Al-Isra 17:71–111

(On the day) the Day of Judgement (when We shall summon all men with their record) with their prophet; and it is also said that this means: with their register; and it is also said that this means: with their callers to guidance and error, (whoso is given his book in his right hand such will read their book) their good deeds (and they will not be wronged a shred) their good deeds will not be diminished nor will their evil deeds be increased.

(Whoso is blind) from giving thanks (here) about these bounties (will be blind in the Hereafter) about the bliss of Paradise, (and yet further from the road). It is also said that this means: whoever is in this worldly life blind to seeing the proof and exposition, will be in the Hereafter even more blind and farther away from proof.

(And they indeed strove hard) they almost succeeded (to beguile thee (Muhammad) away) to drive you away and make you slip (from that wherewith We have inspired thee) regarding the breaking of their idols, (that thou shouldst invent) that you should say (other than it against Us) other than what We commanded you to do: breaking their idols; (and then would they have accepted thee as a friend) because of following them. This verse was revealed about Thaqif.

(And if We had not made thee wholly firm) if We had not protected and preserved you (thou mightest almost have inclined unto them a little) regarding that which they requested from you.

(Then) if you had granted to them what they requested (had We made thee taste a double (punishment) of living) the chastisement of this worldly life (and a double (punishment) of dying) the chastisement of the Hereafter, (then hadst thou found no helper against Us) you would not find anyone to save you from Us.

(And they indeed wished to scare thee from the land) the land of Medina (that they might drive thee forth from thence) to Historic Syria, (and then) if they succeeded in driving you away from Medina (they would have stayed (there) but a little after thee) before We destroy them.

((Such was Our) method in the case of those whom We sent before you (to mankind)) We destroyed them once their messengers departed from amongst them, (and thou wilt not find for Our method) Our punishment (aught of power to change) it does not alter.

(Establish worship) perform the prayer, O Muhammad, (at the going down of the sun) after noon: the prayers of Zuhr and 'Asr (until the dark of night) and after the advent of the night: the prayers of Maghrib and 'Isha', (and (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn) the prayer of the morning. (Lo! (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn) the prayer of the morning (is ever witnessed) is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day.

(And some part of the night awake for it) to recite the Qur'an and to pray after sleeping a little, (a largess for thee) a merit for you; it is also said that this means: you alone are enjoined to do so. (It may be) and the expression 'may be' when used in connection with Allah means: it is a requisite (that thy Lord will raise thee to a praised estate) the station of intercession whereof you will be praised by the people of old and the people of new.

(And say: My Lord!) O my Lord! (Cause me to come in with a firm incoming) he says: cause me to come to Medina with a firm incoming, he said this when he was leaving Medina (and to go out) of Medina (with a firm outgoing) after staying there and cause me to enter Mecca; it is also said that this means: cause me to come in the grave with a firm incoming, and cause me to come out of the grave on the Day of Judgement with a firm outgoing. (And give me from Your presence) from You (a sustaining Power) a help that is free of abasement or rejection.

(And say: Truth hath come) Muhammad (pbuh) has come with the Qur'an; it is also said that this means: Islam has become triumphant and Muslims numerous (and falsehood hath vanished away) Satan, idolatry and its people all perished. (Lo! Falsehood) Satan, idolatry and its adherents (is ever bound to vanish) is ever bound to perish.

(And We reveal of the Qur'an) We explain in the Qur'an (that which is a healing) a clarification against blindness; it is also said that this means: a clarification against disbelief, idolatry and hypocrisy (and a mercy) which prevents from chastisement (for believers) in Muhammad (pbuh) and in the Qur'an (though it increase the evil-doers) the idolaters; that which is revealed in the Qur'an increases them (in naught save ruin) loss.

(And when We make life pleasant unto man) i.e. the disbeliever, when We bestow upon him abundant wealth and a comfortable life, (he turneth away) from giving thanks or making supplications to Allah (and is averse) stirs away from faith; (and when ill) hardship and poverty (toucheth him he is in despair) from Allah's mercy. This verse was revealed about 'Utbah Ibn Rabi'ah.

(Say) O Muhammad: (Each one) of you (doth according to his rule of conduct) according to his intention and the state in which he is in; it is also said that this means: according to his standpoint and natural disposition, (and thy Lord is best aware of him whose way is right) whose religion is correct.

(They will ask thee) O Muhammad (concerning the Spirit) it was the people of Mecca-Abu Jahl and his host-who asked. (Say: The Spirit is by command of my Lord) the Spirit is of the marvels of my Lord; it is also said that this means: it is the restricted knowledge of my Lord, (and of knowledge) which is with Allah (ye have been vouchsafed) you have been given (but little).

(And if We willed We could withdraw that which We have revealed unto thee) We could keep away that with which We have sent Gabriel to inspire you, (then wouldst thou find no guardian) and it is said that this means: no helper (for thee against Us in respect thereof).

((It is naught) save mercy) blessing (from thy Lord) He preserved the Qur'an in your heart. (Lo! His kindness unto you) through granting you prophethood and Islam (was ever great) was tremendous indeed.

(Say) O Muhammad to the people of Mecca: (Verily, though mankind and the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Qur'an) conveying therein commands and prohibitions, promises and threats, abrogating and abrogated verses, clear and ambiguous verses and the events of the past and of the future, (they could not produce the like thereof though they were helpers one of another).

(And verily We have displayed for mankind) We have exposited for the people of Mecca (in this Qur'an all kinds or similitudes) parables of all sorts, such as threats and promises, (but most of mankind refuse aught save disbelief) they refused to submit and remained firm in their disbelief.

(And they say) i.e. 'Abdullah Ibn Umayyah al-Makhzumi and his host: (We will not put faith in thee) we will not believe you (till thou cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us) from the earth of Mecca for us;

(Or thou have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth therein) i.e. in their middle (abundantly);

(Or thou cause the heaven to fall upon us piecemeal) as a punishment, (as thou hast pretended, or bring Allah and the angels as a warrant) as witnesses for what you say;

(Or thou have a house of gold) and silver; (or thou ascend up into heaven) and bring with you the angel to testify that you are Allah's messenger to us, (and even then we will put no faith in thine ascension) to heaven (till thou bring down for us a book) from Allah to us (that we can read) in which we find that you are Allah's messenger to us. (Say) to them, O Muhammad: (My Lord be glorified!) I exonerate my Lord from having a son or partner, (Am I naught save a mortal messenger?) he says: I am only a human messenger, like all previous messengers.

(And naught prevented mankind) the people of Mecca (from believing) in Allah (when the guidance) Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an (came unto them save that they said) these words: (Hath Allah sent a mortal as (His) messenger) to us?

(Say) O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (If there were in the earth angels walking secure, We had sent down for them from heaven an angel as messenger) for we send angel messengers only to angels and human messengers to humans.

(Say) O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (Allah sufficeth for a witness between me and you) that I am a messenger to you (Lo! He is) in relation to sending messengers to His servants (Knower, Seer of His slaves) those who believe and those who do not.

(And he whom Allah guideth) to His religion, (he is led aright) to His religion; (while, as for him whom He sendeth astray) from His religion, (for them) for the people of Mecca (thou wilt find no protecting friends beside Him) to lead them to guidance, (and We shall assemble them) We shall drag them (on the Day of Resurrection on their faces) to the Fire, (blind) seeing nothing, (dumb) saying nothing (and deaf) hearing nothing; (their habitation) their destination (will be hell; whenever it abateth) whenever the Fire abates and its flames subside, (We increase the flame for them) We add more fuel to it.

(That) chastisement (is their reward) their lot (because they disbelieved Our revelations) Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an (and said) and the disbelievers of Mecca said: (When we are) rotten (bones and) scattered (fragments shall we, forsooth, be raised up) revived (as a new creation?) the spirit is renewed in us? This can never happen!

(Have they) i.e. the people of Mecca (not seen that Allah Who created the heavens and the earth is Able to create) to revive (the like of them, and has appointed for them an end) a term (whereof there is no doubt) as far as the believers are concerned? (But the wrong-doers) the idolaters (refuse aught save disbelief) they rejected this and stayed firm in their disbelief.

(Say) O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (If you possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord) if you possessed the keys to the stores of the provision of my Lord, (ye would surely hold them back for fear of spending) for fear of becoming poor, (for man) i.e. the disbelieving man (was ever grudging) parsimonious, stingy and tight-fisted.

(And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty)) nine clear signs: the hand, the staff, the flood, the locusts, the lice, blood, the years of drought and the disappearance of properties. (Do but ask the Children of Israel) 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers (how he) Moses (came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses) I think that you are possessed.

(He said) Moses said to him: (In truth thou knowest) O Pharaoh (that none sent down these (portents)) these signs (save the Lord of the heavens and the earth as proofs) as an indication and sign of my prophethood, (and lo! (for my part) I deem) I know and believe (thee lost, O Pharaoh) that you are a lost disbeliever.

(And he wished to scare them from the land) the land of Jordan and Palestine, (but We drowned him) in the sea (and those with him, all together).

(And We said unto the Children of Israel after him) after his destruction: (Dwell in the land) the land of Jordan and Palestine; (but when the promise of the Hereafter) when resurrection after death; and it is also said that this means: when Jesus son of Mary descends (cometh to pass we shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various nations.)

(With truth have We sent it down) We have sent Gabriel to Muhammad (pbuh) with the Qur'an, (and with truth hath it descended) he descended with the Qur'an. (And We have sent thee) O Muhammad (as naught else save a bearer of good tidings) of Paradise (and a warner) from hell.

(And (it is) a Qur'an) And We have sent Gabriel with the Qur'an (that We have divided) We explained therein the lawful and unlawful, the commands and prohibitions, (that thou mayst recite it unto mankind at intervals) in a composed manner, deliberately and thoughtfully, (and We have revealed it by (successive) revelation) We have exposited it clearly; it is also said that this means: We have sent Gabriel with the Qur'an in different phases, each time with two or three verses, and so on and so forth.

(Say) O Muhammad, to them: (Believe therein) believe in the Qur'an (or believe not) this is a threat to them, (lo! those who were given knowledge) those who were given knowledge of the Torah and are aware of the description and attributes of Muhammad (pbuh) (before it) before the Qur'an, (when it is read unto them) when the Qur'an is read to them, (fall down prostrate on their faces, adoring) they prostrate to Allah,

(Saying: Glory to our Lord!) they exonerate Allah from having a son or partner. (Verily the promise of our Lord) regarding the sending of Muhammad (pbuh) (must be fulfilled) is true and must happen.

(They fall down on their faces) in prostration, (weeping) in their prostration, (and it increaseth humility in them) this was revealed about 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his companions.

(Say) to them, O Muhammad: (Cry unto Allah, or cry unto the Beneficent, unto whichsoever ye cry (it is the same). His are the most beautiful names) the most sublime attributes such as knowledge, power, hearing, sight; so call Him by using them. (And thou (Muhammad), be not loud voiced in thy worship) do not be too loud in your recitation of the Qur'an during prayer so that the idolaters do not harm you (nor yet silent therein) such that your Companions cannot hear you, (but follow a way between) a middle ground between loud and silent recitation.

(And say: Praise be to Allah) gratitude and divinity are Allah's, (Who hath not taken unto Himself a son) from amongst the angels or humans such that he inherits His dominion, (and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty) such that he shows enmity towards Him, (nor hath He any protecting friend) a helper (through dependence) from among the Jews and Christians; it is also said that this means: He has not been humiliated such that He needs a helper from the Jews or Christians. (And magnify Him with all magnificence) deem Him far exalted above what the Jews, Christians and idolaters say about Him; and Allah knows better the secrets of His Book.