وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ 57
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Wa-zallalna `alaykumu al-ghammam wa-anzalna `alaykumu al-manna wa-al-salwa, kulu min tayyibati ma razaqnakum, wa-ma zalamund wa-lakinn kanu anfusahum yazlimun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's immense favors upon the Children of Israel during their wilderness journey: providing shade through clouds (al-ghammam), sending down manna (al-manna) and quail (al-salwa) as sustenance, and commanding them to eat from these blessings. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that despite these clear divine provisions and mercies, when the Israelites subsequently disobeyed and rejected the Prophet, they did not wrong Allah (who is beyond harm), but rather wronged themselves by forfeiting His favor and bringing punishment upon themselves.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's historical narrative recounting the trials and blessings granted to the Children of Israel after their exodus from Egypt. It contextualizes the themes of divine mercy and human ingratitude that recur throughout the surah, serving as a reminder to the Muslim community about consequences of rejecting prophetic guidance despite clear signs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned manna and salwa in various contexts. One relevant tradition: In Sunan Ibn Majah and other sources, it is narrated that the manna and salwa were sustenance provided without effort, symbolizing divine care. Additionally, Sahih Muslim contains narrations about the Prophet's description of these provisions as signs of Allah's mercy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that when we turn away from Allah's guidance despite experiencing His countless blessings, we do not harm Allah—we harm ourselves. The modern lesson is that true gratitude requires obedience, and rejecting divine guidance is fundamentally an act of self-deception and self-sabotage.