Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 148

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And in the absence of Mūsā, his people made a calf from their ornaments, which was merely a sculpture with a moaning sound. Did they not see that it neither talked to them nor could it guide them to any way? They adopted it (as god), and were so unjust.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

In the absence of Moses, his people made from their ˹golden˺ jewellery an idol of a calf that made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the ˹Right˺ Path? Still they took it as a god and were wrongdoers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

In his absence, the people of Moses took for worship an image of calf made from their jewelry that made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor could it guide them to any [straight] way? Yet they took it for worship and they were wrongdoers.

A. J. Arberry

And the people of Moses took to them, after him, of their ornaments a Calf -- a mere body that lowed. Did they not see it spoke not to them, neither guided them upon any way? Yet they took it to them, and were evildoers.

Abdul Haleem

In his absence, Moses’ people took to worshipping a mere shape that made sounds like a cow- a calf made from their jewellery. Could they not see that it did not speak to them or guide them in any way? Yet they took it for worship: they were evildoers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And ehe people of Musa, after him, took of their trinkets a calf: a body with a low. Saw they not that it spake nor unto them nor could guide them to a way? They took it, and became wrong-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The people of Moses made, in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of calf, (for worship); it seemed to low; did they not see that it could neither speak to them, nor show them the way? They took it for worship and they did wrong.

Abul Ala Maududi

And in the absence of Moses his people made the image of a calf from their ornaments, which lowed. Did they not observe that it could neither speak nor give them any guidance? And still they made it an object of worship. They were indeed wrong-doing.

Ahmed Ali

In the absence of Moses his people prepared the image of a calf from their ornaments, which gave out the mooing of a cow. Yet they did not see it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the right path. Even then they took it (for a deity) and did wrong.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And behind Moosa, his people moulded a calf from their ornaments – a lifeless body making sounds like a cow; did they not see that it neither speaks to them nor guides them in any way? They chose it (for worship), and were unjust.

Ali Quli Qarai

The people of Moses took up in his absence a calf [cast] from their ornaments—a body that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not regard that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it up [for worship] and they were wrongdoers.

Ali Ünal

The people of Moses, after he (had left them to meet with his Lord), adopted for worship a calf (in effigy, made) of their ornaments, which gave out a lowing sound. Did they not see that it neither spoke to them nor guided them to a way? They adopted it for worship and so became wrongdoers (acting contrary to all the truths of creation and Divine commandments, and thereby wronging their very selves).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And the people of Moses in his absence, made out of their ornaments a calf; a mere frame (of saffron hue), with a lowing sound. Could they not see that it neither spoke to them, nor guided them to any way? Yet they took it (for god to worship) and became wrongdoers.

English Literal

And Moses` nation took/received from after him from their jewel/ornament/decoration a calf`s body, for him (a) moo/bellow; do they not see/understand that it does not converse/speak/talk (to) them, and nor guide them a way/road/path ? They took/received it, and they were unjust/oppressive.

Faridul Haque

And behind Moosa, his people moulded a calf from their ornaments - a lifeless body making sounds like a cow; did they not see that it neither speaks to them nor guides them in any way? They chose it (for worship), and were unjust.

Hamid S. Aziz

And the people of Moses, after he had left them, chose (for worship) an image of a lowing calf (or one that seemed to low) made out of their ornaments. Did they not see that it could not speak to them or guide them in the path? They chose it and became wrongdoers (or unjust, unreasonable, irrational, superstitious people).

Hilali & Khan

And the people of Musa (Moses) 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).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who reject Our messages and the meeting of the Hereafter -- their deeds are fruitless. Can they be rewarded except for what they do?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And Musa's people made of their ornaments a calf after him, a (mere) body, which gave a mooing sound. What! could they not see that it did not speak to them nor guide them in the way? They took it (for worship) and they were unjust.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And the folk of Moses, after (he left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of saffron hue, which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spake not unto them nor guided them to any way? They chose it, and became wrong-doers.

Muhammad Sarwar

In Moses' absence, his people manufactured a hollow sounding calf out of their ornaments. Could they not see that it could not speak to them or provide them with any guidance? They gained only evil by worshipping the calf.

Qaribullah & Darwish

In his absence, the nation of Moses made a calf from their ornaments, a body with a hollow sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them, nor guide them to a path? Yet they took it in worship and were harmdoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound. 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 wrongdoers.

Wahiduddin Khan

In his absence, the people of Moses made a calf from their ornaments, an image which made a lowing sound. Could they not see that it did not speak to them or guide them in any way? Yet they took to worshipping it: they were evil-doers.

Talal Itani

In his absence, the people of Moses adopted a calf made from their ornaments—a body which lowed. Did they not see that it could not speak to them, nor guide them in any way? They took it for worship. They were in the wrong.

Tafsir jalalayn

And the people of Moses, after him, that is, after he had departed for the communion [with God], made of their ornaments, which they had borrowed from Pharaoh's folk on the pretext of a wedding celebration, and which remained in their possession, a calf, which the Samaritan had fashioned for them therefrom; a [mere] living body (jasadan is a substitution [for `ijlan, `a calf']), of flesh and blood, which lowed, that is, [which] made audible sounds [like a cow]; it [the calf] was transformed in this way when the dust, which he [the Samaritan] had collected from [where] the hoof of Gabriel's steed [had trodden], was placed in its mouth, for it has the effect of [giving] life to that in which it is placed (the second direct object of the verb ittakhadha, `[they] made', has been omitted, but it would be ilhan, `[as] a god'). Did they not see that it spoke not to them, nor guided them to any way?, so how can it be taken as a god? Yet they took it as such, a god, and were evildoers, for taking it so.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Story of worshipping the Calf

Allah tells;

وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى مِن بَعْدِهِ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلً جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ

And the people of Musa made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound.

Allah describes the misguidance of those who worshipped the calf that As-Samiri made for them from the ornaments they borrowed from the Copts. He made the shape of a calf with these ornaments and threw in it a handful of dust from the trace of the horse that the Angel Jibril was riding, and the calf seemed to moo. This occurred after Musa went for the appointed term with his Lord, where Allah told him about what happened when he was on Mount Tur.

Allah said about His Honorable Self,

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِن بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِىُّ

(Allah) said;"Verily, We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray." (20;85)

The scholars of Tafsir have different views over the calf, whether it actually became alive and mooing, or if it remained made of gold, but the air entering it made it appear to be mooing. These are two opinions. Allah knows best.

It was reported that when the statue mooed, the Jews started dancing around it and fell into misguidance because they adored it. They said that this, the calf, is your god and the god of Musa, but Musa forgot it!

Allah answered them,

أَفَلَ يَرَوْنَ أَلاَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاً وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرّاً وَلَا نَفْعاً

Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had neither power to harm them nor to do them good. (20;89)

Allah said here,

أَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلً

Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way,

Allah condemned the Jews for falling into misguidance, worshipping the calf and ignoring the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Lord and King of all things. They worshipped besides Him a statue made in the shape of a calf, that seemed to moo, but it neither spoke to them nor brought them any benefit. Rather, their very sense of reason was blinded because of ignorance and misguidance.

اتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُواْ ظَالِمِينَ



They took it (for worship) and they were wrongdoers.

Allah's statement