Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Arrogant People will be deprived of Allah's Ayat Allah said, سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَـتِي الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ (I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right). Allah says, "I shall deprive the hearts of those who are too proud to obey Me, and arrogant with people without right, from understanding the signs and proofs that testify to My Might, Law and Commandments." And just as they acted arrogantly without justification, Allah has disgraced them with ignorance. Allah said in another Ayah, وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ (And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time) 6:110, and, فَلَمَّا زَاغُواْ أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ (So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the right path).) 61:5 Sufyan bin `Uyaynah commented on this Ayah, سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَـتِي الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ (I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right), "(Allah says) I shall snatch away comprehension of the Qur'an from them and turn them away from My Ayat. " Ibn Jarir commented on Sufyan's statement that, "This indicates that this part of the Ayah is addressed to this Ummah." This is not necessarily true, for Ibn `Uyaynah actually meant that this occurs in every Ummah and that there is no difference between one Ummah and another Ummah in this regard. Allah knows best. Allah said next, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا (and (even) if they see all the Ayat, they will not believe in them). Allah said in a similar Ayah, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) 10:96-97 Allah's statement, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً (And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt it as the way,) means, even if the way of guidance and safety appears before them, they will not take it, but if the way that leads to destruction and misguidance appears to them, they adopt that way. Allah explains why they do this, ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا (that is because they have rejected Our Ayat), in their hearts, وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَـفِلِينَ (and were heedless of them.), gaining no lessons from the Ayat. Allah's statement, وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَلِقَآءِ الاٌّخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ (Those who deny Our Ayat and the meeting in the Hereafter, vain are their deeds.) indicates that whoever among them does this, remaining on this path until death, then all his deeds will be in vain. Allah said next, هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (Are they requited with anything except what they used to do) meaning, `We only recompense them according to the deeds that they performed, good for good and evil for evil. Surely, as you bring forth, you reap the harvest thereof.'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Arrogant People will be deprived of Allah's Ayat Allah said, سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَـتِي الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ (I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right). Allah says, "I shall deprive the hearts of those who are too proud to obey Me, and arrogant with people without right, from understanding the signs and proofs that testify to My Might, Law and Commandments." And just as they acted arrogantly without justification, Allah has disgraced them with ignorance. Allah said in another Ayah, وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ (And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance), as they refused to believe therein for the first time) 6:110, and, فَلَمَّا زَاغُواْ أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ (So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the right path).) 61:5 Sufyan bin `Uyaynah commented on this Ayah, سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ ءَايَـتِي الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ (I shall turn away from My Ayat those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right), "(Allah says) I shall snatch away comprehension of the Qur'an from them and turn them away from My Ayat. " Ibn Jarir commented on Sufyan's statement that, "This indicates that this part of the Ayah is addressed to this Ummah." This is not necessarily true, for Ibn `Uyaynah actually meant that this occurs in every Ummah and that there is no difference between one Ummah and another Ummah in this regard. Allah knows best. Allah said next, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ ءَايَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا (and (even) if they see all the Ayat, they will not believe in them). Allah said in a similar Ayah, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) 10:96-97 Allah's statement, وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً (And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt it as the way,) means, even if the way of guidance and safety appears before them, they will not take it, but if the way that leads to destruction and misguidance appears to them, they adopt that way. Allah explains why they do this, ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا (that is because they have rejected Our Ayat), in their hearts, وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَـفِلِينَ (and were heedless of them.), gaining no lessons from the Ayat. Allah's statement, وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا وَلِقَآءِ الاٌّخِرَةِ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ (Those who deny Our Ayat and the meeting in the Hereafter, vain are their deeds.) indicates that whoever among them does this, remaining on this path until death, then all his deeds will be in vain. Allah said next, هَلْ يُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (Are they requited with anything except what they used to do) meaning, `We only recompense them according to the deeds that they performed, good for good and evil for evil. Surely, as you bring forth, you reap the harvest thereof.'

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Story of worshipping the Calf 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, أَفَلاَ يَرَوْنَ أَلاَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاً وَلاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرّاً وَلاَ 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 لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلاَ يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلاً (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. Allah's statement, وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فَى أَيْدِيهِمْ (And when they regretted), and felt sorrow for their action, وَرَأَوْاْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ قَالُواْ لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ (and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we will certainly become among the losers.") or among the destroyed ones. This was their recognition of their sin and their way of seeking salvation from Allah the Most Mighty and Majestic.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Story of worshipping the Calf 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, أَفَلاَ يَرَوْنَ أَلاَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاً وَلاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرّاً وَلاَ 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 لاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلاَ يَهْدِيهِمْ سَبِيلاً (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. Allah's statement, وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فَى أَيْدِيهِمْ (And when they regretted), and felt sorrow for their action, وَرَأَوْاْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ قَالُواْ لَئِن لَّمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَـسِرِينَ (and saw that they had gone astray, they said: "If our Lord have not mercy upon us and forgive us, we will certainly become among the losers.") or among the destroyed ones. This was their recognition of their sin and their way of seeking salvation from Allah the Most Mighty and Majestic.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِى مِن بَعْدِى (He (Musa) said: "What an evil thing is that which you have done during my absence.") evil it is that which you committed after I departed and left you, by worshiping the calf, أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ (Did you hasten in the matter of your Lord) Musa said, `You wanted me to rush back to you, even though being there this was Allah's decision' Allah said next, وَأَلْقَى الأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ (And he threw down the Tablets and seized his brother by his head and dragged him towards him.) This Ayah demonstrates the meaning of the Hadith, «لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَة» (Information is not the same as observation.) It indicates that Musa threw down the Tablets because he was angry at his people, according to the majority of scholars of early and latter times. Allah said, وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُ إِلَيْهِ (and seized his brother by (the hair of) his head and dragged him towards him.) for Musa feared that Harun might have not tried hard enough to forbid them from their evil action. In another Ayah, Allah said, قَالَ يهَـرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّواْ - أَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى - قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لاَ تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلاَ بِرَأْسِى إِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِى إِسْرءِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى .(He Musa said: "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" He Harun said: "O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: `You have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected (waited or observed) my word!"') 20:92-94. Here, Allah said that Harun said, ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِى وَكَادُواْ يَقْتُلُونَنِى فَلاَ تُشْمِتْ بِىَ الأَعْدَآءَ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْنِى مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ ("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 among the people who are wrongdoers.") Harun said, `Do not place me on the same level as they are, as if I was one of them.' Further, Harun said, `O son of my mother', so that Musa would feel more mercy and leniency towards him, even though Harun was also the son of Musa's father. When Musa was satisfied that his brother was innocent, وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَـرُونُ مِن قَبْلُ يقَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنتُمْ بِهِ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَـنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِى وَأَطِيعُواْ أَمْرِى (And Harun indeed had said to them beforehand: "O my people! You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allah) the Most Gracious, so follow me and obey my order.") 20:90, this is when, قَالَ (he said) Musa, رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِى وَلأَخِى وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِي رَحْمَتِكَ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَحِمِينَ ("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.") Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «يَرْحَمُ اللهُ مُوسَى لَيْسَ الْمُعَايِنُ كَالْمُخْبِرِ أَخْبَرَهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّ قَوْمَهُ فُتِنُوا بَعْدَهُ فَلَمْ يَلْقَ الْأَلْوَاحَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ وَعَايَنَهُمْ أَلْقَى الْأَلْوَاح» (May Allah grant His mercy to Musa! Surely, he who observes something is nothing like he who is informed about it. His Lord, the Exalted and Most Honored, told him that his people were tested after him, but he did not throw the Tablets. When he saw them with his eyes, then he threw the Tablets.)