وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَٰكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

“And We caused the white cloud to overshadow you and sent down on you the manna and the quails, (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you - they wronged Us not, but they did wrong themselves.” — M. M. Pickthall

Tafsirs

AI-generated
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified

In this text, Taberî conveys different reports regarding 'man' and 'salwá' in the verse: he lists views that man is gum, sherbet, honey, or thin bread, as well as reports that it is a sweet substance descending from the sky onto trees. Additionally, he defines the concept of oppression (zulm) as 'placing something in a place where it does not belong,' and notes that the servants' rebellion does not harm Allah but harms only themselves. Taberî prefers to understand the word 'tayyibát' as meaning pleasant/agreeable rather than merely lawful.

والأول من القولين أولى بالتأويل لأنه وصف ما كان القوم فيه من هنيء العيش الذي أعطاهم، فوصف ذلك بالطيب الذي هو بمعنى اللذة أحرى من وصفه بأنه حلال مباح.
Zemahşerî12. c.✓ Citation verified

According to Zamakhsharî, what is meant in this verse is that the servants' oppression (their denial of blessings, their ingratitude) does not bring any harm to Allah; rather, the burden of this oppression returns only to themselves, causing harm to their own souls. The text also indicates that a preposition (min) mentioned in the verse is used for tab'îz (partitiveness), and what is intended by this is obligatory spending.

وما رجع إلينا ضرر ظلمهم بكفرانهم النعم ، ولكن كانوا يضرون أنفسهم . ويرجع وبال ظلمهم إليهم
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified

In this text, al-Râzî states that Adam's settlement in paradise contained both an ibáha (permission) and a taklíf (obligation); the permission is the right to benefit from the blessings of paradise, while the obligation is the necessity to refrain from the forbidden thing. He also explains that the expression 'oppression' (zulm) is understood through hazf (the omission of something from the text), and clarifies that Adam and his wife either took more than the forbidden object or demanded something else. He also conveys the difference of opinion regarding the time of creation of Eve; according to one report, Eve was created in paradise, and according to another, she was created before entering paradise.

والأصح أن ذلك الإسكان مشتمل على ما هو إباحة ، وعلى ما هو تكليف ، أما الإباحة فهو أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام كان مأذونا في الانتفاع بجميع نعم الجنة ، وأما التكليف فهو أن المنهى عنه كان حاضرا وهو كان ممنوعا عن تناوله
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified

According to this exegete, the words 'man' and 'salwá' mentioned in the verse are provisions descended from the sky to the Children of Israel in the Tíh desert without any labor, sowing, or work. Various views have been transmitted regarding man, such as tarenjabin, sweet sap, honey, or thin bread; and regarding salwá, different views have been mentioned as the quail bird or honey. Additionally, it is stated that these blessings were sent down as Allah's favor to them during the difficult life in the desert lasting forty years, which occurred after the people refused to enter the city of the Mighty Ones.

اختلف في المن ما هو وتعيينه على أقوال فقيل : الترنجبين بتشديد الراء وتسكين النون ذكره النحاس ويقال : الطرنجبين بالطاء وعلى هذا أكثر المفسرين وقيل : صمغة حلوة وقيل عسل : وقيل شراب حلو وقيل : خبز الرقاق عن وهب بن منبه
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified

According to Ibn Kathír, 'ghimám' means white clouds that cover and shade the sky, and shade was provided over the Children of Israel in the desert to protect them from the heat of the sun. Regarding 'man,' there is disagreement among the exegetes, with some defining it as food (a honey-like substance dripping from trees) and others as a drink; according to Ibn Kathír's preference, 'man' is a general term encompassing all kinds of food, drink, and similar blessings that Allah gave them without effort.

والظاهر والله أعلم أنه كل ما امتن الله به عليهم من طعام وشراب وغير ذلك مما ليس لهم فيه عمل ولا كد فالمن المشهور إن أكل وحده كان طعاما وحلاوة وإن مزج مع الماء صار شرابا طيبا وان ركب مع غيره صار نوعا آخر ولكن ليس هو المراد من الآية وحده
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified

According to Bayḍâwî, the resurrection mentioned in verse 56 occurred after death caused by lightning (sáiqa), and this is expressed with the verb 'ba's' in a manner similar to its use in another context meaning awakening after sleep or fainting. In verse 57, Allah's provision of shade to the Children of Israel in the desert with clouds, sending down manna (man) and quail (salwá) over them is narrated; it is stated that by denying the blessings, they actually oppressed only themselves and could not cause any harm to Allah.

ثم بعثناكم من بعد موتكم بسبب الصاعقة، وقيد للبعث لأنه قد يكون عن إغماء، أو نوم كقوله تعالى: ثم بعثناهم. لعلكم تشكرون نعمة البعث، أو ما كفرتموه لما رأيتم بأس الله بالصاعقة.

Comparison

Common ground

Most of the exegetes explain the concepts of 'man' and 'salwá' as divine provision given effortlessly to the Children of Israel in the desert (with various descriptions such as honey, sweet sap, thin bread, quail); they also agree on the emphasis of oppression in the verse: the servants' ingratitude/rebellion harms not Allah but only their own souls.

Differences

While Taberî and al-Qurtubî focus on comprehensively listing and comparing the variety of reports, Ibn Kathír supports the reports with hadíths and prefers 'man' as a general concept of blessing. Zamakhsharî and Bayḍâwî emphasize linguistic/rhetorical analysis (the function of prepositions, the usage of the verb ba's); al-Râzî, on the other hand, elevates the matter to a jurisprudential/theological dimension by introducing additional discussions such as hazf, the distinction between taklíf and ibáha, and the creation of Eve. This difference stems from the methodological preferences of each exegete's school (linguist, traditionist, theologian-jurist).

Historical context

As an early exegete, Taberî presents extensive report material together and is cautious in his preference, whereas in later periods with Zamakhsharî and Bayḍâwî, linguistic precision comes to the forefront, and with al-Râzî, theological-jurisprudential deepening is observed; al-Qurtubî and Ibn Kathír attempt to synthesize the report tradition by harmonizing it with hadíths. The fundamental meaning (the effortless nature of blessing, oppression returning to the servant) remains constant, while the methods of approaching it have diversified over time.

Modern connection

This comparative reading reminds us that the appreciation of blessings and a consciousness of gratitude can be considered together with the harmony between knowledge and faith. The respectful presentation of different reports together can be understood as an example of approaching various views with tolerance in our time and of sharing with a spirit of social solidarity. The verse's emphasis that 'oppression returns to the person themselves' can be interpreted in a way that encourages an individual moral stance based on responsibility and patience.

AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar