سورة البَقَرَة
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:67
The Cow · Verse 67 of 286
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ
Abdul Mannan 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.´
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)!"
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."
12 more translations
Ali Unal
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.)"
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.
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!"
Maulana Muhammad 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.
Maulvi Sher Ali
And remember when Moses said to his people, `ALLAH commands you to slaughter a cow,' they said, `Dost thou make a jest of us?' He said `I seek refuge with ALLAH least I should be of the ignorant.'
Muhammad Asad
AND LO! Moses said unto his people: "Behold, God bids you to sacrifice a cow." They said: "Dost thou mock at us?" He answered: "I seek refuge with God against being so ignorant!"
Muhammad Musin 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)."
Muhammad 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.
Muhammed ali 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.
Rashad Khalifa
Moses said to his people, "GOD commands you to sacrifice a heifer." They said, "Are you mocking us?" He said, "GOD forbid, that I should behave like the ignorant ones."
Shabbir Ahmed
And remember, Moses said to his people, “God commands you to sacrifice a cow.” They said, “Do you mock us?” He replied, “I seek shelter with God from being among the ignorant who mock people.”
Commentary 2:67 Although the act of calf-worship mentioned in 2:51 had been prohibited, veneration for the cow lingered on in the hearts of the Israelites. This was a…
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ
2:67 Although the act of calf-worship mentioned in 2:51 had been prohibited, veneration for the cow lingered on in the hearts of the Israelites. This was a cultural habit adopted after centuries of slavery under the Pharaohs of Egypt. Here, they were ordered to slaughter such a cow that was an object of veneration and eradicate the thoughts of cow-worship. This is an allusion to the command to give up idol worshipping in any form.