قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَآءُ فَاقِعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ ٱلنَّـٰظِرِينَ 69
Translations
They said, "Call upon your Lord to show us what is her color." He said, "He says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in color - pleasing to the observers.'"
Transliteration
Qalū id'u lanā rabbaka yubayyinun lanā mā lawnuhā qāla innahu yaqūlu innaha baqaratun safraāu fāqiun lawnuhā tasurru an-nāzirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The Israelites ask Musa (Moses) to supplicate to Allah for clarification regarding the color of the cow they are commanded to sacrifice, and Allah responds through Musa that it is a yellow cow with a bright, distinctive color that pleases those who see it. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this response is intentionally specific yet still somewhat ambiguous in order to further test the Israelites' obedience and patience, as the color description (bright yellow) would help narrow down the cow but still leave room for further questioning, which indeed follows in the subsequent ayah.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the famous story of the yellow cow (al-baqarah al-safra) in Surah Al-Baqarah, which was revealed in Medina. It addresses the Israelites' detailed questioning about the specifications of the cow they were commanded to sacrifice as expiation. The narrative illustrates the pattern of the Bani Isra'il asking increasingly specific questions, testing the boundaries of their obligation.
Related Hadiths
The story of the cow is referenced in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) mentions that if the Israelites had taken any cow and slaughtered it, it would have sufficed for them, but their excessive questioning made the matter difficult for them (Sahih Bukhari 3397). This hadith clarifies that Allah's mercy is often obscured by human over-questioning.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while seeking clarification in religious matters is permissible, excessive questioning and demanding ever-more specific details can complicate what Allah intends to be simple. It reminds believers to balance intellectual inquiry with humble acceptance of Divine commands, trusting that Allah's guidance is complete even when not exhaustively detailed.