Allah the mighty the majastic says in the Holy Quran, (67. And (remember) when Musa said to his people: "Verily, Allah commands you
that you slaughter a cow.'' They said, "Do you make fun of us'' He said, "I take
Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish).'')
Allah said, `O Children of Israel! Remember how I blessed you with miracle of
the cow that was the means for discovering the identity of the murderer, when
the murdered man was brought back to life.'
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded `Ubaydah As-Salmani saying, "There was a man from
among the Children of Israel who was impotent. He had substantial wealth, and
only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his
body at night, placing it at the doorstep of a certain man. The next morning,
the nephew cried out for revenge, and the people took up their weapons and
almost fought each other. The wise men among them said, `Why would you kill each
other, while the Messenger of Allah is still among you' So they went to Musa and
mentioned the matter to him and Musa said,
("Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.'' They said, "Do you
make fun of us'' He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin
(the ignorant or the foolish)).'' "Had they not disputed, it would have been
sufficient for them to slaughter any cow. However, they disputed, and the matter
was made more difficult for them, until they ended up looking for the specific
cow that they were later ordered to slaughter. They found the designated cow
with a man, only who owned that cow. He said, `By Allah! I will only sell it for
its skin's fill of gold.' So they paid the cow's fill of its skin in gold,
slaughtered it and touched the dead man with a part of it. He stood up, and they
asked him, `Who killed you' He said, `That man,' and pointed to his nephew. He
died again, and his nephew was not allowed to inherit him. Thereafter, whoever
committed murder for the purpose of gaining inheritance was not allowed to
inherit.'' Ibn Jarir reported something similar to that. Allah knows best.
(68. They said, "Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what
it is!'' He said, "He says, `Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young,
but (it is) between the two conditions', so do what you are commanded.'') (69.
They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour.'' He
said, "He says, `It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing the
beholders.' '') (70. They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us
what it is. Verily, to us all cows are alike. And surely, if Allah wills, we
will be guided.'') (71. He (Musa) said, "He says, `It is a cow neither trained
to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no blemish in it.' '' They
said, "Now you have brought the truth.'' So they slaughtered it though they were
near to not doing it.)
The Stubbornness of the Children of Israel regarding the Cow; Allah made the Matter
difficult for Them
Allah mentioned the stubbornness of the Children of Israel and the many
unnecessary questions they asked their Messengers. This is why when they were
stubborn, Allah made the decisions difficult for them. Had they slaughtered a
cow, any cow, it would have been sufficient for them, as Ibn `Abbas and `Ubaydah
have said. Instead, they made the matter difficult, and this is why Allah made
it even more difficult for them. They said,
(Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!),
meaning, "What is this cow and what is its description'' Musa said,
(He says, `Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young'), meaning, that
it is neither old nor below the age of breeding. This is the opinion of Abu
Al-`Aliyah, As-Suddi, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, `Ata', Al-Khurasani,
Wahb bin Munabbih, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ibn `Abbas. Ad-Dahhak
reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,
(But (it is) between the two conditions) means, "Neither old nor young.
Rather, she was at the age when the cow is strongest and fittest.'' In his
Tafsir Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that,
(bright in its colour) "A deep yellowish white.''
As-Suddi said,
(pleasing the beholder) meaning, that it pleases those who see it. This is
also the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Furthermore,
Wahb bin Munabbih said, "If you look at the cow's skin, you will think that the
sun's rays radiate through its skin.'' The modern version of the Tawrah mentions
that the cow in the Ayah was red, but this is an error. Or, it might be that the
cow was so yellow that it appeared blackish or reddish in color. Allah's knows
best.
(Verily, to us all cows are alike) this means, that since cows are plentiful,
then describe this cow for us further,
(And surely, if Allah wills) and if you further describe it to us,
(we will be guided.)
(He says, `It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the
fields') meaning, it is not used in farming, or for watering purposes. Rather,
it is honorable and fair looking. `Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar said that
Qatadah said that,
(sound) means, "The cow does not suffer from any defects.'' This is also the
opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah and Ar-Rabi`. Mujahid also said that the Ayah means
the cow is free from defects. Further, `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that the Ayah
means that its legs and body are free of physical defects.
Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah,
(So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it) means, "They
did not want to slaughter it.''
This means that even after all the questions and answers about the cow's
description, the Children of Israel were still reluctant to slaughter the cow. This part of
the Qur'an criticized the Children of Israel for their behavior, because their only goal was
to be stubborn, and this is why they nearly did not slaughter the cow. Also,
`Ubaydah, Mujahid, Wahb bin Munabbih, Abu Al-`Aliyah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd
bin Aslam said, "The Jews bought the cow with a large amount of money.'' There
is a difference of opinion over this.
(72. And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as
to the crime. But Allah brought forth that which you were Taktumun.) (73. So We
said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow).'' Thus Allah
brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, etc.) so that
you may understand.)
Bringing the murdered Man back to Life
Al-Bukhari said that,
(And disagreed among yourselves as to the crime) means, "Disputed.''
This is also the Tafsir of Mujahid. `Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ad-Dahhak said,
"Disputed about this matter.'' Also, Ibn Jurayj said that,
(And (remember) when you killed a man and disagreed among yourselves as to
the crime) means, some of them said, "You killed him,'' while the others said,
"No you killed him.'' This is also the Tafsir of `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin
Aslam. Mujahid said that,
(But Allah brought forth that which you were Taktumun) means, "what you were
hiding.''
Allah said,
(So We said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)'')
meaning, "any part of the cow will produce the miracle (if they struck the dead
man with it).'' We were not told which part of the cow they used, as this matter
does not benefit us either in matters of life or religion. Otherwise, Allah
would have made it clear for us. Instead, Allah made this matter vague, so this
is why we should leave it vague. Allah's statement,
(Thus Allah brings the dead to life) means, "They struck him with it, and he
came back to life.'' This Ayah demonstrates Allah's ability in bringing the dead
back to life. Allah made this incident proof against the Children of Israel that the
Resurrection shall occur, and ended their disputing and stubbornness over the
dead person.
Allah mentioned His bringing the dead back to life in five instances in Surat
Al-Baqarah. First Allah said,
(Then We raised you up after your death). He then mentioned the story about
the cow. Allah also mentioned the story of those who escaped death in their
land, while they were numbering in the thousands. He also mentioned the story of
the Prophet who passed by a village that was destroyed, the story of Abraham and
the four birds, and the land that comes back to life after it has died. All
these incidents and stories alert us to the fact that bodies shall again become
whole, after they were rotten. The proof of Resurrection is also reiterated in
Allah's statement,
(And a sign for them is the dead land. We give it life, and We bring forth
from it grains, so that they eat thereof. And We have made therein gardens of
date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth
therein. So that they may eat of the fruit thereof ـ and their hands made it
not. Will they not then give thanks) (36:33-35).