وَإِذ قالَ موسىٰ لِقَومِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأمُرُكُم أَن تَذبَحوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قالوا أَتَتَّخِذُنا هُزُوًا ۖ قالَ أَعوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَن أَكونَ مِنَ الجاهِلينَ

When Moses told his people, “God commands you to sacrifice a cow,” they replied, “Are you making fun of us?” He replied, “I seek refuge in God from being among the ignorant.”

قالُوا ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَنا ما هِيَ ۚ قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ لا فارِضٌ وَلا بِكرٌ عَوانٌ بَينَ ذٰلِكَ ۖ فَافعَلوا ما تُؤمَرونَ

They said, “Ask your Lord to clarify for us what kind.” He replied, “He says it’s a cow, not too old nor too young, but of middle age. So do what you’re commanded.”

قالُوا ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَنا ما لَونُها ۚ قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ صَفراءُ فاقِعٌ لَونُها تَسُرُّ النّاظِرينَ

They said, “Ask your Lord to clarify for us its color.” He replied, “He says it’s a cow, bright yellow in color, pleasing to the onlookers.”

قالُوا ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَنا ما هِيَ إِنَّ البَقَرَ تَشابَهَ عَلَينا وَإِنّا إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهتَدونَ

They said, “Ask your Lord to specify for us exactly what it is, all cows are alike to us. And, if God wills, we will be guided.”

قالَ إِنَّهُ يَقولُ إِنَّها بَقَرَةٌ لا ذَلولٌ تُثيرُ الأَرضَ وَلا تَسقِي الحَرثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لا شِيَةَ فيها ۚ قالُوا الآنَ جِئتَ بِالحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحوها وَما كادوا يَفعَلونَ

He replied, “He says it’s a cow not utilized for plowing or irrigating fields, flawless, with no blemish.” They said, “Now you’ve brought the truth.” So they slaughtered her, but they almost didn’t.

فَقُلنَا اضرِبوهُ بِبَعضِها ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يُحيِي اللَّهُ المَوتىٰ وَيُريكُم آياتِهِ لَعَلَّكُم تَعقِلونَ

We commanded, “Strike him with part of it.” Thus, does God bring the dead to life. He shows you His signs so you may understand.

ثُمَّ قَسَت قُلوبُكُم مِن بَعدِ ذٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالحِجارَةِ أَو أَشَدُّ قَسوَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الحِجارَةِ لَما يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنهُ الأَنهارُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنها لَما يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخرُجُ مِنهُ الماءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنها لَما يَهبِطُ مِن خَشيَةِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغافِلٍ عَمّا تَعمَلونَ

Then your hearts hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. Yet, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some that split open and water comes out, and there are some that fall down for awe of God. And God is not unaware of what you do.

أَفَتَطمَعونَ أَن يُؤمِنوا لَكُم وَقَد كانَ فَريقٌ مِنهُم يَسمَعونَ كَلامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفونَهُ مِن بَعدِ ما عَقَلوهُ وَهُم يَعلَمونَ

Do you wish that they would believe you, when some of them heard God’s word, then deliberately distorted it, even after they understood it?

وَإِذا لَقُوا الَّذينَ آمَنوا قالوا آمَنّا وَإِذا خَلا بَعضُهُم إِلىٰ بَعضٍ قالوا أَتُحَدِّثونَهُم بِما فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيكُم لِيُحاجّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُم ۚ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ

When they encounter those who believe, they say, “We believe.” But when alone, they question, “Will you disclose to them what God revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord? Don’t you understand?”

أَوَلا يَعلَمونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعلَمُ ما يُسِرّونَ وَما يُعلِنونَ

Don’t they know that God knows what they conceal and what they disclose?