Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

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.

Allah tells;

قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لّنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ

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,

إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لاَّ فَارِضٌ وَلَا 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.

عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ

but (it is) between the two conditions',

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said that,

it means, "Neither old nor young. Rather, she was at the age when the cow is strongest and fittest."

فَافْعَلُواْ مَا تُوْمَرونَ

so do what you are commanded."

قَالُواْ ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاء فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ