Al-Isra'
17th chapter of the Qur'an
Al-Isra' (Arabic: الإسراء, lit. 'The Night Journey'), also known as Banī Isrāʾīl (Arabic: بني إسرائيل, lit. 'The Children of Israel'), 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 of 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 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
24-26 Kindness to be shown to parents, the poor, and the stranger
27 Extravagance forbidden
28 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 humans and share with them their money and offspring
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
Exegesis
1 The transportation of Muhammad to "the farthest Mosque".
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 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) is not mentioned by name anywhere in the Quran, 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.
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