In Islam, Jews are considered, with the Christians, as the People of the Book, meaning that God had sent unto them Prophets with Sacred Scriptures. Contrary to what many believe, we do believe in the Torah and the Bible, that they were revealed by God to the Prophets Moses and Jesus; however, after their deaths, the later generations of their followers were misguided by Satan and corrupted their Books to suit their own desires, whereupon the Books were rendered no longer pure and Divine. Therefore, in regards to the Jews, we believe that yes, God did promise Palestine to them as a refuge from Pharaoh. However, after the demise of Pharaoh, despite the fact that Moses had come to guide them and lead them to Palestine, their Promised Land, the Children of Israel (Bani Israa’eel, in Arabic) continued, over and over, to disobey Moses. The most well-known story is that of the Golden Calf:
While Moses had gone to Mount Sinai for 40 days, during which God revealed to him the Ten Commandments, Bani Israa’eel grew impatient and restless. An evil man amongst them, Samiri, took advantage of them and said that, since Moses had broken his promise (Moses had told them that he would be gone for only 30 days, but as a test God added another 10 days to the period), and ordered them to collect all their gold. Samiri then melted the gold, and while the gullible and ignorant of Bani Israa’eel looked on in awe at his seemingly magical actions, fashioned a hollow golden cow, which produced a sound that, to the superstitious, sounded like the mysterious voice of a god.
Aaron, Moses’ brother, pleaded with them not to fall into disbelief, but only a few remained faithful. The others retorted that they would stop worshipping the cow only if Moses returned as promised. When Moses returned to find his people engaged in paganism, he was at first angry with his brother for allowing them to go astray, but calmed down when Aaron explained that although he did warn them, they threatened to kill him.
Sorrowful, Moses ordered them to repent. Then, he chose seventy of their elders and took them back to Mount Sinai, so that they could hear him communicate with God, so that perhaps they would return to monotheism again. However, despite this, they refused to believe, saying, “O Moses! We shall never believe in you till we see God plainly!” (Quran, Surah 2, Verse 35)
Another story about Bani Israa’eel and Moses, relating especially to Palestine, is as follows:
Moses led his people to Palestine, which was at the time occupied by the Hittites and Canaanites, & told them:
“O my people! Enter the Holy Land which God has assigned to you, and turn not back (in flight) for then you will be returned as losers.
They said: O Moses! In it (the holy land) are a people of great strength, and we shall never enter it, till they leave it; when they leave it, then we will enter.
Two men of those who feared God and in whom God had His Grace said: Assault them through the gate, for when we are in, victory will be yours, and put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.
They said: O Moses! We shall never enter it as long as they are there. So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here.
He (Moses) said, O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother, so separate us from the people who are the rebellious and disobedient (to God)!
God said: Therefore it (the Holy Land, Palestine) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are the rebellious and disobedient (to God).” [Quran, Surah 5, Verses 20-26]
Thus, due to their direct disobedience of God and His Messenger Moses (peace be upon him), God grew displeased with them and made the Holy Land forbidden to them for 40 years, during which the first and second generations, those which had been enslaved by Pharaoh and had been affected by the forced humbleness and submission to one other than God, passed away, and a new generation was born, that knew freedom and grew up under Moses’ teachings. However, Moses soon died without ever having entered Palestine, and the leadership and Prophethood were then given to the Prophet Joshua (Yusha ibn Nun, in Arabic). It was Yusha ibn Nun, later on, who led Bani Israa’eel to victory against the Hittites and conquered Palestine, where they lived in peace and prosperity until such a time came that once again Bani Israa’eel became disobedient and rebellious towards God, which then led to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and the humiliation and subsequent expulsion of the Jews from Palestine.
It should be noted that the Jews confirm the story of the Golden Calf as well as the prohibition of Palestine to them for 40 years (although their tales differ somewhat in the details).
Note: The story of the Golden Calf occurred during the period of Wandering, not before.
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