Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٦٠﴾
2:60 And when Musa prayed for water for his people, We (Allah) said, ‘Strike the rock with your staff.’ Thereat (at that place) twelve fountains gushed forth from it; every tribe came to know its drinking-place. ‘Eat and drink of Allah’s provision, and do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption.’
2:60 The Miracle of Water Gushing Forth in the Desert!
Commentary: The Children of Israel blatantly infringed upon Allah (SWT)’s command and refused to enter the Holy Land (الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ)[1]. At that time, the Amalekites, known for their strength, lived in that region, and the Israelites could not claim the land without defeating them.
Henceforth, Allah (SWT) condemned the Israelites to rove in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula for 40 years. Despite their defiance, Allah (SWT) did not deny them from His bounties in His mercy,.
He protected them from the blistering heat of the sun by a canopy of light clouds that hovered over their heads, provided them food and sustenance in the forms of “Al-manna” and “al-Salwa” [Arabic: (الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ)], as well as springs of water. The first two bounties were mentioned in verse 2:57, and verse (2:60) speaks about gushing springs of pure water amidst the Sinai Peninsula’s wilderness.
Prophet Musa (AS) pleaded for water while the Israelites wandered in the plains of Sinai. Allah (SWT) accepted his prayers and directed him to strike a designated rock with his staff. Thereupon, twelve fountains gushed miraculously out of it, one spring of pure water for each tribe of Israelites, which could sustain them without fear to run dry amid the wilderness.
The verses, in the end, advise the Children of Israel:
كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٦٠﴾
“Eat and drink of Allah’s provision, and do not act corruptly (وَلَا تَعْثَوْا) on the earth, causing mischief [(مُفْسِدِينَ)].”
Appendix: Note, verse (2:60) may be compared with verses 7:160. In verse 7:160, the Arabic word (انبَجَسَتْ) is used:
فَانبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا
Twelve fountains gush out from there
Whereas, in verse 2:60 the Arabic word of [انفَجَرَتْ] used:
فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا
The word [انفَجَرَتْ] is referred to a turbulent flow, whereas the word [انبَجَسَتْ] to a steady, streamflow. Perhaps, the water flow was initially steady, and later, it became turbulent[2].
Word-for-Word Translation:
2:60 [وَإِذِ] And when [اسْتَسْقَىٰ] asked for water [مُوسَىٰ] Musa [لِقَوْمِهِ] for his people [فَقُلْنَا] So we said [اضْرِب] strike [بِّعَصَاكَ] with your staff [الْحَجَرَ] the stone [فَانفَجَرَتْ] the gushed forth [مِنْهُ] from it [اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ] twelve [عَيْنًا] springs. [قَدْ] Indeed [عَلِمَ] knew [كُلُّ] all [أُنَاسٍ] the people [مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ] their drinking place. [كُلُوا] Eat [وَاشْرَبُوا] and drink [مِن] from [رِّزْقِ] the provision of [اللَّـهِ] Allah [وَلَا] and do not [تَعْثَوْا] act wickedly [فِي] in [الْأَرْضِ] the earth [مُفْسِدِينَ] spreading corruption.
Note:
[1]. Tafseer-e- Namonah Vol.1 Page 260 L. 13.
[2]. Tafseer-e- Namonah Vol.1 Page 274 L. 14.
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