But (Moses) said: "O Aaron, when you saw that they had gone astray, what hindered you
Said Moosa, “O Haroon – what prevented you when you saw them going astray?”
Moses said, 'What prevented thee, Aaron, when thou sawest them in error,
[And now that he had come back, Moses] said: "O Aaron! What has prevented thee, when thou didst see that they had gone astray,
Musa said: O Harun! what prevented thee, when thou sawest them going astray.
[Musa (Moses)] said: "O Harun (Aaron)! What stopped you when you saw them going astray;
He said, “O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray.
(After rebuking his people) Moses turned to Aaron and said: "Aaron! What prevented you, when you saw them going astray,
(Musa) said: "O Harun! What prevented you when you saw them going astray;"
He (Moses) said: O Aaron! What held thee back when thou didst see them gone astray,
He said, ‘O Aaron! What kept you, when you saw them going astray,
He (Moses) said to Aaron: 'When you saw them in error, what prevented you,
[Moses] said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,
Then Moses asked Aaron, "What made you not follow me when you saw them in error?
(Musa) said: O Haroun! what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,
Q<u>a</u>la y<u>a</u> h<u>a</u>roonu m<u>a</u> manaAAaka i<u>th</u> raaytahum <u>d</u>alloo
Moses said to Aaron, "What prevented you, when you saw that they had gone astray,
(Moses) said: "O Aaron! what kept thee back, when thou sawest them going wrong,
قَالَ يَٰهَٰرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوٓا۟
Moses said to his brother Aaron: “What was it that stopped you, when you saw them go astray by worshipping the calf besides Allah,
Moses said to his brother Aaron: “What was it that stopped you, when you saw them go astray by worshipping the calf besides Allah,
<h2 class="title">What happened between Musa and Harun after Musa returned</h2><p>Allah informs of what happened when Musa returned to his people and saw the great matter that had taken place among them. With this he became filled with anger and he threw down the Divine Tablets that he had in his hand. Then, he grabbed his brother Harun by his head and pulled him towards himself. We expounded upon this previously in Surat Al-A`raf, where we mentioned the Hadith, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَة»</div><p>(Information is not the same as observation.) Then, he began to blame his brother, Harun, by saying, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّواْأَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ</div><p>(What prevented you when you saw them going astray; that you followed me not) meaning, "You should have informed me of this matter as soon as it happened." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى</div><p>(Have you then disobeyed my order) "In that which I entrusted to you," referring to Musa's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">اخْلُفْنِى فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ</div><p>(Replace me among my people, act in the right way and follow not the way of the mischief-makers.)7:142 </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ</div><p>(He (Harun) said: "O son of my mother!") This mentioning of the mother was Harun's attempt to soften Musa's anger, because he was Musa's biological brother and they had the same parents. The mentioning of the mother here is more delicate and profound in bringing about gentleness and mildness. This is why he said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَبْنَؤُمَّ لاَ تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلاَ بِرَأْسِى</div><p>(O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head!) This was Harun's excuse to Musa for being delayed from coming to him and informing him of the great mishap that took place. He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنِّى خَشِيتُ</div><p>(Verily, I feared) meaning, "I was afraid to come after you and inform you of this, because I thought you might accuse me of leaving them alone and causing division between them." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى</div><p>(and you have not respected my word!) This means, "And you did not take care of what I commanded you to do when I left you in charge of them." Ibn `Abbas said, "Harun was respectful and obedient to Musa." </p>
What happened between Musa and Harun after Musa returnedAllah informs of what happened when Musa returned to his people and saw the great matter that had taken place among them. With this he became filled with anger and he threw down the Divine Tablets that he had in his hand. Then, he grabbed his brother Harun by his head and pulled him towards himself. We expounded upon this previously in Surat Al-A`raf, where we mentioned the Hadith, «لَيْسَ الْخَبَرُ كَالْمُعَايَنَة»(Information is not the same as observation.) Then, he began to blame his brother, Harun, by saying, مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّواْأَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ(What prevented you when you saw them going astray; that you followed me not) meaning, "You should have informed me of this matter as soon as it happened." أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى(Have you then disobeyed my order) "In that which I entrusted to you," referring to Musa's statement, اخْلُفْنِى فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ(Replace me among my people, act in the right way and follow not the way of the mischief-makers.)7:142 قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ(He (Harun) said: "O son of my mother!") This mentioning of the mother was Harun's attempt to soften Musa's anger, because he was Musa's biological brother and they had the same parents. The mentioning of the mother here is more delicate and profound in bringing about gentleness and mildness. This is why he said, يَبْنَؤُمَّ لاَ تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلاَ بِرَأْسِى(O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head!) This was Harun's excuse to Musa for being delayed from coming to him and informing him of the great mishap that took place. He said, إِنِّى خَشِيتُ(Verily, I feared) meaning, "I was afraid to come after you and inform you of this, because I thought you might accuse me of leaving them alone and causing division between them." وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى(and you have not respected my word!) This means, "And you did not take care of what I commanded you to do when I left you in charge of them." Ibn `Abbas said, "Harun was respectful and obedient to Musa." 