Verse 61 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a radiant gem within the treasury of the Holy Quran, opens a window toward a profound understanding of human behaviour, social psychology, and Divine wisdom. This verse, recounting the dialogue between the Children of Israel and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) concerning dietary variety and Gods sagacious response, not only depicts humanitys innate need to escape monotony but also, through a thought-provoking question, invites an appraisal between material and spiritual blessings. This treatise, relying on the content of the lecture and exegetical analyses, undertakes a systematic exploration of the psychological, sociological, and theological dimensions of this verse. The objective is to present a scientific, coherent, and refined exegesis which, while remaining faithful to the original text, elucidates its depth and richness for erudite and scholarly audiences through comprehensive explanations and semantic linkages. The structure of this work, with precise segmentation and meaningful headings, paves the way for a deeper understanding of the Holy Quran.
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ مَا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ
Translation: And when you said: O Moses, we shall never endure one kind of food; therefore, pray to your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its herbs, its cucumbers, its garlic, its lentils, and its onions. He said: Do you exchange that which is inferior for that which is better? Descend to Egypt, for indeed you shall have what you have asked for. And humiliation and poverty were laid upon them, and they incurred the wrath of God. That was because they disbelieved in the signs of God and unjustly killed the prophets. That was due to their disobedience and transgression.
Distinguishing Features of the Verse
Verse 61 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a jewel in the crown of the Holy Quran, approaches the behaviour of the Children of Israel in facing Divine blessings through psychological and sociological lenses. This verse, by raising the issue of variety-seeking and the wise question posed by God, opens a path toward contemplation of material and spiritual values. Each Quranic verse, like a star in the sky of guidance, is unparalleled regarding its subject and stirs wonder in the human heart. This grandeur makes the Holy Quran an unparalleled source of guidance and knowledge.
Critique of Traditional Exegeses
Many traditional exegeses, by incorporating unsubstantiated and sometimes baseless materials, have distanced themselves from an accurate and authentic understanding of the Holy Quran. These exegeses, at times influenced by prejudices and biases, hinder grasping the pure wisdom of the verses. There is a necessity to reconsider these exegeses through a scientific and Quran-text-based approach that stems from inner intimacy and Divine proximity, not from a plethora of unreliable writings.
Summary of Section Two
Verse 61 of Surah Al-Baqarah, with unparalleled grandeur, portrays the psychology of variety-seeking and the valuation of blessings. The critique of traditional exegeses and emphasis on intimacy with the Quran paves the way for a deeper and more scientific understanding of the verses. This section sets the stage for exploration of the psychological and theological dimensions of the verse in subsequent sections.
Justice as a Criterion of Religiosity
Justice, like a golden scale in judgement, is a fundamental principle of religiosity. The noble hadith "No religion for one who has no justice" reveals the truth that just judgement, even towards adversaries, is a condition of faith. In this verse, the disagreement between the Children of Israel and God provides an opportunity to practise justice in analysis. Even if judgement concerns personalities such as Shimar and Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), justice demands that the rights of each individual, irrespective of their actions, be examined.
Example of Shimar and Justice
To elucidate justice, one may refer to an allegorical example: if Shimar claims that his crimes led to the establishment of Karbala and the magnificent emergence of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), just judgement requires that his claim be examined without prejudice. This examination does not mean endorsement of the crimes but signifies the observance of justice in analysis. God in the Holy Quran likewise deals justly with the Children of Israel, posing His question with wisdom and without reproach.
Summary of Section Three
Justice, like a luminous torch, illuminates the path of fair judgement. This principle is indispensable not only in Quranic exegesis but also in all aspects of religious life. Verse 61, by inviting reflection on human choices, exemplifies this Divine justice.
Division of the Verse
Verse 61 is divided into two main segments: the opening part (up to فإن لكم ما سألتم) which explains the dialogue between the Children of Israel and Moses (peace be upon him) concerning dietary variety, and the closing part (from وضربت عليهم الذلة) which refers to Divine punishment due to disbelief and crimes. This distinction prevents misinterpretation and allows independent analysis of each segment.
Opening Part: A Courteous Dialogue
At the beginning of the verse, the Children of Israel respectfully address Moses (peace be upon him) saying: O Moses, we will not endure one kind of food. This dialogue does not stem from ingratitude but from fatigue caused by the monotony of heavenly food (manna and quails). They request God to provide from the earth vegetables, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.
Closing Part: Divine Punishment
The latter part refers to the Divine punishmenthumiliation and povertythat was imposed upon the Children of Israel due to four reasons: disbelief in Divine signs, unjust killing of the prophets, disobedience, and transgression. This punishment is unrelated to their request for dietary variety but is a consequence of deeper moral deviations.
Summary of Section Four
The division of verse 61 into opening and closing parts enables more precise content analysis. The opening part illustrates the natural need for variety, while the closing part clarifies the consequences of moral deviations. This distinction prevents erroneous interpretations linking the request for variety with the punishment.
Monotony and Fatigue
Monotony, even under optimal conditions such as a lush garden or heavenly blessings (manna and quails), is tiresome for humans. This psychological principle makes the Children of Israels request for dietary variety appear natural and rational. Human nature is inherently variety-seeking and averse to monotony.
Guest Analogy
The request of the Children of Israel resembles a guest who, after several days of monotonous food,