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الآية رقم (155) - وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَى قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلاً لِّمِيقَاتِنَا فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاء مِنَّا إِنْ هِيَ إِلاَّ فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاء وَتَهْدِي مَن تَشَاء أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ

(155) - (And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers.)

( وَاخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَاتِنَا ) (And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment): Prophet Moses (PBUH) chose seventy men from among the tribes and they all headed to the appointment to seek forgiveness and show their repentance to Allah (swt) for the worship of the calf. It seems that this selection was according to a mutual agreement between Prophet Moses (PBUH) and his people. So, they chose the individuals who were represented at the appointment.

( فَلَمَّا أَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ) (And when the earthquake seized them): When they went to the appointed place, a violent earthquake; a strong shaking, immediately struck them.

( قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّايَ) (he said, “My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well].): Prophet Moses (PBUH) said that if Allah (swt) willed, He (swt) would have destroyed them when their people worshiped the golden calf, before he (PBUH) brought them to this place.

( أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَّا ) (Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done?): (The foolish) are those with small minds who asked to worship the calf.

( إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ ) (This is not but Your trial): (Trial) is a test.

( تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَهْدِي مَن تَشَاءُ) (by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will): Allah (swt) allowed them to choose. Allah (swt) does not hold them accountable for His (swt) Will, but rather for the choices they take. If Allah (swt) wills it, they would not have been given the ability to choose, and they would not have gone astray and worshiped the calf. However, Allah (swt) intended to test them. Hence, He (swt) holds them accountable for the outcome of the test. In Summary, it is by Allah’s Will (swt) that they are given the ability to choose; had He (swt) not willed it, they would not have been able to make a choice nor would they have gone astray. Thus, we see that the will and guidance are in Allah’s (swt) hands. The seventy individuals who went were from the people who did not worship the calf. The people of Prophet Moses (PBUH) were divided into two groups: one group worshipped the calf, and the other group remained with Aaron (PBUH). Those who went with Prophet Moses (PBUH) were representatives for the Children of Israel as a whole to seek forgiveness and pardon from Allah (swt) for what the wrongdoers have committed.

( أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا ) (You are our Protector): (Our Protector) means the One (swt) closest to us and Who gives us support.

( فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ) (so forgive us and have mercy upon us): (Forgiveness) means prevention of the harm, while (mercy) is the bringing of benefit. Forgiveness comes first because harm must be prevented before any benefit can be brought.

( وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ ) (and You are the best of forgivers): Allah (swt) is the One Who is best to forgive sins. Prophet Moses (PBUH) went with his people, and they were struck by the strong shaking at the appointment place. This was a rebuke to them because they did not prevent others from worshiping the calf in a way as expected of them.