Prophet Harun^-AS tried his best to stop them from idolatry, telling them that they were under trial and were going astray. He added that their Creator was indeed Munificent, Who^-SWT had not seized them instantly on this violation, so they must repent, follow his instructions, and accept his advice. But they did not pay heed and insisted on continuing the calf worship until the return of Prophet Musa^-AS. According to Commentators the Bani Israil had split into three groups. One stuck to the obedience of Prophet Harun^-AS; though small in number. The second engaged in calf worship with the provision that if Prophet Musa^-AS was to forbid it on his return, they would stop it. The third group stood fast on the calf worship and expected Prophet Musa^-AS to join in.

Meanwhile Prophet Musa^-AS returned very annoyed with Prophet Harun^-AS as to why he had not fought the evil like him, who had stood up against a tyrant of the Pharaoh's caliber. And why had he spared the evildoers when he had been appointed for their reformation, ignoring his instructions. Prophet Musa^-AS seized his beard and his hair in anger. Prophet Harun^-AS begged his brother to give him a chance to explain. He told him that the Bani Israil were all set to fight and there were very few people on his side. Secondly, he was hopeful of their reformation on your return. Had he taken to fighting, the Bani Israil would have split into two groups forever, a situation his brother would have never approved of rather it would have annoyed him further.

Ijtehad

Both the opinions were based on Ijtehad. Prophet Musa^-AS favoured an encounter with the dissidents while Prophet Harun^-AS saw hope for their reformation on the former’s return and thus tolerated them. Both were sincere and aimed at seeking Allah^-SWT ’s Pleasure and the betterment of His^-SWT slaves. None of the two can be declared wrong. In fact this is the kind of difference in opinion that arises amongst the Mujtahidin, unlike the present day practice of concocting a new religion under the cover of Ijtehad.

Prophet Musa^-AS now turned to Samri and asked him why had he created such a mess. Samri said that he had witnessed something amazing, which others had failed to see. When the Pharaoh was being drowned, he saw Angel Jibril^-AS mounted on a horse. Wherever his horse stepped, an instant growth of greenery appeared on that barren patch of land. Some of the Commentators assert that Angel Jibril^-AS had come on a horse to take Prophet Musa^-ASto Mount Tur. Samri added that he had picked up the soil from where the horse had stepped, inserted it in the moulded calf and the signs of animation appeared in it whereby it made strange sounds.

This was something his soul had instigated him to do, and he complied. Prophet Musa^-AS announced that Samri was to be condemned to a life of loneliness and humiliation. He had tried to divert the people from the Path of Allaah^-SWT for his personal fame. Now his punishment was that he would shun the company of people and will beg them to stay away from him and not to touch him.

Because of Prophet Musa^AS's curse, anyone who touched Samri or was touched by him, both would run a fever. So he would stay away from people and whenever he saw someone approaching, he would scream at the top of his voice, begging not to be touched. Besides, Prophet Musa^-AS also warned him that punishment of the Akhirah was additional and Allah^-SWT's Promise is always honoured. Therefore, he would surely be subjected to it and at the same time deprived of the capacity to repent.

Some Sins Deprive a Person of the Capacity To Repent

The deity he had created for establishing his own eminence would also be reduced to ashes and scattered all over the river to demonstrate that anything which even failed to protect itself was certainly not worthy of worship. And He^-SWT Who^-SWT truly deserves to be worshipped is Allaah^-SWT having no partners and Whose^-SWT   Knowledge encompasses everything. He^-SWT is ever Aware of the condition of each and every soul.

This is how Allaah^-SWT informs the Holy Prophet^-SW over the events that befell the preceding nations in proof of his Prophethood, for neither had he ever read a book nor attended any school, nor had he been anyone's student. So the facts revealed unto him are purely a Divine Favour and characteristic of Prophethood. Besides, Allaah^-SWT gave him a Book which guides through every aspect of human life and is a bounty par excellence, while the past events revealed in it are helpful in deciding one's future course of action.

Various Forms of Turning Away from Quran

And whoever turns away from this Book will have to constantly face the consequences on the Day of Judgment. The term “turning away" has been interpreted in two ways by the scholars; firstly it is taken as denial. Obviously, a denial will result in disbelief making the denier liable to Hell. The second meaning denotes that a person does not even try to read or understand the Quran, or only reads it to look for a solution to his worldly problems or reads it incorrectly without making any efforts for correct recitation, or never bothers to read it all his life. The worst form of turning away is not to think of practising it. May Allaah^-SWT protect us! And the burden of this apathy towards Allaah^-SWT Book will indeed be an evil burden on the Day of Judgment. When the Trumpet will be blown the infidels or the deniers of this Book will be quickened brown eyed, of a most disgusting hue, because they had failed to employ their vision to the truthfulness of Allah^-SWT's Book. Frightened, they will whisper to one another that the interlude between the death and resurrection did not seem too long, as if only ten days had gone past. In other words, would think that they have been summoned for accountability too soon and would be terrified at the very thought of what may happen. While the wise amongst them would say that the interlude was no more than a day. This wisdom stems from the feet that compared to Akhirah the worldly life including the period of Barzakh will appear extremely short merely a day.