Tafseer Surah Baqarah Verse 69-71 | Surah Baqarah explanation in English | Surah Baqarah explained | Surah Baqarah Ayat 69 to 71

Tafseer Surah Baqarah Verse 69-71 | Surah Baqarah explanation in English | Surah Baqarah explained | Surah Baqarah Ayat 69 to 71 Translation

Surah Al-Baqarah

Verse 69 + 70 + 71

2:69 Al-Baqara

قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ

They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour." He said, "He says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing to the beholders.' "

Surah Baqarah Verse 69

2:70 Al-Baqara

قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ

They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is. Verily to us all cows are alike, And surely, if Allah wills, we will be guided."

Surah Baqarah Verse 70

2:71 Al-Baqara

قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

He [Musa (Moses)] said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no other colour except bright yellow.' " They said, "Now you have brought the truth." So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it.

Surah Baqarah Verse 71

☘️The Children of Israel continue with their questions about the cow. They asked what color it should be. Musa ‘alayhi salaam replied that it should be bright in its color and pleasing to the beholder. They asked for further description claiming that since cows are plentiful they all look alike. They added in sha Allah (if Allah wills) at the end that if you further describe the cow to us then in sha Allah we will be guided. Musa ‘alayhi salaam further described it for them. He said it should be a cow not used in farming or for watering purposes. Rather, it is honorable and fair looking.

☘️Qatadah said that sound (or free from fault) [مُّسَلَّمَةٌ] means that the cow does not suffer from any defects. It should have no color on it except the bright yellow color.

☘️The Children of Israel realized that despite their asking multiple questions the command was not going to be lifted. The matter was only being made more difficult for them. Finally, they gave in and said, “Now you have come with the truth.” Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says, “So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it,” meaning they slaughtered it although they did not want to.

☘️Ibn Katheer writes 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 them for their behavior because their only goal was to be stubborn and this is why they nearly did not slaughter the cow.

☘️This incident teaches us that one should not delay acting on the commands of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. When a person hears a command and acts on it then the matter is made easy for him. But when a person asks unnecessary questions, makes excuses or delays it then either that matter is made difficult for him or he loses his chance to do a righteous deed. One must not procrastinate in matters of goodness. We should be the forerunners and not wait for others to take the first step, so that we can follow them.

🔮If there is anything that one must compete in then, it should be the pleasures of the Hereafter. “Race towards good deeds,” (2: 148).

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