Surah Al Baqarah Tafseer

فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ قَوْلاً غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ

But those who did wrong changed the word from that which had been told to them for another.

Al-Bukhari recorded Abu Hurayrah saying that the Prophet said,

قِيلَ لِبَنِي إِسْرَايِيلَ ادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ فَدَخَلُوا يَزْحَفُون عَلى أَسْتَاهِهِم فَبَدَّلُوا وَقَالُوا حَبَّةٌ فِي شَعْرَة

The Children of Israel were commanded to enter the door while bowing and to say `Hittah'. Yet, they entered the door on their behinds, distorting the words. They said; `Habbah (seed), in Sha`rah (a hair).'

An-Nasa'i recorded this part of it from Abu Hurayrah only, but he has a chain from the Prophet, explaining Allah's statement,

حِطَّةٌ

(Hittah),

saying, "So they deviated and said `Habbah."

Similar was recorded by Abdur-Razzaq, and his route was also collected by Al-Bukhari.

Muslim and At-Tirmidhi narrated similar versions of this Hadith, At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih."

The summary of what the scholars have said about this subject is that the Children of Israel distorted Allah's command to them to submit to Him in tongue and deed. They were commanded to enter the city while bowing down, but they entered while sliding on their rear ends and raising their heads! They were commanded to say, `Hittah' meaning, "Relieve us from our errors and sins." However, they mocked this command and said, "Hintah (grain seed) in Sha`irah (barley)." This demonstrates the worst type of rebellion and disobedience, and it is why Allah released His anger and punishment upon them, all because of their sinning and defying His commands.

Allah said,

فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ رِجْزاً مِّنَ السَّمَاء بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفْسُقُونَ

So We sent upon the wrongdoers Rijz (a punishment) from the heaven because of their rebellion.

Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said,

"Every word in Allah's Book that says Rijz means, `a punishment."'

Mujahid, Abu Malik, As-Suddi, Al-Hasan and Qatadah were reported to have said that;

Rijz means `Torment.'

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Sa`d bin Malik, Usamah bin Zayd and Khuzaymah bin Thabit said that the Messenger of Allah said,

الطَّاعُونُ رِجْزٌ عَذَابٌ عُذِّبَ بِهِ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُم

The plague is a Rijz, a punishment with which Allah punished those before you.

This is also how An-Nasa'i recorded this Hadith. In addition, the basis of this Hadith was collected in the Two Sahihs,

إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الطَّاعُونَ بأَرْضٍ فَلَ تَدْخُلُوهَا

If you hear of the plague in a land, then do not enter it.

Ibn Jarir recorded Usamah bin Zayd saying that the Messenger of Allah said,

إنَّ هَذَا الْوَجَعَ وَالسَّقَمَ رِجْزٌ عُذِّبَ بِهِ بَعْضُ الاُْمَمِ قَبْلَكُم

This calamity and sickness (i.e. the plague) is a Rijz, a punishment with which some nations who were before you were punished.

The basis of this Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs