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but he [used the molten jewellery to] produce an image of a calf which made a lowing sound, and they said, ‘This is your god and Moses’ god, but he has forgotten.’

Did they not see that [the calf] gave them no answer, that it had no power to harm or benefit them?

Aaron did say to them, ‘My people, this calf is a test for you. Your true Lord is the Lord of Mercy, so follow me and obey my orders,’

but they replied, ‘We shall not give up our devotion to it until Moses returns to us.’

Moses said, ‘When you realized they had gone astray, what prevented you, Aaron,

from coming after me? How could you disobey my orders?’

He said, ‘Son of my mother- let go of my beard and my hair!- I was afraid you would say, “You have caused division among the children of Israel and have not heeded what I said.”’

Moses said, ‘And what was the matter with you, Samiri?’

He replied, ‘I saw something they did not; I took in some of the teachings of the Messenger but tossed them aside: my soul prompted me to do what I did.’

Moses said, ‘Get away from here! Your lot in this life is to say, “Do not touch me,” but you have an appointment from which there is no escape. Look at your god which you have kept on worshipping- we shall grind it down and scatter it into the sea.

[People], your true god is the One God- there is no god but Him- whose knowledge embraces everything.’