The Cow That Solved a Mystery

3
# Min Read

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:67–73

I had never seen such a gathering in our village before. Everyone was shouting, pointing fingers, and accusing one another. I was just a young boy at the time—too young, they thought, to understand what was going on. But I listened to everything. That day changed me forever.

It started with the man who had been killed. No one knew who had done it, and fear filled our homes like thick smoke. Our leaders argued, searching for answers, until someone finally said what many were thinking: “Ask Musa.”

Musa — that’s the Prophet Moses, sent by Allah to guide the Children of Israel — was a man respected by all. When he spoke, we listened. So when he returned from praying and told us what Allah had revealed, the entire crowd hushed.

“Allah commands you to slaughter a cow,” Musa said calmly.

At first, I thought I had heard wrong. A cow? What did that have to do with the murder?

Our elders reacted with stubbornness. “Are you mocking us?” they asked. But Musa answered plainly, “I seek refuge with Allah from being among the ignorant.”

Still, they wouldn’t act. They kept asking questions — what color, what age, what kind of cow exactly. I could feel Musa’s sadness growing. He wanted us to trust Allah. But instead, we made things hard for ourselves by delaying, questioning, doubting.

Finally, after all the back-and-forth, someone found a cow that fit the exact details: yellow, bright, never used for work. But the man who owned it didn’t want to sell. I later learned that he charged a high price, and we paid for it — all because we kept hesitating when we should have obeyed.

When the cow was finally slaughtered, Musa told us to strike part of it against the body of the dead man. I watched carefully, standing behind my uncle. At first nothing happened. Then, the man on the ground sat up—alive—and pointed out his killer. Gasps filled the air.

Everyone stood still, staring at the man who had returned to life by the will of Allah. Then just as quickly, he lay back down, and his soul returned to Allah.

I was frozen. My heart pounded. I didn’t know what to think. But one thing was clear: everything Prophet Musa said was true.

That miracle wasn’t just about solving a murder. It taught me that obeying Allah — even when the command seems strange or difficult — leads to truth. When we doubt and delay, we only make things harder. But when we trust, Allah opens doors we could never imagine.

To this day, when I find something in life confusing, I remember that yellow cow and the man who woke up after death. Allah’s power is greater than our understanding. And His commands are always full of wisdom, even if we don’t see it yet.

Story Note: Inspired by Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 2:67–73.

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I had never seen such a gathering in our village before. Everyone was shouting, pointing fingers, and accusing one another. I was just a young boy at the time—too young, they thought, to understand what was going on. But I listened to everything. That day changed me forever.

It started with the man who had been killed. No one knew who had done it, and fear filled our homes like thick smoke. Our leaders argued, searching for answers, until someone finally said what many were thinking: “Ask Musa.”

Musa — that’s the Prophet Moses, sent by Allah to guide the Children of Israel — was a man respected by all. When he spoke, we listened. So when he returned from praying and told us what Allah had revealed, the entire crowd hushed.

“Allah commands you to slaughter a cow,” Musa said calmly.

At first, I thought I had heard wrong. A cow? What did that have to do with the murder?

Our elders reacted with stubbornness. “Are you mocking us?” they asked. But Musa answered plainly, “I seek refuge with Allah from being among the ignorant.”

Still, they wouldn’t act. They kept asking questions — what color, what age, what kind of cow exactly. I could feel Musa’s sadness growing. He wanted us to trust Allah. But instead, we made things hard for ourselves by delaying, questioning, doubting.

Finally, after all the back-and-forth, someone found a cow that fit the exact details: yellow, bright, never used for work. But the man who owned it didn’t want to sell. I later learned that he charged a high price, and we paid for it — all because we kept hesitating when we should have obeyed.

When the cow was finally slaughtered, Musa told us to strike part of it against the body of the dead man. I watched carefully, standing behind my uncle. At first nothing happened. Then, the man on the ground sat up—alive—and pointed out his killer. Gasps filled the air.

Everyone stood still, staring at the man who had returned to life by the will of Allah. Then just as quickly, he lay back down, and his soul returned to Allah.

I was frozen. My heart pounded. I didn’t know what to think. But one thing was clear: everything Prophet Musa said was true.

That miracle wasn’t just about solving a murder. It taught me that obeying Allah — even when the command seems strange or difficult — leads to truth. When we doubt and delay, we only make things harder. But when we trust, Allah opens doors we could never imagine.

To this day, when I find something in life confusing, I remember that yellow cow and the man who woke up after death. Allah’s power is greater than our understanding. And His commands are always full of wisdom, even if we don’t see it yet.

Story Note: Inspired by Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 2:67–73.

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