Indeed the believers (the Muslims) and those among the Jews, the Christians, and the Sabeans who sincerely accept faith in Allah and the Last Day* and do good deeds – their reward is with their Lord; and there shall be no fear upon them nor shall they grieve. (* i.e. convert to Islam) 62 [Children of Israel], We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain high above you, saying, "Hold fast to what We have given you and bear its contents in mind, so that you may guard yourselves [against evil]." 63 Again you turned away. Had God's Grace and His Mercy not existed in your favor, you would certainly have been lost. 64 And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, so We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated. 65 So We made this punishment an example to their own and to succeeding generations and a lesson to those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2). 66 And remember Moses said to his people: "Allah commands that ye sacrifice a heifer." They said: "Makest thou a laughing-stock of us?" He said: "Allah save me from being an ignorant (fool)!" 67 They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is. Musa 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. 68 They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is. Musa said: He says, Surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving delight to the beholders. 69 They said supplicate for us unto thy Lord that He make manifest unto us whatever she should be, for verily the cow hath become dubious unto us and verily we, if God will, shall be guided. 70 He said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to plow the earth nor to irrigate the field, one free from fault with no spot upon her.' " They said, "Now you have come with the truth." So they slaughtered her, but they could hardly do it. 71