Canary said, "O clay, tell us about the story of the murdered Israeli man and the cow!" Clay said, "I'm not the one who is capable of telling it, but, will you listen it from the who one knows more about it?" The birds simultaneously said,, "Yes, certainly, tell him to come forward!" So, Clay said, "O my sister, come forward!" And lo! it's a cow. She said, "Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh!" The birds responded, "Wa alaykumu ssalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh." The cow continued, "Praise be to Allah, Rabb of mankind and jinns and all that exists, and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers (ﷺ), his family and companions.
I am the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. I am a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and most commonly classified collectively as Bos taurus. I am raised as livestock for beef and veal, as dairy animals for milk and other dairy products, and as draft animals that pull carts, plows and other implements. Yes, I am a cattle, more specifically, I am a cow. I am an obedient animal, when my master pull my nose, so I go wherever he go without too much to asking questions, yes, I did not ask many questions. Do you know, Allah will hate those who are asking unnecessary questions about his obligation, especially in disputed religious matters. Why? Because unnecessary questions may cause them trouble. Don't believe me? So, let me tell you.
There was a man from among the Children of Israel who was impotent. He had substantial wealth, and only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his body at night, placing it at the doorstep of a certain man. The next morning, the nephew cried out for revenge, and the people took up their weapons and almost fought each other. The wise men among them said, "Why would you kill each other, while the Messenger of Allah is still among you?" So they went to Prophet Musa. alayhissalam, and mentioned the matter to him and Prophet Musa said,
"..."Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant." - [QS.2:67]
Allah mentioned the stubbornness of the Children of Israel and the many unnecessary questions they asked their Messengers. This is why when they were stubborn, Allah made the decisions difficult for them. Had they slaughtered a cow, any cow, it would have been sufficient for them. Instead, they made the matter difficult, and this is why Allah made it even more difficult for them.
"They said, "Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is." [Moses] said, "[ Allah ] says, 'It is a cow which is neither old nor virgin, but median between that,' so do what you are commanded." - [QS.2:68]"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." - [QS. 2:69]"They said, "Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is. Indeed, [all] cows look alike to us. And indeed we, if Allah wills, will be guided." - [QS. 2:70]"He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate the field, one free from fault with no spot upon her.' " They said, "Now you have come with the truth." So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it." - [QS.2:71]
Had they not disputed, it would have been sufficient for them to slaughter any cow. However, they disputed, and the matter was made more difficult for them, until they ended up looking for the specific cow that they were later ordered to slaughter. Even after all the questions and answers about the cow's description, the Children of Israel were still reluctant to slaughter the cow. That's their behavior, because their only goal was to be stubborn, and this is why they nearly did not slaughter the cow. It is said that they could not find a cow with all these descriptions but with a man who was righteous and good to his father. They asked him to submit it to them, but he refused. They tried to seduce him as to its price till they offered him what equals its wieght in gold. But, he refused. He said, “By Allah! I will only sell it for its skin’s fill of gold.’ Finally, he accepted their offer and submitted it to them.
So they paid the cow’s fill of its skin in gold, then slaughtered it. Prophet Musa instructed them with the Command of Allah to strike the dead man with a piece of the cow. Some scholars said, with part of its thighbone, or with part of the flesh between its shoulders. When they stroke him with part thereof, he was resurrected by Allah. Prophet Musa asked him, "Who's your murderer?" He said, "It was my nephew who killed me." Then, he died again and his nephew was not allowed to inherit him. Thereafter, whoever committed murder for the purpose of gaining inheritance was not allowed to inherit. Allah said,
"So, We said, "Strike the slain man with part of it." Thus does Allah bring the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you might reason." - [QS.2:73]
This story, demonstrated Allah’s ability in bringing the dead back to life. Allah made this incident proof against the Children Israel that the Resurrection shall occur, and ended their disputing and stubbornness over the dead person. Allah mentioned His bringing the dead back to life in five instances in Surat Al-Baqarah. Allah also mentioned the story of those who escaped death in their land, while they were numbering in the thousands. He also mentioned the story of the Prophet who passed by a village that was destroyed, the story of Prophet Ibrahim, alayhissalam and the four birds, and the land that comes back to life after it has died. All these incidents and stories alert us to the fact that bodies shall again become whole, after they were rotten.
The Children of Israel witnessed the tremendous signs and the Ayat of Allah, including bringing the dead back to life, yet, their hearts were like stones that never become soft. This is why Allah forbade the believers from imitating the Jews when He said,
"Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient." - [QS.57:16]
By the passage of time, the hearts of the Children of Israel were unlikely to accept any admonishment, even after the miracles and signs they withnessed. Their hearts became harder than stones, with no hope of ever softening. Sometimes, springs and rivers burst out of stones, some stones split and water comes out of them, even if there are no springs or rivers around them, sometimes stones fall down from mountaintops out of their fear of Allah. Ibn ‘Abbas, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said that,
"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",
means, “Some stones are softer than your hearts, they acknowledge the truth that you are being called to."
Then the cow said, "O my brothers and sisters, asking unnecessary questions about an obligation may lead to complications and confusions. The Children if Israel asked very detailed to Moses about the cow to look for. Ultimately, Allah made it difficult and they had to spend more money to buy the cow. So, what is prohibited is, asking questions that will lead to confusion, doubt and chaos in the community, like asking questions about unnecessary details. However, it's better to ask the right questions to educate yourselves that lead to knowledge and goodness. The right question would bring the right answer. And Allah knows best."
Reference :"O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you. But if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be shown to you. Allah has pardoned that which is past; and Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing. " - [QS.5:101]
- Ibn Kathir, Stories of The Prophets, Darussalam
- Syaikh Safiurrahman Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume I, Darussalam
