Al-Isra

Al-Isra
الإسراء

Classification	Makkan
Meaning of the name	The Night Journey
Other names	Bani Israel (Children of Israel)
Statistics
Sura number	17
Number of verses	111
Juz' number	15
Hizb number	29 to 30
Number of Sajdahs	1 (verse 109)
Previous Sura	An-Nahl
Next Sura	Al-Kahf

Sura Al-Isra (Arabic: سورة الإسراء‎, Sūratu al-Isrā, "The Night Journey"), also called Sura Bani Isra'il (i.e. Children of Israel), is the 17th chapter of the Qur'an, with 111 verses.

Content

This Surah takes its name from the first verse, which tells the story of the Isra and Mi'raj, the transportation of Prophet Muhammad during the night to what is referred to as "the farthest Mosque" (the sky). Also known as Masjid Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Mosque) in Jerusalem, Islam's third holiest shrine.

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

17:01 Infinitely Glorious is the One Whose approval is the focus of all effort. He the Absolute/Independent took His Sincere Allegiant [Messenger Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] during night from Al Masjid al Haram [the Sacred Mosque around Ka'aba in Mecca] towards the Far Distant Mosque [the Sacred Mosque of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem], the surroundings of which We have blessed, so that We may show him [Messenger Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] visually from Our Signs [The big ones outside your universe-53:18].Indeed He is the One Who is eternally the Hearer [of what is said, at whatever frequency] and is of Vision [everything/act is in His focus]. [17:01]

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

17:79 And in the wee hours of the night wake, thereby, you the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] remain awake reading the Qur'an. This is an additional time-bound assignment for you alone. May be it is near that your Sustainer Lord may honorably revive/return you to the original Place/Abode of Glory and Praise. [17:79]

بْعَثَ Signifies the removing of that thing which restrains one from free action. Removing of the restraint implies and results in the revival, which is the basic concept folded in this Arabic Root. On completion of the mission of delivery of Grand Qur'an, the news of his revival to his original abode مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا was given.

The verb here is in subjunctive mood. One may not take it as only a probability, the point has in emphatic terms been made evident later in Surat 28, hereunder

إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَى مَعَادٍ

It is a fact that the One, Who has prescribed time-bound assignment of the Qur'an upon you, He will surely return/revive you, the Messenger Mohammad [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] honorably to the Original Abode [مَقَاماً مَّحْمُوداً 17:79]

قُل رَّبِّي أَعْلَمُ مَن جَاءَ بِالْهُدَى وَمَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ

You, the Messenger [Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam] pronounce, "My Sustainer Lord best knows the one who has come with Al-Huda-the Guide-Grand Qur'aan, and knows fully the one who is wanderer in manifest forgetfulness". [28:85]

رَادُّ It signifies returning, reverting to the position of beginning. He made, or caused, him, or it, to return, go back, come back, or revert; sent, turned. {Lane's Lexicon}

[For detailed study please see on Surat Fateha "Word by Word Analysis"]

See also

Previous sura: An-Nahl	The Qur'an - Sura 17	Next sura: Al-Kahf
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