Israelites Were Not Thankful To Allah

61  And remember ye said: “O Moses! we cannot endure one kind of food (always); so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, – its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions.” He sail ye exchange the better for the worse? Go ye down to any town, and ye shall find what ye want!” They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah and slaying His Messengers without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing. (Al-Baqarah)

This indicates they were bored with Manna, quals, and water for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some scholars said the Manna and quail actually came to them in different varieties. What they did not like about the food was that it came to them without discrimination. Everybody got what they wanted as and when due on equal terms; there was no difference between one set of people and another, no master-servant relationship. So, they hated this egalitarian society and preferred in place thereof a setting in which there would be poor and rich, masters and servants, bourgeoisie and the proletariat apologies to Marxists and proponents of their theories.

They were told to go to any town in answer to their request. But did they go into any town at all? The order was given to frustrate them further and not elicit any compliance. They were in a 40-year wilderness. How could they have gone to any town? This order is similar to what Allah to the same people:

50. Say: Be ye stones or iron. (Israa)

Some other scholars said the order was actually real and not metaphorical: they really entered a town as ordered.

And humiliation and misery were stamped upon them and drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. They went on rejecting the signs of Allah: dividing the sea for them, Allah rescuing them from Pharaoh, the staff of Musa, the gushing out of the water, the coming down of Manna and quail from heaven without any effort from them.

Also, because they were slaying Allah’s messengers without just cause. They slew John, Zachariah, etc.

Without just cause? Will there be any situation in which killing Allah’s messengers will be a just cause?

No.

Then why the sentence – ‘and slaying His messengers without just cause’? And why will Allah allow the slaying of His prophets?

There are instances where a murderer may assume that his victim deserves to die. But in the case of the children of Israel slaying Allah’s messengers, they knew that these righteous, anointed servants of Allah did not deserve the treatment they were receiving from them. They were killing them without just cause.

61-This because they rebelled and went on transgressing. (Al-Baqarah)

As for Allah allowing His prophets to be slain, it is because He did not give them sanction to take up arms against their persecutors. If Allah had permitted them to fight, they would have been victorious over their enemies. That is the Sunnah of Allah from Adam to Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. Allah destined the death of those who died of His prophets at the hands of their persecutors to uplift them to a higher position and as an argument against those who murdered them. The prophets would die anyway at the appointed time at the hands of the transgressors or by any other means. There is only one death, but there are many ways to die.

Those Who Surrender To Allah Shall Be Saved

62  Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Al-Baqarah)

Referring to those who believe in Muhammad’s message, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, and the Yahud and Nasaarah – all of the time of the Messenger, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, and the Sabians who worshipped stars and angels: whoever among these that forsakes his disbelief and accepts to surrender to Allah’s rules as a Muslim will have neither fear nor grief.

Or it may not be restricted to the time of the last Messenger of Allah. Thus, it could mean that those who believe in the message that Muhammad brought, those who followed Moses during his time, those who accepted Isah during his earthly ministry, those who worshipped stars and angels at the time of cessation of Allah’s messages to earth – for He said:

15. Whosoever goeth right, it is only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth, erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another’s load. We never punish until We have sent a messenger. (Al-Israa)

So, anyone who believes among these and works righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Allah’s Covenant With The Children Of Israel

63  And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai): (Saying): “Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah.”

At-Tur is the mount where Musa used to speak with Allah and where he received the Torah. When the Yahud read the contents of the Torah, they found it challenging to abide by the contents, though they were the ones who asked for it, to comply with the laws contained in it. They said, ‘No, we cannot be subjected to these laws.’ But before this, they requested a document which would make Allah’s ordinances of Halal, Haram, etc, plain to them. ‘How are we sure it came from Allah as you claimed?’ They said, ‘Let Allah tell us that by Himself as  He used to speak with you.’

So, when they rejected the Torah, Allah commanded Arch Angel Gabriel to raise the mount with only one of his 600 wings. He raised it about them, making shadows under them; it encompassed them like a covering or a canopy hanging in mid-air. And it was said to them: ‘You have only two options: accept what you requested Allah to send down to you of the Torah, or Jibril will hurl this mountain on you.’

So, they accepted the Torah under duress and fear.

But They Reneged

64 But ye turned back thereafter: Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah to you, ye had surely been among the lost. (Al-Baqarah)

They turned to their faithlessness after Allah saved them from Pharaoh, after Manna and quail, after raising the mount above them……had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah to you, ye had indeed been among the lost.

What does Fadl (Grace) and Rahmah (Mercy) mean?

Fadl is what you give above what is due to someone. You said, ‘This is what you charged me for the job, and I also added this amount to it as a token of my appreciation.’

On Rahmah, the Messenger, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said:

A’isha, the wife of Allah’s Apostle (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), reported that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to say: Observe moderation (in doing deeds), and if you fail to observe it perfectly, try to do as much as you can do (to live up to this ideal of moderation) and be happy for none would be able to get into Paradise because of his deeds alone. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: Allah’s Messenger, not even you? Thereupon he said: Not even I, but that Allah wraps me in His Mercy, and bear this in mind that the deed loved most by Allah is one which is done constantly even though it is small.

Sahih Muslim 2818a

If you ask the question, why will people’s deeds not admit them into Paradise? You only view the deeds which amount to a trifle when compared to what Allah has in store for the believers in Paradise. Everyone who enters Paradise does so by Allah’s Grace and not because of their good deeds. Even the martyrs who gave the supreme price, their life, the dearest thing they possess, will only enter Paradise by the Grace of Allah.

170. Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not joined them but are left behind: that there shall no fear come upon them, neither shall they grieve. (Aali Imraan)

If these martyrs in the pinnacle of Aljannah are only there because of Allah’s Grace and Bounty, what about those who are below them in recompense?

Khaasireen, on the Day of Reckoning, are those who have lost their loved ones; they are cut off completely.