سورة طٰه

Surah Tâ Hâ 20:88

Perfect Man! be at rest · Verse 88 of 135

فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

Then (it came to pass that) he (- Sâmirî) produced (an effigy of) a calf for the people (to worship), a mere body (without a soul) which emitted a lowing sound. And then they (- Sâmirî and his followers) said, `This is your god as well as that of Moses,´ so he (- Sâmirî) gave up (the religion of Moses).

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then he brought out (of the fire) before the (people) the image of a calf: It seemed to low: so they said: This is your god, and the god of Moses, but (Moses) has forgotten!

Ahmed Ali

Then he produced the image of a calf which mooed like a cow. And they said: ´This is your god and the god of Moses (whom) he has neglected."

12 more translations

Ali Unal

And then he brought out for them a calf shaping to it (from the molten ornaments) a body (which made a sound like) mooing. Then they said (some of them to others): "This is your deity and the deity of Moses, but he has forgotten."

Daryabadi

And he produced for them a calf: a body with a low. Then they Said: this is your god and the god of Musa, and that he forgat.

Faridul Haque

He therefore made a calf for them - a lifeless body, making sounds like a cow - so they said, "This is your God and the God of Moosa; whereas Moosa has forgotten."

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Then he brought forth for them a calf, a body, which had a hollow sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Moses; but he forgot.

Maulvi Sher Ali

Then he produced for them a calf - a mere body which emitted a lowing sound. Then he and his companions said, `This is your god, and the god of Moses but he has forgotten it and left it behind.'

Muhammad Asad

But then, [so they told Moses, the Samaritan] had produced for them [out of the molten gold] the effigy of a calf, which made a lowing sound ; and thereupon they said [to one another], "This is your deity, and the deity of Moses - but he has forgotten [his past]!"

Muhammad Musin Khan

Then he took out (of the fire) for them a statue of a calf which seemed to low. They said: "This is your ilah (god), and the ilah (god) of Musa (Moses), but [Musa (Moses)] has forgotten (his god).'"

Muhammad Pickthall

Then he produced for them a calf, of saffron hue, which gave forth a lowing sound. And they cried: This is your god and the god of Moses, but he hath forgotten.

Muhammad Sarwar

Then the Samiri forged the body of a motionless calf which gave out a hollow sound." The people said, "This is your Lord and the Lord of Moses whom he (Moses) forgot to mention".

Muhammed ali Shakir

So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.

Rashad Khalifa

He produced for them a sculpted calf, complete with a calf's sound. They said, "This is your god, and the god of Moses." Thus, he forgot.

Shabbir Ahmed

Then As-Saamiri made the effigy of a calf. It even brought forth a lowing sound with wind or when blown into it. So they said, "This is your god, and the god of Moses, but he has forgotten.”

Commentary 20:88 The interpolation “it came to pass” is necessary because of the change from the direct speech in the preceding verse to the indirect in this one and in…

فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَـٰذَا إِلَـٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَـٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ

20:88 The interpolation “it came to pass” is necessary because of the change from the direct speech in the preceding verse to the indirect in this one and in the sequence. Sâmarî symbolizes those who are astray and who lead others astray. Sâmarî in his vision thinks that he has recognized God in the shape of a bull, and he chose to worship him instead of the Real One. When Sâmarî said, “I perceived that which they did not perceive,” قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا, he spoke from his false visionary certainty. It is just such visionary certainty that even today drags along the idol-worshipper.