Transliteration:( Iz qaalal hawaariyyoona yaa 'Eesab na Maryama hal yastatee'u Rabbuka ai yunaz zila alainna maaa'idatam minas samaaa'i qaalat taqul laaha in kuntum mu'mineen )
307. The word Hawari is derived from Hoor meaning pure whiteness. Hawaries were the close disciples of Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace). They were genuine and sincere believers. Some of them were launderers. Some were fishermen and some were dyers. These disciples were twelve in number.
308. At this point in time they were ignorant of rules and etiquette thus they addressed Hazrat Isa (On whom be peace) the "Spirit of Allah" by mere name and used similar types of words for Allah Almighty. However those who are ignorant of the rules of etiquette will not be regarded as disrespectful.
309. Making demands for miracles is not the way of the believers. Refusal to accept a miracle you had demanded to see results in the coming of Divine punishment.
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112. (Remember) when Al-Hawariyun said: “O `Isa, son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down to us a Ma’idah from heaven” `Isa said: “Have Taqwa of Allah, if you are indeed believers.” 113. They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in faith, and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses. ” 114. `Isa, son of Maryam, said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us — for the first and the last of us — a festival and a sign from You; and provide us sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.” 115. Allah said: “I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among the `Alamin.”
This is the story of the Ma’idah, the name of which this Surah bears, Surat Al-Ma’idah. This is also among the favors that Allah granted His servant and Messenger, `Isa, accepting his request to send the Ma’idah down, and doing so as clear proof and unequivocal evidence. Allah said,
((Remember) when Al-Hawaryun said…) the disciples of `Isa said,
(O `Isa, son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down to us a Ma’idah from heaven) The Ma’idah is the table that has food on it. Some scholars said that the disciples requested this table because they were poor and deprived. So they asked `Isa to supplicate to Allah to send a table of food down to them that they could eat from every day and thus be more able to perform the acts of worship.
(`Isa said: “Have Taqwa of Allah, if you are indeed believers.”) `Isa answered them by saying, `Have Taqwa of Allah! And do not ask for this, for it may become a trial for you, but trust in Allah for your provisions, if you are truly believers. ‘
(They said: “We wish to eat thereof.”) we need to eat from it,
(and to be stronger in faith,) when we witness it descending from heaven as sustenance for us,
(and to know that you have indeed told us the truth,) of your Message and our faith in you increases and also our knowledge,
(and that we ourselves be its witnesses.) testifying that it is a sign from Allah, as proof and evidence that you are a Prophet, and attesting to the truth of what you brought us,
(`Isa, son of Maryam, said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us — for the first and the last of us — a festival…”) As-Suddi commented that the Ayah means, “We will take that day on which the table was sent down as a day of celebration, that we and those who come after us would consider sacred.” Sufyan Ath-Thawri said that it means, “A day of prayer.”
(and a sign from You. ) proving that You are able to do all things and to accept my supplication, so that they accept what I convey to them from You,
(and provide us sustenance,) a delicious food from You that does not require any effort or hardship,
(“For You are the Best of sustainers.” Allah said: “I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves…”) by denying this sign and defying its implication, O `Isa,
(then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among the `Alamin.) among the people of your time. Allah said in similar Ayat,
(And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): “Cause Fir’awn’s people to enter the severest torment!”) ﴿40:46﴾, and,
(Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire. ) ﴿4:145﴾ Ibn Jarir said that `Abdullah bin `Amr said, “Those who will receive the severest torment on the Day of Resurrection are three: The hypocrites, those from the people of Al-Ma’idah who disbelieved in it, and the people of Fir`awn.” Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, “They said to `Isa, son of Maryam, `Supplicate to Allah to send down to us from heaven, a table spread with food.’ He also said, `So the angels brought the table down containing seven fish and seven pieces of bread and placed it before them. So the last group of people ate as the first group did.” Ibn Jarir recorded that Ishaq bin `Abdullah said that the table was sent down to `Isa son of Maryam having seven pieces of bread and seven fish, and they ate from it as much as they wished. But when some of them stole food from it, saying, “It might not come down tomorrow,” the table ascended. These statements testify that the table was sent down to the Children of Israel during the time of `Isa, son of Maryam, as a result of Allah’s accepting his supplication to Him. The apparent wording of this Ayah also states so,
(Allah said: “I am going to send it down unto you…”) ﴿5:115﴾.
(5:112) Also recall when the disciples asked Jesus,[128] son of Mary: ‘Jesus, son of Mary, has your Lord the power to send down to us a repast from the heaven?’ There- upon Jesus said: ‘Fear Allah if you do indeed have faith.’
128. Since the disciples have been mentioned here, the continuity of the subject is interrupted momentarily in order to introduce another incident connected with the disciples. This clearly shows that those who had been directly instructed by Jesus considered him merely a human being and a slave of God; they had no conception of their master either being God or a partner of God or the son of God. Jesus had, rather, presented himself to them as a slave of God with no claims to divine authority.
One might feel inclined here to raise the question: What is the occasion for this parenthetical interjection in a conversation that is to take place on the Day of Judgement? This parenthesis, in my opinion, is not in fact part of such a conversation, but rather forms part of a discussion in this world regarding a conversation that will take place on the Day of Judgement. The conversation that will take place on the Day of Judgement is mentioned here precisely in order that the Christians may derive a lesson from it and direct themselves to the right way. Hence, the mention of this incident regarding the disciples – even though it seems to interrupt the continuity of narration – is in no sense out of place.That is, are Muslims – Ed.
[289]- i.e., will Allāh consent to. (His ability is undoubted.)
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