قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌۭ لَّا فَارِضٌۭ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌۢ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَٱفْعَلُوا۟ مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ
Mereka menjawab: "Mohonkanlah kepada Tuhanmu untuk kami, agar Dia menerangkan kepada kami; sapi betina apakah itu". Musa menjawab: "Sesungguhnya Allah berfirman bahwa sapi betina itu adalah sapi betina yang tidak tua dan tidak muda; pertengahan antara itu; maka kerjakanlah apa yang diperintahkan kepadamu".
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
The Stubbornness of the Jews regarding the Cow; Allah made the Matter difficult for Them
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, as Ibn `Abbas and `Ubaydah have said. Instead, they made the matter difficult, and this is why Allah made it even more difficult for them. They said,
(Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!), meaning, "What is this cow and what is its description" Musa said,
(He says, `Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young'), meaning, that it is neither old nor below the age of breeding. This is the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah, As-Suddi, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, `Ata', Al-Khurasani, Wahb bin Munabbih, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ibn `Abbas. Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,
(But (it is) between the two conditions) means, "Neither old nor young. Rather, she was at the age when the cow is strongest and fittest." In his Tafsir Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that,
(bright in its colour) "A deep yellowish white."
As-Suddi said,
(pleasing the beholder) meaning, that it pleases those who see it. This is also the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Furthermore, Wahb bin Munabbih said, "If you look at the cow's skin, you will think that the sun's rays radiate through its skin." The modern version of the Tawrah mentions that the cow in the Ayah was red, but this is an error. Or, it might be that the cow was so yellow that it appeared blackish or reddish in color. Allah's knows best.
(Verily, to us all cows are alike) this means, that since cows are plentiful, then describe this cow for us further,
(And surely, if Allah wills) and if you further describe it to us,
(we will be guided.)
(He says, `It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields') meaning, it is not used in farming, or for watering purposes. Rather, it is honorable and fair looking. `Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar said that Qatadah said that,
(sound) means, "The cow does not suffer from any defects." This is also the opinion of Abu Al-`Aliyah and Ar-Rabi`. Mujahid also said that the Ayah means the cow is free from defects. Further, `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that the Ayah means that its legs and body are free of physical defects.
Also, Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah,
(So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it) means, "They did not want to slaughter it."
This means that even after all the questions and answers about the cow's description, the Jews were still reluctant to slaughter the cow. This part of the Qur'an criticized the Jews for their behavior, because their only goal was to be stubborn, and this is why they nearly did not slaughter the cow. Also, `Ubaydah, Mujahid, Wahb bin Munabbih, Abu Al-`Aliyah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "The Jews bought the cow with a large amount of money." There is a difference of opinion over this.
Hadits Terkait
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Bakar bin Abi Syaibah] telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu al-Ahwash] dari [Abu Ishaq] dari [al-Bara' bin 'Azib] dia berkata, "Aku shalat bersama Nabi Shallallahu'alaihiwasallam menghadap Baitul Maqdis selama enam belas bulan hingga turun ayat tersebut yang ada dalam surat al-Baqarah, "Dan di mana pun kamu berada maka palingkanlah wajah-wajahmu ke arahnya." (QS.Albaqarah 124), ayat tersebut turun setelah Nabi Shallallahu'alaihiwasallam shalat, lalu seorang laki-laki dari suatu kaum bertolak pergi, lalu dia berjalan bersama beberapa manusia dari kalangan Anshar, dan mereka shalat, lalu beliau menceritakannya kepada mereka, maka mereka menghadapkan wajah-wajah mereka ke Baitullah
Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Yahya bin Yahya] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Husyaim] dari [Ismail bin Abi Khalid] dari [al-Harits bin Syubail] dari [Abu Amru asy-Syaibani] dari [Zaid bin Arqam] dia berkata, "Dahulu kami bercakap-cakap dalam shalat. Seorang laki-laki bercakap-cakap dengan teman di sampingnya dalam keadaan shalat, hingga turun ayat, '...Shalatlah kamu karena Allah dengan khusyu'. (Al-Baqarah: 238). Lalu kami disuruh diam, dan dilarang bercakap-cakap'." Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Bakar bin Abi Syaibah] telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abdullah bin Numair] dan [Waki'] dia berkata, --Lewat jalur periwayatan lain-- dan telah menceritakan kepada kami [Ishaq bin Ibrahim] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Isa bin Yunus] mereka meriwayatkan dari [Ismail bin Abi Khalid] dengan isnad ini hadits semisalnya
Telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Abu Bakr bin Ishaq] dia berkata; Telah menceritakan kepada kami [Abu Zaid Sa'id bin Ar-Rabi'] dia berkata; Telah menceritakan kepada kami ['Ali bin Al Mubarak] dari [Yahya bin Abu Katsir] dia berkata; Telah menceritakan kepadaku [Abu Hafshah] -budak 'Aisyah- bahwasanya ['Aisyah] mengabarkan kepadanya bahwa pada masa Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam terjadi gerhana matahari, maka beliau berwudlu lalu memerintahkan untuk menyeru, 'Ash-Shalatul Jami'ah'. Lalu beliau berdiri dan memperlama berdirinya saat shalat." Kemudian Aisyah berkata; 'Aku memperkirakan beliau membaca surah Al-Baqarah, kemudian beliau ruku' dengan ruku' yang lama, lalu mengucapakan Sami' Allahu Liman Hamidah. Kemudian beliau berdiri seperti berdirinya semula tanpa sujud, lalu ruku' lagi dan sujud lagi. Kemudian berdiri dan berbuat seperti yang diperbuat pada dua ruku' dan satu kali sujud yang pertama. Lantas beliau duduk, sedangkan matahari telah terang
Dan dengan sanad ini (Yaitu; Telah menceritakan kepada kami ['Abd bin Humaid] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Abdurrazzaq] dari [Ma'mar] dari [Hammam bin Munabbih] dari [Abu Hurairah]) dari Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam: "Lalu orang-orang yang zhalim mengganti perintah dengan (mengerjakan) yang tidak diperintahkan kepada mereka." QS Al-Baqarah: 59, Beliau bersabda: "Mereka berkata; biji dalam rambut." Abu Isa berkata; Hadits ini hasan shahih
Telah menceritakan kepada kami ['Abd bin Humaid] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Yazid bin Harun] telah mengabarkan kepada kami [Abdul Malik bin Abu Sulaiman] ia berkata; Aku mendengar [Sa'id bin Jubair] menceritakan dari [Ibnu Umar] ia berkata; Nabi shallallahu 'alaihi wasallam pernah shalat sunnah di atas kendaraan beliau kemana pun kendaraan beliau menghadap, ketika itu beliau pergi dari Makkah menuju Madinah. Setelah itu Ibnu Umar membaca ayat ini: "Dan kepunyaan Allah-lah timur dan barat." QS Al-Baqarah: 115. Ibnu Umar berkata; "Berkenaan dengan peristiwa itulah, ayat ini turun." Abu Isa berkata; Hadits ini hasan shahih. Diriwayatkan dari Qatadah, ia berkata tentang ayat ini: Dan kepunyaan Allah-lah timur dan barat, maka kemanapun kamu menghadap di situlah wajah Allah." QS Al-Baqarah: 115 Qatadah berkata; Ayat ini mansukhah, dinasakh dengan firman Allah, "Palingkanlah mukamu ke arah Masjidil Haram." QS Al-Baqarah: 144 yaitu arahnya. Telah menceritakan kepada kami yang demikian itu Muhammad bin Abdul Malik bin Abu Asy Syawarib, telah menceritakan kepada kami Yazid bin Zurai' dari Sa'id dari Qatadah. Dan diriwayatkan pula dari Mujahid tentang ayat ini: "Maka kemanapun kamu menghadap, di situlah wajah Allah." QS Al-Baqarah: 115, ia berkata; "Di sanalah kiblat Allah." Telah menceritakan kepada kami seperti itu Muhammad bin Al Ala` telah menceritakan kepada kami Waki' dari An Nadlr bin Arabi dari Mujahid seperti itu