Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. 62 AND LO! We accepted your solemn pledge, raising Mount Sinai high above you, [and saying;] "Hold fast with [all your] strength unto what We have vouchsafed you, and bear in mind all that is therein, so that you might remain conscious of God!" 63 And you turned away after that! And had it not been for God's favour upon you and His grace, you would surely have found yourselves among the lost; 64 You certainly knew about those among you who were transgressors on the Sabbath. We commanded them, "Become detested apes," 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 When Moses said to his people, "God commands you to sacrifice a cow," they asked, "Are you mocking us?" "God forbid, how would I be so ignorant," said Moses. 67 They said, "Call upon your Lord to make clear to us what it is." [Moses] said, "[Allah] says, 'It is a cow which is neither old nor virgin, but median between that,' so do what you are commanded." 68 Said they: "Pray on our behalf unto thy Sustainer that He make clear to us what her colour should be. "[Moses] answered: "Behold; He says it is to be a yellow cow, bright of hue, pleasing to the beholder." 69 "Call on your Lord," they said, "to name its variety, as cows be all alike to us. If God wills we shall be guided aright." 70 (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a cow unyoked; she plougheth not the soil nor watereth the tilth; whole and without mark. They said: Now thou bringest the truth. So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not. 71