Al-Qur'an Surah Taha Verse 96

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “I perceived something they did not perceive. So I picked up a handful from under the footstep of the messenger. Then, I cast it. And thus my inner self tempted me.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He said, “I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful ˹of dust˺ from the hoof-prints of ˹the horse of˺ the messenger-angel ˹Gabriel˺ then cast it ˹on the moulded calf˺. This is what my lower-self tempted me into.”[[ This verse could also be translated as follows: “I had an insight which they did not have, then grasped some knowledge from the messenger ˹Moses˺, but ˹later˺ threw it away. This is what my lower-self tempted me to do.” According to many Quran commentators, while Moses and the Children of Israel were crossing the sea to escape abuse by Pharaoh and his people, the Sâmiri saw Gabriel on a horse leading the way, and every time the horse touched the ground, it turned green. So the Sâmiri took a handful of dust from the hoof-prints of the horse, and later tossed it at the calf so it started to make a lowing sound. ]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

He said, “I saw something they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the hoof-print of the horse of the messenger [Gabriel] and cast it [into the fire]. This is what my mind prompted me.”

A. J. Arberry

'I beheld what they beheld not,' he said, 'and I seized a handful of dust from the messenger's track, and cast it into the thing. So my soul prompted me.'

Abdul Haleem

He replied, ‘I saw something they did not; I took in some of the teachings of the Messenger but tossed them aside: my soul prompted me to do what I did.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He said: l saw that which they saw not; so I seized a handful from the footstep of the messenger, and then cast it; Thus my soul embellished the affair to me.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He replied; "I saw what they saw not; so I took a handful (of dust) from the footprint of the Messenger, and threw it (into the calf); thus did my soul suggest to me."

Abul Ala Maududi

He answered: "I saw what the people did not see. So I took a handful of dust from the trail of the Messenger, and I flung it (into the fire). Thus did my mind prompt me."

Ahmed Ali

He said: "I saw what they did not see. I picked up a handful of dust from the messenger's tracks and threw it in, for the idea seemed attractive to me."

Ahmed Raza Khan

He said, “I witnessed what the people did not witness – I therefore took a handful from the tracks* of the angel, then threw it** – and this is what seemed pleasing to my soul.” (* The marks left behind by the mount of Angel Jibreel. ** Into the mouth of the calf.)

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘I saw what they did not see. I took a handful [of dust] from the messenger’s trail and threw it. That is how my soul prompted me.’

Ali Ünal

He answered: "I have seen something which they were unable to see, and so I took a handful (of dust) from the trail of the messenger (the archangel Gabriel) and cast it into the molten ornaments: thus did my soul prompt me to act."

Amatul Rahman Omar

He said, `I perceived that which they did not perceive. (My perception and insight being stronger than theirs.) I had adopted only some of the traditions (and the teachings) of the Messenger (- Moses), but that (too) I cast away. That is what my mind made fair-seeming to me.´

English Literal

He said: "I saw with what they did not see/know with it, so I grasped/clutched a handful/grasp from the messenger`s trace/mark , so I discarded/rejected it, , and as/like that my self enticed/tempted for me."

Faridul Haque

He said, "I witnessed what the people did not witness – I therefore took a handful from the tracks * of the angel, then threw it ** - and this is what seemed pleasing to my soul." (* The marks left behind by the mount of Angel Jibreel. ** Into the mouth of the calf.)

Hamid S. Aziz

(Moses) said, "What was your design, O Samiri?"

Hilali & Khan

(Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not, so I took a handful (of dust) from the hoof print of the messenger [Jibrael's (Gabriel) horse] and threw it [into the fire in which were put the ornaments of the Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people, or into the calf]. Thus my inner-self suggested to me."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

(Moses) said: What was thy object, O Samiri?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: I saw (Jibreel) what they did not see, so I took a handful (of the dust) from the footsteps of the messenger, then I threw it in the casting; thus did my soul commend to me

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He said: I perceived what they perceive not, so I seized a handful from the footsteps of the messenger, and then threw it in. Thus my soul commended to me.

Muhammad Sarwar

He replied, "I had the skill (of carving) which they did not have. I followed some of the Messengers's (Moses) tradition, but I then ignored it. Thus, my soul prompted me (to carve a golden calf with an artificial hollow sound).

Qaribullah & Darwish

He replied: 'I saw what they did not see and seized a handful of dust from the foot print of the messenger and so I cast it this my soul prompted me to do'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(Samiri) said: "I saw what they saw not, so I took a (Qabdah) handful (of dust) from the (hoof) print of the messenger and threw it. Thus my inner self suggested to me."

Wahiduddin Khan

He said, "I perceived what they did not see. So I took a handful [of dust] from the footprint of the Messenger and threw it in [the calf]. That is what my inner self prompted me to do."

Talal Itani

He said, “I saw what they did not see, so I grasped a handful from the Messenger’s traces, and I flung it away. Thus my soul prompted me.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, `I perceived what they did not perceive (read [either as third person plural] yabsur or [as second person plural] tabsur `[what] you [did not] perceive'), in other words, I realised what they did not realise, so I seized a handful, of dust, from the track of, [from] the hoof of the steed of, the messenger, Gabriel, and threw it [in], I cast it onto the figure of the calf that had been fashioned. Thus my soul prompted, [thus] it adorned for, me' and it was cast into me [the idea] that I seize a handful of the dust from that mentioned [hoof] and cast it onto what possessed no spirit, so that it might [thus] acquire a spirit. I had seen that your people had asked that you make for them a god, and so my soul suggested to me [the idea] that this calf should be their god.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا 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)."

وَكَذَلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِي نَفْسِي



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,

Allah informs that