5. TORMENT OF PLAGUE ON BANI ISRAEL
In the ‘field of Teeh’, when Bani Israel expressed the desire that they would like to eat vegetables and cereals that grow in the earth, Sayyiduna Musa asked them that why were they wishing for cheap and inferior vegetables and grains leaving the tasty and delicious food i.e. ‘Mann-o-Salwa’. However, when Bani Israel insisted showing stubborn attitude, Allah ordered them to leave the field of ‘Teeh’ and enter the city of ‘Bayt-ul-Muqaddas’ and freely eat the food of their choice without any restrictions. However, a compulsory condition was imposed upon them that they must enter through the portal of Bayt-ul-Muqaddas with utmost respect and reverence by bowing their heads down. Moreover, while entering, keep reciting the following supplication: O Allah Forgive our sins. And Allah will forgive their sins.
However, Bani Israel, who were ever mischievous and insolent and were habitual of disobeying the commandments of Allah, at the time when they reached near Bayt-ul-Muqaddas, a mischief stirred their minds and these disobedient people entered in a crawling posture dragging their buttocks on the ground instead of entering with their heads bowed down.
Furthermore, instead of praying ِfor their forgiveness, they were uttering (one grain in one hair) and entered the Bayt-ul-Muqaddas by cutting jokes and making fun. Due to this disobedience and ridiculing the commandment of Allah, the wrath of Allah afflicted them in the form of a torment. All of a sudden, plague spread among them and seventy thousand Israelites died within an hour painfully like that of fish out of water.
Plague
Plague is a very fatal and epidemic disease. Due to this disease, certain lumps grow in neck, armpits and in the joints of thighs. Severe pain and a lot of inflammation are felt in these lumps. High grade fever and reddening of eyes also take place. Due to acute pain and excessive restlessness, the patient dies soon in a very painful way. Due to plague epidemic, high death rate takes place in the affected locality. Consequently, a horrific situation prevails all around.
Allah mentions this incident of Bani Israel in the Holy Quran as:
And when We said, ‘Enter this town and eat freely from what is in it, and enter the gate whilst prostrating, and say, ‘May our sins be forgiven.’ We will forgive you your sins; and We will soon increase the reward for the righteous ones.’ But the unjust ones changed the word that had been ordered by another one, so We sent down a punishment on them from the skies, the recompense of their disobedience.
Moral:
From this incident, we come to know that non-compliance to the commandments of Allah is a cause of a horrible end. In addition to the torment in afterlife, the Divine wrath results in punishment during worldly life also – people are destroyed and their dwellings are ruined.
A corollary
‘Plague’ was a torment for Bani Israel but fortunately, it is a mercy for the Ummah of the Holy Prophet because it is mentioned in a Hadees that the one who dies of plague is a martyr.
The ruling in this regard is that one should not visit the town affected by plague and if plague spreads in one’s own town, then he should not leave the town, instead he should keep staying in the town observing patience and trusting in Allah. If he dies of this disease, he will be a martyr. Moreover, it is a grave sin to escape from the plague affected town like that of fleeing from the battlefield of ‘Jihad’. Therefore, one should never escape and should patiently stay in his town as Allah has promised for a great reward for such a person.
Source: (QURANIC WONDERS) by ‘ABDUL MUSTAFA A’ZAMI.
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