Al-Baqarah

So We made their fate an example to present and future generations, and a lesson to the God-fearing.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded [them] and a lesson for those who fear Allah.

— Saheeh International

And ˹remember˺ when Moses said to his people, “Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow.”¹ They replied, “Are you mocking us?” Moses responded, “I seek refuge in Allah from acting foolishly!”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "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."

— Saheeh International

They said, “Call upon your Lord to clarify for us what type ˹of cow˺ it should be!” He replied, “Allah says, ‘The cow should neither be old nor young but in between. So do as you are commanded!’”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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."

— Saheeh International

They said, “Call upon your Lord to specify for us its colour.” He replied, “Allah says, ‘It should be a bright yellow cow—pleasant to see.’”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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.'"

— Saheeh International

Again they said, “Call upon your Lord so that He may make clear to us which cow, for all cows look the same to us. Then, Allah willing, we will be guided ˹to the right one˺.”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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."

— Saheeh International

He replied, “Allah says, ‘It should have been used neither to till the soil nor water the fields; wholesome and without blemish.’” They said, “Now you have come with the truth.” Yet they still slaughtered it hesitantly!

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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.

— Saheeh International

˹This is˺ when a man was killed and you disputed who the killer was, but Allah revealed what you concealed.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed¹ over it, but Allah was to bring out that which you were concealing.

— Saheeh International

So We instructed, “Strike the dead body with a piece of the cow.” This is how ˹easily˺ Allah brings the dead to life, showing you His signs so that you may understand.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

So We said, "Strike him [i.e., the slain man] with part of it."¹ Thus does Allah bring the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you might reason.

— Saheeh International

Even then your hearts became hardened like a rock or even harder, for some rocks gush rivers; others split, spilling water; while others are humbled in awe of Allah. And Allah is never unaware of what you do.

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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

— Saheeh International

Do you ˹believers still˺ expect them to be true to you, though a group of them would hear the word of Allah then knowingly corrupt it after understanding it?

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do you covet [the hope, O believers], that they would believe for you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort it [i.e., the Torah] after they had understood it while they were knowing?

— Saheeh International

When they meet the believers they say, “We believe.” But in private they say ˹to each other˺, “Will you disclose to the believers the knowledge Allah has revealed to you,¹ so that they may use it against you before your Lord? Do you not understand?”

— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We have believed"; but when they are alone with one another, they say, "Do you talk to them about what Allah has revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord?" Then will you not reason?

— Saheeh International