Al-Isra 17:84
The Night Journey · Juz 15 · Page 290
قُلۡ كُلّٞ يَعۡمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِۦ فَرَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ سَبِيلٗا ٨٤
Say, "Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way."
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 17:83–84
Turning away from Allah at Times of Ease and despairing at Times of Calamity
Allah tells us about the weakness that is inherent in man, except for those whom He protects at both times of ease and calamity. If Allah blesses a man with wealth, good health, ease, provision and help, and he gets what he wants, he turns away from the obedience and worship of Allah, and becomes arrogant. Mujahid said, "(It means) he goes away from Us." I say, this is like the Ayah:
فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَآ إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ
(But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) 10:12 and;
فَلَمَّا نَجَّكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ
(But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away.) When man is stricken with evil, which means disasters, accidents and calamities,
كَانَ يَئُوساً
(he is in great despair.), meaning that he thinks he will never have anything good again. As Allah says,
وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الإِنْسَنَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ - وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنِّي إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ - إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّلِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ
(And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us, and remove it from him, verily, He is despairing, ungrateful. But if We let him taste good after evil has touched him, he is sure to say: "Ills have departed from me." Surely, he is exultant, and boastful. Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds: those, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward.) (11:9-11)
قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ
(Say: "Each one does according to Shakilatihi...") Ibn `Abbas said, "According to his inclinations." Mujahid said, "According to his inclinations and his nature." Qatadah said, "According to his intentions." Ibn Zayd said, "According to his religion." All these suggestions are close in meaning. This Ayah - and Allah knows best - is a threat and a warning to the idolators, like the Ayah:
وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ
(And say to those who do not believe: "Act according to your ability and way") (11:121) So Allah says:
قُلْ كُلٌّ يَعْمَلُ عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِ فَرَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ هُوَ أَهْدَى سَبِيلاً
(Say: "Each one does according to Shakilatihi, and your Lord knows best of him whose path is right.") meaning either us or you. Everyone will be rewarded in accordance with his deeds, for nothing whatsoever is hidden from Allah.
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17:76
وَإِن كَادُواْ لَيَسۡتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيُخۡرِجُوكَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَإِذٗا لَّا يَلۡبَثُونَ خِلَٰفَكَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٧٦
And indeed, they were about to provoke [i.e., drive] you from the land [i.e., Makkah] to evict you therefrom. And then [when they do], they will not remain [there] after you, except for a little.1
1 translator’s note
- Only ten years after the Prophet's emigration, Makkah was completely cleared of his enemies. ↩
17:77
سُنَّةَ مَن قَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا قَبۡلَكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَاۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحۡوِيلًا ٧٧
[That is Our] established way for those We had sent before you of Our messengers; and you will not find in Our way any alteration.
17:78
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمۡسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِۖ إِنَّ قُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ كَانَ مَشۡهُودٗا ٧٨
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night1 and [also] the Qur’ān [i.e., recitation] of dawn.2 Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
17:79
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةٗ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامٗا مَّحۡمُودٗا ٧٩
And from [part of] the night, pray1 with it [i.e., recitation of the Qur’ān] as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that2 your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.3
17:80
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدۡخِلۡنِي مُدۡخَلَ صِدۡقٖ وَأَخۡرِجۡنِي مُخۡرَجَ صِدۡقٖ وَٱجۡعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلۡطَٰنٗا نَّصِيرٗا ٨٠
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance1 and to exit a sound exit2 and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."
17:81
وَقُلۡ جَآءَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلۡبَٰطِلُۚ إِنَّ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقٗا ٨١
And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."
17:82
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٞ وَرَحۡمَةٞ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارٗا ٨٢
And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.
17:83
وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ كَانَ يَـُٔوسٗا ٨٣
And when We bestow favor upon man [i.e., the disbeliever], he turns away and distances himself; and when evil touches him, he is ever despairing.
17:84
قُلۡ كُلّٞ يَعۡمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِۦ فَرَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ سَبِيلٗا ٨٤
Say, "Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way."
17:85
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّي وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٨٥
And they ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair [i.e., concern] of my Lord. And you [i.e., mankind] have not been given of knowledge except a little."
17:86
وَلَئِن شِئۡنَا لَنَذۡهَبَنَّ بِٱلَّذِيٓ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ بِهِۦ عَلَيۡنَا وَكِيلًا ٨٦
And if We willed, We could surely do away with that which We revealed to you. Then you would not find for yourself concerning it an advocate against Us.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy