﴿ قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلَا بِرَأْسِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى ﴾

“Answered [Aaron]: "O my mother's son! Seize me not by my beard, nor by my head! Behold, I was afraid lest [on thy return] thou say, 'Thou hast caused a split among the children of Israel, and hast paid no heed to my bidding!"”

He Aaron said ‘O son of my mother read ya’bna’ummi or ya’bna’umma meaning ummī ‘my mother’ the mention of her is more effective in provoking the affection of his heart — do not clutch my beard which he had seized with his left hand or my head! for he had seized his hair with his right hand in anger. Indeed I feared that if I followed you for inevitably a group of those who did not worship the calf would have followed me you would have said “You have caused division among the Children of Israel — and have been furious with me — and you did not wait for my word”’ concerning what my opinion would have been in this matter.