Surah Ta Ha (Ta Ha) 20 : 98

Explanatory Note

Still angry and furious, Moses ordered the calf to be burnt, cast away and its ashes thrown in the sea. Such a strong action seems to be a characteristic of Moses. In this instance, however, his anger is in defence of God’s faith. In such a situation, strong action is commendable.

With the false deity being burnt and blown away, Moses declared the basic principle of true faith: “Your only deity is God, other than whom there is no deity. His knowledge encompasses all things.” (Verse 98) With this declaration we come to the end of the story of Moses as related in this sūrah. The overriding tone here is that of the grace God bestows on His servants, His care and forgiveness, even when they err. The sūrah does not add any other episode of Moses’ history, because subsequent events tell of the punishment God metes out to them for their sinful and corrupt ways. The overall atmosphere of this sūrah is one of mercy, compassion and grace, and later episodes do not fit with such an atmosphere.