Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 115

(Ayah 115) {قَالَ اللّٰهُ اِنِّيْ مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ … :} The scholars have differed regarding whether the table spread descended or not. Most scholars are of the opinion that it did descend. Shawkani, Ibn Jarir, and many other scholars have declared this to be authentic, because Allah’s emphatic statement: «اِنِّيْ مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ » “Indeed, I am going to send it down to you,” is evidence that Allah sent it down. In Jami’ Tirmidhi, it is narrated from Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The table spread descended from the sky in the form of meat and bread, and they were commanded not to be treacherous and not to store anything for the next day, but they were treacherous and stored it and kept it for the next day, so they were transformed into monkeys and pigs.” [ ترمذی، تفسیر القرآن، باب و من سورۃ المائدۃ : ۳۰۶۱ ] If this hadith were authentic, then there would be no room for disagreement, but Shaykh Nasiruddin al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared both its attribution to the Messenger of Allah and its being the statement of Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them both) to be weak. On the other hand, other scholars say that the subsequent words: «فَمَنْ يَّكْفُرْ بَعْدُ مِنْكُمْ فَاِنِّيْۤ اُعَذِّبُهٗ عَذَابًا لَّاۤ اُعَذِّبُهٗۤ اَحَدًا مِّنَ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ» Upon hearing these words, they became afraid and withdrew their request for the supplication. This is the statement of Mujahid and Hasan al-Basri, and their chains have been declared authentic by Ibn Kathir, but this too is the statement of the Tabi’in and those after them; it is not established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Those who say that the table spread did descend also present as an indication that in the previous verses, Allah has enumerated His favors upon the Messiah (peace be upon him), and along with them, He has mentioned this incident as a favor, and at the end, He asked him whether, despite so many favors, he had told the people to take himself and his mother as deities besides Allah. Therefore, the descent of the table spread was also a favor. Others may say that sparing them from the trial by not sending down the table spread was also a favor. In any case, the words of the Noble Qur’an allow for both possibilities, and the real truth is best known to Allah Almighty.

Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “Perhaps it is the effect of the supplication of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) that his community has always enjoyed material abundance, and whoever among them is ungrateful may perhaps receive the greatest punishment in the Hereafter.” However, after the advent of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the only one considered a follower of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) is the one who accepts Islam; for others to call themselves followers of the Messiah (peace be upon him) is mere obstinacy, because ‘Isa (peace be upon him) clearly commanded belief in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Now, the entire world is the community of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whether it is the community of response or the community of invitation. As for worldly wealth, sometimes it is with some, sometimes with others; it has no connection with faith or disbelief. Allah Almighty has said: «كُلًّا نُّمِدُّ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ وَ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ مِنْ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَ» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۲۰ ] “We help all—these and those—from the bounty of your Lord.” And He said: «وَ تِلْكَ الْاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ» [ آل عمران : ۱۴۰ ] “And these are the days which We alternate among the people.”