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 (remember, O Children of Israel) when We made a covenant with you and caused the mount to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil). 63 Then you turned away thereafter, and but for the bounty and mercy of God towards you, you had been of the losers. 64 And you had already known about those who transgressed among you concerning the sabbath, and We said to them, "Be apes, despised." 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 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 "Call on your Lord for us," they said, "that He might inform us what kind she should be." "Neither old nor young, says God, but of age in between," answered Moses. "So do as you are bid." 68 They said: supplicate for us unto thy Lord that He make manifest unto us whatever her colour should be. He said: verily He saith, she should be a yellow cow the colour whereof is deepest, delighting the beholders. 69 They said, "We are confused about the cow, for to us all cows look alike. Ask your Lord to tell us exactly what the cow looks like, so that God willing, we shall have the right description." 70 He replied: 'He says: "She is a cow, neither worn out plowing the earth nor watering the field, one kept secure free from any blemish."' 'Now you have brought us the truth' they answered. And they slaughtered her, after they had been reluctant to do so. 71