Verse:148 Commentary The next verses continue to narrate the remaining part of the story. When the prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) did not turn up after thirty days from the mount of Sinai where he was to be ordained by Allah after passing ten more nights on the mount, the Israelites who were a hasty and impatient people began to make fuss about it.

Among them there was a person named Samiri who was a prominent man, but at the same time, had beliefs in superstitions. He said to the people that the jewels and ornaments of the Egyptians possessed by them were not permissible for them. It may be noted that the plunder or booty taken from the enemy after their defeat was also not permissible for the Israelites. The Israelites gathered all their jewels and handed these over to him. He melted the ornaments and forged a golden calf from it. A peculiar thing reported about him is that he had collected some dust from under the hoofs of the horse of the Archangel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) (Gabriel) at some occasion. Allah had made this dust to have the effect of some kind of life. Samiri mixed this dust with the molten metal while preparing the calf. This made the calf to emit a sound like the mooing of a cow.

Having designed this satanic invention he invited the people to worship the calf and said that it was god. He said that the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) had gone to speak with God to the mount of Sinai while god had come to them in the form of this calf. Samiri already enjoyed a place of respect among them, this unusual demonstration increased their trust in him and they started worshipping the calf, and took it as their god. The verse 148 has given a short description of this event while another verse of the Holy Qur'an has described it in detail. Verse:149 Commentary The verse 149 speaks of their remorse on this guilt and their repentance, Verse:150 Commentary while the verse 150 describes the events followed by the arrival of the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) from the mount of Sinai. It described that the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was extremely angry when he saw his people in this state of ignorance. It is reported that Allah had informed him of their perversion on the mount of Sinai. Now seeing them in this state with his own eyes filled him with indignation. First, he turned to his people and said: بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِي مِن بَعْدِي "How bad is the thing you have done in my absence". أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ‌ رَ‌بِّكُمْ "How did you act in haste against the command of your Lord?" That is, you must have waited until the book of Allah came to you. Some of the commentators have said that it meant that they hastily decided that the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) was dead. Then he turned to the Prophet Harun (علیہ السلام) whom he has left among them as his deputy. He wanted to free his hand in order to grab him. He quickly put down the tablets of the Torah and grabbed the head of his brother. This has been termed as having dropped. The Arabic word used here is: القاء Ilga' which signifies dropping or throwing. This gives rise to a doubt that the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) showed disrespect to the tablets of the Torah by throwing or dropping them down. It is obvious that throwing the tablets of the Torah was great sin, and equally obvious is the fact that all the Prophets (علیہم السلام) are innocent and free of all sins. The implication of the verse, therefore, is that he put away the Tablets as quickly in order to free his hands, as seemed like having been dropped. The Holy Qur'an has described it by using this word as a gesture of warning. (Bayern a1-Qur'an) Verse:151 Commentary Thereafter he turned to the Prophet Harun (علیہ السلام) and grasped the hair of his head. The Prophet Harun (علیہ السلام) then gave him the true account of the events and said that it was not his fault, for he stopped them from this wicked act but they did not listen to him. They were so obstinate about it that they were about to kill him. He said that he should not count him among the ignorant people and should not let his enemies laugh at him by treating him in that way. This made the Prophet Musa (علیہ السلام) cool down. At this occasion, he prayed to Allah, saying, رَ‌بِّ اغْفِرْ‌ لِي وَلِأَخِي وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِي رَ‌حْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرْ‌حَمُ الرَّ‌احِمِينَ "My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us to Your mercy, and You are the most merciful of all those who show mercy." He asked forgiveness for his brother for any of his shortcoming with regard to his duties. He asked forgiveness for himself either for his putting away the tablets of the Torah in a hurry which the Holy Qur'an had described as having been 'dropped' to make a gesture of warning, or perhaps, for educating people that they should include themselves while asking forgiveness for others to preclude the sense of complacency on their part.