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In the Quran, several accounts concerning the Children of Israel feature animals, each becoming the occasion for a trial or a teaching. Three examples stand out in particular: the cow mentioned in Surah Al-Baqara, the quails and manna offered during the journey through the desert, and the fish of the Sabbath mentioned in Surah Al-A'raf.

The Cow of Al-Baqara

The longest surah in the Quran, Al-Baqara ("The Cow"), takes its name from an episode in which Allah commands the Children of Israel to sacrifice a cow to resolve a matter of murder. Rather than obeying straightaway, they multiply their questions about the color, age, and appearance of the animal, thereby delaying the execution of the divine command. This account is often cited by scholars as an illustration of excessive discussion that can arise in the face of an otherwise clear commandment. It is reported that the cow finally sacrificed was a bright yellow color, as the Quranic text specifies.

﴿ قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ ﴾

They said: "Call upon your Lord for us to make clear to us what her color is." He said: "Allah says it is a bright yellow cow, a pleasure to behold."

(Surah Al-Baqara, verse 69)

The Quails and Manna in the Desert

Another episode, mentioned in both Surah Al-Baqara and Surah Ta-Ha, recounts how Allah sent down upon the Children of Israel manna and quails ("man wa salwa") while they wandered in the desert after their exodus from Egypt. This nourishing gift came to meet their most immediate need in a hostile environment where survival seemed uncertain. According to some exegetes, the quails arrived in abundance, allowing every family to eat without want, while the manna completed this sustenance with a sweet food descended from the heavens.

This renewed gift illustrates divine providence toward a tested people, yet also, according to the accounts, the ingratitude that sometimes followed this generosity, with the Children of Israel demanding more varied food even as this was being given to them without effort.

The Fish of the Sabbath

Surah Al-A'raf recounts the story of a coastal community among the Children of Israel to whom it had been commanded to observe the rest of the Sabbath. It is reported that fish abounded near the shore precisely on that day, as a trial, while they were scarce on other days. Some inhabitants gave in to the temptation to fish despite the prohibition, seeking ways to circumvent the order they had received, while others remained faithful to the commitment they had made. This account, often discussed among scholars, sheds light on the question of integrity when faced with a trial concealed beneath an innocent appearance, that of a simple fish swimming near the shore.

A Lesson in Compassion

These accounts, though centered on the Children of Israel and their spiritual trials, remind us how much animals hold a constant place in the divine design: at times a symbol of obedience through a prescribed sacrifice, at times a sign of mercy through providential food, and at times an occasion for temptation through forbidden fishing. In each of these cases, the animal is never a mere detail of the backdrop: it plays a full part in the teaching transmitted. To recall these accounts invites one to regard every creature with mindfulness and respect, recognizing that it may, in its own way, bear a lesson greater than itself, and that it therefore deserves to be treated with gentleness and consideration.

Cow

Bos taurus · Not evaluated