Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

---

Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

---

Quran Text of Verse 62-712. Al-Baqarah Page 10اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelievedوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoهَادُوْاbecame Jewsوَ النَّصٰرٰیand the Christiansوَ الصّٰبِـِٕیْنَand the Sabiansمَنْwhoاٰمَنَbelievedبِاللّٰهِin Allahوَ الْیَوْمِand the Dayالْاٰخِرِ[the] Lastوَ عَمِلَand didصَلِحًاrighteous deedsفَلَهُمْso for themاَجْرُهُمْ(is) their rewardعِنْدَwithرَبِّهِمْ ۪ۚtheir Lordوَ لَاand noخَوْفٌfearعَلَیْهِمْon themوَ لَاand notهُمْtheyیَحْزَنُوْنَ will grieve وَ اِذْAnd whenاَخَذْنَاWe tookمِیْثَاقَكُمْyour covenantوَ رَفَعْنَاand We raisedفَوْقَكُمُover youالطُّوْرَ ؕthe mountخُذُوْاHoldمَاۤwhatاٰتَیْنٰكُمْWe have given youبِقُوَّةٍwith strengthوَّ اذْكُرُوْاand rememberمَاwhatفِیْهِ(is) in itلَعَلَّكُمْperhaps youتَتَّقُوْنَ (would become) righteous ثُمَّThenتَوَلَّیْتُمْyou turned awayمِّنْۢfromبَعْدِafterذٰلِكَ ۚthatفَلَوْ لَاSo if notفَضْلُ(for the) Graceاللّٰهِ(of) Allahعَلَیْكُمْupon youوَ رَحْمَتُهٗand His Mercyلَكُنْتُمْsurely you would have beenمِّنَofالْخٰسِرِیْنَ the losers وَ لَقَدْAnd indeedعَلِمْتُمُyou knewالَّذِیْنَthose whoاعْتَدَوْاtransgressedمِنْكُمْamong youفِیinالسَّبْتِthe (matter of) SabbathفَقُلْنَاSo We saidلَهُمْto themكُوْنُوْاBeقِرَدَةًapesخٰسِـِٕیْنَ ۚdespised فَجَعَلْنٰهَاSo We made itنَكَالًاa deterrent punishmentلِّمَاfor thoseبَیْنَ(in) frontیَدَیْهَا(of) themوَ مَاand thoseخَلْفَهَاafter themوَ مَوْعِظَةًand an admonitionلِّلْمُتَّقِیْنَ for those who fear (Allah) وَ اِذْAnd whenقَالَsaidمُوْسٰیMusaلِقَوْمِهٖۤto his peopleاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَاْمُرُكُمْcommands youاَنْthatتَذْبَحُوْاyou slaughterبَقَرَةً ؕa cowقَالُوْۤاThey saidاَتَتَّخِذُنَاDo you take usهُزُوًا ؕ(in) ridiculeقَالَHe saidاَعُوْذُI seek refugeبِاللّٰهِin AllahاَنْthatاَكُوْنَI beمِنَamongالْجٰهِلِیْنَ the ignorant قَالُواThey saidادْعُPrayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَ(to) your Lordیُبَیِّنْto make clearلَّنَاto usمَاwhatهِیَ ؕit (is)قَالَHe saidاِنَّهٗIndeed Heیَقُوْلُsaysاِنَّهَا[Indeed] itبَقَرَةٌ(is) a cowلَّاnotفَارِضٌoldوَّ لَاand notبِكْرٌ ؕyoungعَوَانٌۢmiddle agedبَیْنَbetweenذٰلِكَ ؕthatفَافْعَلُوْاso doمَاwhatتُؤْمَرُوْنَ you are commanded قَالُواThey saidادْعُPrayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَ(to) your Lordیُبَیِّنْto make clearلَّنَاto usمَاwhatلَوْنُهَا ؕ(is) its colorقَالَHe saidاِنَّهٗIndeed Heیَقُوْلُsaysاِنَّهَا[Indeed] it isبَقَرَةٌa cowصَفْرَآءُ ۙyellowفَاقِعٌbrightلَّوْنُهَا(in) its colorتَسُرُّpleasingالنّٰظِرِیْنَ (to) those who see (it) 2. Al-Baqarah Page 11قَالُواThey saidادْعُPrayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَ(to) your Lordیُبَیِّنْto make clearلَّنَاto usمَاwhatهِیَ ۙit (is)اِنَّIndeedالْبَقَرَ[the] cowsتَشٰبَهَlook alikeعَلَیْنَا ؕto usوَ اِنَّاۤAnd indeed weاِنْifشَآءَwillsاللّٰهُAllahلَمُهْتَدُوْنَ (will) surely be those who are guided قَالَHe saidاِنَّهٗIndeed Heیَقُوْلُsaysاِنَّهَا[Indeed] itبَقَرَةٌ(is) a cowلَّاnotذَلُوْلٌtrainedتُثِیْرُto ploughالْاَرْضَthe earthوَ لَاand notتَسْقِیwaterالْحَرْثَ ۚthe fieldمُسَلَّمَةٌsoundلَّاnoشِیَةَblemishفِیْهَا ؕin itقَالُواThey saidالْـٰٔنَNowجِئْتَyou have comeبِالْحَقِّ ؕwith the truthفَذَبَحُوْهَاSo they slaughtered itوَ مَاand notكَادُوْاthey were nearیَفْعَلُوْنَ ۠(to) doing (it)

---

Translation of Verse 62-71

62. Indeed, the believers, Jews, Christians, and Sabians ²⁶ - whoever ˹truly˺ believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good will have their reward with their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve. ²⁷

63. And ˹remember˺ when We took a covenant from you and raised the mountain above you ˹saying˺, "Hold firmly to that ˹Scripture˺ which We have given you and observe its teachings so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺."

64. Yet you turned away afterwards. Had it not been for Allah's grace and mercy upon you, you would have certainly been of the losers.

65. You are already aware of those of you who broke the Sabbath. We said to them, "Be disgraced apes!" ²⁸

66. So We made their fate an example to present and future generations, and a lesson to the God-fearing.

67. And ˹remember˺ when Moses said to his people, "Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow." ²⁹ They replied, "Are you mocking us?" Moses responded, "I seek refuge in Allah from acting foolishly!"

68. They said, "Call upon your Lord to clarify for us what type ˹of cow˺ it should be!" He replied, "Allah says, 'The cow should neither be old nor young but in between. So do as you are commanded!'"

69. They said, "Call upon your Lord to specify for us its colour." He replied, "Allah says, 'It should be a bright yellow cow- pleasant to see.'"

70. Again they said, "Call upon your Lord so that He may make clear to us which cow, for all cows look the same to us. Then, Allah willing, we will be guided ˹to the right one˺."

71. He replied, "Allah says, 'It should have been used neither to till the soil nor water the fields; wholesome and without blemish.'" They said, "Now you have come with the truth." Yet they still slaughtered it hesitantly!

---

Commentary

26. The Sabians are an indigenous group that believes in a supreme being and lives mostly in Iraq.

27. This verse should be understood in light of 3:19 and 3:85. For more details, see the Introduction.

28. Although many scholars believe that these individuals were turned into real apes, others interpret this verse in a metaphorical sense. This style is not uncommon in the Quran. See 62:5 regarding the donkey that carries books and 2:18 regarding the deaf, dumb, and blind.

29. 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.