Lesson 11: The Trials of Bani Israel

A man from among the Israelites whose name was Harun as-Samiri, took all the jewellery which had been taken from Pharaoh and his people and moulded it into a calf. Then he took a handful of dust from the footstep of the horse of angel Jibreel that he had seen on the day that Allah drowned Pharaoh and threw it into it. It is said that when the wind entered it from its back and came out from its mouth, it would moo as a cow moos and they would dance and sing around it. They said, “This is your god and the god of Musa, who he has forgotten.” That is, Musa forgot that his Lord is here and thus he went looking for Him elsewhere.

Allah revealed the falsehood of what they did and He mentioned that this golden calf could not even speak or give them an answer. Similarly, it could not benefit or harm them, and could not guide them either. So how could they worship it? Indeed, they knew inside themselves that what they were doing was falsehood.

When Musa returned to his people and saw what they were doing of worshipping the calf, he threw down the Tablets from his hands out of anger and rage at what his people were doing for the sake of Allah.

When Musa rebuked them and condemned their evil act, they apologized to him with a lame excuse and said, “We were made to bear the burdens of the ornaments of the people and we threw them [into the fire] as the Samiri had suggested.” They felt ashamed of having with them the gold jewellery of Pharaoh’s people. However, they were not ashamed of their ignorance when they worshipped a golden calf that mooed, showing their foolishness.

So Musa then became angry at Harun, and he grabbed him by his beard and hair, saying, “O Harun! What prevented you when you saw them going astray; That you followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then disobeyed my order?”

Surah Ta-Ha, 20:92-93

But Harun explained to Musa that he tried his best to forbid them from doing this but he was unable and that he did not want to cause further division between Banu Israil. So Musa asked Allah for forgiveness for himself and his brother, Harun.

Then Musa turned to Samiri and asked him, “And what is the matter with you, O Samiri? (i.e. why did you do so?)”

Surah Ta-Ha, 20:95

He replied that he saw what the people didn't see. He was referring to the horse of Jibreel which the rest of the people could not see but he saw on the day that Banu Israil were saved from Pharaoh. He took some dust from its footprints and afterwards when he made a calf from gold, he threw this dust into it. So Musa said, exiling him, “Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: ‘Touch me not’ (i.e. you will live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your ilah (god) to which you have been devoted. We will certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea.”

Surah Ta-Ha, 20:97

After that, Musa burnt the calf and called his people back to the Tawheed of Allah, telling them that only He is worthy of worship and that He has knowledge of all things to scare them into staying away from polytheism.

And it is said that one morning those who did not worship the calf took out their swords in their hands. Allah had made that morning foggy, thus no one could recognize others. Then they started killing those who had worshipped the calf. It is further suggested that they killed seventy thousand people from the polytheists among Banu Israil as a punishment for what they used to do.

“And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing). Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it (for worship) and they were Zalimun (wrong-doers). And when they regretted and saw that they had gone astray, they (repented and) said: ‘If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we shall certainly be of the losers.’ And when Musa returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said: ‘What an evil thing is that which you have done (i.e. worshipping the calf) during my absence. Did you hasten and go ahead as regards the matter of your Lord (you left His worship)?’ And he threw down the Tablets and seized his brother by (the hair of) his head and dragged him towards him. Harun said: ‘O son of my mother! Indeed the people judged me weak and were about to kill me, so make not the enemies rejoice over me, nor put me amongst the people who are Zalimun (wrong-doers).’ Musa said: ‘O my Lord! Forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your Mercy, for you are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’”

Surah al-Araf, 7:148-151

The Appointed Meeting

Allah describes what happened next, saying: And Musa chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men for Our appointed time and place of meeting, and when they were seized with a violent earthquake, he said: “O my Lord, if it had been Your Will, You could have destroyed them and me before; would You destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us? It is only Your Trial by which You lead astray whom You will, and keep guided whom You will. You are our Wali (Protector), so forgive us and have Mercy on us: for You are the Best of those who forgive.”

Surah al-Araf, 7:155

As-Suddi, Ibn Abbas and others said that these seventy people were among their scholars. Along with them were Musa, Harun and Yusha . They all went with Musa in order to apologize on behalf of the Israelites who worshipped the calf. They were ordered to clean themselves, take a bath and apply perfume, out of glorification for Allah and His meeting. When they approached the mountain, it was covered with a thick cloud. So only Prophet Musa climbed it and he was asked by the men to ask Allah, if they could hear His Speech so Musa accepted to make this request.

But when he came back to them, they said, “O Musa! We shall never believe in you until we see Allah plainly.”

Surah al-Baqarah, 2:55

As soon as they demanded this, Allah sent a thunderbolt down upon them, killing them all due to their insolence except Musa, Harun, and Yusha.

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah and others explained the reason for this saying: “The thunderbolt seized them because they did not forbid their people from worshipping the calf.”

Musa then asked Allah to forgive them and to bring them back to life, and Allah accepted his supplication, reviving them all. They sought forgiveness from Allah for what they did after they came back to life.

“Then We raised you up after your death, so that you might be grateful.”

Surah al-Baqarah, 2:56

The Story of the Yellow Cow

Ibn Abbas and others explain that there was a wealthy man who was very old and one of his nephews wanted his wealth for himself so he killed him during his sleep one night. Then he threw his body in front of one of the houses, trying to frame its resident for the murder.

As a result, there was an argument between the Bani Israil and they came to Musa, asking for advice on how to find the killer. So he told them to slaughter a cow, to which, the people started to laugh and they thought Musa was joking because they couldn't see the connection between the murder and the slaughter of a cow. But Musa emphasised that he wasn't joking and the people began to ask him for details - its age, and its colour and its type. These details were not necessary because if they had just slaughtered any cow it would have been sufficient but they complicated the situation for themselves.

So Musa commanded them to find a yellow cow that wasn't too old nor too young and was not trained to till the soil nor water the fields. Of which, there was only one cow, belonging to a man who was pious and obeyed his mother and whose father had passed away. This man refused until they offered him a large sum of money, which came out to the cow's weight in gold. Then when Musa asked for them to be slaughtered, they hesitated, showing that they still had some love and veneration for the calf still left in their hearts. But they did so, and they struck the dead man, following the order of Musa, with some of its meat and he miraculously came back to life, pointing out his nephew as the killer. This was yet another miracle shown by Allah to Bani Israil.

“And (remember) when Musa said to his people: ‘Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.’ They said, ‘Do you make fun of us?’ He said, ‘I take Allah’s Refuge from being among Al-Jahilun (the ignorant or the foolish).’ They said, ‘Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!’ He said, ‘He says, “Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young, but (it is) between the two conditions”, so do what you are commanded.’ They said, ‘Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour.’ He said, ‘He says, “It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing to the beholders.”’ They said, ‘Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is. Verily, to us all cows are alike. And surely, if Allah wills, we will be guided.’ He [Musa] said, ‘He says, “It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no other colour except bright yellow.”’ They said, ‘Now you have brought the truth.’ So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it. And (remember) when you killed a man and fell into dispute among yourselves as to the crime. But Allah brought forth that which you were hiding. So We said: ‘Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow).’ Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) so that you may understand.”

Surah al-Baqarah, 2:67-73

Key Lessons

The Danger of Shirk - Shirk (polytheism) is not forgiven by Allah. Banu Israil were punished for their act of Shirk. As-Samiri was exiled, the seventy men who came with Musa were struck by a lightning bolt then revived, and seventy thousand from Banu Israil were killed by their own tribesmen. This shows the severity of Shirk and that it earns the Anger of Allah, which should make us scared of falling into it.

Hearing and Obeying - It’s important that we hear and obey when we are commanded by Allah or His Messenger, without asking “why?”, as Allah only commands us due to a wisdom that He knows. Banu Israil didn’t simply hear and obey when Musa commanded them with slaughtering a cow but they asked questions, making it more difficult upon themselves.

The Patience of the Prophets and Messengers - The Prophets and Messengers were patient in the path of calling to Allah, remaining persistent throughout all the trials and tribulations they faced. When Musa saw his people worshipping the calf, he became angry for the sake of Allah, however, he continued to call his people back to Tawheed and away from Shirk and did not give up nor leave them. He remained with his people, continuing to guide them, showing the patience of the Prophets and Messengers, and the patience that we ought to have when calling those we know to Islam and the Sunnah.