Moses Said to the Israelites: Shall I Seek for You a God Other Than Allah?

Many people do not know Allah. This series (1-67) is an attempt to help them to know their Creator.

Verses 7:139-142 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) Allah has tested the Israelites by Chastisement and  Deliverance, 2) Is Allah biased to favor any nation because of the race, skin color etc?  3) Moses said to the Israelites: Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah? 4) And He also said: the idolatry is in vain and will be destroyed, 5) Has Moses Fasted for 30 days or 40 days? 6) Moses' Fasting was like the Muslims' Fasting and 7) What Moses said unto his brother Aaron when he was departing to the Mount for the communion with Allah?

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In the previous article (66), Allah brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came upon a people cleaving in devotion to idols they had, constantly worshipping them.

When the Israelites have seen them (the worshipers of idols) they said unto Moses: ‘O Moses, make for us a god, an idol for us to worship, just as they have gods.’ He said: ‘Truly you are an ignorant folk, for repaying God’s grace to you with what you have said'.  Then Moses continued….

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The meaning of verse 7:139

Moses said to the Israelites:

Lo! as for these, their way, their idolatry will be destroyed and all that they are doing of idolatry is in vain, is error.

The meaning of verse 7:140

And Moses said:

Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah?

shall I command you to worship another god when Allah has favored you above all the worlds?, of your time, in the ways He has mentioned in His sayings? through surrender unto Him?

This means that Allah favored the Israelites because they, at that time, deserved that.

However, Allah is not racial, He is not biased to favor any nation or any man over another one because of the race, skin color, shape, height etc.  Allah favors anyone or any folk because of their faith and deeds.

Hence, when Allah favors any folk; this is not absolute but it depends on their faith and deeds.

This law is applicable for any man or any folk whenever they are, wherever they are and whatever they are.

The meaning of verse 7:141

And, remember, when Allah delivered you from Pharaoh’s folk who were inflicting upon you, who were burdening you and making you taste, terrible chastisement, dreadful torment, the worst kind of chastisement, namely, slaughtering your little sons and sparing and using your grown up women.

and therein, in that deliverance or chastisement, was a tremendous trial, either a grace or a tribulation, from your Lord, so will you not heed the admonition and desist from what you are saying?

The meaning of verse 7:142

And Allah appointed for Moses thirty nights, at the end of which Allah would speak to him, after he has fasted during that period; He completed the fast. But when it came to an end, he disliked the bad odor of his mouth and so cleaned his teeth.

Allah then commanded him to fast for another ten nights so that He may speak to him despite the odor in his mouth: as Allah says, and completed them with ten nights.

Thus was the time appointed by his Lord concluded, the time at which Allah had promised him to speak to him, as forty nights;

and Moses said to his brother Aaron, when he was departing to the Mount for the communion with his Lord: ‘Succeed me, be my deputy, over my people, and be righteous, among them with regard to their affair, and do not follow the way of the agents of corruption’, by consenting with them to acts of disobedience.

In other words, the verse says:

And when Allah did appoint for Moses to spend in the mountain thirty nights and added to them ten days and he completed the whole time appointed by his Lord of forty nights as he promised;

and Moses said unto his brother: Take my place, be my deputy among the people. Do right, enjoin them to do right, and do not follow the way of mischief-makers by committing transgressions.

N.B.: Moses was fasting like the fasting of the Muslims, i.e.  no eating, no drinking, no sex, no evil-doing etc. from about one hour just before sun rise up to the sunset.  This kind of fasting changes the odor of the mouth (for the interested reader, search Google for the fasting in Islam and its significance).  Moses disliked to communicate with Allah while he had such odor!

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Verses 7:139-142 in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:

Verse 7:139

QARIB: that which they are engaged upon shall be shattered and all their works are vain.

SHAKIR: (as to) these, surely that about which they are shall be brought to naught and that which they do is vain

PICKTHAL: lo! as for these, their way will be destroyed and all that they are doing is in vain.

YUSUFALI: "as to these folk,- the cult they are in is (but) a fragment of a ruin, and vain is the (worship) which they practise."

Verse 7:140

QARIB: should i seek any god for you except Allah? he has exalted you above the nations.

SHAKIR: he said: what! shall i seek for you a god other than Allah while he has made you excel (all) created things?

PICKTHAL: he said: shall i seek for you a god other than Allah when he hath favoured you above (all) creatures?

YUSUFALI: he said: "shall i seek for you a god other than the (true) Allah, when it is Allah who hath endowed you with gifts above the nations?"

Verse 7:141

QARIB: and that we saved you from pharaoh's family, who had oppressed you cruelly, putting your sons to death and sparing your women. surely, that was a great trial from your lord. '

SHAKIR: and when we delivered you from firon's people who subjected you to severe torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and in this there was a great trial from your lord

PICKTHAL: and (remember) when we did deliver you from pharaoh's folk who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. that was a tremendous trial from your lord.

YUSUFALI: and remember we rescued you from pharaoh's people, who afflicted you with the worst of penalties, who slew your male children and saved alive your females: in that was a momentous trial from your lord.

Verse 7:142

QARIB: we appointed for moses thirty nights, and we completed them with ten more; so that the appointment with his lord took forty nights. moses said to aaron, his brother: 'take my place among my nation. do what is right and do not follow the path of the corrupt doers. '

SHAKIR: and we appointed with musa a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten (more), so the appointed time of his lord was complete forty nights, and musa said to his brother haroun: take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers

PICKTHAL: and when we did appoint for moses thirty nights (of solitude), and added to them ten, and he completed the whole time appointed by his lord of forty nights; and moses said unto his brother, aaron: take my place among the people. do right, and follow not the way of mischief-makers.

YUSUFALI: we appointed for moses thirty nights, and completed (the period) with ten (more): thus was completed the term (of communion) with his lord, forty nights. and moses had charged his brother aaron (before he went up): "act for me amongst my people: do right, and follow not the way of those who do mischief."