Surah Al-A'raf
وَٱخْتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوْمَهُۥ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِّمِيقَـٰتِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلرَّجْفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوْ شِئْتَ أَهْلَكْتَهُم مِّن قَبْلُ وَإِيَّـٰىَ ۖ أَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَهْدِى مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْغَـٰفِرِينَ
Wakhtāra mūsā qaumahū sab‘īna rajulal limīqātinā, falammā akhażathumur-rajfatu qāla rabbi lau syi'ta ahlaktahum min qablu wa iyyāy(a), atuhlikunā bimā fa‘alas-sufahā'u minnā, in hiya illā fitnatuk(a), tuḍillu bihā man tasyā'u wa tahdī man tasyā'(u), anta waliyyunā fagfir lanā warḥamnā wa anta khairul-gāfirīn(a).
And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, "My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers.
📝 Footnotes
287) Their act of making the calf statue and worshiping it was a trial from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to test them—to see whose faith was strong and who was wavering. Those with weak faith followed Samiri and worshiped the calf statue, while those with strong faith remained steadfast in their stance.