Verse 67 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as a constituent of the verses related to the narrative of the sacrificial cow, opens a profound window towards understanding the divine wisdom, the behaviour of the Children of Israel, and the intermediary role of the prophets in conveying the command of God. This verse, by addressing the divine command to sacrifice a cow and the reaction of the people in the form of a mocking accusation against Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), engages with deep psychological, sociological, and epistemological issues, highlighting concepts such as unity, miracle, and critique of unscientific traditions. This discourse, by amalgamating the lecture content and scientific analyses, presents these topics within a systematic and academic framework. The objective is to offer an interpretation that, while preserving the comprehensiveness of the Holy Qur'an, is insightful and inspiring for educated audiences and researchers in the field of religious sciences. The structure of this text, with precise segmentation and detailed elucidations, is designed to answer epistemological inquiries as well as to captivate through the use of elevated metaphors and allegories.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ ٦٧
And when Moses said to his people, "Indeed, Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow," they said, "Do you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant."
This verse, expressed concisely yet profoundly, addresses the divine command to the Children of Israel to sacrifice a cow and their captious and suspicious reaction. The presented translation strives to faithfully render the precise meaning of the verse in a fluent and refined language.
The discussed verse encompasses a variety of knowledge that can be examined from multiple perspectives. This diversity illustrates the depth and richness of the Holy Qur'an in offering guidance that simultaneously encompasses ethical, social, and epistemological dimensions. To avoid repetition of prior interpretative discussions, this analysis focuses on novel and practical points, refraining from restating redundant topics.
In this verse, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) acts as the divine envoy, an intermediary between God and the Children of Israel. He speaks not on his own behalf, but as the transmitter of Gods command. This role underscores the exalted status of prophets in delivering revelation and guiding the community. Moses (peace be upon him) explicitly conveys the command of God: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً, signifying clarity and trustworthiness in his mission.
The command to sacrifice a cow serves as a test of obedience and faith for the Children of Israel. The use of the plural verb تَذْبَحُوا implies the necessity of performing this act collectively and unitedly. This characteristic underscores the importance of social unity and cohesion in the implementation of divine directives. Unlike individual acts such as prayer, which each person performs separately, sacrificing a cow is a public act requiring communal participation. This command is under the wise supervision of God and calls the community to earnest fulfilment.
Regarding the term بقره, two views exist: firstly, that the feminine marker تاء denotes a female cow; secondly, that the تاء signifies unity, referring to a single cow irrespective of gender. Considering the captious attitude of the Children of Israel, it is unlikely that God specifically designated a female cow, as this could have provided them with another pretext for refusal. Therefore, it is probable that the تاء indicates unity and the command pertains to the sacrifice of one cow in general. This simplicity in instruction manifests divine wisdom in avoiding unnecessary complexity.
تاء in بقره likely signifies unity, reflecting divine wisdom in issuing a simple and comprehensive command.
The Children of Israel, in response to the divine command, expressed suspicion towards Moses (peace be upon him) by accusing him of mockery: أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا. This reaction indicates a weakness of faith and a moderate level of intellect. They deemed the sacrificial command irrational without apparent cause but were unable to perceive the divine wisdom behind it. Moses (peace be upon him), replying with the invocation أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ, considered mockery as the attribute of the ignorant and stressed prophetic rationality and decorum.