Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:111

Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 111

And [remember] when I inspired to the disciples, "Believe in Me and in My Messenger."

Eighth Point: His saying, the Exalted, {And when I inspired to the disciples, "Believe in Me and in My Messenger."}

We have previously explained the meaning of Wahy (Inspiration).

1. If one holds that they were Prophets: Then this Wahy is the inspiration revealed to the Prophets.
2. If one holds that they were not Prophets: Then Wahy here means divine suggestion (Ilhām) or casting [a thought] into the heart, as in His saying: {And We inspired to the mother of Moses, "Suckle him"} (Al-Qasas: 7), and His saying: {And your Lord inspired to the bee} (An-Nahl: 68).

Allah mentioned this [act of inspiration] in the context of enumerating blessings because a person becoming accepted in speech among people and beloved in their hearts is one of the greatest blessings from Allah upon a human being.

The Exalted stated that when He cast that inspiration into their hearts, they believed and submitted (āmanū wa aslamū). He mentioned Imān (Faith) before Islām (Submission) because Imān is a quality of the heart, while Islām refers to outward compliance and humility. This means they believed with their hearts and submitted with their outward appearance.

If it is objected: That Allah said at the beginning of the verse, {Remember My favor upon you and upon your mother} (Al-Ma'idah: 110), yet all the blessings mentioned by the Exalted are specific to Jesus, peace be upon him, and have no connection to his mother.

We reply: Every great blessing and high station attained by the son is attained by the mother implicitly and secondarily.

This is why Allah said: {The disobedient, the day Allah gathers the Messengers and says, "What response did you receive?" They will say, "We have no knowledge. Indeed, it is You who is the Knower of the unseen," when Allah says, "O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favor upon you..."} (Al-Ma'idah: 110).

(The text then briefly describes Jesus's ascetic life, which is context for the blessing mentioned in the preceding verse, not directly related to the disciples' inspiration): He used to wear sackcloth, eat vegetation, and save nothing for the morrow, saying, "My provision is with every day." Whoever has no house, it will be ruined; whoever has no children, they will die. Wherever he ends the evening, there he stays the night.

{When the disciples said, "O Jesus, son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table spread [with food] from heaven?" He said, "Fear Allah, if you are believers."}