Surah 2

Surah Al-Baqarah: The Heifer

Revealed at Madinah

2:61
And behold! you said: “O Musa! we cannot endure with one food; therefore pray to your Rabb for us that He may produce for us out of what the earth grows: of its herbs and its cucumbers, and its cereals and its lentils, and its onions.” He said: “Do you wish to change that which is inferior for that which is superior? Go down into any Egypt, so you will have what you ask for.” And humiliation and vagabondism were flung upon them, and they drew wrath from Allah. That was because they indeed went on rejecting the Messages of Allah, and would kill the nabis without just cause. That was so because they disobeyed and they used to transgress.


2:62
Surely as to those who believe, and those who Judaize, and the Christians, and the Sabians— whoever believes in Allah and the Future Day, and does good,— for such, then, their reward is in the presence of their Rabb; and there is no fear on them, nor will they grieve.

2:63
And remember,— We took your Covenant and raised above you the Mount : “Take hold what We have given you, with a resolution, and remember what is in it, perhaps you may practice reverence.”

2:64
Then, you turned back after that; and had it not been for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would surely have been among the losers.

2:65
Moreover, surely you already know those of you who transgressed regarding the Sabbath; so We said to them: “You become apes, driven away.”

2:66
Thus We made it an example for those around it, and those after it, and an admonition for the reverent.

2:67
And behold! Musa said to his people, “Allah indeed commands you that you should slaughter a heifer.” They said: “Do you take us for a jest?” He said: “I take refuge with Allah from being of the ignorant.”

2:68
They said: “Call on your Rabb, for our sake, to make clear to us what she is.” He replied: “Verily He says, she indeed is a heifer neither too aged nor too young, of a middle age between these. Now, do what you are commanded.”

2:69
They said: “Call on your Rabb, for our sake, to make clear to us what her color is.” He said: “Surely He says, she is indeed a yellow heifer— intensely deep in her color— delighting to the beholders.”

2:70
They said: “Call on your Rabb, for our sake, to make clear to us what she be, for the heifers appear alike to us; and indeed, if it pleases Allah, we shall surely be guided.”

2:71
He said: “Certainly He says, she is surely a heifer not yoked to plough the land, nor used to irrigate the field,— sound, without a blemish in her.” They said: “Now you have brought the Truth.” Then they slaughtered her, and it did not appear that they would do.

2:72
And remember,— you killed a person, then you disagreed about it. And Allah was to bring forth what you were concealing.

2:73
So We said: “Liken him to a part of it.” Likewise Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His Signs, that perhaps you may understand.

2:74
Then even after that your hearts hardened, so that they became like rocks,— rather worse in hardness. And surely there are rocks out of which gush forth streams, and truly there are others which when split up, water then comes out therefrom; and indeed there are others which fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware as to what you do.

2:75
Can you then expect that they would believe in you, while decidedly a party of them used to hear the word of Allah, then they altered it after they had understood it, while they were knowing?

2:76
And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe.” But when some of them are alone to others they say: “Do you talk to them as to what Allah has disclosed to you, that they may argue with you thereby in the presence of your Rabb? Do you not then understand?”

2:77
Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they disclose?

2:78
And among them are illiterates, who do not know the scripture but vain desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.

2:79
So woe to those who transcribe the scripture with their hands, then say: “This is from the presence of Allah”— so that they may exchange it for a small price. So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn!

2:80
And they say: “The Fire will not touch us except for a number of days.” Say: “Have you taken a promise from Allah? If so, Allah will never break His promise; or is it that you speak against Allah about which you do not know?”