سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 57
وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿57﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We shaded you with clouds and sent down on you Al-Manna and the quails, (saying): "Eat of the good lawful things We have provided for you," (but they rebelled). And they did not wrong Us but they wronged themselves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَظَلَّلْنَا
waẓallalnā
And We shaded
عَلَيْكُمُ
ʿalaykumu
[over] you
ٱلْغَمَامَ
l-ghamāma
(with) [the] clouds
وَأَنزَلْنَا
wa-anzalnā
and We sent down
عَلَيْكُمُ
ʿalaykumu
to you
ٱلْمَنَّ
l-mana
[the] manna
وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ
wal-salwā
and [the] quails
كُلُوا۟
kulū
Eat
مِن
min
from
طَيِّبَـٰتِ
ṭayyibāti
(the) good things
مَا
mā
that
رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ
razaqnākum
We have provided you
وَمَا
wamā
And not
ظَلَمُونَا
ẓalamūnā
they wronged Us
وَلَـٰكِن
walākin
but
كَانُوٓا۟
kānū
they were
أَنفُسَهُمْ
anfusahum
(to) themselves
يَظْلِمُونَ
yaẓlimūna
doing wrong
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
57. And We shaded you with clouds [73] and sent down to you manna and quails, (saying), "Eat of the good things We have provided for you." They did not wrong Us, but they wronged their own souls.
[73]
The Refusal of Bani Israel to Engage in Jihad:
This incident will be mentioned in detail in Surah Al-Ma'idah. In brief, when Musa (peace be upon him) brought Bani Israel to the Valley of Sinai, at that time this nation numbered in the millions. Musa (peace be upon him) told them to attack the land of Shaam (this was the land that had been promised to them), but they said, "O Musa! There are tyrannical people living there. Therefore, we do not have the strength to face them, and if this attack is so necessary, then you and your Lord both go and fight them; we will just sit here." Their response was actually due to the cowardice that had developed in them after years of living under the slavery of Pharaoh.
The Punishment for Refusing Jihad:
Because of this response, Allah Almighty postponed the conquest of the land of Shaam for them for forty years. The reason was so that during this period, this cowardly generation would perish, and the next generation, which would be born in this wilderness and in an atmosphere of freedom, would develop some courage and bravery and become capable of jihad. Now the question was that in this wilderness there were neither any houses nor any provisions for food and drink, and the people numbered in the millions.
The Cloud, Manna and Quails, and Twelve Springs:
In this situation, Allah Almighty kept the sky overcast with clouds for this long period; otherwise, all these people would have been destroyed by the intensity of the sun. And He arranged for their food in such a way that He sent down manna and quails in abundance. Manna was a sweet thing similar to coriander seeds, which would descend at night in the form of dew, and quails were a type of bird which they would roast and make kebabs from and eat. These foods were provided to them in abundance from Allah Almighty without any effort on their part throughout this long period, and these were special favors of Allah Almighty upon this nation. Otherwise, for the disappointing answer they gave to Musa (peace be upon him), if Allah had willed, He could have destroyed them as a punishment, and living in this wilderness in such a manner was also due to their own deeds. In this very desert, Sayyiduna Harun (peace be upon him) passed away. Then, a year later, Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) also passed away.
[73]
The Refusal of Bani Israel to Engage in Jihad:
This incident will be mentioned in detail in Surah Al-Ma'idah. In brief, when Musa (peace be upon him) brought Bani Israel to the Valley of Sinai, at that time this nation numbered in the millions. Musa (peace be upon him) told them to attack the land of Shaam (this was the land that had been promised to them), but they said, "O Musa! There are tyrannical people living there. Therefore, we do not have the strength to face them, and if this attack is so necessary, then you and your Lord both go and fight them; we will just sit here." Their response was actually due to the cowardice that had developed in them after years of living under the slavery of Pharaoh.
The Punishment for Refusing Jihad:
Because of this response, Allah Almighty postponed the conquest of the land of Shaam for them for forty years. The reason was so that during this period, this cowardly generation would perish, and the next generation, which would be born in this wilderness and in an atmosphere of freedom, would develop some courage and bravery and become capable of jihad. Now the question was that in this wilderness there were neither any houses nor any provisions for food and drink, and the people numbered in the millions.
The Cloud, Manna and Quails, and Twelve Springs:
In this situation, Allah Almighty kept the sky overcast with clouds for this long period; otherwise, all these people would have been destroyed by the intensity of the sun. And He arranged for their food in such a way that He sent down manna and quails in abundance. Manna was a sweet thing similar to coriander seeds, which would descend at night in the form of dew, and quails were a type of bird which they would roast and make kebabs from and eat. These foods were provided to them in abundance from Allah Almighty without any effort on their part throughout this long period, and these were special favors of Allah Almighty upon this nation. Otherwise, for the disappointing answer they gave to Musa (peace be upon him), if Allah had willed, He could have destroyed them as a punishment, and living in this wilderness in such a manner was also due to their own deeds. In this very desert, Sayyiduna Harun (peace be upon him) passed away. Then, a year later, Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) also passed away.
