Surah Taha — Verse 97

Word Meanings:

• Lā Misās (لَا مِسَاسَ): "No touching" — meaning no one should touch him or approach him, and he should not touch anyone. It signifies complete isolation and social ostracism.
• Lan Tukhlafahu (لَنْ تُخْلَفَهُ): You will not be made to miss it or be deprived of it — meaning the appointed time is certain and unavoidable.
• Ẓalta (ظَلْتَ): You remained or continued — indicating persistence and continuity.
• ʿĀkifan (عَاكِفًا): Devotedly staying, clinging to, and worshipping something.
• Lanusaḥriqannahu (لَنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ): We will certainly burn it with fire.
• Lanasifannahu (لَنَنسِفَنَّهُ): We will scatter it completely, reducing it to dust and blowing it away.
• Al-Yamm (الْيَمِّ): The sea or the ocean.

Explanation of the Verse:

In this powerful scene, Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) addresses the Samiri — the man who had led the Children of Israel astray by crafting a golden calf and claiming it was their god. Musa's words carry both stern punishment and profound wisdom.

First, Musa declares: "Then go away!" — a command of expulsion. The Samiri is banished from the community of believers, stripped of his honor and place among them. His punishment in this worldly life is that he will live as an outcast, isolated and shunned. He will constantly repeat "Lā Misās" — "Do not touch me, and I will not touch you" — meaning no one will approach him, and he will not approach anyone. This is a living death of loneliness, a direct consequence of his attempt to sever the people from their true Lord.

Then Musa informs him of a greater, more certain reckoning: "And indeed, you have an appointment which you will never miss." This is the appointment of the Day of Judgment, when he will stand before Allah and face the full consequence of his crime. No matter how long he lives in this world, that meeting is guaranteed — it cannot be postponed, escaped, or annulled.

Finally, Musa turns to the golden calf itself — the object of the Samiri's devotion — and declares what will be done to it. He says: "Look at your god to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it, then we will surely scatter it into the sea with [complete] scattering." This is a profound lesson: the false deity that people worshipped will be destroyed utterly, reduced to ashes and thrown into the ocean, leaving no trace whatsoever. It never had any power to benefit or harm, and its end proves its worthlessness.

This verse carries a timeless message for every believer: false gods — whether statues, wealth, status, or desires — will all perish and vanish, while Allah alone remains eternal. It also teaches us the severity of leading others astray, and that those who do so will face both worldly disgrace and divine accountability. Yet, in its depth, there is also an invitation: turn away from every false object of worship, and return to the One who never disappoints, never abandons, and whose promise is always fulfilled.