Translation of the meanings Ayah 148 Surah Al-A‘rāf - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 148

وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوۡمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ مِنۡ حُلِيِّهِمۡ عِجۡلٗا جَسَدٗا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۚ أَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّهُۥ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمۡ وَلَا يَهۡدِيهِمۡ سَبِيلًاۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُواْ ظَٰلِمِينَ

(148) The people of Mūsā took up ˹as idol˺ when he was gone – ˹made˺ from their jewellery – a calf^[1766], a ˹mere˺ body of a lowing sound. Did they not ˹just˺ see that he would not talk to them, nor guide them to the way!^[1767] They took up ˹worshipping˺ him; they were ˹truly˺ wrongdoers!^[1768]

[1766] When Moses (عليه السلام) was gone for forty nights for his appointment with God, his people sculptured out of their jewellery a calf that produced a bellowing sound and worshipped it: “And ˹remember˺ when We appointed forty nights for Moses, and then when he was away you took up ˹worshipping˺ the calf—you were unjust” (2: 51).
[1767] This mere body even lacked the most basic attributes of being a god (cf. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, 13/242): “How did they not see that it could not give them any response and had no power to harm or benefit them?” (20: 89)
[1768] “˹Remember˺ When Moses said to his people: “My people, you have done yourselves injustice by taking the calf ˹as an idol˺…” (2: 54).