Surah Al-Baqarah 2:57

The Shade, the Manna and the Quail

After Allah mentioned the calamities that He saved the Children of Israel from, He mentioned the favors that He granted them, saying,

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ

And We shaded you with clouds. This A0yah mentions the white clouds that provided shade for the Children of Israel, protecting them from the sun s heat during their years of wandering. In the Hadith about the trials, An-Nasa0 i recorded Ibn Abba0s saying, Allah shaded the Children of Israel with clouds during the years of wandering. Ibn Abi Hلa0tim said, Narrations similar to that of Ibn Abba0s were reported from Ibn Umar, Ar-Rab0 bin Anas, Abu Mijlaz, Adل-Dلahلhلa0k, and As-Suddi. Al-Hلasan and Qata0dah said that,

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ

(And We shaded you with clouds) "This happened when they were in the desert and the clouds shielded them from the sun." Ibn Jarir said that several scholars said that the type of cloud the Ayah mentioned, "was cooler and better than the type we know."

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ

And sent down on you Al-Manna, The manna used to descend to them to the trees, and they used to eat whatever they wished of it. Also, Qata0dah said, The manna, which was whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, used to rain down on the Children of Israel, just as the snow falls, from dawn until sunrise. One of them would collect enough for that particular day, for if it remained more than that, it would spoil. On the sixth day, Friday, one would collect enough for the sixth and the seventh day, which was the Sabbath during which one would not leave home to seek his livelihood, or for anything else. All this occurred in the wilderness. The type of manna that we know provides sufficient food when eaten alone, because it is nutritious and sweet. When manna is mixed with water, it becomes a sweet drink. It also changes composition when mixed with other types of food. However, this is not the only type. The evidence to this fact is that Al-Bukha0ri narrated, that Sa 0d bin Zayd said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«الْكَمْأَةُ مِنَ الْمَنِّ وَمَاؤُهَا شِفَاءٌ لِلْعَيْن»

(Kam'ah (truffles) is a type of manna, and its liquid is a remedy for the eyes.)

This Hadith was also collected by Imam Ahmad. The group of Hadith compilers, with the exception of Abu Dawud, also collected it, and At-Tirmidhi graded it Hasan Sahih. At-Tirmidhi recorded Abu Hurayrah saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«الْعَجْوَةُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَفِيهَا شِفَاءٌ مِنَ السُّمِّ وَالْكَمْأَةُ مِنَ الْمَنِّ وَمَاؤُهَا شِفَاءٌ لِلْعَيْن»

(The `Ajwah (pressed, dried date) is from Paradise and it cures poison, Al-Kam'ah (truffles) is a form of manna, and its liquid heals the eye.") At-Tirmidhi is the only one of them who recorded this Hadith.

As for the quail (Salwa) in question, `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "The (Salwa) is a bird that looks like the quail." This is the same opinion reported from Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan, `Ikrimah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, may Allah have mercy upon them. Also, `Ikrimah said that the Salwa is a bird in Paradise about the size of a sparrow. Qatadah said "The Salwa is a bird that is similar to a sparrow. During that time, an Israelite could catch as many quails as was sufficient for that particular day, otherwise the meat would spoil. On the sixth day, Friday, he would collect what is enough for the sixth and the seventh day, the Sabbath, during which one was not allowed to depart his home to seek anything."

Allah said,

كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـكُمْ

(Eat of the good lawful things We have provided for you,) (7:160) this form of command is a simple order of allowance, guiding to what is good. Allah said,

وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

(And they did not wrong Us but they wronged themselves) means, `We commanded them to eat from what We gave them, and to perform the acts of worship (but they rebelled).' This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement,

كُلُواْ مِن رِّزْقِ رَبِّكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لَهُ

(Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him) (34:15).

Yet, the Children of Israel rebelled, disbelieved and committed injustice against themselves, even though they saw the clear signs, tremendous miracles and extraordinary events.

The Virtue of Muhammad's ﷺ Companions over the Companions of all Other Prophets

Here it is important to point out the virtue of Muhammad's ﷺ Companions over the companions of the other Prophets. This includes firmness in the religion, patience and the lack of arrogance, may Allah be pleased with them. Although the Companions accompanied the Prophet in his travels and battles, such as during the battle of Tabuk, in intense heat and hardship, they did not ask for a miracle, though this was easy for the Prophet by Allah's leave. And when the Companions became hungry, they merely asked the Prophet - to invoke Allah - for an increase in the amount of food. They collected whatever food they had and brought it to the Prophet , and he asked Allah to bless it, told each of them to take some food, and they filled every pot they had. Also, when they needed rain, the Prophet asked Allah to send down rain, and a rain cloud came. They drank, gave water to their camels and filled their water skins. When they looked around, they found that the cloud had only rained on their camp. This is the best example of those who were willing to accept Allah's decision and follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ .

Dalam ayat ini Allah mengingatkan lagi kepada Bani Israil tentang nikmat-Nya yang lain yang dilimpahkan-Nya kepada nenek moyang mereka, yakni Allah telah menaungi mereka dengan awan mendung dari terik panas matahari yang menimpa mereka. Hal ini terjadi ketika mereka meninggalkan Mesir, dan menyeberangi Laut Merah. Mereka sampai ke gurun pasir dan ditimpa panas terik yang amat sangat. Lalu mereka mengadu kepada Nabi Musa. Begitu dia berdoa kepada Allah, memohon pertolongan untuk mereka, Allah mengirim awan mendung untuk menaungi mereka, hingga mereka dapat berjalan sampai ke negeri yang mereka tuju. Di samping itu Allah mengaruniakan pula makanan untuk mereka yaitu makanan yang disebut mann yang manis seperti madu, yang turun terus-menerus sejak terbit fajar sampai matahari terbenam, serta bahan makanan lain yang disebut salwa, yaitu semacam burung puyuh. Masing-masing mereka mengambil secukupnya untuk makan sampai keesokan harinya.

Menghadapi suhu udara yang sangat panas di tengah gurun pasir orang mudah terkuras habis energi dan tenaga yang dimilikinya. Oleh karena itu sebagai pengganti energi yang hilang diperlukan makanan dan minuman yang banyak mengandung zat gula. Mann adalah sejenis makanan yang manis atau minuman berenergi seperti madu yang sangat dibutuhkan di daerah gurun pasir. Jika seseorang memakan makanan yang mengandung banyak zat gula kecuali meningkatkan energi dan memberi dampak rasa senang, juga membuat orang lebih bersemangat.

Di samping makanan yang kandungan gulanya tinggi juga dibutuhkan daging yang mengandung protein dan lemak. Salwa adalah sejenis burung puyuh yang dagingnya memiliki kandungan protein dan lemak yang sangat tinggi, makanan ini dibutuhkan oleh orang-orang yang berada di gurun pasir yang panas sekali. Allah Mahamengetahui dan Mahabijaksana dengan memberikan makanan Mann dan Salwa kepada Bani Israil yang melakukan perjalanan panjang dan berat dari Mesir ke Syria.

Allah memerintahkan agar mereka memakan makanan yang baik, dari rezeki yang telah dilimpahkan-Nya. Makanan yang baik ialah makanan yang halal dan bermanfaat bagi kesehatan dan pertumbuhan badan. Ini menunjukkan bahwa apa pun yang diperintahkan Allah kepada manusia, manfaatnya adalah untuk diri mereka sendiri, bukan untuk-Nya. Sebaliknya, apa pun yang dilarang-Nya agar dijauhi oleh manusia, semua itu adalah untuk menyelamatkan mereka sendiri dari malapetaka yang akan menimpa mereka karena perbuatan itu.

Seorang ahli kimia bahan alam dari Belgia, Dr. Errera (1893) menduga bahwa manna merupakan jenis tumbuhan rendah, yang termasuk 'lumut kerak (lichenes) dari golongan unattached lichens (lumut kerak yang tidak melekat, mudah lepas). Setelah melakukan pengamatan, Errera menduga bahwa manna sangat mungkin merupakan spesies lumut kerak yang dikenal dengan nama saintifik: Aspicilia esculenta. Lumut kerak aspicilia esculenta ini sangat mudah terbawa oleh angin atau badai, sehingga nampak seolah-oleh diturunkan (anzalnaa, diturunkan) dari langit. Lumut kerak ini mempunyai kandungan gizi yang tinggi dan mengandung pula zat antibiotika (thayyib, makanan yang baik-baik). Sedangkan salwa, kemungkinan besar adalah burung puyuh. Dapatlah dimengerti bahwa Bani Israil dapat bertahan lama (sekitar 40th) di belantara Sinai, karena mendapatkan rahmat dari Allah swt., berupa makanan manna, yang merupakan sumber karbohidrat dengan gizi tinggi dan terkandung pula antibiotik didalamnya. Sedangkan untuk sumber protein didapat dari salwa. Wallahu a'lam bis-sawab.