by the tribulation, and those whose opinion regarding it was the same as the opinion of Aaron felt enviable. They said to Moses, on behalf of their community: "Ask your Lord to open for us a door of repentance that we may perform, so that it may expiate for us what we have done." So Moses chose from his people seventy men for that—those who did not refrain from good, the best of the Children of Israel, and those who had not associated others with Allah in the matter of the calf. He set out to ask his Lord, the Almighty and Majestic, for repentance for his people, but the earth shook with him.

9020 - My father told us, Musa ibn Isma'il told us, Hammad told us, from Abu Harun al-'Abdi, from Nawf al-Bikali: That Moses, peace be upon him, when he chose seventy men from his people, he said to them: "Expiate (seek forgiveness) to Allah and ask Him." So there was a request for Moses, and a request for them. When he reached the Mount (al-Tur), the place which Allah had promised him, Moses said to them: "Ask Allah." They said: "Show us Allah openly." He said: "Woe to you! You ask Allah this twice?" They said: "It is our request, show us Allah openly," and the earthquake seized them.

9021 - Abu Zur'ah told us, 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr told us, Ibn Lahi'ah told me, 'Ata' ibn Dinar told me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr regarding the saying of Allah: "And Moses chose for Our appointment seventy men," he said: Moses chose from his people twelve leaders from twelve tribes, one man for each tribe. He means by the leader (naqib) the one who is effective in the matter and oversees it.

9022 - My father told us, Musaddad told us, Yahya ibn Sa'id told us, from Abu Salamah, I heard Abu Sa'id al-Raqashi saying: "And Moses chose for Our appointment seventy men," he said: They were orphans who had passed twenty years but had not reached forty. This is because the twenty-year-old has had his ignorance and childishness depart, and the forty-year-old has not lost anything of his intellect.

9023 - My father told us, Abu Salih told us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih told me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas: "And Moses chose for Our appointment seventy men," he said: Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, had commanded him to choose seventy men from his people, so he chose seventy men. He went out with them to call upon their Lord, Blessed and Exalted. It was among what they prayed to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, for, that they said: "O Allah, grant us what You have not granted anyone before us, and do not grant it to anyone after us." Allah, Great is His praise, disliked that from their supplication, and the earthquake seized them.