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

This Surah concentrates on some important moral and spiritual principles.  It emphasizes that human beings always need divine guidance.  Without the guidance of Allah, humans end up in evil, sin and misery.  Human beings must have good relations with each other and live in a society built on the principles of faith, justice and morality.  The Surah talks about the evils of pride and arrogance and urges human beings to reflect on Allah's signs and be humble before Him in prayers.

Sections:

1. Isra' journey of the Prophet to Jerusalem.
2. Human beings are hasty.  Reward and punishment all have their time.
3. Moral and spiritual principles are emphasized - Worship of Allah and respect of parents.
4. Moral principles - children's rights, decency, right of life, orphans' property, honesty in dealings, humbleness.
5. Tawhid is the basic message of the Qur'an.
6. Gentleness is enjoined.
7. Satan's pride against man and his pledge to mislead human beings.
8. Every one will be brought on the Day of Judgement with his/her own deeds.
9. Emphasis on prayers, and on the reading of the Qur'an.
10. The Qur'an is inimitable.
11. Non-believers have lame arguments against accepting the Prophets.
12. The attitude of Pharaoh towards Prophet Moses and the signs that he showed. 

The Surah takes the name ‘al-Isra’ from the first Ayat of the Surah. “Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa”. The Isra in ‘al-Isra wal-Mi’raj’ – is the first part of the journey which took place from Makkah to Jerusalem – the ‘Mir’aj’ being the ascension from Jerusalem to the Heavens.

The surah is also referred as ‘Bani Israel’ – Children of Israel.

There are 111 Ayat in this Surah.

This Surah concentrates on some important moral and spiritual principles.  It emphasizes that human beings always need divine guidance.  Without the guidance of Allah, humans end up in evil, sin and misery.  Human beings must have good relations with each other and live in a society built on the principles of faith, justice and morality.  The Surah talks about the evils of pride and arrogance and urges human beings to reflect on Allah's signs and be humble before Him in prayers.

Sections:

1. Isra' journey of the Prophet to Jerusalem.
2. Human beings are hasty.  Reward and punishment all have their time.
3. Moral and spiritual principles are emphasized - Worship of Allah and respect of parents.
4. Moral principles - children's rights, decency, right of life, orphans' property, honesty in dealings, humbleness.
5. Tawhid is the basic message of the Qur'an.
6. Gentleness is enjoined.
7. Satan's pride against man and his pledge to mislead human beings.
8. Every one will be brought on the Day of Judgement with his/her own deeds.
9. Emphasis on prayers, and on the reading of the Qur'an.
10. The Qur'an is inimitable.
11. Non-believers have lame arguments against accepting the Prophets.
12. The attitude of Pharaoh towards Prophet Moses and the signs that he showed. 

The Surah takes the name ‘al-Isra’ from the first Ayat of the Surah. “Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa”. The Isra in ‘al-Isra wal-Mi’raj’ – is the first part of the journey which took place from Makkah to Jerusalem – the ‘Mir’aj’ being the ascension from Jerusalem to the Heavens.

The surah is also referred as ‘Bani Israel’ – Children of Israel.

There are 111 Ayat in this Surah.

Theme 1: Expounding the true value of the Qur'an

This Surah is a wonderful balance of warning and instruction. The disbelievers of Makkah are warned to take a lesson from the chastisement of the Israelites and other past civilisations.  They should therefore accept the message of Islam before they too are annihilated and replaced.

The Israelites, with whom Islam was now going to come in direct contact with in Madinah, are also admonished in the Surah and told to heed the chastisements that had historically been inflicted upon them. They are warned to take advantage of the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad as the last opportunity for them.

As regards the education of mankind it has been stressed that human success or failure, gain or loss, depends upon the right understanding of Monotheism, life-after-death and Prophethood. Accordingly, convincing arguments have been put forward to prove that the Qur’an is the Book of God and its teachings are true and genuine. The doubts of the disbelievers about these basic realities are removed and they are admonished and rebuked in regard to their ways of ignorance.

In connection with this, the fundamental principles of morality and civilisation on which the Islamic way of life is established have been put forward. This was like a manifesto for the intended Islamic state, which had been proclaimed a year before its actual establishment. It has been explicitly stated that this was the sketch of the system on which the Prophet Muhammad was instructed to build the foundations of society.

The Prophet was also instructed to stay firm regardless of the opposition and difficulties which he was encountering and not to compromise belief. Moreover, prayer (Salat) was prescribed in order to reform and purify their souls, producing the high qualities of character essential to faith. Incidentally we learn from hadith that ascension was the first occasion on which the five daily Prayers were prescribed.

Theme 1: Expounding the true value of the Qur'an

This Surah is a wonderful balance of warning and instruction. The disbelievers of Makkah are warned to take a lesson from the chastisement of the Israelites and other past civilisations.  They should therefore accept the message of Islam before they too are annihilated and replaced.

The Israelites, with whom Islam was now going to come in direct contact with in Madinah, are also admonished in the Surah and told to heed the chastisements that had historically been inflicted upon them. They are warned to take advantage of the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad as the last opportunity for them.

As regards the education of mankind it has been stressed that human success or failure, gain or loss, depends upon the right understanding of Monotheism, life-after-death and Prophethood. Accordingly, convincing arguments have been put forward to prove that the Qur’an is the Book of God and its teachings are true and genuine. The doubts of the disbelievers about these basic realities are removed and they are admonished and rebuked in regard to their ways of ignorance.

In connection with this, the fundamental principles of morality and civilisation on which the Islamic way of life is established have been put forward. This was like a manifesto for the intended Islamic state, which had been proclaimed a year before its actual establishment. It has been explicitly stated that this was the sketch of the system on which the Prophet Muhammad was instructed to build the foundations of society.

The Prophet was also instructed to stay firm regardless of the opposition and difficulties which he was encountering and not to compromise belief. Moreover, prayer (Salat) was prescribed in order to reform and purify their souls, producing the high qualities of character essential to faith. Incidentally we learn from hadith that ascension was the first occasion on which the five daily Prayers were prescribed.

Abdullah bin Masood said, “Surat Bani-lsrael, Al-Kahf (The Cave), Maryam, Taha, Al-Anbiya' (The prophets) are amongst my first earnings and my old property, and (in fact) they are my old property.”[ Bukhari no. 4994] . What Abdullah ibn Masood meant was that these surahs were amongst the first he learnt.

Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, said, “The Messenger of Allah would fast [so much] that we would say he will not stop [fasting]. Then he would not fast till we felt he would not fast [again] and he would recite every night Bani Israeel and Zumar [39].” [Tirmidhee]

Abdullah bin Masood said, “Surat Bani-lsrael, Al-Kahf (The Cave), Maryam, Taha, Al-Anbiya' (The prophets) are amongst my first earnings and my old property, and (in fact) they are my old property.”[ Bukhari no. 4994] . What Abdullah ibn Masood meant was that these surahs were amongst the first he learnt.

Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, said, “The Messenger of Allah would fast [so much] that we would say he will not stop [fasting]. Then he would not fast till we felt he would not fast [again] and he would recite every night Bani Israeel and Zumar [39].” [Tirmidhee]

• The word 'Qur'an' appears more times in this Surah than any other Surah. It appears 10 times. 

• The word 'Qur'an' appears more times in this Surah than any other Surah. It appears 10 times. 

The very first verse indicates that this Surah was revealed on the occasion of the ascension (Mi’raj). According to the narrations (hadith) on the life of the Prophet, this event happened one year before migration (Hijrah). Thus this Surah was revealed in the last stage of Prophethood in Makkah.

The very first verse indicates that this Surah was revealed on the occasion of the ascension (Mi’raj). According to the narrations (hadith) on the life of the Prophet, this event happened one year before migration (Hijrah). Thus this Surah was revealed in the last stage of Prophethood in Makkah.

The Prophet had been propagating Monotheism (Tawhid) for twelve years now. In spite of all the opposition, Islam had spread to every corner of Arabia and there was hardly a clan which had not been influenced by the invitation. In Makkah itself, the true Believers had formed themselves into a small community.  A large number of the people from the Aws and Khazraj tribes (two influential clans of Madinah) had also now accepted Islam. Thus the time had come for the Muslims to emigrate from Makkah to Madinah, at behest of the Aws and Khazraj to establish an Islamic state.

The Prophet had been propagating Monotheism (Tawhid) for twelve years now. In spite of all the opposition, Islam had spread to every corner of Arabia and there was hardly a clan which had not been influenced by the invitation. In Makkah itself, the true Believers had formed themselves into a small community.  A large number of the people from the Aws and Khazraj tribes (two influential clans of Madinah) had also now accepted Islam. Thus the time had come for the Muslims to emigrate from Makkah to Madinah, at behest of the Aws and Khazraj to establish an Islamic state.

• Isra' & Mir’aj
• Divine Commandments:
• Worship none but Allah
• Be kind and obedient to parents
• Give to relatives and the needy
• Do not be a miser or a spendthrift
• Do not kill your children for fear of poverty
• Do not commit adultery
• Do not slay without just cause
• Do not say anything without knowledge
• Do not walk arrogantly on earth
• Safeguard the property of orphans
• Allah does not beget children and those who say this, utter a monstrous lie.
• There is a life after death.
• The obligation of Five Daily Prayers and the prayer of Tahajjud (special late night prayer).
• Human Rasools are sent to human beings.
• The Qur'an is a shifa [cure] and rahmah [mercy] (17:82)
• Perform Salah in a voice which is neither too loud nor too soft.

• Isra' & Mir’aj
• Divine Commandments:
• Worship none but Allah
• Be kind and obedient to parents
• Give to relatives and the needy
• Do not be a miser or a spendthrift
• Do not kill your children for fear of poverty
• Do not commit adultery
• Do not slay without just cause
• Do not say anything without knowledge
• Do not walk arrogantly on earth
• Safeguard the property of orphans
• Allah does not beget children and those who say this, utter a monstrous lie.
• There is a life after death.
• The obligation of Five Daily Prayers and the prayer of Tahajjud (special late night prayer).
• Human Rasools are sent to human beings.
• The Qur'an is a shifa [cure] and rahmah [mercy] (17:82)
• Perform Salah in a voice which is neither too loud nor too soft.

• Surah 17. Al - Isra - Saad al Ghamidi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzH4F4KZDgc&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN&index=17
• Surah 17. Al - Isra - Umar Quzabri  http://youtu.be/XM1NaPLyqjk
• Surah 17. Al - Isra Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49n3U10vzUI&index=17&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM​
• Surah 17. Al - Isra Muhammad Al Luhaydan  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyEbiXeCK1A&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe&index=17​
• Idris Akbar Surah Al - Isra  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ45GP0Yg0U​
• Surah 17. Al - Isra muhammad Minshawi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxD8Gq-W0mQ&index=17&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG​
• Dr Israr Ahmed Tafsir Surah Bani-Isra'il (101) to Surah Al-Kahf (1-101)1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeY9KrpRVhE&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263&index=65​
• Surah Bani-Isra'il (101) to Surah Al-Kahf (1-101)2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly-qI09XkTY&index=66&list=PLB4B8D1654A8BD263​