The Manna and the Quails for food

Lesson # 935 from the Noble Quran

The Manna and the Quails for food

Surah ‘A’-RAAF (The Heights) – Chapter – 7)

 Stage – 2, Verse – 160b of 206, Section – 20 of 24 (Part - 9)

                                                                            

                             

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim    

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And We caused the clouds to overshadow them and sent down for them the Manna and the quails (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you. They wronged Us not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.

Wa  zallalNaa  ‘alayhimul-gamaama  wa  ‘an-zalNaa  ‘alay-himul-Manna  was-Sal-waa.  Kuluu  min- tayyi-baati  maa  razaq-Naakum-  wa  maa  zalamuuNaa  wa  laakin  kaanuuu  ‘anfusahum  yaz-limuun.

                                                                                                  

Lesson

                                                       

zallalNaa – (We arranged to overshadow them), origin of this word is tazliil which has been derived from the word zillatun. Zillatun means “a sunshade”, that is to say; such thing which overshadows upon any other.

Sal-waa – (we have recited this word in Surah Baqarah, which means “the Quail”). These birds used to assemble in the evening all around the Children of Israel in sufficient numbers. In the darkness, they used to catch them easily.

Manna – a sweet thing like taranjbin (Persian manna), which used to rain in abundance at night in the dew and they used to collect it in the morning.

It was told in the previous verse that twelve springs of water were flown in the jungle for the Children of Israel. In this verse, it is commanded that clouds were sent for them to be saved from the sunlight of summer season which remained over them as a shelter during the entire daylight and the Manna and the quails for their food.

In short, the water, the shelter and the food were arranged well for them in the wilderness and desert but they did not thank God and began to commit such works which were totally improper according to the circumstances:

·       They began to hoard their food for the next time. If the food is provided daily regularly in time then what is need to keep it for the next time. It is not sagacity to take stale food while the fresh food is available in time. But in accord with their old habit, they began to save the food. Consequently, that food was spoiled.

·       They began to demand different things like onion, garlic, pulse and wheat etc. in the wilderness, which was quite reason-less. According to Arabic language, such inopportune music is called tyranny.

It is commanded in the verse: They harmed themselves by saying so unwise and demanding such unseasonable things; instead of hurting Us, so they were called thankless, were impatient and in addition, they began to remain in the disposition of grief.

The human being should be thankful to Allah Almighty on that which He has given to him and he should not long for unnecessary things. Then he will see: how the life is comfortable? The behavior of the Children of Israel incurs warning for us. Those people were neither just patient nor grateful, so it was the reason that they were surrounded in many troubles.

These all matters have been reminded to them in the Holy Qur’an again and again, but defying the advice has become their addiction. Obstinacy and self-praise has become their national symbol. If they did not reap advantage from this remembrance of Holy Qur’an, they would suffer. We should be saved from such habits and reap benefit fully from the Revelations of Holy Qur’an.   

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