A question regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And when Moses asked for water for his people”
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Then Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:61]
Several benefits are also derived from this noble verse. First: the meanness and folly of the Children of Israel, for they asked Allah to change this provision for them, which has no equal, as they said: What is this single food? It is manna and salwa. By “single food,” they meant two foods, meaning one consistent state or condition. That is what they intended; they meant, “We cannot endure this condition; we have nothing but this, and we want…”
It also provides evidence of their arrogance, as they said:[Al-Baqarah 2:61] Nevertheless, they said: [Al-Baqarah 2:61] just as they said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:24] So, may Allah protect us, they possessed meanness, arrogance, and pride.
It also provides evidence of the degradation of the nation of the Children of Israel, for they chose the lower over the higher. Is that so? Good.
It also indicates that whoever chooses the lower over the higher has a resemblance to the Jews. Among such people are those who choose what is forbidden over what is lawful. I have told you the story of the man who was sitting next to me on the plane. They gave them a sweet, like a normal one, yes, or not? I told you the story; shall I tell it now? They gave him a sweet… and I said to him… because he had never ridden a plane before except this time. I told him that this sweet is said to relieve pressure and agitation, and… He said, “By Allah, I am craving a cigarette.” I said, “I did not say this is better, but if you are determined, go there, or wait until you reach the Qassim airport.” In any case, we ask Allah for safety. He chooses this over that. We have also heard that those afflicted with smoking, when breaking their fast in Ramadan, the first thing they do is smoke a cigarette. This is what we have heard. So, the date, which is the recommended practice, is not chosen. May Allah grant them well-being. This is a resemblance to the Children of Israel, or even worse than the Children of Israel, because the Children of Israel chose something permissible, whereas these people choose something forbidden.
It also provides evidence that the high ambition of a person lies in looking for the most complete and best in all matters; looking for the most complete and best.
It also provides evidence that expanding one’s food and drink, provided it does not reach the level of extravagance, is praiseworthy for a person. And whoever forbids himself or is scrupulous about something that Allah has made lawful for him, it is a blameworthy form of scrupulousness. The explanation is that these people replaced what is better with what is lower. So, if one leaves something from the permissible things for other than a Sharia purpose, merely out of scrupulousness and asceticism, it is blameworthy. However, if it is for a Sharia purpose, such as what is mentioned regarding the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that in the Year of the Drought he avoided meat and said: meaning, “I do not eat meat because how can I see people hungry in this year while I am satiated with meat?” If it is for a Sharia purpose, there is no harm in it. But if it is out of asceticism, this is not among the prescribed matters, nor among the praiseworthy ones. Rather, the Shaykh al-Islam said:
And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَى لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَى طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَى بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ مَا سَأَلْتُمْ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَSeveral benefits are also derived from this noble verse. First: the meanness and folly of the Children of Israel, for they asked Allah to change this provision for them, which has no equal, as they said:
We can never endure one kind of food
لن نصبر على طعام واحدIt also provides evidence of their arrogance, as they said:
call upon your Lord
ادع لنا ربكcall upon your Lord
ادع لنا ربكso go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here."
اذهب أنت وربك فقاتلا إنا هاهنا قاعدونIt also provides evidence of the degradation of the nation of the Children of Israel, for they chose the lower over the higher. Is that so? Good.
It also indicates that whoever chooses the lower over the higher has a resemblance to the Jews. Among such people are those who choose what is forbidden over what is lawful. I have told you the story of the man who was sitting next to me on the plane. They gave them a sweet, like a normal one, yes, or not? I told you the story; shall I tell it now? They gave him a sweet… and I said to him… because he had never ridden a plane before except this time. I told him that this sweet is said to relieve pressure and agitation, and… He said, “By Allah, I am craving a cigarette.” I said, “I did not say this is better, but if you are determined, go there, or wait until you reach the Qassim airport.” In any case, we ask Allah for safety. He chooses this over that. We have also heard that those afflicted with smoking, when breaking their fast in Ramadan, the first thing they do is smoke a cigarette. This is what we have heard. So, the date, which is the recommended practice, is not chosen. May Allah grant them well-being. This is a resemblance to the Children of Israel, or even worse than the Children of Israel, because the Children of Israel chose something permissible, whereas these people choose something forbidden.
It also provides evidence that the high ambition of a person lies in looking for the most complete and best in all matters; looking for the most complete and best.
It also provides evidence that expanding one’s food and drink, provided it does not reach the level of extravagance, is praiseworthy for a person. And whoever forbids himself or is scrupulous about something that Allah has made lawful for him, it is a blameworthy form of scrupulousness. The explanation is that these people replaced what is better with what is lower. So, if one leaves something from the permissible things for other than a Sharia purpose, merely out of scrupulousness and asceticism, it is blameworthy. However, if it is for a Sharia purpose, such as what is mentioned regarding the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that in the Year of the Drought he avoided meat and said: