Al-Ma'idah
Definition
Al-ma'idah — the table spread — is the heavenly feast that the disciples of Isa requested him to ask Allah to send down, as a sign and a source of celebration. Ibn Kathir narrates that Isa agreed, made du'a, and a table descended from the sky laden with food. Allah attached a stern warning to this miracle: those who disbelieve after witnessing it will be punished with a punishment unprecedented among all the worlds. Surah al-Ma'idah — the fifth chapter of the Quran, named for this event — is the last surah revealed, and its ruling status is significant. Ibn Kathir treats the table as the final miraculous proof given to the followers of Isa, after which disbelief carried particularly grave consequences.
As understood in the classical tradition of Ibn Kathir and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Al-Ma'idah.
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"God, the Mighty and Majestic, said: "...And whoever does not judge by what God has revealed, then they are the disbelievers." Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:44, and in another verse: "...And whoever does not judge by what God has revealed, then they are the wrongdoers." Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:45, and in another: "...And whoever does not judge by what God has revealed, then they are the defiantly disobedient." Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:47."
— Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, Futūḥ al-Ghayb — Revelations of the Unseen
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"which I have not punished anyone else in the worlds. In the exegesis, reports from Ibn Abbas, Salman al-Farsi, Ammar bin Yasir, and others describe the descent of the table spread. Jesus, peace be upon him, commanded the disciples to fast for thirty days. Upon completion, they asked Jesus to request a table spread from the sky, so they could eat from it, and be reassured that Allah had accepted their fast and responded to their request."
— Ibn Kathir, The Story of Isa
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"There is another narration from Ammar, reported as a stopped report, which is considered the most authentic. Scholars have differed regarding the revelation of the table spread. Did it descend or not? The majority believe it did descend, as indicated by these reports and the apparent context of the Quran, especially Allah's words, Indeed, I will send it down to you from Surah Al-Ma'idah."
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 2 — From the Israelite Prophets to Pre-Islamic Arabia
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