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 (35) Does Allah Charge Any Soul Beyond its Scope?

The Outcome of those who Believe in Muhammad and Perform Righteous Deeds

The Believers shall Abide in the Paradise Forever Never to Die or be Removed

Who are the Rightful owners of the Paradise?

What if the Believers who Abide in the Paradise have had Rancor between them in the Life of this World?

What the Believers will say once they Have Settled in the Paradise?

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Many people do not know Allah. This series is an attempt to help them in order to know and acknowledge their Creator.

Verses 7:42-43 of the Noble Quran talk about:

1) Does Allah Charge any Soul Beyond its Scope?

2) The Outcome of those who Believe in Muhammad and Perform Righteous Deeds,

3) The Believers shall Abide in the Paradise Forever Never to Die or be Removed,

4) Who are the Rightful owners of the Paradise?

5) What if the Believers who Abide in the Paradise have had Rancor between them in the life of this world? And

6) What the Believers will say once they Have Settled in the Paradise?

 

In the previous article, the outcome of the disbelievers shall be the Eternal Fire,  Theirs will be a bed of hell, a bed of fire, and over them coverings of hell, of fire. Thus does Allah requite wrong-doers, the evildoers.  Now the question is: Have the disbelievers disbelieved because Allah has charged their soul beyond its scope its capacity for action?  The following verse answers this question:

 

The meaning of verse 7:42

Concerning the faith and deeds; Allah does not charge any soul beyond its scope, its capacity for action, Allah does not tax any soul in its effort beyond its capability; Allah never charge a soul with more than it can bear; in other words, Allah does not burden or place on any soul, but that which it can bear.

And for those who believe in Muhammad, and the Quran and perform righteous deeds and do good works

those are the inhabitants of Paradise, abiding therein

They, i.e. the believers, are rightful owners of the Garden, the folk of Paradise. They abide therein forever never to die or be removed.

 

The meaning of verse 7:43

What if the believers who shall abide in the Paradise have had between them, in the life of this world, rancor, resentment, bitterness etc.?

Allah shall strip away all rancor, resentment, bitterness etc. Allah shall strip away all spite that existed between them in the world, that is in their breasts; 

and wherein they shall abide in the Paradise, beneath their palaces, the rivers flow;

and they will say, once they have settled in their dwellings: ‘Praise be to Allah, Who guided us to this, action, the reward of which is this Paradise; for we would surely never have been guided if Allah had not guided us.

Verily the messengers of our Lord did bring the truth.’

And it is cried to them: ‘This is your Paradise; you have inherited it for what you used to do’.

It is also said that the verse means that Allah will remove whatever rancor, resentful envy or enmity may be in their hearts in the life of this world. Rivers of wine, water, honey and milk flow beneath them beneath their habitations and beds in the Hereafter. And they say when they reach their habitations; and it is said: when they reach the source of life: The praise to Allah gratitude and benevolence are Allah’s, Who has guided us to this habitation and source. We could not truly have been led aright if Allah had not guided us to it;

it is also said that when they see Allah’s favor when He bestowed faith upon them, they said: praise and thanks are due to Allah Who has guided us to the religion of Islam, and we would not have been guided to the religion of Islam had not Allah guided us to it.

Then they will say: ‘Verily the messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth, they brought truth, glad tiding, reward and favor.

And it is cried unto them (the Angels will say unto them): This is the Garden, This is the Paradise. You inherit it, you were given it for what you used to do and say of good things in the life of this world.

 

It would be fruitful to compare between the believers and the disbelievers as regards their circumstances and outcome.

What each of the two party shall say in the afterlife?

What each of the two party shall have in the afterlife?

What Allah shall say unto each of the two party?

What the Angels shall say unto each of the two party?

The interested reader could find out the answer of these question when comparing the present article with the articles 33 through 37.

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Verses 7:42-43in different English translations of the meanings of Arabic Quran:

QARIB:

42) As for those who believe and do good works we never charge a soul with more than it can bear they are the companions of paradise, and there they shall live for ever.

43) We shall strip away all rancor from their chests. rivers shall flow underneath them, and they shall say: ‘praise be to Allah who has guided us to this. had Allah not given us guidance we should not have been guided. the messengers of our lord surely came with the truth. ‘ then they are called: ‘this is the paradise which you have inherited for what you did. ‘

 

SHAKIR:

42) And (as for) those who believe and do good we do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability– they are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide

43) And we will remove whatever of ill-feeling is in their breasts; the rivers shall flow beneath them and they shall say: all praise is due to Allah who guided us to this, and we would not have found the way had it not been that Allah had guided us; certainly the messengers of our lord brought the truth; and it shall be cried out to them that this is the garden of which you are made heirs for what you did

 

PICKTHAL:

42) But (as for) those who believe and do good works – we tax not any soul beyond its scope – such are rightful owners of the garden. they abide therein.

43) And we remove whatever rancour may be in their hearts. rivers flow beneath them. and they say: the praise to Allah, who hath guided us to this. we could not truly have been led aright if Allah had not guided us. verily the messengers of our lord did bring the truth. and it is cried unto them: this is the garden. ye inherit it for what ye used to do.

 

YUSUFALI:

42) But those who believe and work righteousness,- no burden do we place on any soul, but that which it can bear,- they will be companions of the garden, therein to dwell (forever).

43) And we shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury;- beneath them will be rivers flowing;- and they shall say: “praise be to Allah, who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of Allah: indeed it was the truth, that the messengers of our lord brought unto us.” and they shall hear the cry: “behold! the garden before you! ye have been made its inheritors, for your deeds (of righteousness).”