Rest assured that whosoever from among the Muslims or the Jews or the Christians or the Sabaeans believes in Allah and the Last Day, and performs good deeds, he will have his reward with his Lord and he will have no cause for fear and grief. 62 And [recall] when We took your covenant, [O Children of Israel, to abide by the Torah] and We raised over you the mount, [saying], "Take what We have given you with determination and remember what is in it that perhaps you may become righteous." 63 Then you turned away after that. And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have been among the losers. 64 And you know well the story of those among you who broke Sabbath. We said to them, "Be apes despised and hated by all. 65 in order to set up an example for their contemporaries and coming generations and to make it a reminder for the pious. 66 Then call to mind the other event: when Moses said to his people, "Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow," they replied, "Do you mean to have a jest with us?" He answered, "I crave Allah's protection from behaving like ignorant people." 67 They said, "Ask your Lord to make it clear to us what sort of heifer she should be." He answered, "God says she should be neither too old nor too young, but in between, so do as you are commanded." 68 They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us Her colour." He said: "He says: A fawn-coloured heifer, pure and rich in tone, the admiration of beholders!" 69 Said' they: "Pray on our behalf unto thy Sustainer that He make clear to us what she is to be like, for to us all cows resemble one another; and then, if God so wills, we shall truly be guided aright!" 70 He said: "He says: A heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish." They said: "Now hast thou brought the truth." Then they offered her in sacrifice, but not with good-will. 71