Al-Mukhtasar · Tafsir · in English
Al-Isra 17:78–111
17:78Page 290
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.
Establish the prayer by performing it in the most complete manner in its times, which are the declining of the sun from the middle of the sky - and this includes the zuhr and ‘asr prayers - until the darkness of night - and this includes the maghrib and ‘isha prayers. And establish the fajr prayer and lengthen the recitation therein, as the fajr prayer is attended by the angels of night and the angels of day.
17:79Page 290
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
And in part of the night, O Messenger, stand and pray, so that your prayer increases your rank, and seeking for your Lord to raise you to the praised station on the Day of Judgment, as an intercessor for the people from the horrors of the Day of Judgment, and so that you attain the position of the great intercession, for which the first and last will praise you.
17:80Page 290
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."
And say, O Messenger: O my Lord, make all my entrances and exits in Your obedience and for Your pleasure. And give me from Yourself a clear proof through which You help me against my enemy.
17:81Page 290
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."
And say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Islam has come, the help which Allah promised has come true, and idolatry and disbelief has gone. Surely, falsehood is going and will disappear, unable to remain in the face of truth.
17:82Page 290
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.
And I reveal in the Qur’ān that which cures the hearts of ignorance, disbelief and doubt, cures the bodies when treated through it, and that which is a mercy for the believers who practice it. And this Qur’ān only increases the disbelievers in destruction, as listening to it angers them and makes them deny and turn away from it even more.
17:83Page 290
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.
And when I grant man a blessing such as health and wealth, he turns away from thanking Allah and obeying Him, and moves further away out of pride. But when illness, poverty or the like befalls him, he becomes extremely despondent and hopeless of Allah’s mercy.
17:84Page 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."
Say, O Messenger: Every man acts on the path which resembles his condition in either guidance or misguidance. But your Lord knows best who is most guided towards the truth.
17:85Page 290
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."
O Messenger, the disbelievers among the People of the Book ask you regarding the reality of the soul. Say to them: The soul is from the command of my Lord. And the knowledge you and all the creation of Allah have been granted is little in comparison to the knowledge of Allah.
17:86Page 290
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.
By Allah, if I wanted to take away, O Messenger, the revelation I sent to you by erasing it from the hearts and books, I could take it away, then you would not find anyone to help you and take responsibility to return it.
17:87Page 291
إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ مِّن رَّبِّكَۚ إِنَّ فَضۡلَهُۥ كَانَ عَلَيۡكَ كَبِيرٗا ٨٧
Except [We have left it with you] as a mercy from your Lord. Indeed, His favor upon you has ever been great.
However, I did not take it away, by way of mercy from your Lord, and I left it preserved. Surely, your Lord’s grace on you is great, as He made you a Messenger, sealed the prophets upon you, and revealed the Qur’ān to you.
17:88Page 291
قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجۡتَمَعَتِ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتُواْ بِمِثۡلِ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لَا يَأۡتُونَ بِمِثۡلِهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بَعۡضُهُمۡ لِبَعۡضٖ ظَهِيرٗا ٨٨
Say, "If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur’ān, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants."
Say, O Messenger: If all of humankind and jinns united to bring the like of this Qur’ān which was revealed to you, in its eloquence, excellent sequence and pure style, they will never be able to bring anything like it, even if they were to all assist and help one another.
17:89Page 291
وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٖ فَأَبَىٰٓ أَكۡثَرُ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورٗا ٨٩
And We have certainly diversified for the people in this Qur’ān from every [kind of] example, but most of the people refused except disbelief.
And I have explained to people in this Qur’ān and brought all types of advice, reminders, commands, prohibitions and stories they can take lessons from, in the hope they will believe. But most people have refused except to deny this Qur’ān.
17:90Page 291
وَقَالُواْ لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفۡجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَنۢبُوعًا ٩٠
And they say, "We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring
The idolaters said: I will never believe you until you extract for us from the ground of Makkah a spring that does not stop flowing.
17:91Page 291
أَوۡ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٞ مِّن نَّخِيلٖ وَعِنَبٖ فَتُفَجِّرَ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرَ خِلَٰلَهَا تَفۡجِيرًا ٩١
Or [until] you have a garden of palm trees and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force [and abundance]
Or you have a garden with many flowers in which you make rivers flow profusely.
17:92Page 291
أَوۡ تُسۡقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡنَا كِسَفًا أَوۡ تَأۡتِيَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ قَبِيلًا ٩٢
Or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allāh and the angels before [us]
Or you make the sky fall upon us, as you mentioned, as fragments of punishment, or you bring Allah and the angels visibly before us, so they can testify to the truth of what you claim.
17:93Page 291
أَوۡ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيۡتٞ مِّن زُخۡرُفٍ أَوۡ تَرۡقَىٰ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيۡنَا كِتَٰبٗا نَّقۡرَؤُهُۥۗ قُلۡ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّي هَلۡ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرٗا رَّسُولٗا ٩٣
Or you have a house of ornament [i.e., gold] or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read." Say, "Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?"
Or you have a house adorned with gold and other things, or you ascend to the sky. And if you do ascend to it, we will never believe you have been sent unless you come down with a book written from Allah in which we can read that you are Allah’s Messenger. Say - O Messenger: My Lord is pure, I am only a human Messenger like all other Messengers. I do not have the ability to bring anything, so how can I bring what you have requested?
17:94Page 291
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤۡمِنُوٓاْ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓاْ أَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ بَشَرٗا رَّسُولٗا ٩٤
And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allāh sent a human messenger?"
And the only thing which stopped the disbelievers from bringing faith upon Allah and His Messengers, and acting upon what the Messenger brought, was their refusal to accept that a Messenger can be from humankind, as they said denyingly: Did Allah send a Messenger from humankind?
17:95Page 291
قُل لَّوۡ كَانَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَلَٰٓئِكَةٞ يَمۡشُونَ مُطۡمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَلَكٗا رَّسُولٗا ٩٥
Say, "If there were upon the earth angels walking securely,1 We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel [as a] messenger."
Say, O Messenger, in response to them: Had there been angels on earth who reside therein and walk about securely, as is your condition, we would have sent an angel Messenger to them from their own kind, because it is he who can make them understand what he has been sent with. It would not be wise to send to them a Messenger from humankind, and likewise is the case with you.
17:96Page 291
قُلۡ كَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدَۢا بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرَۢا بَصِيرٗا ٩٦
Say, "Sufficient is Allāh as Witness between me and you. Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Aware and Seeing."
Say, O Messenger: Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you that I am a Messenger was sent to you and that I have conveyed what I was sent to you. Surely, He encompasses the conditions of His servants, nothing of them being hidden from Him, and He sees all the secrets of their souls.
17:97Page 292
وَمَن يَهۡدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدِۖ وَمَن يُضۡلِلۡ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦۖ وَنَحۡشُرُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمۡ عُمۡيٗا وَبُكۡمٗا وَصُمّٗاۖ مَّأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۖ كُلَّمَا خَبَتۡ زِدۡنَٰهُمۡ سَعِيرٗا ٩٧
And whoever Allāh guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray1 - you will never find for them protectors besides Him, and We will gather them on the Day of Resurrection [fallen] on their faces - blind, dumb and deaf. Their refuge is Hell; every time it subsides, We increase [for] them blazing fire.
And whoever Allah gives the ability for guidance is truly guided. And whoever He removes from it and leads astray, you will never find for them, O Messenger, protectors to guide them to the truth, repel harm from them and bring them benefit. And I will gather them on the Day of Judgment, being dragged on their faces, not seeing, speaking or hearing. Their abode towards which they will go is Hell. Whenever the flames begin to subside, I will make them burn even more.
17:98Page 292
ذَٰلِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا وَقَالُوٓاْ أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَٰمٗا وَرُفَٰتًا أَءِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوثُونَ خَلۡقٗا جَدِيدًا ٩٨
That is their recompense because they disbelieved in Our verses and said, "When we are bones and crumbled particles, will we [truly] be resurrected [in] a new creation?"
That punishment which they will meet is their recompense due to their denial of my signs which I sent to my Messengers, and because they said, considering resurrection to be improbable: When we die and turn in to decomposed bones and scattered particles, will we be resurrected after this as a new creation?
17:99Page 292
۞ أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخۡلُقَ مِثۡلَهُمۡ وَجَعَلَ لَهُمۡ أَجَلٗا لَّا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ فَأَبَى ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ إِلَّا كُفُورٗا ٩٩
Do they not see that Allāh, who created the heavens and earth, is [the one] Able to create the likes of them? And He has appointed for them a term, about which there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers refuse except disbelief.
Do these deniers of the resurrection not know that Allah, who created the heavens and who created the earth despite their greatness, has power to create the likes of them? So whoever has the power to create something great has the power to create something smaller. And Allah has made a limited time for them in this world in which their lives will come to an end, and He has made a time for their resurrection in which there is no doubt. But despite the proofs for resurrection being clear, the idolaters refuse except to reject the resurrection.
17:100Page 292
قُل لَّوۡ أَنتُمۡ تَمۡلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحۡمَةِ رَبِّيٓ إِذٗا لَّأَمۡسَكۡتُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ ٱلۡإِنفَاقِۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ قَتُورٗا ١٠٠
Say [to them], "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending." And ever has man been stingy.
Say - O Messenger, to these idolaters: If you possessed my Lord’s treasures which never deplete or finish, you would desist from spending them, fearing they will deplete until you will turn poor. And it is human nature to be miserly, except if one is a believer who spends hoping for Allah’s reward.
17:101Page 292
وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسۡعَ ءَايَٰتِۭ بَيِّنَٰتٖۖ فَسۡـَٔلۡ بَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ إِذۡ جَآءَهُمۡ فَقَالَ لَهُۥ فِرۡعَوۡنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ مَسۡحُورٗا ١٠١
And We had certainly given Moses nine evident signs, so ask the Children of Israel [about] when he came to them and Pharaoh said to him, "Indeed I think, O Moses, that you are affected by magic."
I granted Moses nine clear proofs which bore testimony for him. They are the staff, the hand, the famine, decrease in fruits, the hurricane, locusts, lice, frogs and blood. O Messenger, ask the Jews when Moses brought these miracles to their predecessors and Pharaoh said: I see you, O Moses, as a man afflicted by magic, as you bring strange things.
17:102Page 292
قَالَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَآ أَنزَلَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَصَآئِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَٰفِرۡعَوۡنُ مَثۡبُورٗا ١٠٢
[Moses] said, "You have already known that none has sent down these [signs] except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as evidence, and indeed I think,1 O Pharaoh, that you are destroyed."
Moses said in response to him: O Pharaoh, you know for sure that these signs have not been sent except by Allah who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. He has sent them as proofs of His power and the truthfulness of His Messenger. But you have rejected. And I know, O Pharaoh, that you are going to be a destroyed loser.
17:103Page 292
فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسۡتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَٰهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥ جَمِيعٗا ١٠٣
So he intended to drive them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him all together.
So Pharaoh intended to punish Moses (peace be upon him) and his people by exiling them from Egypt, so I destroyed him and all the armies with him by drowning them.
17:104Page 292
وَقُلۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ لِبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱسۡكُنُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ جِئۡنَا بِكُمۡ لَفِيفٗا ١٠٤
And We said after him [i.e., Pharaoh] to the Children of Israel, "Dwell in the land, and when there comes the promise [i.e., appointment] of the Hereafter, We will bring you forth in [one] gathering."
And I said to the Israelites after destroying Pharaoh and his armies: Settle in the land of the Levant. Then when the Day of Judgment comes, I shall bring you all to the plain of gathering for the accounting.
17:105Page 293
وَبِٱلۡحَقِّ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ وَبِٱلۡحَقِّ نَزَلَۗ وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرٗا وَنَذِيرٗا ١٠٥
And with the truth We have sent it [i.e., the Qur’ān] down, and with the truth it has descended. And We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner.
And with truth I revealed the Qur’ān on Muhammad (peace be upon him) and with truth it came down on him, without any change or tampering. And I did not send you, O Messenger, except to give glad tidings of paradise to those mindful of Him and to warn the disbelievers and sinful of Hell.
17:106Page 293
وَقُرۡءَانٗا فَرَقۡنَٰهُ لِتَقۡرَأَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكۡثٖ وَنَزَّلۡنَٰهُ تَنزِيلٗا ١٠٦
And [it is] a Qur’ān which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively.
And I sent it as a Qur’ān which I have separated and explained, in the hope that you read it to people slowly and carefully, as this is more effective for understanding and reflecting. And I revealed it in separate portions according to incidents and conditions.
17:107Page 293
قُلۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِهِۦٓ أَوۡ لَا تُؤۡمِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ يَخِرُّونَۤ لِلۡأَذۡقَانِۤ سُجَّدٗاۤ ١٠٧
Say, "Believe in it or do not believe." Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it1 - when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration,
Say, O Messenger: Believe in it, for your belief will not increase it in any way, or do not believe in it, for your disbelief will not decrease it in any way. Surely, those who read the previous divine books and who understood the revelation and prophecy when the Qur’ān is recited to them fall on their faces, prostrating to Allah out of gratitude.
17:108Page 293
وَيَقُولُونَ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفۡعُولٗا ١٠٨
And they say, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled."
And they say in their prostration: Our Lord will never break His promise. The promise He made of sending Muhammad (peace be upon him) is going to happen. Surely, our Lord’s promise of this and other matters will definitely occur.
17:109Page 293
وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلۡأَذۡقَانِ يَبۡكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمۡ خُشُوعٗا۩ ١٠٩
And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it [i.e., the Qur’ān] increases them in humble submission.
And they fall on their faces, prostrating to Allah and crying out of His fear. And listening to the Qur’ān and contemplating its meanings increases them in submission to Allah and fearing Him.
17:110Page 293
قُلِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدۡعُواْ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنَۖ أَيّٗا مَّا تَدۡعُواْ فَلَهُ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءُ ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰۚ وَلَا تَجۡهَرۡ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتۡ بِهَا وَٱبۡتَغِ بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلٗا ١١٠
Say, "Call upon Allāh or call upon the Most Merciful [ar-Raḥmān]. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.
Say, O Messenger, to those who criticise you for supplicating by saying, ‘O Allah, O Merciful’: Allah and the Merciful are names of His, so supplicate Him with any of them or other names of His. For Him are all beautiful names, and these two are amongst them, so supplicate Him through these two or other beautiful names of His. And do not recite loudly in your prayer in case the idolaters hear you and do not recite so quietly that the believers cannot hear you, but rather choose a middle path between the two.
17:111Page 293
وَقُلِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي لَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدٗا وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٞ فِي ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلِيّٞ مِّنَ ٱلذُّلِّۖ وَكَبِّرۡهُ تَكۡبِيرَۢا ١١١
And say, "Praise to Allāh, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification."
Say - O Messenger: All praise is for Allah who deserves all types of praise and who is exalted from having a child or a partner, thus He has no partner in His kingdom. And He is not afflicted by disgrace or weakness, hence He has no need for anyone to help and support Him. So exalt Him abundantly, and do not attribute any child or partner to Him nor any helper or supporter.
Text: Quranic Universal Library (Tarteel), via spa5k/tafsir_api (MIT), at a fixed version. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences