading in my footsteps, while I have hastened to You, my Lord, so that You might be well-pleased (with me).” Said He: “Then (know that) in your absence We have put your people to a test, and the Samiri has led them astray.”
Thus Moses is faced with a terrible shock. He was in haste to meet his Lord, after forty days of diligent preparations, eager to listen to His directives and commandments which would constitute the basis of the new way of life for the Children of Israel. It is a way of life that suits a community that has been freed of the shackles of subjugation so as to become the bearer of a Divine message.
The long period they spent in subjugation and humiliation under Pharaoh’s rule and his idolatrous beliefs had its damaging effect on the nature of the Israelites. Their ability to withstand the difficulties that attend the fulfillment of a hard task, and to remain true to their promises in the face of hardship, was certainly suspect. Psychologically, they suffered an impairment which makes them always keen to have a comfortable life, even if this means willingness to be led without troubling to think. No sooner did Moses leave them under Aaron’s stewardship and go away than they would allow their faith to collapse at the first hurdle. Hence, they needed repeated tests and trials in a process of psychological rebuilding. The first test to which they were subjected was that of the golden calf which the Samiri had produced. “In your absence We have put your people to a test, and the Samiri has led them astray.” Moses did not know about this test until he went for his appointment with his Lord, to receive the tablets containing guidance and a constitution to mold the Children of Israel in such a way as suits the task they were required to accomplish.
The Surah sums up the scene of the direct address between God and Moses very briefly in order to describe the reaction of Moses to what he has learnt, his speedy return, feeling angry and sorrowful. How could his people do this after God had saved them from humiliating subjugation by tyrannic idolatry, and favored them with easy provisions and care in the desert. He had only very recently reminded them of God’s favors, warning them against going astray. Yet they follow the first one to call them back to paganism and the worship of a calf that can benefit them nothing.
The Surah does not tell us any details about how they were led to this situation; it moves on to the scene of Moses going back hurriedly to his people. However, the way this is described tells us something of these details. Moses has gone back, angry, sad, remonstrating with his people and scolding his brother. He must have known the magnitude of their ghastly deed: “Thus Moses returned to his people full of wrath and sorrow: ‘My people,’ he said, ‘Did not your Lord hold out a goodly promise to you? Did, then, (the fulfillment of) this promise seem to you too long in coming? Or are you determined to see your Lord’s condemnation fall upon you, and so you broke your promise to me’?” They answered: “We did not break our promise to you of our own free will, but we were loaded with the burdens of the (Egyptian) people’s ornaments, and so we threw them (into the fire), and likewise this Samiri threw, and produced for them the effigy of a calf, which made a lowing sound. ‘This,’ they said, ‘is your deity and the deity of Moses; but he has forgotten.’ Why! Did they not see that it could not give them any response, and that it could neither harm nor benefit them? And, indeed, Aaron had said to them earlier: ‘My people! You are but being tempted to evil by this calf. Your only Lord is the Most Gracious! Follow me, then, and do as I bid you.’ But they had replied: ‘By no means shall we cease worshipping it until Moses comes back to us’.”
Such was the trial to which the Israelites were put. It is revealed to us as Moses confronts his people. It is not reported in the scene of the meeting between Moses and his Lord. It is left to the scene of inquiry undertaken by Moses on his return.
We will speak about this inquiry in detail next week, God willing.
