Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

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Quran Text of Verse 60-61وَ اِذِAnd whenاسْتَسْقٰیasked (for) waterمُوْسٰیMusaلِقَوْمِهٖfor his peopleفَقُلْنَا[so] We saidاضْرِبْStrikeبِّعَصَاكَwith your staffالْحَجَرَ ؕthe stoneفَانْفَجَرَتْThen gushed forthمِنْهُfrom itاثْنَتَا(of)عَشْرَةَtwelveعَیْنًا ؕspringsقَدْIndeedعَلِمَknewكُلُّallاُنَاسٍ(the) peopleمَّشْرَبَهُمْ ؕtheir drinking placeكُلُوْاEatوَ اشْرَبُوْاand drinkمِنْfromرِّزْقِ(the) provision (of)اللّٰهِAllahوَ لَاand (do) notتَعْثَوْاact wickedlyفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthمُفْسِدِیْنَ spreading corruption وَ اِذْAnd whenقُلْتُمْyou saidیٰمُوْسٰیO MusaلَنْNever (will)نَّصْبِرَwe endureعَلٰی[on]طَعَامٍfoodوَّاحِدٍ(of) one (kind)فَادْعُso prayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَ(to) your Lordیُخْرِجْto bring forthلَنَاfor usمِمَّاout of whatتُنْۢبِتُgrowsالْاَرْضُthe earthمِنْۢofبَقْلِهَاits herbsوَ قِثَّآىِٕهَا[and] its cucumbersوَ فُوْمِهَا[and] its garlicوَ عَدَسِهَا[and] its lentilsوَ بَصَلِهَا ؕand its onionsقَالَHe saidاَتَسْتَبْدِلُوْنَWould you exchangeالَّذِیْthat whichهُوَ[it]اَدْنٰی(is) inferiorبِالَّذِیْfor that whichهُوَ[it]خَیْرٌ ؕ(is) betterاِهْبِطُوْاGo downمِصْرًا(to) a cityفَاِنَّso indeedلَكُمْfor youمَّا(is) whatسَاَلْتُمْ ؕyou have asked (for)وَ ضُرِبَتْAnd were struckعَلَیْهِمُon themالذِّلَّةُthe humiliationوَ الْمَسْكَنَةُ ۗand the miseryوَ بَآءُوْand they drew on themselvesبِغَضَبٍwrathمِّنَofاللّٰهِ ؕAllahذٰلِكَThat (was)بِاَنَّهُمْbecause theyكَانُوْاused toیَكْفُرُوْنَdisbelieveبِاٰیٰتِin (the) Signsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ یَقْتُلُوْنَand killالنَّبِیّٖنَthe Prophetsبِغَیْرِwithout (any)الْحَقِّ ؕ[the] rightذٰلِكَThatبِمَا(was) becauseعَصَوْاthey disobeyedوَّ كَانُوْاand they wereیَعْتَدُوْنَ ۠transgressing

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Translation of Verse 60-61

60. And (recall) when Moosa prayed⁸⁰ for water for his people; We said: “Strike the rock with your staff”. And from there gushed forth twelve springs⁸¹ . So each group knew its own drinking place. Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly, spreading mischief on the earth.

61. And (recall) when you said :” O Moosa! We cannot endure one kind of food (always) : so beseech your Lord on our behalf to produce for us of what the earth grows, its vegetables, cucumbers, its garlic, lentils, and onions.” He said: “Will you exchange the higher for the lower⁸² ? Go down to any town and you will find all that you want.” Humiliation and degradation were then stamped on them and they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. That was because they went on rejecting the signs of Allah and killing⁸³ the prophets without just cause. That was (the consequence) of their disobedience and transgression⁸⁴ .

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Commentary

80. From Torah it is seen that this prayer was offered ‘in the Desert Sinai and springs of water gushed from the rock when struck by the staff. (Vide Numbers, Chapter 20)

81. There were twelve tribes in Bani Israel and Allah also provided twelve springs. In this way each tribe had its own drinking-place. There was therefore no cause for dispute in the matter of drinking water. Such an arrangement of drinking water was great favour done by Allah to the people of Bani Israel.

82. Quran is here inviting them to consider the noble ideals for which they were staying in the desert. Formerly, they were insignificant slaves of the Pharaohs(of Egypt). They were now free from the degrading yoke of the ferocious pharaohs and the ignominy of infidelity and polytheism. They were getting Manna and Salwa along with the gift of freedom from slavery and infidelity. Should they not value this freedom more than anything else? Was their desire for their cherished food so important that they could not do with simple food for some time? It is for them to decide whether it was better to have simple and ordinary food with dignity and selfrespect than those lavish dishes which were polluted with the filth of human slavery and ‘shirk’

83. Among the prophets who were slain by the jews were prophet Zakaria and prophet Yahya. Prophet Yahya was killed by the order of Herod, king of Judah and his severed head was presented on a platter to the King’s beloved.

A conspiracy was also hatched for putting prophet Issa (Jesus) to gallows but Allah saved him from their treachery.

84. That is: they did not care for the command of Allah and disobeyed them shame- lessly.