Surah 17. Al-Isra

---

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]

---

Quran Text of Verse 11-22وَ یَدْعُAnd praysالْاِنْسَانُthe manبِالشَّرِّfor evilدُعَآءَهٗ(as) he praysبِالْخَیْرِ ؕfor the goodوَ كَانَAnd isالْاِنْسَانُthe manعَجُوْلًا ever hasty وَ جَعَلْنَاAnd We have madeالَّیْلَthe nightوَ النَّهَارَand the dayاٰیَتَیْنِ(as) two signsفَمَحَوْنَاۤThen We erasedاٰیَةَ(the) signالَّیْلِ(of) the nightوَ جَعَلْنَاۤand We madeاٰیَةَ(the) signالنَّهَارِ(of) the dayمُبْصِرَةًvisibleلِّتَبْتَغُوْاthat you may seekفَضْلًاbountyمِّنْfromرَّبِّكُمْyour Lordوَ لِتَعْلَمُوْاand that you may knowعَدَدَ(the) numberالسِّنِیْنَ(of) the yearsوَ الْحِسَابَ ؕand the accountوَ كُلَّAnd everyشَیْءٍthingفَصَّلْنٰهُWe have explained itتَفْصِیْلًا (in) detail وَ كُلَّAnd (for) everyاِنْسَانٍmanاَلْزَمْنٰهُWe have fastened to himطٰٓىِٕرَهٗhis fateفِیْinعُنُقِهٖ ؕhis neckوَ نُخْرِجُand We will bring forthلَهٗfor himیَوْمَ(on the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionكِتٰبًاa recordیَّلْقٰىهُwhich he will findمَنْشُوْرًا wide open اِقْرَاْReadكِتٰبَكَ ؕyour recordكَفٰیSufficientبِنَفْسِكَ(is) yourselfالْیَوْمَtodayعَلَیْكَagainst youحَسِیْبًاؕ(as) accountant مَنِWhoeverاهْتَدٰی(is) guidedفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyیَهْتَدِیْhe is guidedلِنَفْسِهٖ ۚfor his soulوَ مَنْAnd whoeverضَلَّgoes astrayفَاِنَّمَاthen onlyیَضِلُّhe goes astrayعَلَیْهَا ؕagainst itوَ لَاAnd notتَزِرُwill bearوَازِرَةٌone laden with burdenوِّزْرَburdenاُخْرٰی ؕ(of) anotherوَ مَاAnd notكُنَّاWeمُعَذِّبِیْنَare to punishحَتّٰیuntilنَبْعَثَWe have sentرَسُوْلًا a Messenger وَ اِذَاۤAnd whenاَرَدْنَاۤWe intendاَنْthatنُّهْلِكَWe destroyقَرْیَةًa townاَمَرْنَاWe orderمُتْرَفِیْهَاits wealthy peopleفَفَسَقُوْاbut they defiantly disobeyفِیْهَاthereinفَحَقَّso (is) proved trueعَلَیْهَاagainst itالْقَوْلُthe wordفَدَمَّرْنٰهَاand We destroy itتَدْمِیْرًا (with) destruction وَ كَمْAnd how manyاَهْلَكْنَاWe destroyedمِنَfromالْقُرُوْنِthe generationsمِنْۢafterبَعْدِafterنُوْحٍ ؕNuhوَ كَفٰیAnd sufficientبِرَبِّكَ(is) your Lordبِذُنُوْبِconcerning the sinsعِبَادِهٖ(of) His servantsخَبِیْرًۢاAll-Awareبَصِیْرًا All-Seer 17. Al-Isra Page 284مَنْWhoeverكَانَshouldیُرِیْدُdesireالْعَاجِلَةَthe immediateعَجَّلْنَاWe hastenلَهٗfor himفِیْهَاin itمَاwhatنَشَآءُWe willلِمَنْto whomنُّرِیْدُWe intendثُمَّThenجَعَلْنَاWe have madeلَهٗfor himجَهَنَّمَ ۚHellیَصْلٰىهَاhe will burnمَذْمُوْمًاdisgracedمَّدْحُوْرًا rejected وَ مَنْAnd whoeverاَرَادَdesiresالْاٰخِرَةَthe Hereafterوَ سَعٰیand exertsلَهَاfor itسَعْیَهَاthe effortوَ هُوَwhile heمُؤْمِنٌ(is) a believerفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseكَانَ[are]سَعْیُهُمْtheir effortمَّشْكُوْرًا (is) appreciated كُلًّا(To) eachنُّمِدُّWe extendهٰۤؤُلَآءِ(to) theseوَ هٰۤؤُلَآءِand (to) theseمِنْfromعَطَآءِ(the) giftرَبِّكَ ؕ(of) your Lordوَ مَاAnd notكَانَisعَطَآءُ(the) giftرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordمَحْظُوْرًا restricted اُنْظُرْSeeكَیْفَhowفَضَّلْنَاWe preferredبَعْضَهُمْsome of themعَلٰیoverبَعْضٍ ؕothersوَ لَلْاٰخِرَةُAnd surely the Hereafterاَكْبَرُ(is) greaterدَرَجٰتٍ(in) degreesوَّ اَكْبَرُand greaterتَفْضِیْلًا (in) excellence لَا(Do) notتَجْعَلْmakeمَعَwithاللّٰهِAllahاِلٰهًاgodاٰخَرَanotherفَتَقْعُدَlest you will sitمَذْمُوْمًاdisgracedمَّخْذُوْلًا۠forsaken

---

Translation of Verse 11-22

(17:11) Man prays for evil in the manner he ought to pray for good. Man is ever hasty.¹²

(17:12) We have made night and day as two signs. We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and made the sign of the day radiant that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the computation of years and numbers. Thus We have expounded everything in detail to keep everything distinct from the other.¹³

(17:13) We have fastened every man's omen to his neck.¹⁴ On the Day of Resurrection We shall produce for him his scroll in the shape of a wide open book, (saying):

(17:14) "Read your scroll; this Day you suffice to take account of yourself."

(17:15) He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage; and he who strays shall incur his own loss.¹⁵ No one shall bear another's burden.¹⁶ And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger¹⁷ (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood).

(17:16) When We decide to destroy a town We command the affluent among them, whereupon they commit sins in it, then the decree (of chastisement) becomes due against them and thereafter We destroy that town utterly.¹⁸

(17:17) Many a generation has been destroyed by Our command since Noah's time. Your Lord is well aware and fully observant of the sins of His servants.

(17:18) If anyone desires immediate benefits,¹⁹ We hasten to grant whatever benefits We will in the present life to whomsoever We please, but thereafter We decree for him Hell wherein he shall burn, condemned and rejected.²⁰

(17:19) But he who desires the Hereafter and strives for it in the manner he should, and is a true believer, his striving will come to fruition.²¹

(17:20) To all of these as well as those We shall provide the wherewithal of this life in the present world by dint of your Lord's Bounty; and from none shall the Bounty of your Lord be withheld.²²

(17:21) See, how We have exalted some above others in this world, and in the Life to Come they will have higher ranks and greater degrees of excellence over others.²³

(17:22) Do not set up any other god with Allah²⁴ lest you are rendered humiliated and helpless.

---

Commentary

12. This is in response to the foolish demands that the unbelievers of Makka occasionally made upon the Prophet (peace, be on him). Again and again they asked the Prophet (peace be on him) to bring upon them the punishment of which he had so often warned them. This particular statement follows the preceding verse which promises a large reward for those who believe and do good and a painful chastisement for those who do not believe in the After-Life, and is intended to jolt the persons concerned into recognizing their folly. For, instead of asking for good, they are asking for God’s punishment. Do they have no idea at all of the havoc that God’s punishment wreaks upon those who are smitten by it? Implicit in this statement is a subtle warning.to the Muslims as well. Irked by constant persecution at the hands of the unbelievers the Muslims sometimes - prayed that God’s scourge might seize the unbelievers. They did so without realizing that there were many among the unbelievers who were to embrace Islam and uphold its cause all across the world at one time or another during the future. Hence, it. was deemed necessary to point out that man is impatient, that he is prone to ask for whatever he is immediately in need of and which he wants to have forthwith. However, after the passage of time, it becomes evident to him that had his prayer been answered instantly, it would have been no good for him.

13. Man should not feel exasperated by the differences that he observes, nor clamor for total uniformity. For diversity and variety are a basic operative principle of the universe. The alternation of day and night is an obvious example of this diversity and something which everyone can observe. Just a little reflection will show that this arrangement is immensely beneficial.

Without diversity and variety life would lose much of its charm, and a great deal of its color. Corresponding to the diversities of the physical universe, there are also diversities of temperament, view and inclination among human beings and these too are highly beneficial. It would not be at all wholesome to remove these differences and, either compel human beings — all of them — to believe and act righteously, or annihilate unbelievers and transgressors, all. wing only those who believe and act righteously to survive. To wish for such a thing to happen is no different from wishing that the world should have only the day but not the night. What is indeed desirable is that those who have been blessed with the light of true guidance should ceaselessly strive to dispel the darkness of error and misguidance. In the pursuit of this goal they should act like the sun. Whenever the darkness of night covers the world, they should, as the sun does, chase darkness away and persevere in their efforts until the rise of a bright, new day.

14. The causes that lead a man to his ultimate salvation or perdition to his perpetual happiness or unending misery, lie within himself. It is the proper use of his natural endowments, his power of discernment and decision, his volition ‘and choice which makes man merit either happiness or misery. People who do not understand things properly hold external factors to be responsible for their E. fortune. The fact, however, is that a man’s good or bad fortune rests with ‘himself. If people were to critically examine themselves, they would appreciate that the factors which-had put them on the road to their destruction and ultimately led to their undoing lay within themselves — their own bad Character traits and bad decisions. Their destruction was not thrust upon them ‘by outside factors.

15. It is obvious that if a man follows the right way, he does not favor to God, or His Prophet (peace be on him) or to those who seek to bring about form. For his righteousness will be to his own advantage. Likewise, when he opts a wrong course, or stubbornly clings to it, he harms no one but himself. When God’s Messengers call people to follow the right way or when well-meaning reformers strive to direct people to righteousness and dissuade them ‘om evil ways, they do so in order to be genuinely helpful to people. Once the this convincingly placed before a wise person, and falsehood is shown to be true, he should not allow his biases or excessive concern, for material interests to deter him from following the truth and instead should adopt a straight forward attitude to it. For if he clings to his biases and remains meshed in worldly interests at the cost of truth, he will only hurt himself.

16. This is a significant truth, brought home to man at several places in the Qur’an. For without fully appreciating it one cannot follow the right course of conduct. The statement made here emphasizes that every man has been encumbered with moral responsibility, that each person is accountable to God in his personal capacity, that no man has a co-sharer in this accountability.

Regardless of the number of people, groups or generations who participate in a particular act, or follow a certain policy, ultimately when a man is judged by God, his performance will be considered in isolation, divorced from the performance of those who had previously acted together. Thus, the responsibility of each person will be precisely determined. A person will be called to account for and will be rewarded or punished for deeds which are truly his deeds. Such is the Balance by which man’s deeds will be weighed; no one else’s misdeeds will adversely affect him, nor will his own misdeeds harm anyone else. Hence, a wise person should not be overly concerned with the actions of others. He should rather be concerned with what he himself does for if a man has a clear sense of his responsibility, he will be able to follow a course of action that will bring him success and credit on the Day of Judgement, and all this regardless of what others do.

17. This is another fundamental truth which the Qur’an repeatedly expounds and in many diverse ways. In the scheme of things relating to God’s Judgement of man, the Messengers occupy a central position. The Messengers who carry God’s Message also constitute God’s evidence which, at the end of the day, also establishes man’s responsibility. For had no Messengers been sent and no Message conveyed, there would be little justification to hold men to account and to punish them. Men would have been able to come forth with the excuse that since they had not even been told what they were required to do they ought not to be held to account for what they. did not know. But once a Messenger has been sent with God’s Message, it stands to reason and justice that those who turned away or deviated from the Message that was communicated to them ought to be punished.

Some people, as a result of their unclear thinking, are apt to raise questions with regard to verses such as the above. They ask: What will happen to those who do not receive the Message of any of God’s Prophets? If they were wise, they should rather be concerned with themselves alone for they had already received the Message.

Man’s responsibility is so grave that he ought to remain wholly absorbed with the question: “What will happen to me? How will God treat me?’ So far as others are concerned, God knows best as to how, when and to what extent His Message reached each of them, and how each of them responded to it, and why.

All these are far too complex matters to be known to anyone other than the One, Omniscient God. No one knows about others: no one knows who received God’s Message and in such a manner as to leave no justification for them that owing to their ignorance of His Message it is not fair to hold them responsible.

18. The word amr (command) used in this verse refers to the laws operating in the physical realm, the laws of nature in the sense of signifying causal relationships. Taken in this sense, God’s ‘command’ mentioned here simply means that those nations whose affluent members act wickedly always meet with a tragic end.

The statement that ‘When We decide to destroy a town . . .’, does not mean that God decides to punish a people without just cause. Rather it means that when a people immerse themselves in evil, God decides — and He does so precisely because of their immersion in evil — to destroy them, and that decision manifests itself in the manner referred to here.

The pith of the matter, as embodied in the present verse, is that it is the corruption of the affluent sections of the upper classes of a society which truly brings about that society’s destruction. When a nation is close to its doom, its wealthy and influential sections blatantly resort to all kinds of evil practices, to injustice and oppression, to wickedness and mischief, and this is what leads to its destruction. Hence, if a people truly care about their collective well-being, they should ensure that its political power and riches do not pass on to those that are unworthy of them, to those that are conspicuously iniquitous, to those that are altogether incapable of judiciously using political and economic power.

19. The Qur’an employs this term to signify the present world. By contrast, the term akhirah is used in the Qur’an to denote one whose benefits and gains will be available later, after the present world. The success and prosperity that such a person achieves will be at the cost of success and prosperity in the Hereafter. Not only that, the excessive worldliness and lack of concern about his accountability in the Hereafter will have given such an essentially wrong twist to the lives of such people that they will end up suffering the torments of Hell.

20. This simply means one who does not believe in the Hereafter or is not willing to wait patiently to receive his reward there, one who keeps his attention focused on the present world. The success and prosperity in it, will be totally excluded from success and prosperity of such a person in the Hereafter.

Not only that, but excessive worldliness and lack of concern of such a person about his accountability in the Hereafter will have given such an essentially wrong twist to his life that he will end up suffering the torments of Hell.

21. In contrast to the above, he who seeks success in the Hereafter will receive full reward for his efforts towards that end — a reward that will fully correspond to that effort, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

22. So far as this worldly life is concerned, God is still the Giver of all the Provisions and sustenance needed in it to everyone, regardless of whether they merely seek the good of this life, or seek success in the Hereafter. Both kinds of people receive this as a gift from Him, and Him alone. Hence, it ought to be clear that neither of the two groups can deprive the other of the provisions required for this worldly life.

23. It is quite evident even during the course of this worldly life that seekers of the Hereafter are perceptibly better than those who seek the good of this worldly life alone. Quite obviously, the superiority of the former does not consist in the fact that-they eat tastier food, or clothe themselves in more attractive garments, or dwell in more splendid houses, or go about in impressive vehicles, or enjoy any other trapping of material progress and prosperity. The true cause of their superiority is essentially their morality.

Regardless of whether the worldly possessions of people of the former category are abundant or meagre, it is certain that they would have earned them by honest and fair means.

This is in sharp contrast to the predicament of those who exclusively seek the good of this world. For scarcely anything prevents them from employing dishonest means and resorting to all kinds of wrong and injustice to achieve their worldly objectives. Similarly, the people who essentially seek the success of the Hereafter, can also be distinguished by the manner in which they spend their earnings: they spend them with moderation. They allocate a part of their earnings in discharging their obligations to their kith and kin. They also devote a part of their earnings to assisting the needy and the indigent, as well as to other charitable purposes with a view to pleasing God. In sharp contrast to this, the people who seek nothing but worldly prosperity, are intent upon self-indulgence, upon satisfying their lusts in every conceivable way, legitimate or illegitimate. In sum, the lives of the former group of people are characterized by piety and righteousness, and this lends them a rare luster. As a result, the lives of such people do not fail to glitter even though they may be dressed in tatters or dwell in the most humble abodes. All those who have eyes to see are not slow to note that, as compared with such people, the lives of the seekers of this world appear dark, dismal and barren. It is for this reason that even mighty rulers and men possessed of vast riches have never evoked the true respect, love or admiration of other human beings. On the contrary, the worth of God-fearing men—even those that are ill-fed or dressed in tatters — has been generously recognized by all, including the seekers of this world.

These obvious indicators show the intrinsic difference between the people of the two groups. These indicators also make it obvious as to which of the two groups deserves the enduring success of the Hereafter.

24. This part of the verse may also be translated as follows: ‘Do not invent (or declare) any other than Allah as your God.