Surah Taha • Ayah 95

How As-Samiri made the CalfMusa said to As-Samiri, "What caused you to do what you did What presented such an idea to you causing you to do this" Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "As-Samiri was a man from the people of Bajarma, a people who worshipped cows. He still had the love of cow worshipping in his soul. However, he acted as though he had accepted Islam with the Children of Israel. His name was Musa bin Zafar." Qatadah said, "He was from the village of Samarra." قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُواْ بِهِ((Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not.") This means, "I saw Jibril when he came to destroy Fir`awn." فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) This means from the hoof print of his (Jibril's) horse. This is what is well-known with many of the scholars of Tafsir, rather most of them. Mujahid said, فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ(so I took a handful (Qabdah) from the print of the messenger) "From under the hoof of Jibril's horse." He also said, "The word Qabdah means a palmful, and it is also that which is grasped by the tips of the fingers." Mujahid said, "As-Samiri threw what was in his hand onto the jewelry of the Children of Israel and it became molded into the body of a calf, which made a light moaning sound. The wind that blew into it was the cause of its sound." Thus, he said, فَنَبَذْتُهَا(and I threw it.) This means, "I threw it along with those who were throwing (jewelry)." وَكَذلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى(Thus my inner self suggested to me.) This means that his soul considered it something good and it was pleasing to his self. The Punishment of As-Samiri and the burning of the Calf Thereupon,قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى الْحَيَوةِ أَن تَقُولَ لاَ مِسَاسَ((Musa) said: "Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: `Touch me not."') This means, "Just as you took and touched what was not your right to take and touch of the messenger's foot print, such is your punishment in this life, that you will say, `Do not touch (me)."' This means, "You will not touch the people and they will not touch you." وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِداً(and verily, you have a promise) This means on the Day of Resurrection. لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ(that will not fail.) you will have no way to escape it. Qatadah said, أَن تَقُولَ لاَ مِسَاسَ(that you will say: `Touch me not.') "This is referring to a punishment for them and their remnants (i.e. those who have their disease) today still say `Do not touch."' Concerning Allah's statement, وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِداً لَّن تُخْلَفَهُ(and verily, you have a promise that will not fail.) Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Abu Nahik said, "You will not be absent from it." وَانظُرْ إِلَى إِلَـهِكَ(And look at your god) that which you worshipped, الَّذِى ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفاً(to which you have been devoted.) that which you established worship of, which was the calf. إِنَّمَآ إِلَـهُكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِى لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً (Your God is only Allah, there is no God but Him. He has full knowledge of all things.) Musa was saying to them, "This is not your god. Your God is only Allah, the One Whom there is no true God except Him. Worship is not befitting to anyone except Him. For everything is in need of Him and everything is His servant. Concerning the statement, وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْماً(He has full knowledge of all things.) The word `Ilm (knowledge) is in the accusative case for distinction. It means that He is the All-Knower of everything. أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمَا((Allah) surrounds all things in (His) knowledge. ) 65:12 And He says, وَأَحْصَى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عَدَداً(And (He) keeps count of all things.) 72:28 Therefore, لاَ يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ(Not even the weight of a speck of dust escapes His knowledge.) 34:3 He also says, وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّحَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ(Not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) 6:59 And He says, وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book.) 11:6 The Ayat that mention this are numerous.

گائے پرست سامری اور بچھڑا ٭٭موسیٰ علیہ السلام نے سامری سے پوچھا کہ تو نے یہ فتنہ کیوں اٹھایا؟ یہ شخص باجرو کا رہنے والا تھا، اس کی قوم گائے پرست تھی۔ اس کے دل میں گائے کی محبت گھر کئے ہوئے تھی۔ اس نے بنی اسرائیل کے ساتھ اپنے ایمان کا اظہار کیا تھا۔ اس کا نام موسیٰ بن ظفر تھا۔ ایک روایت میں ہے، یہ کرمانی تھا۔ ایک روایت میں ہے، اس کی بستی کا نام سامرا تھا۔ اس نے جواب دیا کہ جب فرعون کی ہلاکت کے لیے جبرائیل علیہ السلام آئے تو میں نے ان کے گھوڑے کے ٹاپ تلے کی تھوڑی سی مٹی اٹھا لی۔ اکثر مفسرین کے نزدیک مشہور بات یہی ہے۔ سیدنا علی رضی اللہ عنہ سے مروی ہے کہ جب جبرائیل علیہ السلام آئے اور موسیٰ علیہ السلام کو لے کر چڑھنے لگے تو سامری نے دیکھ لیا۔ اس نے جلدی سے ان کے گھوڑے کے سم تلے کی مٹی اٹھا لی۔ موسیٰ علیہ السلام کو جبرائیل علیہ السلام آسمان تک لے گئے، اللہ تعالیٰ نے تورات لکھی، موسیٰ علیہ السلام قلم کی تحریر کی آواز سن رہے تھے لیکن جب آپ کو اپنی قوم کی مصیبت معلوم ہوئی تو نیچے اتر آئے اور اس بچھڑے کو جلا دیا۔ لیکن اس اثر کی سند غریب ہے۔ اسی خاک کی چٹکی یا مٹھی کو اس نے بنی اسرائیل کے جمع کردہ زیوروں کے جلنے کے وقت ان میں ڈال دی۔ جو بصورت بچھڑا بن گئے اور چونکہ بیچ میں خلا تھا، وہاں سے ہوا گھستی تھی اور اس سے آواز نکلتی تھی۔ جبرائیل علیہ السلام کو دیکھتے ہی اس کے دل میں خیال گزرا تھا کہ میں ان کے گھوڑے کے ٹاپوں تلے کی مٹی اٹھا لوں، میں جو چاہوں گا، وہ اس مٹی کے ڈالنے سے بن جائے گا۔ اس کی انگلیاں اسی وقت سوکھ گئی تھیں۔ جب بنی اسرائیل نے دیکھا کہ ان کے پاس فرعونیوں کے زیورات رہ گئے اور فرعونی ہلاک ہو گئے اور یہ اب ان کو واپس نہیں ہو سکتے تو غمزدہ ہونے لگے۔ سامری نے کہا، دیکھو اس کی وجہ سے تم پر مصیبت نازل ہوئی ہے، اسے جمع کر کے آگ لگا دو۔ جب وہ جمع ہو گئے اور آگ سے پگھل گئے تو اس کے جی میں آئی کہ وہ خاک اس پر ڈال دے اور اسے بچھڑے کی شکل میں بنا لے چنانچہ یہی ہوا۔ اور اس نے کہہ دیا کہ تمہارا اور موسیٰ علیہ السلام کا رب یہی ہے۔ یہی وہ جواب دے رہا ہے کہ میں نے اسے ڈال دیا اور میرے دل نے یہی ترکیب مجھے اچھی طرح سمجھا دی۔صفحہ نمبر5320کلیم اللہ علیہ السلام نے فرمایا، تو نے نہ لینے کی چیز کو ہاتھ لگایا، تیری سزا دنیا میں یہی ہے کہ اب نہ تو تو کسی کو ہاتھ لگا سکے نہ کوئی اور تجھے ہاتھ لگا سکے۔ باقی سزا تیری قیامت کو ہو گی جس سے چھٹکارا محال ہے۔ ان کے بقایا اب تک یہی کہتے ہیں کہ نہ چھونا۔ اب تو اپنے معبود کا حشر بھی دیکھ لے جس کی عبادت پر اوندھا پڑا ہوا تھا کہ ہم اسے جلا کر راکھ کر دیتے ہیں چنانچہ وہ سونے کا بچھڑا اس طرح جل گیا جیسے خون اور گوشت والا بچھڑا جلے۔ پھر اس کی راکھ کو تیز ہوا میں دریا میں ذرہ ذرہ کر کے اڑا دیا۔ مروی ہے کہ اس نے بنی اسرائیل کی عورتوں کے زیور جہاں تک اس کے بس میں تھے لیے ان کا بچھڑا بنایا جسے موسیٰ علیہ السلام نے جلا دیا اور دریا میں اس کی خاک بہا دی۔ جس نے بھی اس کا پانی پیا، اس کا چہرہ زرد پڑ گیا، اس سے سارے گئوسالہ پرست معلوم ہو گئے۔ اب انہوں نے توبہ کی اور موسیٰ علیہ السلام سے دریافت کیا کہ ہماری توبہ کیسے قبول ہو گی؟ حکم ہوا کہ ایک دوسرے کو قتل کرو۔ اس کا پورا بیان پہلے گزر چکا ہے۔ پھر آپ نے فرمایا کہ تمہارا معبود یہ نہیں۔ مستحق عبادت تو صرف اللہ تعالیٰ ہے۔ باقی تمام جہان اس کا محتاج ہے اور اس کے ماتحت ہے۔ وہ ہرچیز کا عالم ہے، اس کے علم نے تمام مخلوق کا احاطہٰ کر رکھا ہے، ہرچیز کی گنتی اسے معلوم ہے۔ ایک ذرہ بھی اس کے علم سے باہر نہیں، ہر پتے کا اور ہر دانے کا اسے علم ہے بلکہ اس کے پاس کی کتاب میں وہ لکھا ہوا موجود ہے۔ زمین کے تمام جانداروں کو روزیاں وہی پہنچاتا ہے، سب کی جگہ اسے معلوم ہے، سب کچھ کھلی اور واضح کتاب میں لکھا ہوا ہے۔ علم الٰہی محیط کل اور سب کو حاوی ہے۔ اس مضمون کی اور بھی بہت سی آیتیں ہیں۔صفحہ نمبر5321

اِنِّیْ خَشِیْتُ اَنْ تَقُوْلَ فَرَّقْتَ بَیْنَ بَنِیْٓ اِسْرَآءِ یْلَ ”کہ تم نے ان کو تقسیم کر کے ان کے اتحاد کو پارہ پارہ کردیا۔ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِیْ ”حضرت ہارون علیہ السلام سے باز پرس کرنے کے بعد اب حضرت موسیٰ علیہ السلام نے سامری سے جواب طلب کیا۔

CommentaryWhen the Bani Isra'il were smitten with the mischief of calf-worship Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) as the deputy of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) remonstrated with them but to no avail. They split into three factions. Those who remained loyal to Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) and refused to be misled by Samiri and who numbered, according to Qurtubi, twelve thousand. The second faction adopted calf-worship with the reservation that if Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، on his return, forbade them they would give it up. The third faction consisted of zealots who believed that Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام would approve of their action and would himself join them in calf-worship but even if he did not, they themselves would never give up their new faith. When Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) returned to his people he rebuked them for the mischief they had caused (as related in the earlier verses). Then he turned to Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) and in a rage seized him by his beard and the hair of his head. He asked him that when the unbelief (کُفر) of the Bani Isra'il had become obvious, why he did not follow him to the Tur mountain and why he disobeyed his orders.مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَ‌أَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا ﴿92﴾ أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ (What did prevent you from following me when you saw them going astray. - 20:92-93) One meaning of ittiba' (following) referred to in this verse is that when Sayyidna Haran (علیہ السلام) discovered that the Bani Isra'il had strayed from the righteous path, and were beyond recall, he should have abandoned them and joined Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) at the Tur mountain. The other meaning of the word 'follow', as adopted by some commentators is that when the Bani Isra'il had forsaken the True Faith, Sayyidna Haran (علیہ السلام) should have fought them as Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) would have done had he been present there. In any case Sayyidna Musa blamed Sayyidna Haran (علیہ السلام) that he should either have fought the Bani Isra'il or should have parted company with them and joined Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) at the Tur mountain, and that his continuing to live with them was an unwise act. Sayyidna Haran (علیہ السلام) addressed him as يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ (0 my mother's son! ) which implied a plea not to judge him too harshly. His excuse was that if he had fought the Bani Isra'il or abandoned them with his twelve thousand men, it would have caused discord and strife among them. He said that he had understood the parting advice of Sayyidna Musa اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَأَصْلِحْ (Take my place among my people and keep things right - 7:142) to mean that he should maintain harmony among the people and prevent differences at all cost. Besides, he said, he had hoped that when he (Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام) would return, he would be able to handle the situation satisfactorily. A further excuse which he offered and which is reported elsewhere in the Qur'an was: إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي (7:150) which means that the Bani Isra'il have taken me as weak because of the small number of my supporters and were about to kill me. Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) did not press the matter any further with his brother. He then turned to Samiri and asked him to explain his conduct in this whole affair. Qur'an-does not indicate whether he accepted the excuses offered by Sayyidna Haran (علیہ السلام) or whether he considered the latter's mistake as one of ijtihad (assessment) and dropped the matter.Differences between two prophets when the opinions of both could be rightIn this affair the considered opinion of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) ، by way of ijtihad was that in the situation as it took shape Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) should have totally dissociated himself from the Bani Isra'il by removing himself and his followers from their company, and that by continuing to stay with them he had compromised his position. On the other hand Sayyidna Harun (علیہ السلام) felt, by way of ijtihad, that such an action would have caused a permanent split among the Bani Isra'il and divided them into factions, and since there was hope that they would see the error of their way when Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) returned, he thought it wise to adopt a conciliatory attitude towards them. The purpose of both the prophets was a strict adherence to the commands of Allah and to ensure that the Bani Isra'il remained steadfast in the observance of the True Faith and in their belief in the Oneness of Allah. Where they differed, however, was the manner in which these objectives could be achieved whether to make a complete break with the dissidents or to bear with them in the hope those things would improve ultimately. Both these views have merit and it is not possible to pass a firm and final judgment on them. The differences among the jurists based on ijtihad are of a similar nature and those holding different opinions cannot be charged of having broken any religious laws. As regards Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) seizing his brother by the hairs, it only shows his anger and frustration with the situation which had developed during his absence, but on hearing his explanation, he prayed to Allah to forgive them both.