of Nokounam (May His Soul Rest in Peace) Session 1337
The Divine Word in the Holy Quran, like a pristine spring, pours endless knowledge upon the thirsty souls of truth seekers. Verses 154 to 157 of Surah Al-Imran present a profound narrative of the history of the Children of Israel, the wrath and guidance of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), the honour of Aaron (peace be upon him), and the boundless mercy of God. These verses serve as a mirror placing oppression and polytheism against repentance and divine mercy, offering enduring lessons for the guidance of humanity. In this treatise, through reflection on these verses and the discourse of religious scholars, the concepts of oppression, polytheism, sin, repentance, and divine mercy are examined with a deep and structured approach. This work, composed with eloquence and gravitas, endeavours to convey the spirit of the Divine Word in a clear and coherent manner to the readers.
Oppression, like a heavy shadow, influences the destiny of human beings. In the Holy Quran, oppression is defined as placing something outside its rightful position, and polytheism, regarded as the greatest oppression (Luqman: 13), constitutes a violation of the principle of monotheism and the sanctity of God. This concept, particularly within the discourse of religious scholars in the study of the verses of Surah Al-Imran, is introduced as the root cause of calamities. Every affliction and hardship that befalls humanity is the consequence of an oppression they themselves have committed, and this oppression reached its zenith in the calf-worship of the Children of Israel.
The Children of Israel, after God saved them from the Nile River, fell into a grave error: the worship of a calf fashioned by Samiri. This sin was not merely a transgression but a manifest polytheism severely condemned in the Holy Quran. When the calf fell into their hands, they realised their misguidance and said: "If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, surely we will be among the losers." This repentance, though indicative of their awakened conscience, was not sufficient to forgive their polytheism, as such a sin demands a more explicit and complete return.
وَلَمَّا سَقَطَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَأَوْا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ ضَلُّوا قَالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْنَا رَبُّنَا وَيَغْفِرْ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And when [the calf] fell into their hands and they saw that they had gone astray, they said: If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, surely we shall be among the losers. (Surah Al-Imran 3:148)
When Moses (peace be upon him) returned from the appointed time and found his people engaged in the misguidance of calf-worship, his wrath surged like a violent storm. He addressed Aaron (peace be upon him) sharply, questioning him. However, Aaron, with exemplary dignity, responded: "O son of my mother! This people oppressed me and nearly killed me; so do not rejoice over me in the presence of enemies and do not place me with the oppressing people." This response, like a soothing breeze, abated Moses wrath and guided him towards seeking forgiveness.
قَالَ ابْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُونِي وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِي فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِيَ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
[Aaron] said: O son of my mother! Indeed, the people oppressed me and nearly killed me; so do not rejoice over me in the presence of enemies, and do not place me among the wrongdoing people. (Surah Al-Imran 3:150)
After the wrath of Moses subsided, he took the Tablets which contained guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord. This moment, like dawn after a dark night, symbolises Moses return to the responsibility of prophethood and the renewal of his covenant with God. The content of the Tablets, not explicitly detailed in the Quran, is portrayed as a divine treasure bearing guidance and mercy for the pious.
وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَنْ مُوسَى الْغَضَبُ أَخَذَ الْأَلْوَاحَ وَفِي نُسْخَتِهَا هُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِرَبِّهِمْ يَرْهَبُونَ
And when the anger of Moses subsided, he took up the Tablets; and in their inscription was guidance and mercy for those who fear their Lord. (Surah Al-Imran 3:154)
After the misguidance of his people, Moses (peace be upon him) selected seventy men from the Children of Israel for the Divine appointment. This selection, as an effort to restore the bond between the people and God, symbolises Moses hope for their guidance. However, the identity of these seventy menwhether they were believers or calf-worshippersremains ambiguous in the Quran, raising several questions.
When the earthquake befell the people, Moses (peace be upon him) supplicated to God: "O my Lord! If You had willed, You could have destroyed them before, and me as well. Will You destroy us on account of what the foolish among us have done? It is only Your trial by which You mislead whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our protector; so forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the best of forgivers." This supplication, a heartfelt cry, manifests Moses concern over collective punishment. He viewed the earthquake as a divine test that would mislead some and guide others.
وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ أَنْتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ
And Moses chose seventy men from his people for Our appointment. When the earthquake seized them, he said: My Lord! If You had willed, You could have destroyed them before, and me as well. Will You destroy us because of what the foolish among us have done? It is but Your trial by which You mislead whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our guardian, so forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the best of forgivers. (Surah Al-Imran 3:155)
