Al-A‘rāf 7:148
The verse
And the folk of Moses, after (he left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of saffron hue, which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spake not unto them nor guided them to any way? They chose it, and became wrong-doers. — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
This verse recounts the story of a calf idol being made from the golden ornaments.
The verse refers to the calf as a body “with a khuwār [mooing sound]”. In another
reading ascribed to ‘Alī Ibn Abī Talib, the verse reads “he has a ju’ār sound [holler or
bleat sound],” meaning “to shout”. The part dealing with the sound is not mentioned
in the Torah, which is likely where this story originated. Perhaps this Qur’ānic account
was adapted from the oral traditions told by the Jewish tribes who lived in the Arabian Peninsula. (Compare with Exodus 32.1-4).
Arabic text of this item
تورد الآية تفصيل صناعة قوم موسى لعِجل من الحُلي، وتقول إنه جَسَدٌ <لهُ خُوَارٌ>، والخوارُ: صوتُ البقرِ.
وثمة قراءة منسوبة لعلي بن أبي طالب تُتلى: «لهُ جؤار» بالجيم والهمزة، من جأر إذا صاح. ولكن جزئية الصوت لم ترد في النص التوراتي الذى استوحيت منه القصة، ولعلها مأخوذة من القصص الشفهية ليهود الجزيرة العربية.
Sources cited
- الطبري 10: 447.
- الرازي 15: 8.
- سِفْرُ الخُروجِ 32: 1 -4.