Prophets Stories In Islam

Part 18. Prophet Musa and Harun: The Story of the cow.

Musa (as) stayed among his people calling them to Allah (ﷻ). It seems their souls were uneasy in a way that the observant eye could not mistake. Their obstinacy and chattering about what has become known as "The Story of the Cow" was unwarranted. This topic did not need so many negotiations between Musa (as) and the people, nor did it need all their bias.
.
It was said that among the children of Israel there lived a pious man. He was poor but very careful about how he earned the living; it had to be honestly earned. Everything that he did was done for the sake of Allah, never for selfish gain. On his deathbed his last words were: "O Allah, I place my wife, my little son, and my only possession, a calf, in Your care."
Strangely, he asked his wife to lead the calf to the forest and leave it there. He did this because he did not trust the children of Israel, for they were a selfish and greedy folk. After a few years when the boy had grown up, his mother told him: "Your father has left you a calf in the trust of Allah. It must have grown into a cow by now."
The son was surprised. He did not know of any calf all these years and asked his mother where it was.
She replied: "Be like your father and say: 'I trust in Allah,' then go look for it."
.
With a rope in his hand, he went to the forest and prostrated himself before Allah: "O Allah, Lord of Ibrahim and Yaqub and Ayyub, return to me my father's trust."
As he raised his head, he saw a cow corning towards him. It stopped submissively beside him. He tied the rope around its neck and led it to his house. The cow would not allow anyone else come near it except the young man. The youth was as pious as his father. He earned his living by cutting wood. Whatever he earned he divided into three equal portions; one he gave to his mother, one he used for his needs, and the last he gave as charity. His nights, too, were divided into three parts; during the early part of the night he helped his mother, the middle part he devoted to the worship of Allah, and during the last part he rested.
.
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, as-Suddi and others have narrated the following story:
An old man from among the Children of Israel was very rich, and he had some nephews who wished he would die soon to inherit him. One night, one of them killed him and threw his body in the middle of the road. In another narration, it has been said that they threw him upon the threshold of a man from among their people. In the morning, when his body was discovered, there was a huge furore. People started arguing about him and the identity of his killer. His nephew came and began to weep and cry.
.
Some people said: Why do you dispute over him? Why do not you go to Allah's Prophet? His nephews went to Musa (as) and lodge a complaint about the murder of their uncle. Musa (as) said: I ask each one of you in the name of Allah, that he has any knowledge about this, he should come forward and inform us.
.
However, none of them knew anything. The people then asked Musa (as) to beseech his Lord for assistance in this matter. when Musa (as) asked Allah (ﷻ) about this, He (ﷻ) ordered them to slaughter a cow. When Musa (as) conveyed this to his people, they thought he was mocking them. It seemed to them that the reply given by Allah (ﷻ) was totally unrelated to what they had asked him. Musa (as) sought refuge in Allah (ﷻ) from conveying something His behalf that He had not revealed to him.
.
It would have been sufficient if, at that time, they had slaughtered any cow. However, they asked so many questions, and inquired about so many minute details, that this simple task was purposefully made difficult for them. They questioned him about the type of cow they should slaughter, and he said: "This cow is neither young nor mature, but in between the two conditions, so do as you have been commanded."
.
Instead of following his direction, they asked him more questions. "What color must it be?"
He replied: "Verily, it is yellow in color."
They still were not satisfied with his answer and asked for more details.
Musa (as) replied: "It is an unyoked cow; it does not plow the soil nor water the tilth, and is entirely without marks."
When Musa (as) replied to all their questions and provided an accurate description, they said: ".......Now you have brought the truth......" (2:71)
.
They went out in search of such a cow. It has been said that they had a lot of difficulty in locating a cow which fit that exact description. The only one that matched the description was the one owned by the orphaned youth. They met him on the way and asked the price for which he would sell his cow, the boy refused. He told them he would have to consult his mother first, so they accompanied him to his house and offered her three gold coins. She refused their offer, saying that the cow was worth much more. They were on increasing their offer and the mother kept on refusing. Finally they urged the son to speak to his mother to be reasonable. He told them: "I will not sell the cow without my mother's approval, even if you offered me its skin filled with gold!"
On hearing this, his mother smiled and said: "Let that be the price: its skin filled with gold." They realized that no other cow would do; they had to have it at any price. They agreed to buy the cow and paid with its skin filled with gold.
.
Once the cow has been located and purchased, Musa (as) asked them to slaughter it. It is noteworthy that they slaughtered it very reluctantly. Then Musa (as) ordered them to hit the dead man's body with some of the dead cow's meat. As soon as they did that, Allah (ﷻ) brought him back to life. When he stood up, Musa (as) asked him about his killer.
He replied: My nephew killed me.
Thereafter, he died again.
.
Allah (ﷻ) has indicated that just as He brought this individual back to life after his death, He will similarly Resurrect all His slaves on the Day of Resurrection.