Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 73

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, We said, “Strike him with a part of it.” This is how Allah revives the dead; and He shows you His signs, so that you may understand.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

So We instructed, “Strike the dead body with a piece of the cow.” This is how ˹easily˺ Allah brings the dead to life, showing you His signs so that you may understand.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We said, “Strike the slain with a piece of it.” This is how Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His signs, so that you may understand.

A. J. Arberry

so We said, 'Smite him with part of it'; even so God brings to life the dead, and He shows you His signs, that haply you may have understanding.

Abdul Haleem

We said, ‘Strike the [body] with a part of [the cow]’: thus God brings the dead to life and shows His signs so that you may understand.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Wherefore We said: smite him with part of her. Thus will Allah quicken the dead and He sheweth you His signs that haply ye may under stand.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So We said; "Strike the (body) with a piece of the (heifer)." Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His Signs; Perchance ye may understand.

Abul Ala Maududi

So We commanded, "Strike the corpse of the murdered man with a part of the sacrificed cow. See how Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Signs, so that you may understand".

Ahmed Ali

We had pronounced already: "Slay (the murderer) for (taking a life)." Thus God preserves life from death and shows you His signs that you may understand.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We therefore said, “Strike the dead man with a part of the sacrificed cow”; this is how Allah will bring the dead to life, and shows you His signs so that you may understand!

Ali Quli Qarai

We said, ‘Strike him with a piece of it:’ thus does Allah revive the dead, and He shows you His signs so that you may exercise your reason.

Ali Ünal

So We commanded: "Strike him (the corpse) with part of it (the sacrificed cow)." (So they did and the corpse, brought to life, informed of the murderer.) Even so God brings to life the dead, and shows you the signs (of His Power, Oneness and way of acting), that you may understand the truth, (and have no doubt at all, concerning the essentials of faith).

Amatul Rahman Omar

So We said, `Judge it in the context of its other circumstances.´ That is how Allâh brings the dead (for Jesus being dead to all appearances) to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may refrain (from evil).

English Literal

So We said: "Mix/strike it with some of it." Like that God revives/makes alive the deads and He shows you His signs/verses/examples , maybe you reason/understand/comprehend

Faridul Haque

We therefore said, "Strike the dead man with a part of the sacrificed cow"; this is how Allah will bring the dead to life, and shows you His signs so that you may understand!

Hamid S. Aziz

Then We said, "Strike him with part of her (the heifer)." Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His signs, that per chance (or possibly) you may understand.

Hilali & Khan

So We said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)." Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) so that you may understand.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So We said: Smite him with it partially. Thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you may understand.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So We said: Strike the (dead body) with part of the (Sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that you may understand.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We said: Smite him with some of it. Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and showeth you His portents so that ye may understand.

Muhammad Sarwar

We said, "Strike the person slain with some part of the cow." That is how God brings the dead to life and shows you His miracles so that you might have understanding.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We said: 'Strike him with a piece of it' Like this, Allah restores the dead to life and shows you His signs in order that you will understand.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So We said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)." Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, etc.) so that you may understand.

Wahiduddin Khan

We said, "Strike [the corpse] with a part of it." Thus God restores the dead to life and shows you His signs, so that you may understand.

Talal Itani

We said, “Strike him with part of it.” Thus God brings the dead to life; and He shows you His signs, that you may understand.

Tafsir jalalayn

so We said, `Smite him, the slain man, with part of it', and so when he was struck with its tongue or its tail, he came back to life and said, `So-and-so killed me', and after pointing out two of his cousins, he died; the two [killers] were denied the inheritance and were later killed. God says; even so, is the revival, for, God brings to life the dead, and He shows you His signs, the proofs of His power, so that you might understand, [that you might] reflect and realise that the One capable of reviving a single soul is also capable of reviving a multitude of souls, and then believe.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا

So We said;"Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)."

meaning, "any part of the cow will produce the miracle (if they struck the dead man with it)."

We were not told which part of the cow they used, as this matter does not benefit us either in matters of life or religion. Otherwise, Allah would have made it clear for us. Instead, Allah made this matter vague, so this is why we should leave it vague.

Allah's statement,

كَذَلِكَ يُحْيِي اللّهُ الْمَوْتَى

Thus Allah brings the dead to life,

means, "They struck him with it, and he came back to life."

This Ayah demonstrates Allah's ability in bringing the dead back to life. Allah made this incident proof against the Jews that the Resurrection shall occur, and ended their disputing and stubbornness over the dead person.

Allah mentioned His bringing the dead back to life in five instances in Surah Al-Baqarah.

First Allah said,

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ


Then We raised you up after your death. (2;56)

He then mentioned the story about the cow.

Allah also mentioned the story of those who escaped death in their land, while they were numbering in the thousands.

He also mentioned the story of the Prophet who passed by a village that was destroyed, the story of Abraham and the four birds, and the land that comes back to life after it has died.

All these incidents and stories alert us to the fact that bodies shall again become whole, after they were rotten.

The proof of Resurrection is also reiterated in Allah's statement,

وَءَايَةٌ لَّهُمُ الاٌّرْضُ الْمَيْتَةُ أَحْيَيْنَـهَا وَأَخْرَجْنَا مِنْهَا حَبّاً فَمِنْهُ يَأْكُلُونَ

وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا جَنَّـتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـبٍ وَفَجَّرْنَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ

لِيَأْكُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ أَفَلَ يَشْكُرُونَ

And a sign for them is the dead land. We give it life, and We bring forth from it grains, so that they eat thereof. And We have made therein gardens of date palms and grapes, and We have caused springs of water to gush forth therein. So that they may eat of the fruit thereof ـ and their hands made it not. Will they not then give thanks! (36;33-35)

وَيُرِيكُمْ ايَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ



and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, etc.) so that you may understand