Surah Baqarah ayat 57 Tafsir Quran 2:57

﴿وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 57]

2:57 And We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails, [saying], "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you." And they wronged Us not - but they were [only] wronging themselves.

And We made the cloud overshadow you that is We sheltered you with fine clouds from the heat of the sun while you were in the wilderness; and We sent down in them the clouds upon you manna and quails — which are respectively a type of citrus known as turunjabīn and the quail — and We said ‘Eat of the good things We have provided for you’ and do not store any of it away but they were not grateful for this favour and stored the food and so they were deprived of it; And they did not wrong Us in this but themselves they wronged since the evil consequences of this befell them.

We overshadowed you with the clouds to protect you from the heat of the sun and We ordained that the heavens provision you with AL Manna, the continual dew of Our blessed victuals, and with the quails, and We said: Eat of the worthy victuals with which We provisioned you. Yet these people were determined to defy Our authority; they did not actually wrong Us, but in fact it was themselves that they had wronged indeed

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 .

(2:57) (Remember that) We caused the cloud to overshadow you and provided you with *72 manna and salva *73 for your food, saying, "Eat of the clean and pure things We have bestowed upon you" (In spite of this, your forefathers violated Our commands:) however, they did not harm Us but harmed only themselves.

And We shaded you with clouds and meaning

*72).
That is, God provided them with shade from clouds in the Sinai peninsula where there was no shelter from the heat of the sun.

It should be remembered that the Israelites had left Egypt in their hundreds of thousands.
In Sinai, there were not even any tents in which they could shelter, never mind proper houses.
But for the fact that God by His grace kept the sky, overcast for a considerable period, these people would have been scorched to death by the heat of the sun.

*73).
Manna and quails constituted the natural food that was continually made available to them throughout the forty years of their wandering in the Sinai desert.
Manna was like coriander seed.
When the dew fell in the night, manna fell with it from above.
By God's grace the quails were made available so plentifully that the entire nation was able to live on them alone and so escaped starvation.
( For details regarding manna and quails see Exodus 16; Numbers 11: 7-9 and 31-2; Joshua 5: 12 )
 

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 .

( And We caused the white cloud to overshadow you ) in the wilderness ( and sent down on you honey and quails ) also in the wilderness, ( Eat of the good things ) of the lawful things ( wherewith We have provided you ) that We have given you and do not keep any provision for future days. Yet they did save food for future days-( They wronged us not ) by saving food, ( but they did wrong themselves ) they harmed themselves.

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.

Page 8 English transliteration