84قالَ هُم أُولاءِ عَلىٰ أَثَري وَعَجِلتُ إِلَيكَ رَبِّ لِتَرضىٰMuhammad AsadHe answered: "They are treading in my footsteps1 while I have hastened unto Thee, O my Sustainer, so that Thou might be well-pleased [with me]."The classical commentators understand this phrase in its physical sense, i.e.. "they are coming up behind me and are now close by". Since, however. Moses was obviously meant to be alone on his ascent of Mount Sinai, I am of the opinion that his answer has a tropical sense, expressing his assumption that the children of Israel would follow his guidance even in his absence: an assumption which proved erroneous, as shown in the sequence.