Al-A'raaf 7:138
The Heights · ayah 138 of 206
Wajawazna bibanee isra-eelaalbahra faataw AAala qawmin yaAAkufoona AAalaasnamin lahum qaloo ya moosaijAAal lana ilahan kama lahum alihatunqala innakum qawmun tajhaloon
Saheeh International translation
Other English translations
Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+
"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:"
Pickthall (classic)+
"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."
Yusuf Ali (classic)+
"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."
Tafsīr · classical commentary
Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
+
Ibn Kathir
Abridged English, public domain
The Children of Israel safely cross the Sea, but still held on to the Idea of Idol Worshipping
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,
يَمُوسَى اجْعَلْ لَّنَآ إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ
("O Musa! Make for us a god as they have gods." 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.
إِنَّ هَـؤُلاءِ مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ
("Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in) they will perish,
وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ
("and all that they are doing is in vain.") Commenting on this Ayah, Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir reported from Abu Waqid Al-Laythi that they (the Companions) went out from Makkah with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for (the battle of) Hunayn. Abu Waqid said, "Some of the disbelievers had a lote tree whose vicinity they used to remain in, and upon which they would hang their weapons on. That tree was called `Dhat Al-Anwat'. So when we passed by a huge, green lote tree, we said, `O Messenger of Allah! Appoint for us a Dhat Al-Anwat as they have.' He said,
«قُلْتُمْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ كَمَا قَالَ قَوْمُ مُوسَى لِمُوسَى:
(by He in Whose Hand is my soul! You said just as what the people of Musa said to him:
اجْعَلْ لَّنَآ إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ
إِنَّ هَـؤُلآء مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَـطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ-
( ("Make for us a god as they have gods." He said: "Verily, you are an ignorant people. Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in, and all that they are doing is in vain."))"