Jesus, son of Mary, said, 'O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from the heaven [so that] it may be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us.' Qatadah said: They wanted it to be for their descendants after them.
Muhammad said: The meaning of 'festival' (īdan) is a place of gathering. Regarding 'table' (mā'idah), the root of it comes from your saying: 'mādani' (he gave to me); as if it 'tamīdu' (provides for/gives to) the eaters; meaning: it gives to them.
﴿قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا لأَوَّلِنَا وآخرنا﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: أَرَادُوا أَنْ تَكُونَ لِعَقِبِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: وَمعنى ﴿عيدا﴾: مجمعا، و ﴿مائدة﴾ الْأَصْلُ فِيهَا مِنْ قَوْلِكَ: مَادَنِي؛ أَيْ: أَعْطَانِي؛ فَكَأَنَّهَا تَمِيدُ الْآكِلِينَ؛ أَي: تعطيهم.
