THE NATION OF MANNWA SALVAA 1

BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

English Transliteration

[002:061 Wa-ith (and remember when) qultum (you said) ya moosa (Oh Moses) lan
(shall not) nasbira (we endure) AAala (on) taAAamin (food) wahidin (one one kind of)
faodAAu (so invoke) lana (for us) rabbaka (your Lord) yukhrij (to bring forth) lana
(for us) mimma (of what) tunbitu (grows) al-ardu (the earth) min (of) baqliha (its
herbs) waqiththa-iha (and its cucumbers) wafoomiha (and its garlic) waAAadasiha
(and its lentils) wabasaliha (and its onions) qala (he said) atastabdiloona (would you
take in exchange) allathee (that) huwa (which) adna (is lower) biallathee (for that)
huwa (which) khayrun (is better) ihbitoo (go you down) misran (to any town) fa-inna
(and indeed) lakum (for you is) ma (what) saaltum (you have asked for) waduribat
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BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

(and were stamped stuck) AAalayhimu (upon them) alththillatu (humilation)

waalmaskanatu (and misery) wabaoo (and they drew) bighadabin (anger) mina (from)
Allahi (Allah) thalika (that was) bi-annahum (because they) kanoo (used to) yakfuroona
(disbelieve) bi-ayati (in the Singsn, Verses) Allahi (of Allah) wayaqtuloona (and kill)
alnnabiyyeena (the Prophets) bighayri (without) alhaqqi (just cause) thalika (that was)
bima (because) AAasaw (they disobeyed) wakanoo (and used to) yaAAtadoona
(transgress)]

[002:062 Inna allatheena amanoo waallatheena hadoo waalnnasara waalssabi-eena man

amana biAllahi waalyawmi al-akhiri waAAamila salihan falahum ajruhum AAinda
rabbihim wala khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoona]

Translation

[002:61 And remember ye said: "O Moses! We cannot endure one kind of food (always);
so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, -its pot-herbs, and
cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions." He said: "Will ye exchange the better for the
worse? Go ye down to any town, and ye shall find what ye want!" They were covered
with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because
they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah and slaying His Messengers without just cause.
This because they rebelled and went on transgressing.]

[002:62 Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),
and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work
righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall
they grieve.]

Exegeses:

Allah is telling us about the Bani Israel and their history. In which we are being told the
pattern of their life and way of thinking. Bani Israel asked strange questions. Allah in
the holy Quran is saying that you Bani Israel just recall that when you said to your
mentor (the prophet Moses) that you could not endure one kind of food. And, Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is telling us that how Bani Israel further asked their prophet Moses
that he must request Allah to bring them the earth grown food. It was the desire of Bani
Israel to change the taste of their tongue. That’s why they demanded their prophet that
Allah be prayed to give them earth grown food. In the previous verse we read that Allah
had provided them the best possible food in a wild desert where there could have been no
concept of having any kind of food. And without the physical effort of the nation - Bani
Israel the food was provided to them. They were given manna wa salvaa.
 THE NATION OF MANNWA SALVAA 3
BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

In the following you can see that at how many places the word manna wa salvaa has
been used:
• Al-Baqara (The Cow) > [2:57]
• Al-A'raf (The Heights) > [7:160
• Ta-Ha> [20:80]
This special food was given to them brought from the heaven directly. It was a great
blessing of Allah. Here we can see in clear understanding that the Bani Israel had
become thankless nation and they had no respect in their hearts for their mentor. They
preferred onions, garlics, cucumbers, and other earth grown vegetables to the manna wa
salvaa. The human intellect says that a man should choose the best one. How
unfortunate were the Bani Israel that they chose the inferior food as compare to the
superior food.
When they put up their demand, they were asked, “would you exchange that which is
better for that which is lower?” Resultantly, they were said ihbitoo – go you down. In
the following verses you can read the word ihbitoo:
• Al-Baqara (The Cow) > [2:36][2:38]
• Al-A'raf (The Heights) > [7:24]
Go you down to any town and you shall find what you want. They were said this
sentence that is mentioned in the holy Quran in the verse supra mentioned. One more
word is worth mentioning here misran – to any town. This word has been used by Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala in the following verses:
• Al-Baqara (The Cow) > [2:61]
• Yusuf (Joseph)> [12:99]
The Bani Israel were in the desert. On their demand they were told to leave the place in
search of their preferable food and for this they could have gone to any town. The town
was the Egypt. Because, such foods are only available in towns where the population
dwells. In the valley of the manna wa salvaa they were being trained for a tough life.
They were being trained on the military lines. But they had become lethargic. And they
preferred civic lazy life.
The holy Quran told us – due to their mean desires and inferior priorities and with weak
hearts of humiliation and thankless attitude, they were covered with humiliation and
misery. They invited the wrath of Allah for them. They asked for the trouble by
themselves. They were responsible. It is a nature of the human proclivity to have
different varieties of food. It is common denomination factor. But under some
conditions it becomes imperative on them not to follow the desires of their heart. This
may lead them to the infernal fires of the hell. The Bani Israel did the same thing. And
this is not only a story but a practical lesson for us that we should not be unthankful to
Allah and to any other person who is our mentor especially. Then the place of such
person is worst in this world and in hereafter.
The attitude of the Bani Israel was so negative. This type of attitude makes a man
disbeliever. So, we have been told that such personalities also prevail among the best
minds like Moses. And in this situation the Moses exhibited the height of patience and
 THE NATION OF MANNWA SALVAA 4
BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

the Bani Israel exhibited their pride and proud and the worst possible dirty spirit of being
unthankful to God and their mentor the Moses.
And in the holy Quran in the above-mentioned verse we have been told that: they used to
disbelieve the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations etc) of Allah
and even they killed the Prophets unjustifiably.
When a man has been humiliated there is no respect for him. Imam Hussain (AS) said

humiliation is far way from a man that Allah and

His prophet did not allow it to humiliate oneself. Imam Hussain (AS) said

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala gives everything to a believer to

take care of himself. Allah has allowed a believer to do anything except one thing that he
should not humiliate himself in any situation. It is forbidden for a believer to allow
anyone to humiliate him or to humiliate himself for any purpose.
The Israelites were in their life were humiliated. Pharaoh killed children. Pharaoh
disgraced and humiliated and took the freedom from them. So, under these
circumstances the prophet Moses was sent to save and rescue them. Allah had put them
in a test in which they certainly failed. There was no need to demand for the earth grown
foods from their mentor – a noble prophet.
They had become intractable and obstinate. They disobeyed and used to transgress the
bounds in their disobedience to Allah. It is a hard rule of Allah there is certainly
punishment for them who do not accept the signs and proofs of Allah. These are visible
to the eyes of intellect. So we should not cover our senses. Then how we could come to
know about the great fact of the existence and provision of the sustenance to us by Allah
Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala?
The Israelites also killed the prophets without having any just cause. It was their cruel
act of humanity. Allah gave them punishment for this. Allah describes that one murder
of a man is the murder of humanity. But if somebody kills a man in self-defense then it is
right. Apart from this issue the murder is haram. .
In Islam there are three kinds of murders:
1. Qatal-e-amd (deliberate murder). In this form of the murder, a man is willing with
all live and open senses with an open intention to kill a man. The punishment for the
Qatal-e-amd is the capital punishment – death sentence.
2. Qatal shivul amd. It is a murder but seems an intentional murder. In this situation a
man attempts an attack with intention but not with an intention to kill him. This
would be called Qatal shadid bilamd. For this act of murder a man has to pay adiya –
a form of compensation.
3. Qatal ul khata. It is a murder committed mistakenly. In this situation a man hunts
an animal but kills a man. In this situation a murderer has to make a payment for the
compensation.

Israelites killed the prophets. The holy Quran said they did it intentionally. They killed
prophet Yahya. They killed different prophets in different times. The holy Quran tells us
they killed a lot of prophets. They were also transgressors.
 THE NATION OF MANNWA SALVAA 5
BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

Further would be discussed in detail in next session Inshallah!