Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 138

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We made the children of Isrā’īl cross the sea, then they came across a people sitting in devotion before their idols. They (the Israelites) said, “O Mūsā, make a god for us like they have gods.” He said, “You are really an ignorant people.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We brought the Children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people devoted to idols. They demanded, “O Moses! Make for us a god like their gods.” He replied, “Indeed, you are a people acting ignorantly!

Ruwwad Translation Center

We led the Children of Israel across the sea, then they came upon a people who were devoted to their idols. They said, “O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods.” He said, “You are indeed an ignorant people.

A. J. Arberry

And We brought the Children of Israel over the sea, and they came upon a people cleaving to idols they had. They said, 'Moses, make for us a god, as they have gods.' Said he, 'You are surely a people who are ignorant.

Abdul Haleem

We took the Children of Israel across the sea, but when they came upon a people who worshipped idols, they said, ‘Moses, make a god for us like theirs.’ He said, ‘You really are foolish people:

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And We led the Children of Isra'il across the sea. Then they came upon a people cleaving to the idols they had. T'hev said: Musa! make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: verily ye are a people given to ignorance.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We took the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea. They came upon a people devoted entirely to some idols they had. They said; "O Moses! fashion for us a god like unto the gods they have." He said; "Surely ye are a people without knowledge.

Abul Ala Maududi

And We led the Children of Israel across the sea; and then they came upon a people who were devoted to the worship of their idols. They said: 'O Moses, make for us a god even as they have gods.' Moses said: 'You are indeed an ignorant people.'

Ahmed Ali

When We brought the children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who were devoted to their idols, they said: "O Moses, make us also a god like theirs." "You are ignorant," he replied.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And We transported the Descendants of Israel across the sea – so they came across a people who used to squat in seclusion in front of their idols; they said, “O Moosa! Make a God for us, the way they have so many Gods!” He said, “You are indeed an ignorant people.”

Ali Quli Qarai

We carried the Children of Israel across the sea, whereat they came upon a people cleaving to certain idols that they had. They said, ‘O Moses, make for us a god like the gods that they have.’ He said, ‘You are indeed an ignorant lot.

Ali Ünal

And We led the Children of Israel across the sea, and then they came upon a people who were devoted to the worship of some idols that they had (particular to themselves). They said: "O Moses! Make for us a deity even as they have deities!" He replied: "You are indeed a people given to ignorance.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea. Then they came to a people who clung to some idols they had (for worship). They said, `O Moses! make for us a god like the gods they have.´ He (-Moses) said, `You are a foolish people who act through lack of knowledge.

English Literal

And We made with Israel`s sons and daughters cross/pass through the large body of water (sea/ocean) , so they came/passed by on a nation occupying themselves/adhering on (to) idolized or worshipped idols/statues for them, they said: "You Moses, make/create for us a god, as/like (there are) gods for them." He said: "That you are a nation being lowly/ignorant/foolish ."105

Faridul Haque

And We transported the Descendants of Israel across the sea - so they came across a people who used to squat in seclusion in front of their idols; they said, "O Moosa! Make a God for us, the way they have so many Gods!" He said, "You are indeed an ignorant people."

Hamid S. Aziz

And We passed the children of Israel safely across the sea. They came upon a people devoted to their idols, and said, "O Moses! Make for us a god as the gods they have." Said he, "Verily, you are ignorant people.

Hilali & Khan

And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa (Moses)! Make for us an ilahan (a god) as they have aliha (gods)." He said: "Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allah and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed. And the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled in the Children of Israel -- because of their patience. And We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought and what they had built.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And We made the children of Israel to pass the sea; then they came upon a people who kept to the worship of their idols They said: O Musa! make for us a god as they have (their) gods He said: Surely you are a people acting ignorantly:

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Lo! ye are a folk who know not.

Muhammad Sarwar

We helped the children of Israel to cross the sea. They came to a people who worshipped idols. The Israelites demanded Moses to make gods for them like those of the idol-worshippers. Moses told them, "You are an ignorant people.

Qaribullah & Darwish

and We moved the Children of Israel from one side of the sea to the other, and they came upon a nation zealously devoted to the idols they had. They said to Moses: 'Make a god for us, as they have gods' Moses replied: 'You are indeed an ignorant nation.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods." He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people."

Wahiduddin Khan

We brought the children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people who were devoted to their idols. They said, "Moses, give us a god just like the gods these people have." He said, "You are indeed an ignorant people:

Talal Itani

And We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. And when they came upon a people who were devoted to some statues of theirs, they said, “O Moses, make for us a god, as they have gods.” He said, “You are truly an ignorant people.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came upon, they passed by, a people cleaving in devotion (read ya`kufn or ya`kifn) to idols they had, constantly worshipping them. They said, `O Moses, make for us a god, an idol for us to worship, just as they have gods.' He said, `Truly you are an ignorant folk, for repaying God's grace to you with what you have said.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping

Allah tells;

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ الْبَحْرَ

And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea,

Allah mentions the words that the ignorant ones among the Children of Israel uttered to Musa after they crossed the sea and witnessed Allah's Ayat and great power.

فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ

And they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship).

Some scholars of Tafsir said that the people mentioned here were from Canaan, or from the tribe of Lakhm.

Ibn Jarir commented,

"They were worshipping idols that they made in the shape of cows, and this influenced the Children of Israel later when they worshipped the calf."

They said here,

قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ الِهَةٌ

They said;"O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods."

قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ



He said;"Verily, you are an ignorant people."

Musa replied, you are ignorant of Allah's greatness and majesty and His purity from any partners or anything resembling Him