Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 58–61

2. Al-Baqara · The Cow

Madinan286 verses

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًۭا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًۭا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌۭ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَٰيَٰكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

2:58And when We said, ‘Enter this town, and eat thereof freely whencesoever you wish, and enter while prostrating at the gate, and say, ‘‘Relieve [us of the burden of our sins],’’ so that We may forgive your iniquities and We will soon enhance the virtuous.’1

فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ قَوْلًا غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ رِجْزًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ

2:59But the wrongdoers changed the saying with other than what they were told. So We sent down on those who were wrongdoers a plague from the sky because of the transgressions they used to commit.23

۞ وَإِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ ۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًۭا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍۢ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

2:60And when Moses prayed for water for his people, We said, ‘Strike the rock with your staff.’ Thereat twelve fountains gushed forth from it; every tribe came to know its drinking-place. ‘Eat and drink of Allah’s provision, and do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption.’45

وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًۭا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ

2:61And when you said, ‘O Moses, ‘We will not put up with one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us, so that He may bring forth for us of that which the earth grows—its greens and cucumbers, its garlic, lentils, and onions.’ He said, ‘Do you seek to replace what is superior with that which is inferior? Go down to any town and you will indeed get what you ask for!’ So they were struck with abasement and poverty, and they earned Allah’s wrath. That, because they would deny the signs of Allah and kill the prophets unjustly. That, because they would disobey and commit transgressions.67

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 59

1.The Bani Israel were so dishonest that practical obedience is something much more, they did not even want to utter the words of Hilta and forgiveness. Instead they were saying Hinta. That instead of the Hereafter they were worried for achieving worldly comforts. It was this type of behaviour that became the cause of divine chastisement. To prefer the world over the Hereafter is the worst type of behaviour.

Verse 60

2.Apparently in the world neither food descends from the sky nor a spring erupts on hitting a staff but the Almighty Allah did all this for Ilmaame Hujjat (Exhausting of the argument) and warned the people that if they became obedient of Allah they will not have to worry about economic boycott and stoppage of sustenance. We can make a spring to come out from a staff and make the Manna and Salwa to fall from the sky.

Verse 61

3.The denial of divine signs and worries about material things is the greatest tragedy of human life. One who is not satisfied of what Allah has given him and becomes greedy to get the various kinds of food; and also is not thankful, he gets nothing except poverty and need. The peculiar thing of worldly foods is that the more the variety the more there is needfulness. Man can obtain a simple diet himself. It is the pursit of quality and variety that makes him degraded and needy.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    With relation to the word Hilla one of the gates of Baitul Muqqadas is called Bab-ul-Hilla and in the Islamic traditions an infallible (Masoom) is referred to by this word.

    Benefit: Rajaz is in the meaning of divine punishment and because the Bani Israel were punished by plague the word Rajaz often denotes plague according to some traditions. The mention of the oppressions with the descent of punishment indicates that the punishment was not general. It was only upon those who deserved it and it was due to their transgression.

  2. 1

    Hitta means to throw off or brush off. That it befits the Almighty Allah that He should forgive the sins, brush them off and purify us ofthe sins.

  3. 2

    Rajaz means divine punishment.

  4. 3

    Fisq is to leave the obedience/to became disobedient.

  5. 4

    Infijar is to burst and seep away.

  6. 5

    Aaith e Fasad: To spread the most terrible mischief.

  7. 6

    Zillat: To become valueless. The Jews, due to their mischief and evil deeds had become worthless in the view of the people of reason and justice.

  8. 7

    Maskanat : To bow down before others. This is a special feature of the Jews.

    In the 61 st ayat Misr is a common noun. That is a town instead of desert and desolation. It does not denote Egypt.

  9. Benefit

    Regarding the 61st ayat it is said that desire for variety is a human quality so why should one be angry at it? The reply is that seeking variety is not a human [rait, it is the nature of comfort and it isjustified only till one does not deny the bounties of Allah and mock them.