This verse refers to the incident relating to Aaron and his role during the absence of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). Aaron, as the successor of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), endeavored to prevent Bani-Israel from deviation.
Verse 90 of Surah al-TaHa:
«وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِنْ قَبْلُ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمْ بِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي»
“And Aaron had already told them before [the return of Moses], ‘O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order.'”
On the day of Eid al-Ghadir,Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him), recited al-Ghadir visitation supplications and thereby performed the pilgrimage of his noble grandfather shrine, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
In one passage of al-Ghadir visitation supplications it is stated:
“Then your affliction in the Battle of Siffin, while the Qurans were raised on spears out of deceit and trickery, resulting in doubt and hesitation arising, truth being set aside, and following conjecture, this affliction of yours resembled the affliction of Aaron when Musa appointed him as leader over his people; they dispersed from around him, Aaron called out to them saying: “O my people! you are only being tested by it [lifeless and ineffective statue], indeed your Lord is the Most Merciful God, it is upon you to follow me [as I am the prophet and successor of Musa] and obey my order” (al-Taha/90).
Verse 90 of Surah Taha is not only mentioned in al-Ghadir visitation supplications but is also one of the verses pertaining to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) in the Holy Quran, indicating the exalted station of Imam; for Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), like Aaron, in the absence of the Seal of the Prophets, took on the duty of safeguarding the religion and guiding the ummah.
In a tradition referring to this verse Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), narrating from his father Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him), , pointed to the similarity between Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and Aaron:
“God Almighty praised your obedience and, by bringing a verse in the Quran, unveiled your good deed and said: Some people sell their souls to seek God’s pleasure. (al-Baqarah/207)
On the day of Siffin, when the Qurans were raised through trickery and doubt became apparent, and although the truth was known, people followed speculation and suspicion, your calamity and affliction resembled the calamity and affliction of Aaron when Prophet Musa appointed him as a ruler and successor over his people, and they dispersed from around him while Aaron called them saying:
“O my people! you are only being tested by it .Indeed your Lord is the Most Merciful God, it is upon you to follow me [as I am the prophet and successor of Musa] and obey my order”. They said: We will not cease devoting ourselves to it until Musa returns to us”.
Similarly, when the Qurans were raised up, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) said: O people! You have been tested and deceived by it [the Qurans].
But they defied and opposed you and demanded that two arbitrators be appointed, yet you Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) were reluctant for their demand to be fulfilled, disassociated yourself from their action, and left them to themselves.
When the truth became clear and their irrationality was exposed, and they admitted to error and deviation from moderation, they fell into disagreement among themselves and forced you to annul their foolish action-that is, the arbitration-which you had not agreed to from the beginning and had prohibited, and they even regarded the mistake they had committed as permissible and faultless for themselves.
