2:68 Al-Baqara (The Cow)

فلما قال لهم موسى ذلك, علموا أن ذلك صدق فقالوا: { ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ } أي: ما سنها؟ { قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ } أي: كبيرة { وَلَا بِكْرٌ } أي: صغيرة { عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ } واتركوا التشديد والتعنت.

أخبر تعالى عن تعنت بني إسرائيل وكثرة سؤالهم لرسولهم وهذا لما ضيقوا على أنفسهم ضيق الله عليهم ولو أنهم ذبحوا أي بقرة كانت لوقعت الموقع عنهم كما قال ابن عباس وعبيدة وغير واحد ولكنهم شددوا فشدد عليهم فقالوا "ادع لنا ربك يبين لنا ما هي" أي ما هذه البقرة وأي شيء صفتها قال ابن جرير: حدثنا أبو كريب حدثنا هشام بن علي عن الأعمش عن المنهال بن عمرو عن سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال: لو أخذوا أدنى بقرة لاكتفوا بها ولكنهم شددوا فشدد عليهم - إسناده صحيح - وقد رواه غير واحد عن ابن عباس وكذا قال عبيدة والسدي ومجاهد وعكرمة وأبو العالية وغير واحد وقال ابن جريج: قال لي عطاء لو أخذوا أدنى بقرة لكفتهم قال ابن جريج قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "إنما أمروا بأدنى بقرة ولكنهم لما شددوا شدد الله عليهم وايم الله لو أنهم لو يستثنوا لما بينت لهم آخر الأبد" قال "إنه يقول إنها بقرة لا فارض ولا بكر" أي لا كبيرة هرمة ولا صغيرة لم يلحقها الفحل كما قاله أبو العالية والسدي ومجاهد وعكرمة وعطية العوفي وعطاء الخراساني ووهب بن منبه والضحال والحسن وقتادة وقاله ابن عباس أيضا وقال الضحاك عن ابن عباس: عوان بين ذلك يقول نصف بين الكبيرة والصغيرة وهي أقوى ما يكون من الدواب والبقر وأحسن ما تكون وروى عن عكرمة ومجاهد وأبي العالية والربيع بن أنس وعطاء الخراساني والضحاك نحو ذلك وقال السدي العوان النصف الثاني بين ذلك التي قد ولدت وولد ولدها: وقال هشيم عن جويبر عن كثير بن زياد عن الحسن في البقرة كانت بقرة وحشية وقال ابن جريج عن عطاء عن ابن عباس من لبس نعلا صفراء لم يزل في سرور ما دام لابسها.

The Stubbornness of the Jews 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,

ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنَ لَّنَا مَا هِىَ

(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,

إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ فَارِضٌ وَلاَ بِكْرٌ

(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,

عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذلِكَ

(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,

فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا

(bright in its colour) "A deep yellowish white."

As-Suddi said,

تَسُرُّ النَّـظِرِينَ

(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.

إِنَّ البَقَرَ تَشَـبَهَ عَلَيْنَا

(Verily, to us all cows are alike) this means, that since cows are plentiful, then describe this cow for us further,

وَإِنَّآ إِن شَآءَ اللَّهُ

(And surely, if Allah wills) and if you further describe it to us,

لَمُهْتَدُونَ

(we will be guided.)

قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الاٌّرْضَ وَلاَ تَسْقِى الْحَرْثَ

(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,

مُّسَلَّمَةٌ

(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,

فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُواْ يَفْعَلُونَ

(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 Jews were still reluctant to slaughter the cow. This part of the Qur'an criticized the Jews 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.

But when they realised that he was being serious They said ‘Pray to your Lord for us that He may make clear to us what she may be’ its true nature He Moses said ‘He God says she is a cow neither old nor virgin that is young middling between the two in terms of age; so do what you have been commanded’ by way of sacrificing it.

These Verses show how the Israelites were disposed to disobedience, and how this inclination expressed itself in different forms. The Hadith says that if these people had obeyed Allah's commandment without raising so many doubts and asking unnecessary questions, such strict condition would not have been imposed on them, and the sacrifice of any cow whatsoever would have been accepted.