سورة Al-Isra ( The Night Journey )

Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) to the farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our Signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

We gave Moses the Book, and made it a source of guidance for the Children of Israel, commanding: \"Take no other Guardian beside Me.\"

You are the descendants of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah. He was truly a thankful servant.

Then We clearly declared to the Children of Israel in the Book: \"Twice you will make mischief in the land and will commit transgression.\"

So, when the occasion for the first of the transgressions arrived, We raised against you some of Our creatures who were full of might, and they ran over the whole of your land. This was a promise that was bound to be fulfilled.

Then We granted you an upper hand against them, and strengthened you with wealth and children, and multiplied your numbers.

Whenever you did good, it was to your own advantage; and whenever you committed evil, it was to your own disadvantage. So, when the time of the fulfilment of the second promise arrived, (We raised other enemies that would) disfigure your faces and enter the Temple (of Jerusalem) as they had entered the first time, and destroy whatever they could lay their hands on.

Your Lord may well show Mercy to you, but if you revert to your evil behaviour, We shall revert to chastising you. We have made Hell a prison for those who are thankless of Allah's bounties.

Verily this Qur'an guides to the Way that is the Straight most. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them,

and warns those who do not believe in the Hereafter that We have prepared for them a grievous chastisement.

Man prays for evil in the manner he ought to pray for good. Man is ever hasty.

We have made night and day as two signs. We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and made the sign of the day radiant that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the computation of years and numbers. Thus We have expounded everything in detail to keep everything distinct from the other.

We have fastened every man's omen to his neck. On the Day of Resurrection We shall produce for him his scroll in the shape of a wide open book, (saying):

\"Read your scroll; this Day you suffice to take account of yourself.\"

He who follows the Right Way shall do so to his own advantage; and he who strays shall incur his own loss. No one shall bear another's burden. And never do We punish any people until We send a Messenger (to make the Truth distinct from falsehood).

When We decide to destroy a town We command the affluent among them, whereupon they commit sins in it, then the decree (of chastisement) becomes due against them and thereafter We destroy that town utterly.

Many a generation has been destroyed by Our command since Noah's time. Your Lord is well aware and fully observant of the sins of His servants.

If anyone desires immediate benefits, We hasten to grant whatever benefits We will in the present life to whomsoever We please, but thereafter We decree for him Hell wherein he shall burn, condemned and rejected.

But he who desires the Hereafter and strives for it in the manner he should, and is a true believer, his striving will come to fruition.

To all of these as well as those We shall provide the wherewithal of this life in the present world by dint of your Lord's Bounty; and from none shall the Bounty of your Lord be withheld.

See, how We have exalted some above others in this world, and in the Life to Come they will have higher ranks and greater degrees of excellence over others.

Do not set up any other god with Allah lest you are rendered humiliated and helpless.

Your Lord has decreed: (i) Do not worship any but Him; (ii) Be good to your parents; and should both or any one of them attain old age with you, do not say to them even \"fie\" neither chide them, but speak to them with respect,

and be humble and tender to them and say: \"Lord, show mercy to them as they nurtured me when I was small.\"

Your Lord is best aware of what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, He will indeed forgive those who relent and revert (to serving Allah).

(iii) Give to the near of kin his due, and also to the needy and the wayfarer. (iv) Do not squander your wealth wastefully,

for those who squander wastefully are Satan's brothers, and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.

(v) And when you must turn away from them - (that is, from the destitute, the near of kin, the needy, and the wayfarer) - in pursuit of God's Mercy which you expect to receive, then speak to them kindly.

(vi) Do not keep your hand fastened to your neck nor outspread it, altogether outspread, for you will be left sitting rebuked, destitute.

Certainly Your Lord makes plentiful the provision of whomsoever He wills and straitens it for whomsoever He wills. He is well-aware and is fully observant of all that relates to His servants.

(vii) Do not kill your children for fear of want. We will provide for them and for you. Surely killing them is a great sin.

(viii) Do not even approach fornication for it is an outrageous act, and an evil way.

(ix) Do not kill any person whom Allah has forbidden to kill, except with right. We have granted the heir of him who has been wrongfully killed the authority to (claim retribution); so let him not exceed in slaying. He shall be helped.

(x) And do not even go near the property of the orphan - except that it be in the best manner - till he attains his maturity. (xi) And fulfil the covenant, for you will be called to account regarding the covenant.

(xii) Give full measure when you measure, and weigh with even scales. That is fair and better in consequence.

(xiii) Do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Surely the hearing, the sight, the heart - each of these shall be called to account.

(xiv) Do not strut about in the land arrogantly. Surely you cannot cleave the earth, nor reach the heights of the mountains in stature.

The wickedness of each of that is hateful to your Lord.

That is part of the wisdom your Lord has revealed to you. So do not set up any deity beside Allah lest you are cast into Hell, rebuked and deprived of every good.

What, has your Lord favoured you with sons and has taken for Himself daughters from among the angels? You are indeed uttering a monstrous lie.

We have expounded (the Truth) in diverse ways in this Qur'an that they might take it to heart but all this only aggravates their aversion.

Say, (O Muhammad): \"Had there been other gods with Him, as they claim, they would surely have attempted to find a way to the Lord of the Throne.

Holy is He and far above all that they say.

The seven heavens, the earth, and all that is within them give glory to Him. There is nothing but gives glory to Him with His praise, though you do not understand their hymns of praise. He is Most Forbearing, Exceedingly Forgiving.\"

When you recite the Qur'an, We place a hidden barrier between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter;

and We place a covering on their hearts so that they do not comprehend it, and We cause a heaviness in their ears; and when you mention your Lord, the Only True Lord, in the Qur'an, they turn their backs in aversion.

We are well aware of what they wish to hear when they listen to you and what they say when they confer in whispers, when the wrong-doers say: \"You are only following one who is bewitched.\"

Just see how strange are the things they invent about you. They have altogether strayed, and are unable to find the right way.

They say: \"When we are turned to bones and particles (of dust), shall we truly be raised up as a new creation?\"

Tell them: \"(You will be raised afresh even if) you turn to stone or iron,

or any other form of creation you deem hardest of all (to recreate from).\" They will certainly ask: \"Who will bring us back (to life)?\" Say: \"He Who created you in the first instance.\" They will shake their heads at you and inquire: \"When will that be?\" Say: \"Perhaps that time might have drawn near;

on the Day when He will call you and you will rise praising Him in response to His call, and you will believe that you had lain in this state only for a while.\"

Tell My servants, (O Muhammad), to say always that which is best. Verily it is Satan who sows discord among people. Satan indeed is an open enemy to mankind.

Your Lord knows you best. He will have mercy on you if He wills and chastise you if He wills. We have not sent you, (O Muhammad), as an overseer over them.

Your Lord knows all who dwell in the heavens and the earth. We have exalted some Prophets over others, and We gave the Psalms to David.

Tell them: \"Call upon those whom you fancy to be (your helpers) instead of Him! They have no power to remove any affliction from you, nor can they shift it (to any other).\"

Those whom they call upon are themselves seeking the means of access to their Lord, each trying to be nearer to Him. They crave for His Mercy and dread His chastisement. Surely your Lord's punishment is to be feared.

There is not a town but We shall destroy it or upon which We shall inflict severe chastisement before the Day of Resurrection. This is written down in the Eternal Book (of Allah).

Nothing hindered Us from sending Our Signs except that the people of olden times rejected them as lies. We publicly sent the she-camel to the Thamud to open their eyes but they wronged her. We never send Our Signs except to cause people to fear.

And recall when We said to you, (O Muhammad), that your Lord encompasses these people; and that We have made that vision that We have shown you, and the tree accursed in the Qur'an, but as a trial for people. We go about warning them, but each warning leads them to greater transgression.

And recall when We asked the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam; all prostrated themselves except Iblis, who said: \"Shall I prostrate myself before him whom You created of clay?\"

He then continued: \"Look! This is he whom You have exalted above me! If you will grant me respite till the Day of Resurrection I shall uproot the whole of his progeny except only a few.\"

Thereupon He retorted: \"Be gone! Hell shall be the recompense - and a most ample one - of whosoever of them who follows you.

Tempt with your call all whom you wish. Muster against them all your forces - your cavalry and your foot soldiers; share with them riches and offspring, and seduce them with rosy promises - and Satan's promise is nothing but a deception -

but know well that you will have no power against My servants. Your Lord suffices for them to place their trust in.\"

Your Lord is He Who steers your vessels across the seas that you may seek of His Bounty. He is ever Merciful towards you.

When a calamity befalls you on the sea, all those whom you invoke forsake you except Him. But when He delivers you safely to the shore you turn away from Him, for man is indeed most thankless.

Do you, then, feel secure against His causing you to be swallowed up by a tract of the earth, or letting loose a deadly whirlwind charged with stones towards you, and there you will find none to protect you?

Or do you feel secure that He will not cause you to revert to the sea, and let a tempest loose upon you and then drown you for your ingratitude whereupon you will find none even to inquire of Us what happened to you?

Indeed, We honoured the progeny of Adam, and bore them across land and sea and provided them with good things for their sustenance, and exalted them above many of Our creatures.

Then think of the Day We shall summon every community with its leader. Those who are given their Record in their right hand shall read the Record of their deeds and shall not be wronged a whit.

Whoever lived in this world as blind shall live as blind in the Life to Come; rather, he will be even farther astray than if he were (just) blind.

(O Muhammad), they had all but tempted you away from what We have revealed to you that you may invent something else in Our Name. Had you done so, they would have taken you as their trusted friend.

Indeed, had We not strengthened you, you might have inclined to them a little,

whereupon We would have made you taste double (the chastisement) in the world and double (the chastisement) after death, and then you would have found none to help you against Us.

They were bent upon uprooting you from this land and driving you away from it. But were they to succeed, they would not be able to remain after you more than a little while.

This has been Our Way with the Messengers whom We sent before you. You will find no change in Our Way.

Establish Prayer from the declining of the sun to the darkness of the night; and hold fast to the recitation of the Qur'an at dawn, for the recitation of the Qur'an at dawn is witnessed.

And rise from sleep during the night as well- this is an additional Prayer for you. Possibly your Lord will raise you to an honoured position.

And pray: \"My Lord! Cause me to enter wherever it be, with Truth, and cause me to exit, wherever it be, with Truth, and support me with authority from Yourself.\"

And proclaim: \"The Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.\"

What We are sending down in the course of revealing the Qur'an is a healing and a grace for those who have faith; but it adds only to the ruin of the wrong-doers.

Whenever We bestow favours upon man, he arrogantly turns away and draws aside; and whenever evil visits him, he is in utter despair.

Say, (O Prophet): \"Each one acts according to his own manner. Your Lord knows well who is best-guided to the Right Path.\"

They ask you about \"the spirit\". Say: \"The spirit descends by the command of my Lord, but you have been given only a little knowledge.\"

Had We willed, We could take away what We have revealed to you, then you would find none to help you in recovering it from Us.

(Whatever you have received) is nothing but grace from your Lord. Indeed His favour to you is great.

Say: \"Surely, if mankind and jinn were to get together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they will never be able to produce the like of it, howsoever they might help one another.\"

We have explained things for people in this Qur'an in diverse ways to make them understand the Message, yet most people obstinately persist in unbelief.

They said: \"We shall not accept your Message until you cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth;

or that there be a garden of palms and vines for you and then you cause rivers to abundantly flow forth through them;

or cause the sky to fall on us in pieces as you claimed, or bring Allah and the angels before us, face to face;

or that there come to be for you a house of gold, or that you ascend to the sky - though we shall not believe in your ascension (to the sky) - until you bring down a book for us that we can read.\" Say to them, (O Muhammad): \"Holy is my Lord! Am I anything else than a human being, who bears a Message (from Allah)?\"

Whenever Guidance came to people, nothing prevented them from believing except that they said: \"Has Allah sent a human being as a Messenger?\"

Say: \"Had angels been walking about in peace on the earth, We would surely have sent to them an angel from the heavens as Messenger.\"

Tell them, (O Prophet): \"Allah suffices as a witness between me and you. Allah is well aware and fully observes everything pertaining to His servants.\"

Whomsoever Allah guides is rightly guided; and whomsoever Allah lets go astray, you shall find none - apart from Him - who could protect him. We shall muster them all on the Day of Resurrection, on their faces - blind and dumb and deaf. Hell shall be their refuge. Every time its Fire subsides, We will intensify for them its flame.

That will be their recompense because they disbelieved in Our Signs and said: \"What, when we shall be reduced to bones and particles (of dust), shall we be raised again as a new creation?\"

Have they not perceived that Allah, Who has created the heavens and the earth, has the power to create the like of them? He has fixed a term for them about which there is no doubt. And yet the wrong-doers obstinately persist in unbelief.

Tell them, (O Prophet): \"Even if you owned the treasures of my Lord's Mercy you would have held them back for fear of spending them.\" Man is indeed ever niggardly.

We granted Moses nine clear signs. Ask the Children of Israel about that: when these signs came forth, Pharaoh said to him: \"Moses, I think that you are bewitched.\"

Moses replied: \"You know well that no one but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent these as eye-opening proofs. I truly think, O Pharaoh, that you are indeed doomed.\"

At last Pharaoh decided to uproot Moses and the Children of Israel from the land, but We drowned him together with all who were with him;

and thereafter We said to the Children of Israel: \"Now dwell in the land, but when the promised time of the Hereafter comes, We shall bring you all together.\"

We have sent down the Qur'an with the Truth, and it is with the Truth that it has descended. And We have not sent you but to proclaim good news and to warn.

We have revealed the Qur'an in parts that you may recite it to people slowly and with deliberation; and (for that reason) We have revealed it gradually (to suit particular occasions).

Tell them, (O Prophet): \"Whether you believe in it, or do not believe,\" but when it is recited to those who were given the knowledge before its revelation, they fall down upon their faces in prostration

and say: \"Glory be to our Lord. Surely the promise of our Lord was bound to be fulfilled.\"

And they fall down upon their faces, weeping, and their humility increases when (the Qur'an) is recited to them.

Say to them (O Prophet!): \"Call upon Him as Allah or call upon Him as al-Rahman; call Him by whichever name you will, all His names are beautiful. Neither offer your Prayer in too loud a voice, nor in a voice too low; but follow a middle course.\"

And say: \"All praise be to Allah Who has neither taken to Himself a son, nor has He any partner in His kingdom, nor does He need anyone, out of weakness, to protect Him.\" So glorify Him in a manner worthy of His glory.