Parables of the Qur’an II

Episode 16

In the name of Allah[1], the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon our master, the most noble prophet, Muhammed (SAWS)[2].

Welcome to episode 16 of our program Parables of the Qur’an – Part II.

There is just a reminder that I would like to start the episode with: “We Will Live By The Qur’an”, our slogan. We read Qur’an not only to get spiritual aid and good deeds, but also to extract the morals and values mentioned in it, the Qur’an is in fact the manual of human being reparation, with its values it repair their souls, their morals, their attitudes and values and their dispositions in life. Daily on our program we deal with one of those values. Those values are the main message of Qur’an.

Another important reminder before starting the episode: One of The Most Beautiful Names of Allah is The Almighty. This name is very related to today’s episode that deals with humility. The Almighty is the one refusing and rejecting any humiliation to His human creatures. A human being should never be humiliated for another one, for money, for wrong doing or for any other reason whatsoever. A person should always be proud and in control of his life since his Lord is the Almighty. Humiliation has a great effect on peoples, it affects them badly, it deforms and distorts them and this will appear all along this episode.

Beni-Israel left Egypt with Musa (Moses) (AS)[3], they witnessed the miracle of the sea yet the humiliation they lived in Egypt deformed them completely and distorted their souls. We will learn in this episode how does humility darken the soul, distort, disfigure and deform it from deep within. Today’s episode tells you not to humiliate yourself for anyone or any reason lest you deform your soul, always remember Allah’s name The-Almighty. This is the value of this episode.

Our story today is noted in surat[4] Ta-ha. As we mentioned in yesterday’s episode, Musa (AS) went to meet his Lord. He informed Bani-Israel that he (AS) will be away for only 30 days but Allah ordered him (AS) to complete it 40 days. That was 10 additional days that Bani-Israel knew nothing about it. Before leaving, Musa (AS) asked Harun (Aaron) (AS) to be his successor among his people since he (AS) knew that they cannot be left alone lest they make problems or disasters. He (AS) also asked him to act righteously, i.e. do not let any dispute or conflict happen between them, and finally to not ever follow the way of the corruptors. So Musa (AS) knew that there were corruptors among them but as Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) did with the hypocrites in Madina and as any wise leader will do when dealing with internal problems or conflicts, Musa (AS) choose to deal with those conflicts with patience until they die and pass with time.

Back to our story, Musa (AS) left to his meeting and as above mentioned, this meeting was supposed to be 30 days but Allah extended it to 40. Allah (SWT)[5] says what can be translated as: “And We appointed with Mûsa (Moses) thirty nights and We perfected them with ten, so the fixed time of his Lord was perfect for forty nights.” (TMQ[6], 7:142). Those 10 additional days will have a great effect since the souls of Bani-Israel were not acquainted yet to the idea of faith, of believing. The humility they suffered in Egypt deformed their entire being; they lost their equilibrium, therefore, any new idea, any delay, any absence of Musa (AS) made them collapse and fall down, even with the presence of Harun (AS). Musa (AS) was their controller, their master and first leader and commander. Harun – loved by them – remained in their eyes the second man. They will only obey, follow the first leader. They will only listen to Musa (AS).

Back in Egypt they were deeply influenced by the Egyptians worshiping the calf Abis and they were still admiring them. Why? Humiliation. They used to consider Egyptians and pharaoh as better creatures and higher class then their own and they still do though they were now believers, applying monotheism.

When the 30 agreed upon days passed and Musa (AS) was late, they started to ask about him (AS), where is he? Why wasn’t he back? And a great temptation started to took place, that of As-Samiriyy (The Samaritan).

As-Samiriyy (The Samaritan) was not one of the Egyptians, nor from Bani-Israel. He was of the minorities present in Egypt when Pharaoh was in his glory time, powerful, building temples and humiliating Bani-Israel. At the time Musa (AS) appeared As-Samiriyy was 30 years old. He came from Iraq, from Samara city. He was a great sculpture with an amazing, extraordinary talent and lived in Egypt in the period where sculpture were very demanded for temples, palaces, etc. But he was one of those people who will never gain higher place in the country being from another nationality, being from a less important section of population.

Despite his great talent and potentials, he was doomed to remain in the lowest class to work but not to show his talent, not to be rewarded for it. From Pharaoh point of view, talent and hard work do not matter, what matter is the nationality, the social class, the good relations with high class, etc. Since he got nothing of that, he will remain as he was. As-Samiriyy felted oppressed and humiliated. And humiliation started to darken his soul. When Musa (AS) called, he followed him, not convinced by faith. The idea of faith or believing in Pharaoh does not matter to him. What matters is that no one took care or recognized his talent, and he will get his revenge. When Musa (AS) was late and Bani-Israel started questioning his absence, he seized the occasion. Instead of getting his revenge from Pharaoh who was unjust to him, he will get it from these people even though Pharaoh was unjust to them too. He addressed Bani-Israel and told them that Musa (AS) will not come back unless they get rid of the jewels they took with them from Egypt. Fact is, Bani-Israel women used to borrow jewels from Egyptians women whenever they had a feast or special occasion.

When Musa (AS) called for leaving Egypt, Bani-Israel had a feast and had borrowed jewels but there was no time to give it back now that they had to leave immediately. As-Samiriyy knew it and knew that Bani-Israel will not accept such burden now that they are believers. He used both their faith and humility. What is the use of money with a humiliated soul? He knew they will believe him, and so they did. See how much humility can darken a soul?

As-Samiriyy then went and collected those jewels and brought out a golden calf. Did he really want Bani-Israel to reject faith? That was not the point, the point is that they will admire his creation, his talent; they will bow in front of his sculpture. See how humiliation can create a destructive power? He sculpted a calf because he knew the admiration Bani-Israel had for the Calf of Egyptians, he made it all golden. He positioned it in a way that when air goes through it, it resonate a sound similar to the calf lowing voice.

He waited until they were gathered around it, and that this voice was produced and he told them that this is your god and the god of Musa. Musa did only forget the place, if you want him to come back to you and to his god, you have to worship it. And they did.

Humility made them believe such non-sense. From one side, the idea of faith was not settled in their souls yet, from the other, they needed a leader and commander as they always used to, and if Musa (AS) is not present, then they will leave the command to As-Samiriyy.

How Harun (AS) will react? He started to advise them, to ask them to stop such worship but they refused to listen to him. He (AS) was not their leader as above mentioned. Now he has to choose between confronting them or wait to the return of Musa (AS). As any wise leader will do, he compared between the two alternatives: a confrontation between both parties – believers with him and rejecters with As-Samiriyy – will be a civil war. When Musa (AS) comes back, he might find all of them dead. To wait for him (AS) will save them specially that Musa (AS), as their leader, will end this whole matter with few words. And thus, Harun (AS) waited for Musa (AS) return.

Musa (AS) returned from his meeting with his Lord, with his Tablets. But a choking surprise waits for him (AS), Bani-Israel worshiped the calf. Now imagine how he (AS) will react. Imagine the scene: Musa (AS) going down the mountain, Bani-Israel worshiping the calf with As-Samiriyy, and Harun (AS) waiting for him. Let us observe how a leader should react in such situation, bearing in mind that any wrong decision can cause disaster, either a civil war where they will die, or they will continue worshiping the calf. He (AS) wants to bring them all back t faith, to take a severe action against As-Samiriyy and against them since this was their second time to reject faith and ask to worship a calf. He will use a gradual way to reach this severe reaction lest a temptation and conflict will take place. So he (AS) will go from understanding, to mercy, to severance and ends with firmness. He started with Bani-Israel, in a soft way and with tender words, he reminded them of the fair promise Allah made to them. He aked them why did act this way, and they blamed it on the As-Samiriyy, he is the one who tempted them and by humiliation they believed his words and acted upon it.

Now that Bani-Israel were back, he (AS) turned to his brother (AS) he used sever action against him since he know that his brother will never get angry from him, and with his severance with him he convoy a message to all others that he is able of taking sever position. So he (AS) asked Harun (AS) why did he not stop them from such wrongdoing?

He took him by his beard and shouted. But Harun (AS) reminded him with their brotherhood, of his order before leaving not to let any conflict or dispute take place between Bani-Israel. Musa (AS) was convinced and he asked Allah to forgive him and his brother. Finally Musa (AS) got to As-Samiriyy and asked him what the matter with him is. As-Samiriyy lied, he did not mention his oppressed talent, he just said that he saw Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) the day they passed the sea from Egypt and that he grasped a handful of dust from its track and put it inside the calf to conserve angel tracks until he (AS) comes back. Not going in details, Musa (AS) took his firm decisions. Firstly, As-Samiriyy will be expelled, secondly, his “god” will be burned and then crushed into poweder inside the see. As for the remaining punishement of Bani-Israel, we will follow it in our tomorrow episode if Allah’s will.

Translated by: The English Convoy – Dar al-Tarjama

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