Al Baqarah, 2:93
Translation:
Yusuf Ali: And remember We took your Covenant and We raised above you the mount (Sinai): (saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)"; they said: "We hear, and we disobey"; and they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your faith, if ye have any faith!"
Dr. Mohsin: And (remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying), "Hold firmly to what We have given you and hear (Our Word). They said, "We have heard and disobeyed." And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf because of their disbelief. Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers."
Arabic:
Transliteration:
Wa 'Idh 'Akhadhnā Mīthāqakum Wa Rafa`nā Fawqakumu Aţ-Ţūra Khudhū Mā 'Ātaynākum Biqūwatin Wa Asma`ū Qālū Sami`nā Wa `Aşaynā Wa 'Ushribū Fī Qulūbihimu Al-`Ijla Bikufrihim Qul Bi'samā Ya'murukum Bihi 'Īmānukum 'In Kuntum Mu'uminīna
Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
And when We made a covenant with you, to act according to what is in the Torah, and raised over you the Mount, to drop it on you, when you had refused to accept it; We said, ‘Take forcefully, seriously and with effort, what We have given you, and listen’, to what you have been commanded, and be prepared to accept it, They said, ‘We hear, your words, and disobey’, your command; and they were made to drink the calf in their hearts, that is to say, the love of it [the golden calf] intoxicated their hearts in the way that wine does, on account of their unbelief. Say, to them: ‘Evil is that, thing, which your belief, in the Torah, enjoins on you, [in the way of] the worship of the [golden] calf, if you are believers’, in it, as you claim; meaning, you are not believers, for faith does not command that you worship the calf — their forefathers are meant here. Likewise, you do not believe in the Torah, because you have denied [the prophethood of] Muhammad (s), whereas faith in it does not command you to reject him.
Tafsir ibn Kathir:
(93. And (remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying), "Hold firmly to what We have given you and hear (Our Word).'' They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'' And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf because of their disbelief. Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers.'')
The Jews rebel after Allah took Their Covenant and raised the Mountain above Their Heads
Allah reminded the Jews of their errors, breaking His covenant, transgression and defiance, when He raised Mount Tur above them so that they would believe and agree to the terms of the covenant. Yet, they broke it soon afterwards,
﴿قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا﴾
(They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'') We have mentioned the Tafsir of this subject before. `Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar narrated that Qatadah said that,
﴿وَأُشْرِبُواْ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ﴾
(And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf) means, "They absorbed its love, until its love resided in their hearts.'' This is also the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah's statement,
﴿قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِهِ إِيمَـنُكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
(Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers.'') means, "Worse yet is the manner in which you behaved in the past and even now, disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and defying the Prophets. You also disbelieved in Muhammad , which is the worst of your deeds and the harshest sin that you committed. You disbelieved in the Final Messenger and the master of all Prophets and Messengers, the one who was sent to all mankind. How can you then claim that you believe, while committing the evil of breaking Allah's covenant, disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and worshipping the calf instead of Allah"
Translation:
Yusuf Ali: And remember We took your Covenant and We raised above you the mount (Sinai): (saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken (to the Law)"; they said: "We hear, and we disobey"; and they had to drink into their hearts (of the taint) of the calf because of their faithlessness. Say: "Vile indeed are the behests of your faith, if ye have any faith!"
Dr. Mohsin: And (remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying), "Hold firmly to what We have given you and hear (Our Word). They said, "We have heard and disobeyed." And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf because of their disbelief. Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers."
Arabic:
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱسْمَعُواْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهِ إِيمَانُكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Transliteration:
Wa 'Idh 'Akhadhnā Mīthāqakum Wa Rafa`nā Fawqakumu Aţ-Ţūra Khudhū Mā 'Ātaynākum Biqūwatin Wa Asma`ū Qālū Sami`nā Wa `Aşaynā Wa 'Ushribū Fī Qulūbihimu Al-`Ijla Bikufrihim Qul Bi'samā Ya'murukum Bihi 'Īmānukum 'In Kuntum Mu'uminīna
Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
And when We made a covenant with you, to act according to what is in the Torah, and raised over you the Mount, to drop it on you, when you had refused to accept it; We said, ‘Take forcefully, seriously and with effort, what We have given you, and listen’, to what you have been commanded, and be prepared to accept it, They said, ‘We hear, your words, and disobey’, your command; and they were made to drink the calf in their hearts, that is to say, the love of it [the golden calf] intoxicated their hearts in the way that wine does, on account of their unbelief. Say, to them: ‘Evil is that, thing, which your belief, in the Torah, enjoins on you, [in the way of] the worship of the [golden] calf, if you are believers’, in it, as you claim; meaning, you are not believers, for faith does not command that you worship the calf — their forefathers are meant here. Likewise, you do not believe in the Torah, because you have denied [the prophethood of] Muhammad (s), whereas faith in it does not command you to reject him.
Tafsir ibn Kathir:
(93. And (remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying), "Hold firmly to what We have given you and hear (Our Word).'' They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'' And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf because of their disbelief. Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers.'')
The Jews rebel after Allah took Their Covenant and raised the Mountain above Their Heads
Allah reminded the Jews of their errors, breaking His covenant, transgression and defiance, when He raised Mount Tur above them so that they would believe and agree to the terms of the covenant. Yet, they broke it soon afterwards,
﴿قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا﴾
(They said, "We have heard and disobeyed.'') We have mentioned the Tafsir of this subject before. `Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar narrated that Qatadah said that,
﴿وَأُشْرِبُواْ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ﴾
(And their hearts absorbed (the worship of) the calf) means, "They absorbed its love, until its love resided in their hearts.'' This is also the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Allah's statement,
﴿قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِهِ إِيمَـنُكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
(Say: "Worst indeed is that which your faith enjoins on you if you are believers.'') means, "Worse yet is the manner in which you behaved in the past and even now, disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and defying the Prophets. You also disbelieved in Muhammad , which is the worst of your deeds and the harshest sin that you committed. You disbelieved in the Final Messenger and the master of all Prophets and Messengers, the one who was sent to all mankind. How can you then claim that you believe, while committing the evil of breaking Allah's covenant, disbelieving in Allah's Ayat and worshipping the calf instead of Allah"