the people of the Cow: when Moses—peace be upon him—said to them, “Slaughter a cow, take a piece of it, and strike the slain man with it.” The murdered man belonged to two rival clans; one accused the other of the killing while the latter denied it. The victim lay dead and there were no witnesses.

So they came to Moses, and by Allah’s command he ordered them to sacrifice a cow. Had they slaughtered any cow at that moment, their need would have been fulfilled. Instead they kept asking, “What kind of cow? What color? Exactly which one?” They kept making the matter tighter, so Allah tightened it for them, until they finally slaughtered it—though they had almost failed to do so.

The point is that excessive questioning and disputing with the prophets is a cause of destruction. All of this, as I have said, applied during the era of prophethood, the age of revelation.

Today, however, ask about whatever you genuinely need to know and there is no blame on you.

As for convoluted questions, riddles, and matters posed only to impose severity and obstinacy, these are forbidden, for the Prophet ﷺ said: “The overzealous are ruined, the overzealous are ruined, the overzealous are ruined.” Allah knows best.

1273 – On his authority it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ was asked, “Which deed is best?” He replied, “Faith in Allah and His Messenger.” It was asked, “Then what?” He said, “Striving in the path of Allah.” It was asked, “Then what?” He answered, “An accepted pilgrimage.” Agreed upon.