5:112

Salaam all


Ith qala alhawariyyoona ya AAeesa ibna maryama hal yastateeAAu rabbuka an yunazzila AAalayna maidatan mina alssamai qala ittaqoo Allaha in kuntum mumineena

The Aya says:
As the disciples said: O Jesus son of Mary can your nurturing lord descend upon us a feast from the sky? He (Jesus) responded: Be conscious of Allah if you happen to make yourselves safe (in Him).

My personal note:
This is a report of a beginning of a conversation between Jesus (pbuh) and his disciples. They asked for a feast to come down from the sky. He asked them to act consciously of Allah or to fear Allah because they were asking for a miracle to happen.

The term MAida is used for the table with food on it, but it is mainly pointing to the food and that is why I chose to translate it with the term feast.

We will follow this exchange further in the coming Ayat.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Ith: as/ when
Qala: said/ communicated
Note: QALA is derived from the root Qaf-W-L and it means saying in any way possible. QALA is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means the action of saying happened by the subject (third person singular pointing to the group of the hawariyyoon= the disciples). This, in turn means: He said or responded or communicated.

Alhawariyyoona: the apostles/ the disciples
Note: the root is Ha-W-R and it means in concrete when the white is very white or contrasted with the very black. It is also used to mean the return to something or from something. It can be used for clarity and distinction and meanings that are related to it. ALHAWARIYYOONN in concrete is used for the people that white wash buildings and rooms. This meaning is extended to the disciples of leaders because they keep the message clean and pure. This name was used in the Qur’an mainly for the disciples of Jesus or the ones that followed him wholeheartedly.

ya AAeesa ibna maryama: O Jesus son of Mary
hal yastateeAAu: can he?
Note: HAL basically starts a question or an inquiry. YASTATeeAAu is derived from the root TTa-W-Ain and it means willing compliance as a concept. This can be extended to obeying and so forth. YASTATeeAAu is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of seeking and achieving obeying or willing compliance of the object (an yunazzila= to bring down) is happening or will be happening by the subject (third person singular pointing to Rabbuka= your nurturing lord). In here, it points to the ability to do things and general capabilities.

Rabbuka: your nurturing lord
Note: RABBUKA is derived from the root R-B-B and it means nurturing and Lordship as two components of the meaning that can be present together or one at a time according to the context of the sentence. RABBU is nurturing Lord of. KA means singular you.

An: that/ to
Yunazzila: bring down from above/ make descend
Note: the root is N-Z-L and it carries the meaning of arrival to stay and descent. One concrete meaning is the descent of the person from his or her horse or camel as they arrive at the place where they plan to stay. YUNAZZILA is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of making the object (MAIDATAN= table/ feast) arrive or making it descend is happening or will be happening by the subject(third person singular).

Aaalayna: upon us
Maidatan: a feast table/ a feast
Note: the root is M-Y-D and it points to an object that is either moving in it’s place or just moving depending on the object and the context. It could be pointing to dangling and so on. MAIDATAN is actually a feast that is being served on table or other serving method. The relationship to the movement is the food coming and being taken by the people who are eating and so on.
Mina: from
Alssamai: the sky/ the heaven/ the above
Note: the root is S-M-W and it means rising. This word is used to mean many things that are related to that meaning. One of the meanings is name because when a person’s name is called, he or she would rise and respond. ALSSAMAI is the above or what is above, that is the sky or the heaven or any entity from the atmosphere to beyond that.


Qala: he (Jesus) said/ communicated
Note: QALA is derived from the root Qaf-W-L and it means saying in any way possible. QALA is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means the action of saying happened by the subject (third person singular). This, in turn means: He said or responded or communicated.

Ittaqoo: act consciously of
Note: ITTAQOO is derived from the root W-Qaf-W and it means guarding or protecting. Since the best way to guard is through consciousness and action according to consciousness. ITTAQOO is a demand addressing a group of people. It means: make yourselves act consciously of.
Allaha: Allah
In: if
Kuntum: you (plural) happened to be/ were
Note: the root is K-W-N and it means being. KUNTUM is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means: the action of being happened by the subject (second person plural). This in turn means: you (plural) happened to be
Mumineena: ones who made themselves safe
Note: the root Hamza-M-N and it means safety. MUMINEENA means ones who make themselves safe. The suggestion is making themselves safe in Allah and trust in Allah.


Salaam all and have a great day.

Hussein