well-known stories in the Holy Qur’an took place during the time of Prophet Musa (Moses), peace be upon him. The name of this Surah is Al-Baqarah.(cow) The story tells of a wealthy man from bani ‘iisrayiyl , who was mysteriously murdered. The shocking crime shook the entire community. His body was found, but no one knew who had committed the murder. People began accusing one another, disputes spread among them, and the case became increasingly complicated until they could find no solution. The identity of the killer remained unknown. When they could no longer resolve the issue, they turned to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Moses sought guidance from Allah, and Allah commanded him to instruct his people to slaughter a cow. At first, no specific color or type of cow was mentioned. The people were astonished by Moses’ command. Unable to understand the connection between slaughtering a cow and solving a murder, they accused him of mocking them. Moses sought refuge in Allah from such an accusation and assured them that he was only conveying Allah’s command, and that the truth behind the crime would be revealed through the slaughter of the cow. Instead of obeying immediately, they began to argue, delay, and ask unnecessary questions. They asked about the cow’s age. Moses prayed to Allah for guidance, and they were told that it should be neither old nor very young, but of middle age. Even then, they continued questioning. They asked about its color. Once again, Moses sought Allah’s guidance, and they were told that it was to be a bright yellow cow, pleasing to all who looked at it. Still, they persisted in their hesitation. Claiming that many cows fit the description, they asked for even more details. Moses again prayed to Allah, who informed them that it was a cow that had never been used for plowing the land or drawing water, free from defects, and of a pure yellow color without any markings.
After a lengthy search, they finally found a cow matching these unique characteristics. It belonged to an orphan, and they purchased it from him at a very high price before slaughtering it.
After the cow had been slaughtered, Moses took a part of it (according to some narrations, its tongue) and struck the dead man with it by Allah’s command. Instantly, the murdered man came back to life. Moses asked him who had killed him, and he identified his murderer (according to some reports, he simply pointed to the killer). Then, by Allah’s will, he died once again.
The Children of Israel witnessed with their own eyes the miraculous revival of the dead and learned the identity of the murderer. Thus, the mystery that had troubled them for so long was finally solved—a delay caused largely by their own stubbornness, endless questioning, and reluctance to obey Allah’s command. The story teaches profound lessons about obedience to Allah, avoiding unnecessary argumentation, respecting Allah and His prophets, and recognizing that excessive stubbornness and hardness of heart can distance people from guidance. It remains one of the Qur’an’s most powerful examples of the importance of sincere submission to Allah’s commands. The complete story as Mentioned in the Quran. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ (67) قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ (68) قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ (69) قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ (70) قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ (71) وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ (72) فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا كَذَلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَى وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (73) ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (74 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).”( 67] They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!” He said, “He says, ‘Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young, but (it is) between the two conditions’, so do what you are commanded] (68.” 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.(’69”] 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.( 70] “ 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. (71] and (remember) when you killed a man and fell into dispute among yourselves as to the crime. But Allah brought forth that which you were hiding(72) . 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, so that you may understand.(73)
Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness. And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.(74)
