Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
quran:20:89

Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?  

Did they not see that (˹in allā˺ an has been softened in place of the hardened form, with its subject omitted, in other words ˹it should be˺ annahu) it, the Calf, did not reciprocate their words, that is, that it did not give them any response in return, nor did it have any power over hurt for them, that is, ˹any power˺ to prevent it, or any benefit?, that is, ˹any power˺ to procure it ˹for them˺, in other words, how can such ˹a thing˺ be taken as a god?
القرآن:٢٠:٨٩

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا  

(أفلا يرون أ) أن مخففة من الثقيلة واسمها محذوف أي أنه (لا يرجع) العجل (إليهم قولاً) أي لا يرد لهم جوابا (ولا يملك لهم ضرا) أي دفعه (ولا نفعا) أي جلبه أي فكيف يتخذ إلها؟