A Discussion of the Narrations

The Heavenly Table and Those Who Requested It

From Abū Jaʿfar who said: The table (māʾida) that descended upon the Children of Israel was suspended by golden chains; upon it were nine fish and nine loaves of bread.(235) - From al-Fuḍayl ibn Yasār, from Abū l-Ḥasan who said: Indeed, the swine are from the people of Jesus who asked for the descent of the table but did not believe in it; so God transformed them into swine.(236)

From ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir from the Prophet who said: The table descended with bread and meat, and that was because they asked Jesus for food that would not run out, from which they could eat. He said: So it was said to them: It will remain for you as long as you do not betray, hide, or hoard; if you do that, you will be punished. He said: Their day had not passed before they hid, hoarded, and betrayed. And Ibn ʿAbbās said: Jesus son of Mary said to the Children of Israel: Fast for thirty days; then ask God for whatever you wish and He will give it to you. So they fasted for thirty days; when they finished they said: O Jesus! If we had worked for one of the people and completed his work, he would have fed us food, and we have fasted and become hungry, so call upon God to send down to us a table from heaven. So the angels came carrying a table upon which were seven loaves of bread and seven fish until they placed it before them. The last of the people ate from it just as the first of them ate from it. And this is what is narrated from Abū Jaʿfar.(237)

Note:

1. Since the chain of transmission (sanad) of these matters and events are isolated reports (āḥād), those miracles are not established through isolated reports.

2. A ḥadīth whose content contradicts the content of the Qur’an is not accepted, and since the faith of the Disciples (ḥawāriyyūn) is affirmed by some of the verses of the Qur’an, they cannot considered to be transformed into swine.