And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allaah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allaah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing. [2:61]
Tip of the day:
When you read the stories of the prophets, visualize their efforts, how they were treated by the people, how they persevered to convey the message and try and develop love for them
Comments
One of the reasons the foods requested are mentioned is to show how silly the people were; they had been granted two of the most beneficial of foods (al-mann was-salwaa) and they wanted to exchange tha for something inferior.
I am drawn to this quote for no apparent reason but the fact that they seem on first glance rather inconsequential . Why would Allah "recall" back to the people a list of vegetables that they had requested? Why would Allah narrate it back in such specific manner? "cucumbers", "garlic", lentil", "onions". What on first reading may appear like a weekly grocery list is, i feel, another evidence of Allah's distinctiveness vis-a-vis recording and narrating of the past.
This part of the aayah: "Would you exchange what is better for what is less?" is alson amazing. We need to look at it in general terms. So many want to exchange hijab for flaunting themselves, so many want to exchange the laws of Islamic inheritance for man-made laws of inheritance, so many want to exchange chastity for promiscuit, etc....
2) First we see they were ungrateful. So they were given some blessing, but instead of giving thanks, they said they were bored and wanted something else.
3) How did they ask? They told their prophet to ask 'his lord'. First of all they did not show adab in speaking to the prophet and then they spoke in such a mocking manner. Allaah is the rabb of everyone, whether they believe in Him or not
4) What was Moosa's crime to be spoken to like this? He wished them well, wanted belief for them.
5) He did not refuse to make the dua, see how he corrected them by asking a question.
6) They habitually transgressed and disbelieved, and we see the consequence
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