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 41-52وَ لَقَدْAnd verilyصَرَّفْنَاWe have explainedفِیْinهٰذَاthisالْقُرْاٰنِthe Quranلِیَذَّكَّرُوْا ؕthat they may take heedوَ مَاbut notیَزِیْدُهُمْit increases themاِلَّاexceptنُفُوْرًا (in) aversion قُلْSayلَّوْIfكَانَ(there) wereمَعَهٗۤwith Himاٰلِهَةٌgodsكَمَاasیَقُوْلُوْنَthey sayاِذًاthenلَّابْتَغَوْاsurely they (would) have soughtاِلٰیtoذِی(the) Ownerالْعَرْشِ(of) the Throneسَبِیْلًا a way سُبْحٰنَهٗGlorified is Heوَ تَعٰلٰیand Exalted is Heعَمَّاabove whatیَقُوْلُوْنَthey sayعُلُوًّا(by) heightكَبِیْرًا great تُسَبِّحُGlorifyلَهُ[to] Himالسَّمٰوٰتُthe seven heavensالسَّبْعُthe seven heavensوَ الْاَرْضُand the earthوَ مَنْand whateverفِیْهِنَّ ؕ(is) in themوَ اِنْAnd (there is) notمِّنْanyشَیْءٍthingاِلَّاexceptیُسَبِّحُglorifiesبِحَمْدِهٖHis Praiseوَ لٰكِنْbutلَّاnotتَفْقَهُوْنَyou understandتَسْبِیْحَهُمْ ؕtheir glorificationاِنَّهٗIndeed, HeكَانَisحَلِیْمًاEver-Forbearingغَفُوْرًا Oft-Forgiving وَ اِذَاAnd whenقَرَاْتَyou reciteالْقُرْاٰنَthe QuranجَعَلْنَاWe placeبَیْنَكَbetween youوَ بَیْنَand betweenالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِالْاٰخِرَةِin the Hereafterحِجَابًاa barrierمَّسْتُوْرًاۙhidden وَّ جَعَلْنَاAnd We have placedعَلٰیoverقُلُوْبِهِمْtheir heartsاَكِنَّةًcoveringsاَنْlestیَّفْقَهُوْهُthey understand itوَ فِیْۤand inاٰذَانِهِمْtheir earsوَقْرًا ؕdeafnessوَ اِذَاAnd whenذَكَرْتَyou mentionرَبَّكَyour Lordفِیinالْقُرْاٰنِthe QuranوَحْدَهٗAloneوَلَّوْاthey turnعَلٰۤیonاَدْبَارِهِمْtheir backsنُفُوْرًا (in) aversion نَحْنُWeاَعْلَمُknow bestبِمَا[of] whatیَسْتَمِعُوْنَthey listenبِهٖۤto [it]اِذْwhenیَسْتَمِعُوْنَthey listenاِلَیْكَto youوَ اِذْand whenهُمْtheyنَجْوٰۤی(are) in private conversationاِذْwhenیَقُوْلُsayالظّٰلِمُوْنَthe wrongdoersاِنْNotتَتَّبِعُوْنَyou followاِلَّاbutرَجُلًاa manمَّسْحُوْرًا bewitched اُنْظُرْSeeكَیْفَhowضَرَبُوْاthey put forthلَكَfor youالْاَمْثَالَthe examplesفَضَلُّوْاbut they have gone astrayفَلَاso notیَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَthey canسَبِیْلًا (find) a way وَ قَالُوْۤاAnd they sayءَاِذَاIs it whenكُنَّاwe areعِظَامًاbonesوَّ رُفَاتًاand crumbled particlesءَاِنَّاwill weلَمَبْعُوْثُوْنَsurely (be) resurrectedخَلْقًا(as) a creationجَدِیْدًا new 17. Al-Isra Page 287قُلْSayكُوْنُوْاBeحِجَارَةًstonesاَوْorحَدِیْدًاۙiron اَوْOrخَلْقًاa creationمِّمَّاof whatیَكْبُرُ(is) greatفِیْinصُدُوْرِكُمْ ۚyour breastsفَسَیَقُوْلُوْنَThen they will sayمَنْWhoیُّعِیْدُنَا ؕwill restore usقُلِSayالَّذِیْHe Whoفَطَرَكُمْcreated youاَوَّلَ(the) firstمَرَّةٍ ۚtimeفَسَیُنْغِضُوْنَThen they will shakeاِلَیْكَat youرُءُوْسَهُمْtheir headsوَ یَقُوْلُوْنَand they sayمَتٰیWhen (will)هُوَ ؕit (be)قُلْSayعَسٰۤیPerhapsاَنْthatیَّكُوْنَ(it) will beقَرِیْبًا soon یَوْمَ(On) the DayیَدْعُوْكُمْHe will call youفَتَسْتَجِیْبُوْنَand you will respondبِحَمْدِهٖwith His Praiseوَ تَظُنُّوْنَand you will thinkاِنْnotلَّبِثْتُمْyou had remainedاِلَّاexceptقَلِیْلًا۠a little (while)

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Translation of Verse 41-52

(17:41) We have expounded (the Truth) in diverse ways in this Qur'an that they might take it to heart but all this only aggravates their aversion.

(17:42) Say, (O Muhammad): "Had there been other gods with Him, as they claim, they would surely have attempted to find a way to the Lord of the Throne.⁴⁷

(17:43) Holy is He and far above all that they say.

(17:44) The seven heavens, the earth, and all that is within them⁴⁸ give glory to Him. There is nothing but gives glory to Him with His praise,⁴⁹ though you do not understand their hymns of praise. He is Most Forbearing, Exceedingly Forgiving."⁵⁰

(17:45) When you recite the Qur'an, We place a hidden barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter;

(17:46) and We place a covering on their hearts so that they do not comprehend it, and We cause a heaviness in their ears;⁵¹ and when you mention your Lord, the Only True Lord, in the Qur'an, they turn their backs in aversion.⁵²

(17:47) We are well aware of what they wish to hear when they listen to you and what they say when they confer in whispers, when the wrong-doers say: "You are only following one who is bewitched."⁵³

(17:48) Just see how strange are the things they invent about you. They have altogether strayed, and are unable to find the right way.⁵⁴

(17:49) They say: "When we are turned to bones and particles (of dust), shall we truly be raised up as a new creation?"

(17:50) Tell them: "(You will be raised afresh even if) you turn to stone or iron,

(17:51) or any other form of creation you deem hardest of all (to recreate from)." They will certainly ask: "Who will bring us back (to life)?" Say: "He Who created you in the first instance." They will shake their heads at you and inquire: "When will that be?"⁵⁵ Say: "Perhaps that time might have drawn near;

(17:52) on the Day when He will call you and you will rise praising Him in response to His call, and you will believe that you had lain in this state only for a while."⁵⁶

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Commentary

47. Had there been any other who shared with God His godhead, he would have certainly tried to place himself on God’s Throne. For, if several deities exist, then only two alternatives are possible. First, that each of them is God and that they are independent of the others. Second, one of the gods is the True God, the rest are subordinate to Him but have had some of His powers delegated to them. In the former situation, it is simply inconceivable that several deities, who are independent and sovereign, would always concur on all matters; and this concurrence, as we all know, is necessary for the perfect harmony, uniformity, coherence and balance which characterize the workings of this vast universe. Had there been a multiplicity of gods, it is likely that there would have been clashes and discordance at every step. And when a god became aware that things were not going his way, he would have struggled to become the sole master of the entire universe.

However, if that were not the case, let us consider the alternative — that there were gods other than the One True God to whom some of God’s powers had -been delegated. Now such is the mettle of creatures, that were any invested “with some of God’s powers, even had the faintest suspicion of divinity, it would suffice to turn their heads, making it impossible for them to be satisfied with anything other than becoming Lord of the universe.

It is quite evident that in this universe in which we have been placed, there grows neither a blade of grass nor a grain of wheat unless the immense forces of the heavens and the earth collaborate to bring this about. This being the case, only an ignoramus or an utter fool believes that such a universe is governed by a variety of independent or semi-independent gods. Anyone who has made any serious effort to reflect on the universe can never escape the conclusion that it is under the firm control of One God alone, and that it is simply out of the ‘question that anyone could share any of His powers with Him. .

48. The universe and all that there is in it bears ample testimony to the fact that its Creator, Master and Lord is free from every blemish, weakness and fault; He is far too exalted to have anyone as an associate or partner in His godhead.

49, ‘There is nothing but gives glory to Him with His praise’ means that everything in the universe eloquently testifies that its Creator and Lord is free from every weakness, defect and fault, Not only that, it also affirms that God’s » attributes are characterized by perfection, and that He alone is worthy of all praise.

50. It is only because of God’s forbearance and forgiveness that even when man shows temerity and insolence and even when he foists lies on God, He may let him go unpunished. God neither withholds from such people their sustenance nor unnecessarily deprives them of other mundane bounties. Even when man utters a blasphemy, he is not necessarily struck down by a thunderbolt. Thanks to God’s forbearance and forgiveness, both individuals and communities are granted ample respite to mend their ways, and Prophets, Messengers, reformers and preachers are continually raised to guide and admonish them. In this way, all those who show any propensity to be good and repent and put themselves on the right way are instantly forgiven all their past misdeeds.

51, When a man denies the Hereafter, it naturally leads to his heart being sealed, and his ears becoming incapable of heeding the message of the Qur’an. For, the very cornerstone of the Qur’anic message to man is that he should not be deceived by the external manifestations of this worldly life. For, even if we do not observe anyone calling people to account, this should not mislead us into believing that man is not accountable to anyone. Likewise, we also observe that people freely choose to become polytheists, atheists and monotheists, and the consequences of such a choice seemingly remain much the same as far as the present world is concerned.

This should not, however, give rise to the misconception that there are no ultimate consequences of making right or wrong choices. People have been granted the freedom to act in the world as they wish, as a result of this freedom, some immerse themselves in sin and evil while others live in righteousness and piety. Now so far as this worldly life is concerned, righteousness does not always lead to felicitous results, nor does evil always lead to misery and suffering. This should not, however, lead us to the false notion that no moral law exists, or that actions will not have their natural results. The fundamental truth is that accountability will certainly take place and that man will bear the consequence of his actions. All this, however, will happen in the Next Life. It is true that man has been given the freedom to choose whichever. doctrine he likes, be it monotheism or polytheism or atheism. This freedom should not give rise to the misunderstanding that all doctrines — monotheism, polytheism and atheism — are of equal value, and that they will ultimately lead to much the same results. It should be clearly understood that monotheism is the only sound and correct doctrine and that all other doctrines are false. Likewise, the worldly consequences of righteous and evil behavior might not be very conspicuously different. But all this is illusory since the true consequences of the attitudes man adopts will surface in the Hereafter. There the truth, which is bound to remain hidden in the present world, will be fully unveiled. For there does certainly exist a moral law according to which sin and evil are harmful whereas obedience to God is beneficial. However, the judgements according to this law will only be passed in the Life to Come.

Thus, there is no reason for man to be overly enamored of the life of this world. Nor should man rely on the deceptive consequences that come to the surface in the course of this transient phase of his existence. Instead, he should keep his eyes focused on his ultimate accountability before God and should adopt the benefits and practices that will see him through the test of the Hereafter and thereby to success.

This is what the Qur’an invites man to. It is quite obvious that those who altogether reject the Hereafter and place their reliance solely on the phenomenal world, and who rely on nothing else but sense perception and experience, will never be inclined to see the point of the Qur’anic message. The Qur'anic message will reach their ears, but will not penetrate their hearts. This is the truth which is stated here. Furthermore, it is the enunciation of a natural law which operates in the manner stated above and in respect of a certain type of person.

It should also be noted that the present verse recounts a statement that the Makkan unbelievers proudly and frequently made. ‘They say: ‘‘Our hearts are under veils, (concealed) from that to which you invite us, and in our ears: is a deafness, and between us and you is a screen: so do (what you will); as for us we shall do (what we will!) (Fussilat 41: 5), This contention is taken over by the Qur’ an and turned against them. Repeating their utterance, the Qur’an advises the Makkan unbelievers that what they proudly extol as their virtue is indeed a curse which has been inflicted upon them — in accordance with natural law and as a result of their denial of the Hereafter.

52. The unbelievers of Makka found that the Prophet (peace be on him) regarded God as the only true Lord, to the exclusion of all other deities. It was intolerable for them that the Prophet (peace be on him) should talk only about. God without waxing lyrical about the supernatural powers of saints and holy: _men and without paying tribute to those who, in the popular view, had been _ granted a part of God’s power and authority by God Himself. They were ‘astonished that a person should believe that “Sod — and He alone — possessed virtually everything — full knowledge of the realm beyond the ken of sense-perception, absolute power to do as He pleased, and total control over ~ everything. It was inconceivable to them that someone should pay no heed to the saints by dint of whose grace people were granted offspring, the sick was healed, sagging businesses began to flourish, and all wishes were fulfilled. (For. further elaboration see al-Zumar 39: 45, n. 64.)

53. This is an allusion to conversations between the leaders of the Makkan - unbelievers. They were wont, surreptitiously, to listen to the Qur’4n and then consult with one another as ‘to how they could effectively refute it. At times they suspected that some among their ranks were gradually succumbing to the _ spell of the Qur’an. Whenever they became aware of this they approached the - persons concerned and tried to dissuade them from taking the Prophet (peace be on him) seriously, arguing that he was under a magic spell and thus was given to saying crazy things.

54. It is pointed out here that the Prophet’s Makkan opponents were not of one opinion. From. time to time they made statements that were not only different but even mutually contradictory. At times they alleged that the _ Prophet (peace be on him) was himself a magician. On other occasions, they ‘. claimed that he was under the spell of someone else’s magic. They also variously labelled him a poet and a lunatic. .” These discrepant statements made it quite evident that whatever they said was not based on knowledge of fact. For had it been-so they would have expressed one definite opinion and stuck to it. Their mutually contradictory statements proved that they were unsure of what they said. Hence they expressed one hostile opinion after another about the Prophet (peace be on him) only to realize that none were applicable to him. They would continuously come forward with some fresh slander about the Prophet (peace be on him). All this demonstrated the utter falsity of their statements and was indicative of their inveterate hostility towards the Prophet (peace be on him).

55. The gesture referred to here consists of shaking one’s head up and down; something one resorts to either to express amazement or derision.

56. The period between a person’s death and resurrection on the Last Day will appear as if no longer than, say, a few hours. One will assume that one has just had a brief sleep and been woken by the din and noise of the Day of Reckoning.

As regards the Qur’anic statement that man will rise, praising God, this points to a significant reality. For on the Day of Resurrection everyone, both believers and unbelievers, will have God’s praise on their lips. A believer’s ~ praise of God will be in keeping with his practice in the worldly phase of his life —a praise emanating from his faith and conviction. As for the unbeliever, he will praise God in the Hereafter since to do so is innate in human nature and despite the fact that his inherent conviction about God had remained suppressed and hidden in the present world because of his own folly. Naturally, with the commencement of a fresh phase of existence, when all artificial barriers have been removed, the unbeliever will be forced to give vent to what had always been embedded in his nature; in the Hereafter he too will praise God.