Verses 68 to 71 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a brilliant jewel within Divine speech, narrate the discourse of the Children of Israel with God and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) concerning the matter of slaughtering a cow. These verses transcend mere historical events, embodying profound theological, psychological, and sociological principles articulated through the inquiries of the people and the wise Divine responses. This treatise, adopting a scholarly and specialised approach, rephrases the related lecture content with a lofty and systematic language, preserving every detail with full elucidation. The aim is to provide a comprehensive analysis for learned audiences and researchers of Quranic sciences, exploring the wisdom of these verses from multiple perspectives. The structure of this work is designed with clear divisions and detailed analyses to maintain content comprehensiveness while ensuring literary and academic appeal and readability.
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ ٦٨
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ ٦٩
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَةَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ ٧٠
قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ ٧١
Verse 68: They said: "Pray to your Lord for us to clarify for us what kind of cow it is." He said: "He says it is a cow neither old nor young, a middle-aged one between the two; so do what you are commanded."
Verse 69: They said: "Pray to your Lord for us to clarify for us its colour." He said: "He says it is a yellow cow, bright in colour that pleases the onlookers."
Verse 70: They said: "Pray to your Lord for us to clarify for us what kind of cow it is, for indeed the cow appears similar to us, and if God wills, we shall be rightly guided."
Verse 71: He said: "He says it is a cow not trained to till the earth nor to water the fields; sound and without blemish." They said: "Now you have brought the truth." So they slaughtered it, though they were nearly reluctant to do so.
These verses, like a clear mirror, reflect Divine wisdom in guiding the Children of Israel. The dialogue among the people, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), and God is not merely a narration of a miracle but presents a model of the best discourse and patience in guidance. This section, by clarifying the text and its translation, prepares the ground for deeper analyses.
Verses 68 to 71 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a precious treasury, encompass numerous principles and rules across theology, psychology, and sociology. Due to their open and multi-layered structure, they require profound analysis and meticulous investigation. Their generality places them among universal verses capable of being applied to modern issues and interdisciplinary analyses.
Understanding the truths of these verses necessitates avoiding oversimplification and shortsightedness. These verses, like a deep ocean, demand precise and extensive exploration to extract their features and characteristics. This requirement underscores the importance of profound contemplation and the avoidance of superficial interpretation of the Holy Quran.
If the Children of Israel had slaughtered a cow without inquiry, the issue might have seemed superficially resolved; however, such an approach was simplistic. The peoples repeated inquiries, though complicating the process, led to a more precise and wise outcome. This hypothesis, akin to a branch of the tree of wisdom, demonstrates the distinction between mere outward obedience and wise implementation.
The Wise God responded to the peoples inquiries with detailed answers, indicating the value of these questions. Unlike the question regarding the soul, which was met with the brief reply "My Lord commands," these inquiries received comprehensive responses. This wisdom, like a radiant torch, illuminates the coherence of Divine replies with the needs of the people.
Contrary to some traditional exegeses that consider the peoples questions as mere pretexts, these inquiries were wise and purposeful. Two reasons affirm their value: firstly, the wise Divine responses demonstrate the importance of the questions; secondly, the existence of a defined referent (a cow with particular characteristics) resulted from the questions. This, like a clear mirror, reflects the peoples intelligence.
The cow in question was a defined referent with particular attributes (middle-aged, bright yellow, unblemished), indicating the purposeful nature of the peoples inquiries. In logical terminology, a referent means definite, not general or indefinite; here it refers to a specific cow, demonstrating Divine wisdom in its designation.
The phrase "Indeed the cow appears similar to us" represents a kind of apology and justification for the peoples repeated questions, indicating their politeness and intelligence. This phrase, like a gentle breeze, manifests their well-meaning intention in pursuing the truth.
The command "Slaughter a cow" rather than other methods was intended to affirm monotheism and negate the divinity of the cow. The slaughtering by the people refuted the belief in its divinity, as Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, I do not like the dissipators." This act, like a sharp blade, eradicated polytheism.
God pursued two objectives in these verses: resolving the issue of the murder and affirming monotheism. The slaughter of the cow, besides the miracle of resurrecting the murdered person, by breaking polytheistic beliefs, reinforced monotheism. This duality, like two wings of a bird, elevated Divine wisdom to flight.
The act of slaughtering the cow had no direct role in the miracle itself; rather, it served as a tool for belief reform. The miracle was in the revival of the murdered individual, but the slaughter acted as a golden key that opened the doors to monotheism.
God and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) responded patiently and calmly to the peoples questions, without harshness or haste. This patience, like a clear stream, offers a model for wise guidance. The phrase "Now you have brought the truth" from the people indicates their acceptance of the truth after the complete dialogue.
This dialogue exemplifies the best discourse (jidal ahsan) achieved through patience and wisdom. Contrary to traditional interpretations that consider the peoples questions as mere excuses, these verses demonstrate the peoples intelligence and Divine wisdom. The phrase "If God wills, we shall be rightly guided" reflects the people's reliance and hope in Divine guidance.
The conduct of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) in patiently answering repeated questions serves as a model for this patience. This example, like a shining star, highlights the importance of endurance in guidance.
Violence and impatience in responding to the people hinder acceptance of religion and cause failure. These verses, like a comprehensive mirror, emphasize the necessity of patience and composure in religious interactions.
The cow chosen, with the attributes of middle age, bright yellow colour, and complete soundness, was selected not only for the miracle but also to promote values of youthfulness, beauty, and health. These features, like a beautiful engraving on the canvas of Divine wisdom, emphasise the importance of these values.
Youth and beauty, as universal standards, are valued in all creatures. The example of the old lion lacking the vigour of youth illustrates this value. The order in which these features are mentioned (youth, beauty, health) highlights the priority of content and appearance.
Old age, even in external dignity, cannot compare to youth. The narration "The best youth is that which resembles maturity" emphasises steadfastness in youth and avoiding the imitation of old age by youth.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as the most beautiful of creation, exemplified cleanliness, beauty, and variety in appearance. This conduct, like a guiding torch, underscores the importance of appearance in propagating religion.
Forcing religion upon society lacks value; the free acceptance by people is essential. These verses, like a gentle breeze, stress the necessity of gaining the trust of people in propagating religion.
Debate and teaching in religious sciences activate the mind and prevent the corruption of knowledge. Continuous silence is like dust on the mirror of the mind, leading to dullness and incapacity.
The Prophets (peace be upon them), such as Joseph, Noah, and Jonah, bore hardships with patience, providing a model of steadfastness in guidance. This patience is like a steadfast rock resisting the storm of difficulties.
Unity in management, whether in society, the body, or the psyche, is essential for coherence. This unity does not mean patriarchy but indicates coordination and a unified rhythm.
Verses 68 to 71 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a shining lamp, illuminate Divine wisdom in guiding the Children of Israel. These verses, by clarifying the wise dialogue, patience and composure in responding, and affirmation of monotheism, present a unique model of the best discourse. The cows characteristics (youth, beauty, health) were designed not only for the miracle but also to promote Divine values and reform the people's beliefs. The criticism of imposing religion, emphasis
