قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى ٱلْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا۟ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ جِئْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ 71
Translations
He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate the field, one free from fault with no spot upon her.'" They said, "Now you have come with the truth." So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it.
Transliteration
Qāla innahu yaqūlu innahā baqaratun lā dhallūl tutheeru al-arda wa lā tasqī al-harth muassalamah lā shiyata fīhā. Qālū al-āna ji'ta bil-haqq. Fadhababūhā wa mā kādū yaf'alūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah's Messenger (through Musa) conveys Allah's final description of the required cow: it must be one that has never been yoked for plowing, never used to irrigate fields, completely unblemished and without any mark or blemish. The Children of Israel finally acknowledge that this is the truth they sought, and they slaughter the cow—though they did so reluctantly and with great difficulty. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this description was intentionally stringent to test the sincerity of their obedience, as each new criterion made compliance harder, and their near-refusal at the end demonstrates how close they came to abandoning the command entirely.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of the golden calf (Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 67-71), where the Children of Israel were commanded to slaughter a specific cow as an atonement and sign of obedience after their sin. The cow's specific qualities were progressively revealed in response to their questions and doubts, testing their resolve and submission to divine command. This narrative serves as a lesson in obedience despite difficulty and the consequences of excessive questioning.
Related Hadiths
While no directly related hadith addresses this specific cow, Sahih Bukhari contains numerous ahadith about the Golden Calf incident and the Children of Israel's disobedience. The principle of implicit obedience to divine commands without excessive questioning is reinforced in Sahih Muslim 1337, where the Prophet warned against excessive questioning that led to destruction of previous nations.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true obedience to Allah may require struggling against our reluctance and doubts, and that Allah's commands—even when they seem difficult or excessive—contain wisdom and mercy. It reminds believers that submission should not be delayed by endless questions but acted upon with trust, for obedience itself brings about spiritual transformation and atonement.