Page 230 - The Profound Darkness of the Hypocrite

THE PROFOUND DARKNESS OF THE HYPOCRITE

those people expressed their yearning for their old lives and pagan beliefs to the
Prophet Moses (pbuh) by saying "Moses, give us a god just as these people have
gods''.

We conveyed the tribe of Israel across the sea and they came upon some
people who were devoting themselves to some idols which they had. They
said, 'Moses, give us a god just as these people have gods.' He said, 'You are
indeed an ignorant people'. (Surat al-A'raf, 138)

And the Prophet Moses (pbuh) warned them by telling them that they were on
the wrong path and reminded them that there is no other deity other than God:

'What these people are doing is destined for destruction. What they are
doing is purposeless.' He said, 'Should I seek something other than God as
a god for you when He has favored you over all other beings?' (Surat al-
A'raf, 139-140)

Samiri who perfectly knew 'this demand of the Israelites' and their 'longing
for the life that Pharaoh had offered them' wanted to take advantage of this situ-

ation. Taking advantage of the Prophet Moses' leaving his tribe, he presented the
Israelites the idol that they had been demanding from the Prophet Moses (pbuh)

with the huge calf he sculpted from gold.

'This golden calf statue that Samiri made' which was expressed with the word

I'cl in Arabic, was a replica of 'bull statues' that were the symbols of the Egyptian

culture. The word I'cl, which means 'calf' in Arabic, comes from the root word

'(acele)urgency-(acil)urgent' which are also used in Turkish. In the Qur'an, this

word is used to purport 'people's fascination with worldly life' and 'their desire

for worldly possessions'. Consequently, with the golden calf statue Samiri sculpted,

in a sense he drew people from his tribe away from God and called them to be de-
voted to world. Jews coming from Egypt admired Samiri's craftsmanship and artistry
that reflected return to their old culture. Taking a stand in front of the calf, they
yearningly remembered their old culture that Samiri reminded them of. Since they
were still under the influence of "the holy bull" culture (Apis), which was the symbol
of the Pharaoh's state and the pagan religion, they showed a tendency to return to
those idolatrous beliefs. Moreover, due to this longing some of them wanted to
return to Egypt to live their old lives and the pagan culture of the Pharaoh.
In the Qur'an, with the verse "And when We allotted to Moses forty nights.
Then you adopted the calf when he had gone and you were wrongdoers.'' (Surat
Al-Baqara, 51) God informs us that those people in the tribe of the Prophet Moses
(pbuh) deviated from the right path by following Samiri and 'started to worship
the calf by returning to their pagan religion' (Surely God is beyond this).

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