بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Isra 17:5
The Night Journey · Juz 15 · Page 282
فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ أُولَىٰهُمَا بَعَثۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ عِبَادٗا لَّنَآ أُوْلِي بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ فَجَاسُواْ خِلَٰلَ ٱلدِّيَارِۚ وَكَانَ وَعۡدٗا مَّفۡعُولٗا ٥
So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them,1 We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes,2 and it was a promise fulfilled.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 17:4–6
The ‘corruption’, or fasad, referred to here occurred among the Children of Israel after the advent of Moses. This happened in two stages. The details of the first instance of corruption are found in the Old Testament books of Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The details of the second instance of corruption are found in the words of Jesus in the New Testament in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Prophet Muhammad was taken from Makkah to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, in order to be shown ‘the sign of God.’ One of these signs is also the history associated with al-Masjid al-Aqsa. The above verse just means a place of worship situated at a distance. It is called the farthest place of worship, because it was situated at a distance of 765 miles from Makkah. Al-Masjid al-Aqsa, in this context, refers to the Jewish place of worship, that is, the Haykal Synagogue. This Jewish synagogue, built by Solomon in 957 BC, was razed to the ground in 586 BC by the king of Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar II. After a long period of time, the Jews rebuilt their place of worship. This was gain reduced to ruins in AD 70 by the Romans. This history is a manifestation of God’s Law which lays down that if a community entrusted with the Holy Scriptures discharges the obligations attached to them, then it is given a high status in this world, as well as success in the Hereafter. If it fails to do so, it is made subject to oppressive communities, which make it a victim of their tyranny and exploitation. The manifestation of this law has occurred again and again in the case of former bearers of the scriptures. Two important events of direct relevance have been referred to here, so that a lesson may be taken from them. In the beginning God blessed the Children of Israel and delivered them from the Pharaoh’s tyranny and permitted them to occupy Palestine and establish their rule there. But then, corruption set in among the Jews. They started engaging in polytheistic practices, became the victims of differences and schisms, and separated into different groups. As a result of this repeated disobedience to God, the Children of Israel had to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, who established his dominion over Palestine. Thereafter, he chose a member of the royal family of the Jews and appointed him as his representative to rule over them. But, the Jews, considering this subordinate state damaging to their national pride, rebelled against it. This was despite being advised against rebellion by one of their prophets, Jeremiah. The King of Babylon became so incensed that once again, in 486 B.C., he attacked Palestine with all his military might. The Jews were not only totally defeated, but their temple in Jerusalem, which was the last sign of their glory, was also completely demolished.
Page 282
سورة الإسراء
Al-Isra
The Night Journey · Meccan · 111 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
17:1
سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسۡرَىٰ بِعَبۡدِهِۦ لَيۡلٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡأَقۡصَا ٱلَّذِي بَٰرَكۡنَا حَوۡلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَآۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ ١
Exalted1 is He who took His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)] by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā,2 whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing,3 the Seeing.4
4 translator’s notes
17:2
وَءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ هُدٗى لِّبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ أَلَّا تَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِي وَكِيلٗا ٢
And We gave Moses the Scripture and made it a guidance for the Children of Israel that you not take other than Me as Disposer of affairs,1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., trust in Allāh, knowing that He (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) is responsible for every occurrence. ↩
17:3
ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنۡ حَمَلۡنَا مَعَ نُوحٍۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ عَبۡدٗا شَكُورٗا ٣
O descendants of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful servant.
17:4
وَقَضَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَتُفۡسِدُنَّ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَّتَيۡنِ وَلَتَعۡلُنَّ عُلُوّٗا كَبِيرٗا ٤
And We conveyed1 to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness."
1 translator’s note
- Foretold out of divine knowledge of what they would do. ↩
17:5
فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ أُولَىٰهُمَا بَعَثۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ عِبَادٗا لَّنَآ أُوْلِي بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ فَجَاسُواْ خِلَٰلَ ٱلدِّيَارِۚ وَكَانَ وَعۡدٗا مَّفۡعُولٗا ٥
So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them,1 We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes,2 and it was a promise fulfilled.
17:6
ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَا لَكُمُ ٱلۡكَرَّةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَمۡدَدۡنَٰكُم بِأَمۡوَٰلٖ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ أَكۡثَرَ نَفِيرًا ٦
Then We gave back to you a return victory over them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower.
17:7
إِنۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ لِأَنفُسِكُمۡۖ وَإِنۡ أَسَأۡتُمۡ فَلَهَاۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ لِيَسُـُٔواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَلِيَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖ وَلِيُتَبِّرُواْ مَا عَلَوۡاْ تَتۡبِيرًا ٧
[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to them [i.e., yourselves]." Then when the final [i.e., second] promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the masjid [i.e., the temple in Jerusalem], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.