Surah 17. Al-Isra

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-22 [2], 23-30 [3], 31-40 [4], 41-52 [5], 53-60 [6], 61-70 [7], 71-77 [8], 78-84 [9], 85-93 [10], 94-100 [11], 101-111 [12]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1017. Al-Isra Page 28217. Al-Israبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِسُبْحٰنَExaltedالَّذِیْۤ(is) the One WhoاَسْرٰیtookبِعَبْدِهٖHis servantلَیْلًا(by) nightمِّنَfromالْمَسْجِدِAl-MasjidالْحَرَامِAl-HaraamاِلَیtoالْمَسْجِدِAl-MasjidالْاَقْصَاAl-AqsaالَّذِیْwhichبٰرَكْنَاWe blessedحَوْلَهٗits surroundingsلِنُرِیَهٗthat We may show himمِنْofاٰیٰتِنَا ؕOur SignsاِنَّهٗIndeed HeهُوَHeالسَّمِیْعُ(is) the All-Hearerالْبَصِیْرُ the All-Seer وَ اٰتَیْنَاAnd We gaveمُوْسَیMusaالْكِتٰبَthe Bookوَ جَعَلْنٰهُand made itهُدًیa guidanceلِّبَنِیْۤfor the Childrenاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(of) IsraelاَلَّاThat notتَتَّخِذُوْاyou takeمِنْother than Meدُوْنِیْother than Meوَكِیْلًاؕ(as) a Disposer of affairs ذُرِّیَّةَOffspringsمَنْ(of one) whoحَمَلْنَاWe carriedمَعَwithنُوْحٍ ؕNuhاِنَّهٗIndeed heكَانَwasعَبْدًاa servantشَكُوْرًا grateful وَ قَضَیْنَاۤAnd We decreedاِلٰیforبَنِیْۤ(the) Childrenاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(of) Israelفِیinالْكِتٰبِthe BookلَتُفْسِدُنَّSurely you will cause corruptionفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthمَرَّتَیْنِtwiceوَ لَتَعْلُنَّand surely you will reachعُلُوًّاhaughtinessكَبِیْرًا great فَاِذَاSo whenجَآءَcameوَعْدُ(the) promiseاُوْلٰىهُمَا(for) the first of the twoبَعَثْنَاWe raisedعَلَیْكُمْagainst youعِبَادًاservantsلَّنَاۤof Oursاُولِیْthose of great military mightبَاْسٍthose of great military mightشَدِیْدٍthose of great military mightفَجَاسُوْاand they enteredخِلٰلَthe inner most partالدِّیَارِ(of) the homesوَ كَانَand (it) wasوَعْدًاa promiseمَّفْعُوْلًا fulfilled ثُمَّThenرَدَدْنَاWe gave backلَكُمُto youالْكَرَّةَthe return victoryعَلَیْهِمْover themوَ اَمْدَدْنٰكُمْAnd We reinforced youبِاَمْوَالٍwith the wealthوَّ بَنِیْنَand sonsوَ جَعَلْنٰكُمْand made youاَكْثَرَmoreنَفِیْرًا numerous اِنْIfاَحْسَنْتُمْyou do goodاَحْسَنْتُمْyou do goodلِاَنْفُسِكُمْ ۫for yourselvesوَ اِنْand ifاَسَاْتُمْyou do evilفَلَهَا ؕthen it is for itفَاِذَاSo whenجَآءَcameوَعْدُpromiseالْاٰخِرَةِthe lastلِیَسُوْٓءٗاto saddenوُجُوْهَكُمْyour facesوَ لِیَدْخُلُواand to enterالْمَسْجِدَthe Masjidكَمَاjust asدَخَلُوْهُthey (had) entered itاَوَّلَfirstمَرَّةٍtimeوَّ لِیُتَبِّرُوْاand to destroyمَاwhatعَلَوْاthey had conqueredتَتْبِیْرًا (with) destruction 17. Al-Isra Page 283عَسٰی(It) may beرَبُّكُمْthat your Lordاَنْthat your Lordیَّرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ(may) have mercy upon youوَ اِنْBut ifعُدْتُّمْyou returnعُدْنَا ۘWe will returnوَ جَعَلْنَاAnd We have madeجَهَنَّمَHellلِلْكٰفِرِیْنَfor the disbelieversحَصِیْرًا a prison-bed اِنَّIndeedهٰذَاthisالْقُرْاٰنَthe Quranیَهْدِیْguidesلِلَّتِیْto thatهِیَwhichاَقْوَمُ(is) most straightوَ یُبَشِّرُand gives glad tidingsالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَto the believersالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَعْمَلُوْنَdoالصّٰلِحٰتِthe righteous deedsاَنَّthatلَهُمْfor themاَجْرًا(is) a rewardكَبِیْرًاۙgreat وَّ اَنَّAnd thatالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِالْاٰخِرَةِin the HereafterاَعْتَدْنَاWe have preparedلَهُمْfor themعَذَابًاa punishmentاَلِیْمًا۠painful

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Surah Introduction

Since Abraham ( ﷺ ) is praised in the last verses of the previous sûrah as a role model for the world, this Meccan sûrah speaks of how the Prophet ( ﷺ ) is honoured in this world through the Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem then to the heavens and back to Mecca-all in one night (verses 1 and 60). He ( ﷺ ) will also be honoured on the Day of Judgment through the station of praise where he will make intercession (verse 79). The children of Israel are referred to passingly at the end of the previous sûrah, but more insights are given about them both at the beginning and the end of this sûrah. The key to success in this life and salvation in the next is encapsulated in a set of divine commandments (verses 22-39), along with a warning against Satan and his whispers (verses 61-65). The sûrah is critical of the pagan arguments against resurrection and their ridiculous demands (verses 89-93). Criticism of attributing partners and children to Allah is carried over to the next sûrah.

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Translation of Verse 1-101. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. ⁵¹⁶ Indeed, He ⁵¹⁷ alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

2. And We gave Moses the Scripture and made it a guide for the Children of Israel, ˹stating:˺ "Do not take besides Me any other Trustee of Affairs,

3. ˹O˺ descendants of those We carried with Noah ˹in the Ark˺! He was indeed a grateful servant."

4. And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, "You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant.

5. "When the first of the two warnings would come to pass, We would send against you some of Our servants of great might, who would ravage your homes. This would be a warning fulfilled.

6. Then ˹after your repentance˺ We would give you the upper hand over them and aid you with wealth and offspring, causing you to outnumber them.

7. If you act rightly, it is for your own good, but if you do wrong, it is to your own loss. And when the second warning would come to pass, your enemies would ˹be left to˺ totally disgrace you and enter the Temple ˹of Jerusalem˺ as they entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever would fall into their hands.

8. Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you ˹if you repent˺, but if you return ˹to sin˺, We will return ˹to punishment˺. And We have made Hell a ˹permanent˺ confinement for the disbelievers."

9. Surely this Quran guides to what is most upright, and gives good news to the believers-who do good-that they will have a mighty reward.

10. And ˹it warns˺ those who do not believe in the Hereafter ˹that˺ We have prepared for them a painful punishment.

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Commentary

516. Al-Isrâ ' refers to the Prophet's Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem about a year before his emigration (or Hijrah ) from Mecca to Medina. This journey came as a comfort for the Prophet after several years of hardship and persecution, which included a 3-year siege by Meccan pagans, who drove the Muslims out of the city and forbade anyone from trading, marrying, or feeding them. This was followed by the "Year of Sadness," which included the death of the Prophet's uncle Abu Ṭâlib, the major defender of Muḥammad ( ﷺ ) despite his disbelief in his message, as well as the death of the Prophet's beloved wife Khadîjah. The Prophet was carried overnight by a noble steed (called Burâq ) from Mecca to Jerusalem where he met some earlier prophets and led them in prayer. He was later carried to the heavens (this journey is called Al-Mi'râj , or the Ascension) where he received direct orders from Allah to observe five daily prayers. The Ascension is referred to in 53:13-18.

517. i.e., Allah.