"And when they regretted," meaning: they became remorseful, "and saw that they had gone astray," the verse. They said that when Moses did to the calf what he did, and they sought repentance, but Allah refused to accept it from them unless they killed themselves; and the explanation of this has already passed in Surah al-Baqarah.

Muhammad said: It is said to one who regrets what he has done: 'He has fallen into his own hand' (suqita fi yadihi), or 'It has been cast into his hand' (usqita fi yadihi).