[Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, 'No contact.'852 And indeed, you have an appointment [in the Hereafter] you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it [i.e., its ashes] into the sea with a blast.
Notes
[852] i.e., Do not touch me. As chastisement, he was to be completely shunned by all people.
Verse 97 of Surah Taha (20:97), a Meccan surah, is in juz 16, on page 318 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 97 of Surah Taha
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Tafsir of verse 97
Al-Mukhtasar
Moses (peace be upon him) said to Samiri: “Go, for it is written for you that you will say as long as you live: ‘I am not to touch or be touched’. You will live as an outcast, and you have a promised time on the Day of Judgment in which you will be reckoned and punished. Allah will never break this promise with you. And look towards your calf which you had made your god and which you continued to worship besides Allah. We shall burn it in a fire until it melts, then we shall scatter it into the sea until no trace of it remains.
Moses said, “Begone then! Your [punishment] in this life will be to say, ‘Do not touch me,’31 but there awaits you an appointed time for your reckoning that you cannot escape32. Now look at your so-called god which you kept worshiping; We will surely burn it and then scatter it in the sea.
Notes
[31] So he was completely shunned by all people, alienated in the desert.
[32] On the Day of Judgment.
Mûsâ (Moses) said: "Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say: "Touch me not (i.e. you will live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your ilâh (god) to which you have been devoted. We will certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea."
(Moses) said: Then go! and lo! in this life it is for thee to say: Touch me not! and lo! there is for thee a tryst thou canst not break. Now look upon thy god of which thou hast remained a votary. Verily we will burn it and will scatter its dust over the sea.
(Moses) said: "Get thee gone! but thy (punishment) in this life will be that thou wilt say, 'touch me not'; and moreover (for a future penalty) thou hast a promise that will not fail: Now look at thy god, of whom thou hast become a devoted worshipper: We will certainly (melt) it in a blazing fire and scatter it broadcast in the sea!"
He said: Begone then, surely for you it will be in this life to say, Touch (me) not; and surely there is a threat for you, which shall not be made to fail to you, and look at your god to whose worship you kept (so long); we will certainly burn it, then we will certainly scatter it a (wide) scattering in the sea.
He (Mûsa) (Moses) said, "Then go! Yet, surely it shall be for you in (this) life to say, ‘Untouchable! 'Literally: no mutual contact, i.e., As-Samiriyy was made untouchable) And surely there is for you an appointment you will never be allowed to fail; and behold your god, to whom you lingered on consecrating yourself! Indeed we will definitely burn it away; thereafter indeed we will definitely crush it (into powder) (Literally: crush it "an utter" crushing) into the main.
