Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 67

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When Mūsā said to his people, “Allah commands you to slaughter a cow”, they said, “Are you making fun of us?” He said, “I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember˺ when Moses said to his people, “Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow.”[[ This sûrah is named after the cow in this story, which happened at the time of Moses (ﷺ). A rich man was killed by his nephew, his only heir, and the body was thrown at the door of an innocent man. After a long investigation, no one was identified as the killer. Moses (ﷺ) prayed for guidance and was told that the only way to find the killer was to sacrifice a cow and strike the victim with a piece of it. When this was done, the victim spoke miraculously and said who the killer was.]] They replied, “Are you mocking us?” Moses responded, “I seek refuge in Allah from acting foolishly!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when Moses said to his people, “Allah commands you to slaughter a cow.” They said, “Are you mocking us?” Moses said, “I seek refuge in Allah from being so ignorant!”

A. J. Arberry

And when Moses said to his people, 'God commands you to sacrifice a cow.' They said, 'Dost thou take us in mockery?' He said, 'I take refuge with God, lest I should be one of the ignorant.'

Abdul Haleem

Remember when Moses said to his people, ‘God commands you to sacrifice a cow.’ They said, ‘Are you making fun of us?’ He answered, ‘God forbid that I should be so ignorant.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time Musa said unto his people: verily Allah commandeth you that ye slaughter a cow. They said: makest thou a jest of us? He said take refuge with Allah that I should be of the ignorant.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And remember Moses said to his people; "Allah commands that ye sacrifice a heifer." They said; "Makest thou a laughing-stock of us?" He said; "Allah save me from being an ignorant (fool)!"

Abul Ala Maududi

Then call to mind the other event: when Moses said to his people, "Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow," they replied, "Do you mean to have a jest with us?" He answered, "I crave Allah's protection from behaving like ignorant people."

Ahmed Ali

Remember, when Moses said to his people: "God demands that you sacrifice a cow," they said: "Are you making fun of us?" And he said: "God forbid that I be of the ignorant."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And (remember) when Moosa said to his people, “Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow”; they said, “Are you making fun of us?” He answered, “Allah forbid that I should be of the ignorant!”

Ali Quli Qarai

And when Moses said to his people, ‘Allah commands you to slaughter a cow,’ they said, ‘Are you mocking us?’ He said, ‘I seek Allah’s protection lest I should be one of the ignorant!’

Ali Ünal

And (remember) when Moses told his people: "God commands you to sacrifice a cow." They responded: "Are you making fun of us?" He replied: "I seek refuge in God lest I should be among the ignorant (by making fun of anybody.)"

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Recall) when Moses said to his people for their own good, `Verily, Allâh commands you to slaughter a cow.´ They said, `Do you make a mockery of us?´ He said, `I seek refuge with Allâh from being (one) of the ignorant.´

English Literal

And when Moses said to his nation: "That God orders/commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said: "Do you take us mockingly ?" He said: "I seek protection by God that I be from the lowly/ignorant."

Faridul Haque

And (remember) when Moosa said to his people, "Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow"; they said, "Are you making fun of us?" He answered, "Allah forbid that I should be of the ignorant!"

Hamid S. Aziz

And remember when Moses said to his people, "Allah bids you slaughter a heifer." they said, "Are you making a jest of us?" Said he, "I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the unwise."

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: "Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us?" He said, "I take Allah's Refuge from being among Al-Jahilun (the ignorants or the foolish)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when Moses said to his people: Surely Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow. They said: Dost thou ridicule us? He said: I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when Musa said to his people: Surely Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow; they said: Do you ridicule us? He said: I seek the protection of Allah from being one of the ignorant.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when Moses said unto his people: Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye sacrifice a cow, they said: Dost thou make game of us? He answered: Allah forbid that I should be among the foolish!

Muhammad Sarwar

When Moses said to his people, "God commands you to sacrifice a cow," they asked, "Are you mocking us?" "God forbid, how would I be so ignorant," said Moses.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When Moses said to his nation: 'Allah commands you to slaughter a cow' they replied: 'Are you taking us in mockery' 'I seek protection with Allah lest I should be one of the ignorant' he said.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when Musa said to his people: "Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us" He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish)."

Wahiduddin Khan

When Moses said to his people, "God commands you to sacrifice a heifer," they said, "Are you making a mockery of us?" He answered, "God forbid that I should be so ignorant!"

Talal Itani

And recall when Moses said to his people, “God commands you to sacrifice a heifer.” They said, “Do you make a mockery of us?” He said, “God forbid that I should be so ignorant.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when Moses said to his people, when one among them was killed and the killer was not known, and so they asked Moses to pray to God to reveal the killer, which he did; `God commands you to sacrifice a cow'. They said, `Do you take us in mockery?', that is, making fun of us when you answer us like this? He said, `I take refuge with, I seek defence with, God lest I should be one of the ignorant', one of those who indulge in mockery.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Story of the murdered Israeli Man and the Cow

Allah said,

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُواْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ



And (remember) when Musa said to his people;"Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us" He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish).

Allah said, `O Children of Israel! Remember how I blessed you with miracle of the cow that was the means for discovering the identity of the murderer, when the murdered man was brought back to life.'

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded Ubaydah As-Salmani saying,

"There was a man from among the Children of Israel who was impotent. He had substantial wealth, and only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his body at night, placing it at the doorstep of a certain man.

The next morning, the nephew cried out for revenge, and the people took up their weapons and almost fought each other. The wise men among them said, `Why would you kill each other, while the Messenger of Allah is still among you?'

So they went to Musa and mentioned the matter to him and Musa said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُواْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
("Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you make fun of us!" He said, "I take Allah's refuge from being among Al-Jahilin (the ignorant or the foolish))."

"Had they not disputed, it would have been sufficient for them to slaughter any cow. However, they disputed, and the matter was made more difficult for them, until they ended up looking for the specific cow that they were later ordered to slaughter.

They found the designated cow with a man, only who owned that cow. He said, `By Allah! I will only sell it for its skin's fill of gold.'

So they paid the cow's fill of its skin in gold, slaughtered it and touched the dead man with a part of it. He stood up, and they asked him, `Who killed you?'

He said, `That man,' and pointed to his nephew.

He died again, and his nephew was not allowed to inherit him. Thereafter, whoever committed murder for the purpose of gaining inheritance was not allowed to inherit."

Ibn Jarir reported something similar to that. Allah knows best