One of the strange events and wonderful prodigies of I’sa—u. w. b., etc.—was the appearance and descent of the table, which took place as follows: The apostles, who were always with I’sa, happened on a certain occasion to be hungry, with a great multitude of people, whilst they were travelling. All the people asked I’sa to beseech the Almighty Creator to send down from heaven a table full of victuals; the apostles, however, rejected this proposal, but the people urged them to acquaint I’sa with their wish, wherefore the Messiah was informed of their request. He whose name be glorified has said: ‘The apostles said, O I’sa, son of Mariam, is thy Lord able to cause a table to descend to us from heaven? He answered, Fear Allah, if ye be true believers.’* The apostles replied in the words of the people: ‘We deny not the power of Allah, but we wish to eat of that table, to comfort our hearts, and so increase our faith in thy words, so that we may become convinced that thou art indeed the messenger of Allah and that thy words are true. After having eaten of the table we shall all be compelled to acknowledge the unity and omnipotence of Allah, as well as the truth of thy prophecy and messengership.’
Some have, with reference to the words ‘that we may be witnesses thereof,’* asserted that they imply a pledge of the people to bear testimony in his favour, on their return to the children of Esrâil. After they had repeatedly proffered their request, I’sa—u. w. b., etc.—humbly supplicated, saying: ‘O Allah, our Lord, cause a table to descend to us from heaven, that [the day of its descent] may become a festival unto us, unto the first of us, and unto the last of us, and a sign from Thee; and also to provide food for us; for Thou art the best provider.’* When I’sa had finished his prayers, the revelation descended: ‘I have granted thy request, and sent a table; but whoever of you shall, after having seen it, become ungrateful, will be chastised by Me, as no one of the inhabitants of the world had been punished ere this.’ By the words ‘inhabitants of the world,’ the people of that age are meant.
I’sa informed the people of this revelation, and they said: ‘Whoever is ungrateful is worthy of punishment.’ Then a table descended from heaven, by the prayers of I’sa; over it there was a cloud, and also under it. The descent took place slowly, until at last the table became stationary in front of I’sa—u. w. b., etc.—and its fragrant exhalations gratified the senses of all present. I’sa and his apostles bowed their heads in adoration, and he said: ‘Let one of you who is most beneficent, and who is most confident of the power of God, arise and remove the cover, that we may see the bounties of the Lord, and thank Him for them.’ The apostles replied: ‘Thou art the most fit and worthy to perform this act.’ Accordingly the Lord I’sa fell on his knees, prayed and removed the cover, after uttering the words: ‘In the name of Allah, the best provider of food.’ The people then approached and beheld a table of pure gold, forty cubits long, and as many broad, standing on four legs. Upon it they perceived a red cloth, on which there was a roasted fish without scales or fins, from which fat was flowing. Around it they saw all kinds of vegetables except onions and leeks. Near the head of the fish there was some salt, and near its tail some vinegar. Around it there were five loaves of bread, on each of which there were a few olives, five pomegranates, and five dates. Shima’ûn asked: ‘O spirit of Allah! is this the food of paradise or of the world?’ I’sa replied: ‘Of neither, but it has descended from heaven.’ Then the Messiah continued: ‘Eat ye, and pronounce the name of Allah over it.’ The apostle said: ‘O prophet of God, begin thou to eat first.’ I’sa refused, and said: ‘Let everyone eat of it who has asked.’ From the refusal of I’sa the apostles knew that the descent of the table was connected with a Divine chastisement [that would follow]. Therefore they agreed with the spirit of Allah [not to eat]. I’sa then invited the people, whereon many rich and poor and sick assembled around the table. Every blind man who ate of that food recovered his sight, and every sick person was cured of his disease. Immense crowds partook of the food of that table, which, however, remained in its first state, so that nothing appeared to have been consumed. According to a tradition, the said table descended from heaven during forty days, and again ascended at sunset. I’sa caused the people daily to partake of the food, until the revelations arrived that none but orphans, poor, and sick persons be allowed to eat of that food. This command was deemed very unjust by the rich, and some of them said: ‘This is not the table of God,’ whilst others also suspected that it had not descended from heaven. On that occasion the following Divine allocution reached I’sa: ‘On account of the promise which I have made, I shall punish the doubters and the ungrateful.’ It is recorded according to one tradition, that after I’sa had informed them of the imminent chastisement, four hundred individuals arose one morning from their beds, changed into hogs. They then began to pick up offal from dunghills, came to I’sa, laid their heads on the ground, wept tears of repentance on I’sa, who called everyone by his name, saying: ‘Thou art such and such an one,’ which words they confirmed by affirmatively nodding with their heads; but after the expiration of three nights and days they gave up their ghosts in the most opprobrious manner.