This is among the gravest fabrications against Moses and Aaron, against Allah, and against the worshippers of the calf. Allah tells us that Moses condemned the calf more vehemently than Aaron did, and that he seized Aaron by his beard because he had not left them and followed Moses to inform him. Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And what made you hasten ahead of your people, O Moses?”

He said, “They are close behind me, and I hastened to You, my Lord, so that You might be pleased.”

He said, “We have indeed tested your people after your departure, and al-Sāmirī has led them astray.”

So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, “O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise? Did the time seem too long to you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord should descend upon you, so you broke your promise to me?”

They said, “We did not break our promise to you of our own accord, but we were burdened with loads of the people’s jewellery, which we cast away; and al-Sāmirī likewise cast something in.”

Then he produced for them a calf—a body that made a lowing sound—and they said, “This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot.”

Did they not see that it could not answer them, nor had it any power to harm or benefit them?

Aaron had already told them, “O my people, you are only being tested by it. Your Lord is indeed the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my command.”

They said, “We will not cease devoting ourselves to it until Moses returns to us.”

Moses said, “O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray, from following me? Did you then disobey my command?”

He said, “O son of my mother, do not seize me by my beard or my head. I feared that you would say, ‘You have caused division among the Children of Israel and have not heeded my words.’”

I said to one of these people, “This statement that this man has related about Moses