Sura 2:65-69 - apes, the Sabbath, and the cow (OP)
Hello,
I had a few questions on this passage.
Verses 65-66 - "And ye know of those of you who broke the Sabbath, how We said unto
them: Be ye apes, despised and hated! And We made it an example to their own and to
succeeding generations, and an admonition to the God-fearing" (quranexplorer)
Were they really turned into apes or did they just appear to be apes? Does the Quran or
Hadiths record this type of punishment for Muslims who break the Sabbath? Or was
this a one time punishment?
Verses 67-69 - "They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us what (cow) she is. (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith, Verily she is a cow neither with calf nor
immature; (she is) between the two conditions; so do that which ye are commanded.
They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us of what colour she is.
(Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a yellow cow ... the truth. So they
sacrificed her, though almost they did not" (quranexplorer)
Was Muhammad referring to other people? (because the Jews actually used a red heifer.
See Numbers chapter 19 in the Torah) Also, only the priests could sacrifice the red heifer.
The Quran seems to imply non-priests could sacrifice the heifer. Is that possible?
I'm not diagreeing with you. I accept that the verse in question can be a metaphor, however, I also believe that it can be literal as the people around that town would be able to SEE the punishment. Let's agree to disagree (sort of) and move on.
I'm not diagreeing with you. I accept that the verse in question can be a metaphor, however, I also believe that it can be literal as the people around that town would be able to SEE the punishment. Let's agree to disagree (sort of) and move on.
Fair enough. I accept there is a possibility. But, I think personal judgments should be kept out of a scholar's interpretation of a historical event. Especially if that scholar happened to be amongst the most knowledgeable on the Holy Qur'an there is. That is my point. But yes, I would like to move on now as well.
Now let me answer your Q from an Islamic perspective if that is truly what interests you and there's not an agenda behind your Q.
first reason it was a cow and not some other animal is because that which they worshiped and right after they were saved from the pharaoh after Moses performed the miracle of parting the sea was a calf.
and why Yellow, is because that calf they worshiped was from the gold they stole from Egypt. So and not Muhammad who authored the Quran intended by it a lesson to the Jews. Now with this they've fully obliterated the creed of shrik!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Does anyone else find the premise here faulty? Muhammad didn't author the Quran- So are you questioning God?
Thanks. The question was answered by a previous poster. There seems to be various
opinions on whether they turned into literal apes or were just made to appear so.
Thanks. The question was answered by a previous poster. There seems to be various
opinions on whether they turned into literal apes or were just made to appear so.
Jim
My reply was to take care of the alleged red cow and your emphasis that 'Muhammad' made a mistake.
As for the rest it is irrelevant. I wanted to clarify what needed be from an Islamic point of view!
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
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didn't author the Quran- So are you questioning God?
and not Muhammad 
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