Gushing out springs for and demand of different foods by the Jews

Gushing out springs for and demand of different foods by the Jews

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verses – 60 & 61a of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And when Moses asked for water for his people, We said: Smite with thy staff the rock. So there gushed out therefrom twelve springs (so that) each tribe knew their drinking-place. Eat and drink of that which Allah hath provided, and do not act corruptly, making mischief in the earth.

Wa ‘izis-tasqaa Muusaa li-qawmihii faqulNazrib- bi- ‘Asaakal-hajar. Fan-fajarat min-husnataa ‘ashrata ‘aynaa  Qad ’alima kullu ‘unaasim-mashrabahum. Kuluu wash-rabuu mir-rizQIllaahi wa laa ta’-saw fil-‘arzi mufsidiin.

Lesson

‘Asaa – (staff, stick, club) It has been mentioned in many verses of Holy Qur’aan about the stick of Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him). This stick was bestowed to Him as a miracle. To cross the sea, a path was appeared by this stick, twelve springs began to flow by smiting the rock of stone with this staff, and it swallowed the snakes and scorpions of the magicians of Pharaoh after becoming a dragon.

‘Isnataa ‘ashrata ‘aynaa – (twelve springs) after wandering confused in the desert and barren wilderness of the peninsula of Sinai the Children of Israel reached such place where water was not available. When after searching they did not find water they enraged upon the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him). The Prophet (peace be upon Him) begged from God Almighty. He was commanded to smite the rock with His staff, so twelve springs gushed out therefrom (so that) each tribe might know their drinking-place.

It was the favor of God Almighty only that they were provided the water in a dry desert and were ordered, “Eat and drink of that which Allah hath provided, and do not spread mischief and dissension in the earth”.

It is found from this narration that whenever we do not see any support or source for eating and drinking, God, the Most High arranges and provides eatables and drinkable with His Mercy and Power. It is the duty of human being that he should beg from Him only and he should not be hopeless from His Mercy. God Almighty is “the Merciful and Kind”. If any individual disobeys, he gets loss for himself only and which the wrath descends that is due to his own evildoing.

      

And when ye said: O Moses! We are weary of one kind of food; so call upon thy Lord for us that He brings forth for us of that which the earth groweth – of its herbs and its cucumbers and its corn and its lentils and its onions. He said: Would ye exchange that which is higher for that which is lower? Go down to settled country, thus ye shall get that which ye demand.

Wa ‘iz qultum yaa-Muusaa lan-nasbira ‘alaa ta-‘aa-minw-waahidin  fad-‘u lanaa Rabbaka yukh-rij lanaa mim-maa tumbitul-‘arzu mim- baqli-haa wa qissaaa-‘ihaa wa fuu-mihaa wa ‘adasihaa wa basali-haa.  Qaala ‘atas-tabdiluunal-lazii huwa ‘adnaa billazii huwa khayr. ‘Ih-bituu misran- fa-‘inna lakum- maa sa- ‘altum.

Lesson

Misran – (city) Here, the aim from misran is any city of peninsula Sinai or in its surroundings. Literal meaning of Misr is a city of which demarcation would have been completed. However, it does not mean the country presently Egypt.

This incident was also happened in the desert and wilderness of the Peninsula of Sinai. The Children of Israel used to eat heavenly food ‘Manna and Quails’ with much taste for a long time but they became weary from this food. Although these foods were being provided to them without labor and free of cost. They said to their Prophet (peace be upon Him), “O Moses! We are weary of one kind of food; so call upon thy Lord for us that He bring forth for us of that which the earth groweth – of its herbs and its cucumbers and its corn and its lentils and its onions”. They requested to bring them toward some other place from this wilderness where all kinds of city and country foods, vegetables must be available for them.

The Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) admonished them first of all that their demand was not well. The heavenly food, which they were getting without working hard, it was much better than those things which needed hard work. But the Children of Israel resisted on their saying. Then the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) said, “Go and live in any settled city. You will attain there the food of your choice”.  

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)