Surah Al-Isra (The Night Journey ) 17 : 107

Overview (Verses 107 - 111)

To Believe or Not to Believe
 
At this point the Prophet is commanded to explain the truth plainly to his people, leaving them free to make their choice to either believe in the Qur’ān or to reject it. They will have to bear the consequences of their choice. He puts in front of their eyes an example of its reception by Jewish and Christian people who were given sound knowledge before its revelation. They may feel that they will do well to follow in the footsteps of such learned people when they themselves have not been granted such knowledge:
 
Say, ‘You may believe in it or you may not.’ Those who were given knowledge before it was revealed fall down on their faces in humble prostration when it is recited to them, and say, ‘Limitless in His glory is our Lord. Truly has the promise of our Lord been fulfilled.’ And upon their faces they fall down, weeping, and it increases their humility. (Verses 107-109)
 
This is an inspiring image showing people endowed with knowledge listening to the Qur’ān, touched by its truth and falling down on their faces in humble prostration. They cannot restrain themselves. They do not merely prostrate themselves, but fall down on their faces in complete humility. They give expression to what they feel in their hearts of God’s greatness and the fulfilment of His promise: “Limitless in His glory is our Lord. Truly has the promise of our Lord been fulfilled.” (Verse 108) But then their feelings are further enhanced and they are deeply touched so that words are insufficient to express their feelings. Tears pour down from their eyes telling of their profound emotion: “And upon their faces they fall down, weeping, and it increases their humility.” (Verse 109) It is a scene of profound feelings demonstrated by people receiving the Qur’ān with open hearts, having learnt from their earlier scriptures of the truth it explains.
 
This inspiring scene is painted after the sūrah has given the Arabs the choice of believing in the Qur’ān or rejecting it. It is followed with a statement leaving it up to them to call on God with whatever names they choose. In their days of ignorance they declined to call God as Raĥmān, which means, ‘Most Merciful’. Hence they are told that they may call on God with whichever one of His names they choose: “Say: Call upon God or call upon the Most Merciful. By whichever name you invoke Him, His are the most gracious names.” (Verse 110) Their prejudices concerning His names have no basis other than myth that they used to believe in their ignorance. They have no sound basis.
 
The Prophet is then instructed to recite his prayers in a middle voice. This is because the unbelievers used to ridicule him whenever they saw him praying. It is also true to say that a voice pitched in the middle is the most suited to prayer: “Do not raise your voice too loud in prayer, nor say it in too low a voice, but follow a middle course in between.” (Verse 110)
 
The sūrah closes in the same way as it opened, praising God and asserting His oneness, and reiterating the facts that He has neither son nor partner and is in need of no help or support from anyone. This is indeed the pivot round which the sūrah turns: “And say: All praise is due to God who has never begotten a son; who has no partner in His dominion; who needs none to support Him against any difficulty.’ And extol His greatness.” (Verse 111)