The Cow in Bible vs. Quran

In the Bible, God says: 1) the lion will eat straw like the ox; 2) you will bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement, etc. In addition, The Lord God will use a razor hired from beyond the River.

On the other hand, the Quran talks about the Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite etc.

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The Cow is mentioned 34 in the Bible and four times in the Quran.

The Bible talks about 11 issues related to the cows; they are:

1) The lion will eat straw like the ox.

2) God will let you bake your bread over cow manure

3) God will use a hired razor

4) Do not slaughter a cow and its young on the same day.

5) Jacob’s gift to his brother was 40 cows

6) The Pharaoh’s dream of fat and lean cows.

7) The decoration of the Tent of Meeting and the Alter by Sea cows

8) Cheese from cows’ milk for David

9) Their cows calve and do not miscarry

10) The two cows did a good favor but they burnt them

11) The cows of Bashan is a symbol of Israel.

 

On the other hand, the Quran talks about three issues related to the cows; they are:

1) The Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite

2) What is forbidden to eat, the male, the female, or the newborn cow?

3) Joseph interpreted the Egyptian\s King’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows

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The Cow in the Bible

 

1) The lion will eat straw like the ox.

Isaiah 11:7

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

 

2) The Lord God will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement.”

Ezekiel 4:15

“Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement.”

 

3) The Lord God will use a razor hired from beyond the River

I wonder why the Lord uses a razor hired from beyond the River. Why He does not have a razor?

Isaiah 7:20 & 21

20- In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River the king of Assyria to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also.

21- In that day, a man will keep alive a young cow and two goats.

 

4) Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

Leviticus 22:28

Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

 

5) A part of Jacob’s gift to his brother was 40 cows

Genesis 32:15

Thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

If they (the cows) are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.

In fact, this is not true from the scientific point of view

Genesis 33:13

But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die.

 

6) The Pharaoh’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows.

Genesis 41:2-4, 18-20, 26 and 27

2-When out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.

3-After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank.

4-And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

18-When out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds.

19-After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt.

20-The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first.

26-The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

27-The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

 

7) The decoration of the Tent of Meeting by Sea cows, acacia wood, shielding curtain, scarlet cloth, ram skins, the tent, goat hair, scarlet yarn and linen.

Exodus 25:5

Ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood;

Exodus 26:14

Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows.

Exodus 35:7

Ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood;

Exodus 35:23

Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them.

Exodus 36:19

Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of hides of sea cows.

Exodus 39:34

The covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of hides of sea cows and the shielding curtain;

Numbers 4:6

Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.

Numbers 4:8

Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

Numbers 4:10

Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of hides of sea cows and put it on a carrying frame.

Numbers 4:11

Over the gold altar, they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

Numbers 4:12, 14 and 25

12-They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put them on a carrying frame.

14-Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.

25-They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the outer covering of hides of sea cows, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

 

8) Cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.

2 Samuel 17:29

honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert.”

 

9) Their cows calve and do not miscarry

Job 21:10

Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry.

 

10) The two cows did a good favor but the people sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

1 Samuel 6:7, 10, 12 and 14

7-“Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.

10-So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves.

12-Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.

14-The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and there it stopped beside a large rock. The people chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the LORD.

 

11) The cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands” is a symbol of Israel?

Amos 4:1

[Israel Has Not Returned to God] Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!”

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The Cow in the Quran

1) The Story of the cow and the revival of the killed Israelite:

One Israelite was found killed. All the Israelites gathered around Moses asking him to find out who killed the man. Moses asked Allah. Allah commanded the Israelites to slaughter a cow, any cow. The Israelites yelled at Moses: are you fooling! Moses said this is Allah’s command. Then they ask about the cow age, color, marital status and they made it difficult to find out such a cow. Finally they did. Allah commanded Moses to lightly knock the killed man with a part of the slaughtered cow. The killed man woke up and told them who killed him.

This story has some deep theological significance; Allah showed up to the Israelites that

  • The cow is a sign for Allah the Creator,
  • The cow is by no means a god and
  • Allah is able to woke-up the dead.

This is because the Israelites worshiped the cow and the ox and considered the cow a god.

Also, the Israelites deny the afterlife.

In addition, this story is not found in the Bible.

Surah 2: 67-73

67- and when Moses said to his people: surely Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow; they said: do you ridicule us? He said: I seek the protection of Allah from being one of the ignorant (fool)!”

68- They said: call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she (the cow) is. Moses said: he says, surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age between that (and this); do therefore what you are commanded

69- They said: call on your lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is. Moses said: he says, surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving delight to the beholders

70- they said: call on your lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is, for surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright

71- Moses said: he says, surely she is a cow not made submissive that she should plough the land, nor does she irrigate the tilth; sound, without a blemish in her. they said: now you have brought the truth; so they sacrificed her, though they had not the mind to do (it)

72- And when you killed a man, then you disagreed with respect to that, and Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide

73- so we said: strike the (dead body) with part of the (sacrificed cow), thus Allah brings the dead to life, and he shows you his signs so that you may understand

 

2) What is forbidden to eat, the male, the female, or the newborn cow?

The idolater Ignorant Arabs before Islam had some diverse religious traditions about the cows.

Some believed that it is eating the male cow (bull) is forbidden

Others believed that eating the female cow is forbidden.

Another Ignorant idolater Arabs believed that eating the first newborn cow is forbidden.

The Quran warns anyone who is saying that; the Quran says:

  • Is this Allah’s commandments or a forged invented lie?
  • Were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this?

This issue is not found in the Bible.

Surah 6:144

And of camels a pair, and cows a pair cows. Say: has he forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely, Allah does not guide the unjust people

 

3) Joseph interpreted the Egyptian\s King’s dream of the fat cows and the seven lean cows

The Bible says that the lean cows were ugly.

The Quran does not say that.

In order to know the difference between the story of Joseph and Pharaoh in Bible vs. Quran, I recommend you smart reader to read the Story of the Prophet Joseph, the son of the Prophet Jacob it in both books.

Surah 12:43 and 46

43- The king (of Egypt) said: “i do see (in a vision) seven fat kine (cows), whom seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven (others) withered. o ye chiefs! Expound to me my vision if it be that ye can interpret visions.”

46- The chief cupbearer said “O Joseph! O man of truth! Expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine (cows) whom seven lean ones devour, and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: that i may return to the people, and that they may understand.”

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Back to the main issue of my series of articles (1-39); this is my question to you smart readers: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible “?

Professor Dr. Ibrahim Khalil wrote this article

http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/the-cow-in-bible-and-quran-128385.html

This is Allah (60) Moses said: Seek Help in Allah and Endure the Affliction

1) Moses Said unto His people: Seek Help in Allah and Endure the Affliction

Moses said unto his people: Seek help in Allah and endure the affliction. Be patient, their (the Egyptians) persecution.

2)The land is Allah’s. He Gives it for an Inheritance to whom He Will

Moses said unto his people:

Lo! the land of Egypt is Allah’s.  He bequeaths it, He gives it for an inheritance to whom He will.

3) The Israelites said to Moses: We Suffered Hurt Since You Have Come to Us

The Israelites said to Moses: We suffered hurt, we were tormented by the killing of our sons, the use of our women and also by working, before you came to us, and since you have come to us with the message.

4) Moses Said: the Sequel Paradise is for Those Who Keep their Duty unto Allah

Moses said unto his people:

Be patient. And lo! the sequel Paradise is for those who keep their duty unto Allah; those who ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies.  The, praiseworthy, sequel belongs to those who are wary, of Allah.

5) Moses Said unto his People: Allah Will Destroy Your Enemy that He May See How You Shall Act

Moses said unto the Israelites:

it may be that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary, Pharaoh and his council, that Allah may see how you behave with regard to obeying Him.

6) Allah Straitened Pharaoh’s Folk with the Dearth of Vegetation Year after Year

Allah straitened Pharaoh’s folk with drought and the dearth of vegetation, that they might take admonition, and become believers.

7) Allah Seized Pharaoh’s Folk with Famine that they Might Take Admonition

Allah seized Pharaoh’s folk with the years, of famine so that they might remember, that they might heed the admonition, and become believers.

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Many people do not know Allah. This series (1-60) is an attempt to help them to know their Creator.

Verses 7:128—130 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) Moses said unto his people: Seek help in Allah and endure the affliction, and He said also: The land is Allah’s. He gives it for an inheritance to whom He will, 2) The Israelites said to Moses: We suffered hurt before you came to us and since you have come to us, 3) Moses said: Be patient, the sequel Paradise is for those who keep their duty unto Allah , 4) Moses said: Allah will destroy Pharaoh, that He may see how you shall act,  5) Allah straitened Pharaoh’s folk with the dearth of vegetation year after year and 6) Allah seized them with famine that they might take admonition

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In the previous articles (55-59)

Pharaoh has every one of the Egyptian sorcerers crucified after cutting their hands and feet.

Then the chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said to Pharaoh:

O King, Will you leave Moses and his people to work corruption in the land, by calling to disobedience against you, and flout you and your gods?

Will you leave Moses and his people to make mischief in the land by changing the religion and worship, and abandon you and the worship of your gods?

It is also said that this means, according to a different reading: and leave worshipping you as a god?

Pharaoh said:

We will slay their sons, their young sons, as we did the first time and spare their grown up women,

We shall slaughter their new-born sons and spare their women, keeping them alive, as we did with them before.  For lo! we are in power over them; we have dominance and supremacy over them, and they did this to them, and so the Children of Israel grieved.  Then what?

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The meaning of verse 7:128

Moses said unto his people:

Seek help in Allah and endure the affliction. Be patient, their (the Egyptians) persecution. Lo! the land of Egypt is Allah’s.  He bequeaths it, He gives it for an inheritance to whom He will from among His servants. And lo! the sequel Paradise is for those who keep their duty unto Allah; those who ward off disbelief, idolatry and indecencies.  The, praiseworthy, sequel belongs to those who are wary, of Allah.

The meaning of verse 7:129

They (Moses’ people) said:

‘We suffered hurt, we were tormented by the killing of our sons, the use of our women and also by working before you came to us, and since you have come to us with the message.’

Moses said unto them:

it may be that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary, Pharaoh and his council by means of drought and hunger etc.; and make you vicegerents in the earth, make you in the inhabitants of the land of Egypt, that Allah may see how you behave with regard to obeying Him.

In other words, Moses said unto his people: Perhaps your Lord, Allah, will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, that He may observe how you shall act in it.

The meaning of verse 7:130

And verily Allah seized Pharaoh’s folk with the years, of drought, and dearth of fruits, so that they might remember, that they might heed the admonition, and become believers.

In other words, Allah straitened Pharaoh’s folk with famine and hunger, year after year and the dearth of vegetation, that they might take admonition.

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Verses 7:128–130 in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:

QARIB:

128) Moses said to his nation: ‘seek help from Allah and be patient. the earth belongs to Allah; he gives it as a heritage to whom he chooses amongst his worshipers. the outcome is for the cautious. ‘

129) They replied: ‘we were hurt before you came to us, and after you came to us. ‘ he said: ‘your Lord may destroy your enemies and make you inheritors in the land. then he will see how you conduct yourselves. ‘

130) We seized pharaoh’s people with years of drought and scarcity of fruit so that they might remember.

SHAKIR:

128) Musa said to his people: ask help from Allah and be patient; surely the land is Allah’s; he causes such of his servants to inherit it as he pleases, and the end is for those who guard (against evil)

129) They said: we have been persecuted before you came to us and since you have come to us. he said: it may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land, then he will see how you act

130) And certainly we overtook Firon’s people with droughts and diminution of fruits that they may be mindful

PICKTHAL:

128) And Moses said unto his people: seek help in Allah and endure. lo! the earth is Allah’s. he giveth it for an inheritance to whom he will. and lo! the sequel is for those who keep their duty (unto him).

129) They said: we suffered hurt before thou camest unto us, and since thou hast come unto us. he said: it may be that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary and make you viceroys in the earth, that he may see how ye behave.

130) And we straitened pharaoh’s folk with famine and dearth of fruits, that peradventure they might heed.

YUSUFALI:

128) Said Moses to his people: “pray for help from Allah, and (wait) in patience and constancy: for the earth is Allah’s, to give as a heritage to such of his servants as he pleaseth; and the end is (best) for the righteous.

129) They said: “we have had (nothing but) trouble, both before and after thou camest to us.” he said: “it may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you inheritors in the earth; that so he may try you by your deeds.”

130) We punished the people of pharaoh with years (of droughts) and shortness of crops; that they might receive admonition.

Allah Asks (32): Are not they tried once or twice every year?

In the Noble Quran, Allah is asking mankind some important questions.
It seems compulsory for the serious one who is looking for the truth to have a look at those questions and if possible to answer them.
Allah’ questions are many in the Quran.

In this series, these questions are randomly picked.
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In verses 9:126-129 of the Noble Quran, Allah asks mankind this question: do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice?
It is noticeable that mankind anywhere and everywhere is tested at least once a year with disasters and catastrophes e.g. Hurricane, Flood, Earthquakes, drought, misfortune famine, diseases etc.
However, still they do not repent of their disbelief nor do they remember or do they heed admonition.
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Verses 9:126-129 of the Noble Quran give the question of this article and talk about it.
The meanings of the verses 9:126-129

Verse 9:126 says:
Do they not see that they are tested, afflicted and tried every year once or twice?
It is noticeable that mankind anywhere and everywhere is tested at least once a year with drought, disaster, catastrophe, misfortune and/or diseases.
Still they do not repent of their disbelief nor do they remember or do they heed admonition.

 

Verse 9:127 says:
And whenever a Surah is revealed, whenever the Angel Gabriel brings down a Surah exposing the fault of the hypocrites and the Prophet Muhammad used to recite to them; they, the hypocrites look one at another as who should say: Dos anybody among the sincere believers see you? Then they turn away from the prayer, the sermon, the Truth and guidance.
Allah turns away their hearts from the Truth and guidance.
It is also said: they swerved from the truth and guidance, and so Allah swerved their hearts from the truth and guidance because they are a folk who understand not, nor believe in the command of Allah.

 

Verse 9:128 says:
Verily there has come to you a messenger from among yourselves, O man, that is, Muhammad; for whom it is grievous, hard, that you should suffer, that is, your suffering, your experiencing hardship and encountering harm [is hard on him]; who is full of concern for you, that you should be rightly guided; to the believers full of pity, profoundly compassionate, merciful, desiring good for them.

 

Verse 9:129 says:
Now, if they turn away from faith, repentance and that which you have told them O Muhammad; say: Allah suffices me my trust is in Allah.
There is no God save Him; there is no protector or helper except Him.
In Him have I put my trust, I put my trust in and rely on Him, and
He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne.
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Verses 9:126-129 in different translations:

 

QARIB:

126) Do they not see how once or twice every year they are tried? Yet still they neither repent nor remember.
127) whenever a chapter is sent down, they glance at each other, (asking): ‘does anyone see you? ‘Then they turn away. Allah has turned away their hearts, for they are nations who do not understand.
128) Indeed, there has come to you a messenger from your own, he grieves for your suffering, and is anxious about you, and is gentle, merciful to the believers.
129) Therefore, if they turn away, say: ‘Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god except he. In him I have put my trust. He is the lord of the mighty throne. ‘

SHAKIR:

126) Do they not see that they are tried once or twice in every year, yet they do not turn (to Allah) nor do they mind
127) And whenever a chapter is revealed, they cast glances at one another: does any one see you? Then they turn away: Allah has turned away their hearts because they are a people who do not understand
128) Certainly a messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively solicitous respecting you; to the believers (he is) compassionate,
129) But if they turn back, say: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no god but he; on him do I rely, and he is the lord of mighty power

PICKTHAL:

126) See they not that they are tested once or twice in every year? Still they turn not in repentance, neither pay they heed.
127) And whenever a Surah is revealed, they look one at another (as who should say): doth anybody see you? Then they turn away. Allah turneth away their hearts because they are a folk who understand not.
128) There hath come unto you a messenger, (one) of yourselves, unto whom aught that ye are overburdened is grievous, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, merciful.
129) Now, if they turn away (o Muhammad) say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no Allah save him. in him have I put my trust, and he is lord of the tremendous throne.

YUSUFALI:

126) See they not that they are tried every year once or twice? yet they turn not in repentance, and they take no heed

127) Whenever there cometh down a Sura, they look at each other, (saying), “doth anyone see you?” then they turn aside: Allah hath turned their hearts (from the light); for they are a people that understand not.

128) Now hath come unto you a messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that ye should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the believers is he most kind and merciful.

129) But if they turn away, say: “Allah sufficeth me: there is no god but he: on him is my trust, – he the lord of the throne (of glory) supreme!”