Faith in the unseen; Allah provides
Last night, we heard about the miraculous birth of Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, how he spoke from the cradle as a baby and declared himself a servant of Allah. Tonight, we follow Isa (AS) as he grows up and begins his mission, a mission filled with extraordinary miracles that pointed to one truth: there is no power except Allah's.
Isa (AS) grew up under the care of his mother Maryam, and from his earliest years, it was clear that he was no ordinary child. He was filled with wisdom, compassion, and a deep connection to Allah that showed in everything he did. When he reached manhood, Allah sent him as a messenger to the Children of Israel, to call them back to the straight path they had strayed from.
But Isa (AS) did not come with just words. Allah gave him miracles that left people breathless with wonder.
The Quran tells us that Isa (AS) said to his people: "Indeed, I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I design for you from clay the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by the permission of Allah." Imagine watching a man take a handful of clay, shape it into the form of a bird with careful hands, then breathe upon it, and watch as the clay transforms into a living, breathing creature that spreads its wings and flies away. This was not magic or illusion. It was a miracle from Allah, granted to Isa (AS) to prove that his message was true.
He continued: "And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead, by the permission of Allah." People who had been blind from birth would come to Isa (AS), and by the power Allah gave him, their eyes would open and they would see the world for the first time. Those suffering from leprosy, a disease that in those days made people outcasts, would be healed at his touch. And those who had died would, by Allah's permission, return to life.
But notice how Isa (AS) always added those crucial words: "by the permission of Allah." He never claimed these powers were his own. He never said, "I can do these things." He always said, "Allah does these things through me." This is the mark of a true prophet, always pointing people back to the One who truly has power over all things.
He also said: "And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses." He could tell people what they had eaten for breakfast and what they had hidden away in their cupboards. This was not to show off but to prove that his knowledge came from Allah, and that if Allah could grant him such intimate knowledge, then the message he brought was also from Allah.
Despite all these miracles, many of the Children of Israel refused to believe. They had become so set in their ways, so attached to the power of their religious leaders and the comfort of their traditions, that even witnessing miracles with their own eyes was not enough. They accused Isa (AS) of sorcery. They plotted against him. They tried to silence his message.
But Isa (AS) had faithful followers too. The Quran calls them the Hawariyyun, the disciples. These were people who recognized the truth in his words and devoted themselves to his mission. They said: "We are supporters of Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims," meaning those who submit to Allah's will.
And now comes the story that gives tonight its title: the table from heaven.
One day, the disciples came to Isa (AS) with an unusual request. "O Isa, son of Maryam, can your Lord send down to us a table spread with food from heaven?"
Isa (AS) was concerned by this question. "Fear Allah, if you should be believers," he told them. In other words, true faith should not need constant physical proof.
But the disciples explained: "We wish to eat from it and let our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among its witnesses." They were not asking out of doubt in the way that stubborn people demand proof they plan to reject anyway. They wanted their faith strengthened. They wanted to experience Allah's generosity directly. And they wanted to be witnesses to this miracle so they could tell others.
Isa (AS) then raised his hands to the sky and made one of the most beautiful prayers in the Quran:
"O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table spread with food from heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers."
Allah answered: "Indeed, I will send it down to you. But whoever disbelieves afterward from among you, then indeed will I punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds."
And the table descended from the heavens. The Quran does not describe exactly what was on it, but the scholars tell us it was laden with food more magnificent than anything human hands could prepare, a feast sent directly from Allah's generosity. The disciples gathered around it, ate from it, and their hearts were filled with faith and certainty.
This miracle of the Ma'idah, the table, is so important that the entire fifth surah of the Quran is named after it: Surah Al-Ma'idah.
The story of the Ma'idah teaches us something profound about the relationship between humans and Allah. Allah is the ultimate provider. Every meal you eat, every glass of water you drink, every breath you take, all comes from Allah. The table from heaven was a dramatic, visible demonstration of what happens invisibly every single day.
Isa (AS) also taught his followers to care for the poor, to heal the sick, and to treat every person with dignity. His message was fundamentally about justice and compassion, the same values that run through every prophetic message from Adam to Muhammad, peace be upon them all.
In the Shia tradition, the faithful disciples of Isa (AS) are seen as models for the faithful companions of the Imams. Just as the Hawariyyun stood by Isa (AS) when most people turned against him, the loyal companions of Imam Ali (AS), Imam Husayn (AS), and the other Imams stood by truth when the majority chose convenience over principle.
Imam Ali (AS) spoke beautifully about Isa (AS) in Nahj al-Balagha: "Isa, son of Maryam, used a stone for his pillow, wore rough clothes, and ate coarse food. His lamp at night was the moonlight. His shade in winter was the eastern and western regions of the earth. His fruits and herbs were what grows from the earth for cattle. He had no wife to tempt him, no child to grieve for, no wealth to distract him, and no greed to disgrace him. His two feet were his mount, and his two hands were his servants." This description emphasizes Isa's simplicity and devotion, qualities valued deeply in the Shia tradition.
The miracles of Isa (AS) were not parlor tricks or magic shows. They were signs, ayat, pointing people toward Allah. The clay bird showed Allah's power to create life. The healing showed Allah's power over illness. The table showed Allah's power to provide. Every miracle said the same thing: "Turn to Allah. Trust Allah. Submit to Allah."
As you eat your iftar tonight, remember the table from heaven. Remember that every meal is, in its own way, a provision from Allah. And remember that true faith is not about demanding miracles but about recognizing the miraculous in the everyday.
"Qala 'Isa ibnu Maryama Allahumma Rabbana anzil 'alayna ma'idatan minas-sama'i takunu lana 'idan li-awwalina wa akhirina wa ayatan mink, warzuqna wa Anta khayrur-raziqeen" "Isa, son of Maryam, said, 'O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us, and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.'" -- Al-Ma'idah (5:114)