171 Page Notes

07 Surah Al-Araf (continued)

Page 171 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

7:160

7:161

7:162

7:163

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 171 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 171 of the Quran covers Surah Al-A'raf (The Heights), verses 160 through 163.

This section details the experiences of the Children of Israel during their wandering in the wilderness of Sinai. It highlights several miraculous provisions from Allah: the division of the community into twelve distinct tribes, the gushing of twelve springs from a single rock when struck by Prophet Musa (Moses), and the daily descent of Manna and Salwa (quail) from the heavens. The page then transitions into a famous historical test of legal compliance: the fishing village at the Red Sea that was tested with the laws of the Sabbath (Sabt).

The Sunnah and authentic Hadiths provide rich culinary, historical, and jurisprudential explanations for these events.

1. The Reality of Manna and Salwa

“And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes as [distinct] nations. And We inspired Moses when his people implored him for water, 'Strike with your staff the stone,' and there gushed forth from it twelve springs... And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails...” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:160)

To sustain millions of people in a barren desert, Allah provided an effortless, highly nutritious ecosystem. "Manna" was a sweet, dew-like resin that blanketed the rocks every morning, while "Salwa" referred to fat, easily caught quails.

A. The Medicinal Properties of Manna

The Prophet Muhammad explicitly identified remnants of this miraculous substance still existing within natural fungi today, detailing its culinary and medical utility.

• Hadith: Sa'id bin Zayd narrated that the Prophet said:
  "Truffles are a form of Manna which Allah sent down to the people of Israel, and their juice is a healing remedy for diseases of the eye." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4478 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2049)

B. The Psychological Warning of Hoarding Food

The underlying spiritual issue with the wanderers was their profound anxiety regarding the future, which caused them to illegally hoard the fresh food despite Allah promising a daily fresh supply. The Prophet tracked the origin of food spoilage back to this specific historical event.

• Hadith: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
  "Were it not for the Children of Israel, meat would never spoil and food would never rot." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3330 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1470) Context: Prior to this generation, humans processed or consumed food fresh. The systemic hoarding and hiding of excess Manna and meat caused it to rot publicly, introducing the widespread experience of bacterial food spoilage to human domestic life.

2. Changing the Words of Divine Commands

“But those who wronged among them changed [the words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them. So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky because they were committing wrong.” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:162)

When entering a new city, Allah commanded the people to enter through the gates in absolute humility, making prostration and repeating the word "Hittatun" (which means: "O Allah, alleviate us of our sins"). Instead, the rebellious members of the crowd mockingly altered the phrase.

A. The Mockery of the Command

The Sunnah documents the exact linguistic trick and physical mockery used by the rebels, serving as a severe warning against treating religious terminology with sarcasm.

• Hadith: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said:
  "It was said to the Children of Israel, 'Enter the gate prostrating and say: Hittatun (repentance); We will then forgive your sins.' Instead, they crept into the gate on their posteriors and changed the word, saying: 'Hintatun fi sha'iratun' (A grain of wheat inside a piece of barley!)." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3403 / Sahih Muslim, Hadith 3015)

3. The Sabbath Transgression: Legal Loopholes

“And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their Sabbath day, and the day they had no Sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We test them because they were defiantly disobedient.” — Surah Al-A'raf (7:163)

This verse introduces the famous historical trial of the fishing town (historically identified as Aylah on the Red Sea coast). Allah forbade them from fishing on Saturdays. To test their sincerity, Allah caused schools of fish to swim thick along the surface only on Saturdays. The citizens attempted to cheat the divine law by placing nets out on Friday evening and collecting the trapped fish on Sunday morning.

A. The Ban on Using Loopholes to Commit Sins (Hiyal)

The Prophet Muhammad heavily warned the Muslim community against adopting this exact style of legal trickery—retaining the outer technical skin of a law while completely destroying its inner moral intent.

• Hadith: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah issued a direct theological warning:
  "Do not commit what the Jews committed, such that you deem the sacred prohibitions of Allah lawful through the use of clever, deceptive loopholes (Hiyal)." (Recorded in Ittihaf al-Khira al-Mahara by Al-Busiri, 6/261; and Sunan al-Kubra by Ibn Battah; graded Hasan)