Al-Isra'

Surah 17 of the Quran
الإسراء‎ ; Al-Isra; The Night Journey
Arabic text; Qira'ahⓘ; English text;
Classification	Meccan
Time of revelation	7th Century
Position	Juzʼ 15
Hizb no.	29 to 30
No. of verses	111
No. of Rukus	12
No. of Sajdahs	1 (verse 107)
No. of words	1558
No. of letters	6643
	← 16: An-Nahl 18: Al-Kahf →

Al-Isra'ʾ (Arabic: الإسراء, lit. 'The Night Journey'),^[1] also known as Banī Isrāʾīl (Arabic: بني إسرائيل, lit. 'The Children of Israel'),^[2] is the 17th chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, with 111 verses (āyāt). The word Isra' refers to the Night Journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and about the Children of Israel. This surāh is part of a series al-Musabbihat surahs because it begins with the glorification of God.

Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is traditionally believed to be a Meccan surah, from the second Meccan period (615-619).

Summary

1 God praised for the night journey
2 The law of Moses a direction to the Israelites
3 Noah’s gratitude commended to his posterity
4-8 The Islamic invention of the double sin of Israel and its punishment
9-10 The Quran a direction to both the faithful and the unbelievers
11 Men inconsiderate in their prayers
12 The night and day are signs to men
13 Every man’s fate bound about his neck
14-15 God will give every man the record of his life at the judgment day
16 No nation left without an apostle
17-18 The cities destroyed which rejected their apostles
19-21 Rewards and punishments of the faithful and unbelieving
22 Degrees of honour belong to the life to come
23-24 Men should worship only one God
24-27 Kindness to be shown to parents, the poor, and the stranger
28-29 Extravagance forbidden
30-31 Those unable to contribute for the support of the poor may help them by speaking kindly to them
32 Stinginess and foolish extravagance forbidden
33-35 Infanticide, fornication, and murder forbidden
35 The murdered man to be avenged
36 The substance of the orphan to be sacredly preserved
37 Men should lead lives of honesty and humility
41 God not to be dishonoured by idol-worship
42 Angels not daughters of God
43 Various warnings for the Quraish
44-45 A plurality of gods would lead to rebellion in heaven
46 All things praise God
47-49 The Quraish are judicially blinded to the Quran
50 Muhammad called a madman
51-53 The Quraish reject the doctrine of the resurrection
54 The dead when raised will fancy they have been dead but a little while
55-56 Idolaters and unbelievers to be mildly treated
57 Some prophets peculiarly favoured
58-59 The false gods need divine protection
60 Every city to be destroyed before the judgment-day
61 Muhammad not allowed to work miracles because of the unbelief of former tribes
62 The night-journey and the Zakkum tree causes of contention
63-64 Iblís disobeys God, and is cursed in consequence
65-66 He receives permission to delude men
67 He shall have no power over God’s servants
68 God protects the merchant while on the sea
69 Idolaters forget their idols in times of danger 69 ۞ 71 They are ungrateful
72 The special privileges of mankind
73-74 In the judgment all shall be fairly judged
75-77 Muhammad almost seduced from Islam
78-79 The unbelievers almost persuade Muhammad to leave them
80-82 Exhortation to prayer
83-84 The truth of the Quran to be proclaimed
85 Man’s perversity seen both in prosperity and adversity
86 The spirit created of God
87-89 Revelation (inspiration) a peculiar favour from God to Muhammad
90 Men and genii could not produce a book like the Quran
91-95 Muhammad excuses his inability to work miracles
96-98 Men appointed messengers for men and angels for angels
99-100 The dreadful fate of the idolaters at the resurrection
101 God is able to raise the dead
102 Man covetous even in respect to God’s mercy
103-104 The nine signs of Moses fail to convince Pharaoh
105 Pharaoh destroyed
106 The children of Israel succeed Pharaoh in his possession of the land of Egypt
107 Why the Quran was revealed in stages
108 ۩ 109 Some Jews and Christians believe on the Quran
110 God and the Merciful the same
111 God hath neither son nor partner ^[3]

Exegesis

1 The transportation of Muhammad to "the farthest Mosque".

Al-Isra, Ayahs of 78 and 79 on top of Nimavard madrasa's entrance tilling, Isfahan, Iran.

This surah takes its name from the first verse which, in Islamic tradition, tells the event of the Isra, the transportation of Muhammad during the night from the Great Mosque of Mecca to what is referred to as "the farthest Mosque"." The exact location is specified in the Quran in Arabic words أَسۡرَىٰ بِعَبۡدِهِۦ لَيۡلٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡأَقۡصَا ^[4] but this is commonly taken to Noble Sanctuary (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem. Some scholars disagree about this (see Isra and Mi'raj) lively . While the city of Jerusalem (or al Quds , Al-Aqsa mosque) is not mentioned by name anywhere in the Qur'an, the first verse refers to Mohammed being taken from the 'Masjid ul-harram' to the 'Masjid al-Aqsa':

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We (God) did bless,- so that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).

Within Islam, it is generally agreed upon that the 'Farthest Mosque' refers to Masjid al-Aqsa (i.e. the Temple Mount) in Jerusalem and the 'Sacred Mosque' refers to Masjid al-Haram. The surah also refers to the other prophets, for example, Musa (Moses).

This Meccan surah was revealed in the last year before the Hijra. Like all the Meccan surah, it stresses the oneness of Allah, the authority of the prophets. However, the primary theme of the surah is salah (daily prayers), whose number is said to have been fixed at five during the Miraj which it alludes to. In addition, the surah forbids adultery, calls for respect for father and mother, and calls for patience and control in the face of the persecutions the Muslim community was facing at the time.

8 Hell

Verse 17:8 refers to hell and states that those who reject the faith will be punished:

It may be that your Lord may (yet) show Mercy unto you; but if ye revert (to your sins), We shall revert (to Our punishments): And we have made Hell a prison for those who reject (all Faith).

However, it also states that Allah is merciful and could forgive.

It also refers to the hereafter and states that there is a punishment for not believing in it (Verse 7:10):

And to those who believe not in the Hereafter, (it announceth) that We have prepared for them a Penalty Grievous (indeed).

13-15 Day of Judgement

Verses 17:13 to 17:15 tells that fate is in people's hands and tells that what they do will be rewarded or punished for on the Day of Judgement.

Every man's fate We have fastened on his own neck: On the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open. (It will be said to him:) "Read thine (own) record: Sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee." Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a Messenger (to give warning).

26 Verse of Dhul Qurba

17:26 And give to the kinsman his due, and to the Miskin (poor), and to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.^[5]^: 17:26

The verse relates to the controversies of the land of Fadak in modern-day Saudi Arabia.^[6]^[7]

70 Aliens

۞^[8] Verse 17:70 tells that mankind has been given a position "above many of those whom we created" angels and jinns.

71 Day of Judgement

Verse 17:71 contains a reference to Yawm al-Qiyamah, the Day of Judgement:

One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams: those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure), and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

In Kitab al-Kafi, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq was questioned on the interpretation of 17:71 ("On that day, We will call forth every people with their Imam...") to which he responded it is the Imam that is with them and he is the Mahdi, al-Qa'im of the people of that time.^[9]

104 Children of Israel

Verse 17:104 'And We said thereafter unto the Children of Israel, “Dwell in the land. And when the promise of the Hereafter comes to pass, We shall bring you as a mixed assembly.”'^[10]

Al-Tabari (d.923) suggested this referred to Palestinian settlement. Al-Zamakhshari (d. 1144) suggested this referred to Egypt devoid of Pharaoh. Al-Qurtubi (d. 1272) suggested both.^[10]

References

^ "Isra' | Meaning, Islam, & Significance | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
^ "Soorat al-Isra' is also called Soorat Bani Isra'eel - Islam Question & Answer". islamqa.info. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
^ Wherry, Elwood Morris (1896). A Complete Index to Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ Ibn Kathir. Tafsir Ibn Kathir Juz' 15 (Part 15): Al-Israa (or Bani Isra'il) 1 to Al-Kahf 74. p. 10. al-Masjid al Aqsa is also the sacred house which is in Jerusalem
^ "Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Surah Al Isra". Quran 4 U. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
^ Dur al-Manthur Vol. 4, page 177 Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ Quran (puya) on Al-Islam.org
^ "Surah Al-Isra - 70-80".
^ Al-Kulayni, Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ya’qub (2015). Kitab al-Kafi. South Huntington, NY: The Islamic Seminary Inc. ISBN 9780991430864.
^ ^a ^b Dakake, Maria Massi (April 2015). 17, The Night Journey, al-Isrāʾ The Study Quran. San Francisco: HarperOne.