17: The Israelites (Bani Israil)
Revealed at Makkah
This chapter opens and ends by referring to the history of the Israelites, who, after attaining to greatness, were twice punished for their misdeeds. It begins with a mention of the Mi‘rāj or ascension of the Holy Prophet, indicative of the eminence to which the Muslims would rise. It then warns Muslims of the fate which befell the Israelites, as the same fate was to befall them. Then it goes on to deal with the following subjects: every deed must have a consequence, the moral teachings Muslims must follow to do good deeds, opposition to the truth and to the righteous, and its defeat by the truth — that “truth” being the Holy Prophet himself who is the “spirit of truth” prophesied in the Gospel of John — the Quran being a miracle, and, finally, Moses’ warning to Pharaoh, a warning like it now being given by the Quran to its opponents. This chapter was revealed in the early period at Makkah, around the fifth year of the Holy Prophet’s mission.
Section 1 (Verses 17:1–17:10): Israelites Punished Twice
17:1
سُبۡحٰنَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَسۡرٰی بِعَبۡدِہٖ لَیۡلًا مِّنَ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ اِلَی الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡاَقۡصَا الَّذِیۡ بٰرَکۡنَا حَوۡلَہٗ لِنُرِیَہٗ مِنۡ اٰیٰتِنَا ؕ اِنَّہٗ ہُوَ السَّمِیۡعُ الۡبَصِیۡرُ ﴿۱﴾
Glory be to Him Who carried His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Remote Mosque, whose precincts We blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs! Surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
The carrying by night of the Holy Prophet Muhammad from the Sacred Mosque at Makkah to the Remote Mosque at Jerusalem (known as Isrā’) is in reference to the Prophet’s reported Ascension (known as Mi‘rāj). Isrā’ was the first stage in Mi‘rāj, as before his Ascension to heaven, the Prophet was taken to the Remote Mosque, or the Temple at Jerusalem. The Ascension was not a translation of the body, but the spiritual experience of the Holy Prophet, as is shown in v. 60 where it is expressly called a vision. As the significance of the Ascension was the spiritual eminence of the Holy Prophet and indicated his triumph in the world, his being carried to the Temple at Jerusalem signified that he would also inherit the blessings of the Israelite prophets.
17:2
وَ اٰتَیۡنَا مُوۡسَی الۡکِتٰبَ وَ جَعَلۡنٰہُ ہُدًی لِّبَـنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ اَلَّا تَتَّخِذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِیۡ وَکِیۡلًا ؕ﴿۲﴾
And We gave Moses the Book and made it a guidance to the Children of Israel (saying): Take no guardian beside Me —
The first verse really prophesies a great future for Islam and the Muslims, while this warns them of the pitfalls of greatness, citing the instance of a nation that had been made to rise to eminence before them.
17:3
ذُرِّیَّۃَ مَنۡ حَمَلۡنَا مَعَ نُوۡحٍ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ عَبۡدًا شَکُوۡرًا ﴿۳﴾
(you) the offspring of those whom We bore with Noah. Surely he was a grateful servant.
17:4
وَ قَضَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰی بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ فِی الۡکِتٰبِ لَتُفۡسِدُنَّ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ مَرَّتَیۡنِ وَ لَتَعۡلُنَّ عُلُوًّا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۴﴾
And We made known to the Children of Israel in the Book: Certainly you will make mischief in the land twice, and behave insolently with mighty arrogance.
Jerusalem was destroyed twice as a punishment for the transgressions of the Jews, once by the Babylonians, and again by the Romans. See Jesus’ warning in Matthew 23:38 and Luke 21:24 and various other like references. The Psalms are also replete with warnings.
17:5
فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ اُوۡلٰىہُمَا بَعَثۡنَا عَلَیۡکُمۡ عِبَادًا لَّنَاۤ اُولِیۡ بَاۡسٍ شَدِیۡدٍ فَجَاسُوۡا خِلٰلَ الدِّیَارِ ؕ وَ کَانَ وَعۡدًا مَّفۡعُوۡلًا ﴿۵﴾
So when the first warning of the two came to pass, We raised against you Our servants, of mighty prowess, so they made havoc in (your) houses. And it was an accomplished threat.
17:6
ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَا لَکُمُ الۡکَرَّۃَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ اَمۡدَدۡنٰکُمۡ بِاَمۡوَالٍ وَّ بَنِیۡنَ وَ جَعَلۡنٰکُمۡ اَکۡثَرَ نَفِیۡرًا ﴿۶﴾
Then We gave you back the turn against them, and aided you with wealth and children and made you a numerous band.
V. 5 relates the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem and the murder, imprisonment, and banishment of the Jews by the Babylonians in the year 588 B.C., while v. 6 relates to the return of the Jews and rebuilding of the temple under Zerubbabel, and to their subsequent prosperity.
17:7
اِنۡ اَحۡسَنۡتُمۡ اَحۡسَنۡتُمۡ لِاَنۡفُسِکُمۡ ۟ وَ اِنۡ اَسَاۡتُمۡ فَلَہَا ؕ فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ لِیَسُوۡٓءٗا وُجُوۡہَکُمۡ وَ لِیَدۡخُلُوا الۡمَسۡجِدَ کَمَا دَخَلُوۡہُ اَوَّلَ مَرَّۃٍ وَّ لِیُتَبِّرُوۡا مَا عَلَوۡا تَتۡبِیۡرًا ﴿۷﴾
If you do good, you do good for your own souls. And if you do evil, it is for them. So when the second warning came, (We raised another people) that they might bring you to grief and that they might enter the Mosque as they entered it the first time, and that they might destroy, whatever they conquered, with utter destruction.
This verse describes the destruction of the Temple a second time, which was accomplished by the Romans under Titus. There is a prophetical reference here to the history of the Muslims. The Caliphate of Islam was destroyed twice, first by the Mongols under Hulagu in 656 A.H. (1258 C.E.), and again by the powers of Europe after the First World War. But while in the case of the Israelites their spiritual centre was laid waste on both occasions, the spiritual centre of Islam, the Ka‘bah, has remained intact on both occasions under a Divine promise. Following the first great reverse in Muslim history in 1258, Islam gained spiritual conquests in the coming over to Islam en masse of the Mongols and Turks. After the second reverse, the afflictions of Islam are giving birth to a spiritual resuscitation of the world. On both occasions, there has been a revival of its temporal power as well.
17:8
عَسٰی رَبُّکُمۡ اَنۡ یَّرۡحَمَکُمۡ ۚ وَ اِنۡ عُدۡتُّمۡ عُدۡنَا ۘ وَ جَعَلۡنَا جَہَنَّمَ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ حَصِیۡرًا ﴿۸﴾
It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you. And if you return (to mischief), We will return (to punishment). And We have made hell a prison for the disbelievers.
This relates to the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, when the Israelites were again given a chance to reform, but they are told that if they return to mischief they will again be punished.
17:9
اِنَّ ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنَ یَہۡدِیۡ لِلَّتِیۡ ہِیَ اَقۡوَمُ وَ یُبَشِّرُ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَعۡمَلُوۡنَ الصّٰلِحٰتِ اَنَّ لَہُمۡ اَجۡرًا کَبِیۡرًا ۙ﴿۹﴾
Surely this Quran guides to what is most upright, and gives good news to the believers who do good that theirs is a great reward,
17:10
وَّ اَنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِالۡاٰخِرَۃِ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لَہُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿٪۱۰﴾
and that those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have prepared for them a painful punishment.
Section 2 (Verses 17:11–17:22): Every Deed has a Consequence
17:11
وَ یَدۡعُ الۡاِنۡسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَآءَہٗ بِالۡخَیۡرِ ؕ وَ کَانَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ عَجُوۡلًا ﴿۱۱﴾
And man prays for evil as he ought to pray for good; and man is ever hasty.
17:12
وَ جَعَلۡنَا الَّیۡلَ وَ النَّہَارَ اٰیَتَیۡنِ فَمَحَوۡنَاۤ اٰیَۃَ الَّیۡلِ وَ جَعَلۡنَاۤ اٰیَۃَ النَّہَارِ مُبۡصِرَۃً لِّتَبۡتَغُوۡا فَضۡلًا مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ وَ لِتَعۡلَمُوۡا عَدَدَ السِّنِیۡنَ وَ الۡحِسَابَ ؕ وَ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ فَصَّلۡنٰہُ تَفۡصِیۡلًا ﴿۱۲﴾
And We made the night and the day two signs, then We have made the sign of the night to pass away and We have made the sign of the day manifest, so that you may seek grace from your Lord, and that you may know the numbering of years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything distinctly.
The night stands for the darkness of ignorance and unbelief (see 2:257), and the passing away of the night indicates that ignorance will vanish and the light of Islam will take its place. Arabia witnessed this sign in the seventh century C.E., and Islam has since then been gradually advancing in the world.
17:13
وَ کُلَّ اِنۡسَانٍ اَلۡزَمۡنٰہُ طٰٓئِرَہٗ فِیۡ عُنُقِہٖ ؕ وَ نُخۡرِجُ لَہٗ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ کِتٰبًا یَّلۡقٰىہُ مَنۡشُوۡرًا ﴿۱۳﴾
And We have made every human being’s actions to cling to his neck, and We shall bring forth to him on the day of Resurrection a book which he will find wide open.
This verse reveals the principle that every action produces an effect which is made to cling to a person, and that this very effect will be met with on the day of Resurrection in the form of a wide open book. It is thus by leaving its effect behind that every action is recorded, and this very effect constitutes the book of a person’s actions. Clinging to the neck indicates the inseparability of one thing from another, thus establishing the law of cause and effect.
17:14
اِقۡرَاۡ کِتٰبَکَ ؕ کَفٰی بِنَفۡسِکَ الۡیَوۡمَ عَلَیۡکَ حَسِیۡبًا ﴿ؕ۱۴﴾
Read your book. Your own soul is sufficient as a reckoner against you this day.
This verse throws a flood of light on the nature of the reckoning on the day of Resurrection, showing clearly that it is nothing but a complete manifestation of the effects of the deeds done in this life.
17:15
مَنِ اہۡتَدٰی فَاِنَّمَا یَہۡتَدِیۡ لِنَفۡسِہٖ ۚ وَ مَنۡ ضَلَّ فَاِنَّمَا یَضِلُّ عَلَیۡہَا ؕ وَ لَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَۃٌ وِّزۡرَ اُخۡرٰی ؕ وَ مَا کُنَّا مُعَذِّبِیۡنَ حَتّٰی نَبۡعَثَ رَسُوۡلًا ﴿۱۵﴾
Whoever goes aright, goes aright only for the good of his own soul; and whoever goes astray, goes astray only to its detriment. And no bearer of a burden can bear the burden of another. Nor do We punish until We raise a messenger.
This verse strikes at the root of the doctrine of atonement. The burden of the sins of one person cannot be taken away by another, for, as already stated, the effect of each man’s actions clings to himself.
17:16
وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَدۡنَاۤ اَنۡ نُّہۡلِکَ قَرۡیَۃً اَمَرۡنَا مُتۡرَفِیۡہَا فَفَسَقُوۡا فِیۡہَا فَحَقَّ عَلَیۡہَا الۡقَوۡلُ فَدَمَّرۡنٰہَا تَدۡمِیۡرًا ﴿۱۶﴾
And when We wish to destroy a town, We send commandments to its people who lead easy lives, but they transgress therein; thus the word proves true against it, so We destroy it with utter destruction.
Allah does not command people to transgress. The meaning is clear: Allah sends them commandments to do good, pointing out the right way through His prophets, but as they are accustomed to lead easy lives, they transgress those commandments, and are therefore punished.
17:17
وَ کَمۡ اَہۡلَکۡنَا مِنَ الۡقُرُوۡنِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ نُوۡحٍ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِرَبِّکَ بِذُنُوۡبِ عِبَادِہٖ خَبِیۡرًۢا بَصِیۡرًا ﴿۱۷﴾
And how many generations did We destroy after Noah! And your Lord is sufficient as being Aware and Seer of His servants’ sins.
17:18
مَنۡ کَانَ یُرِیۡدُ الۡعَاجِلَۃَ عَجَّلۡنَا لَہٗ فِیۡہَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَنۡ نُّرِیۡدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَا لَہٗ جَہَنَّمَ ۚ یَصۡلٰىہَا مَذۡمُوۡمًا مَّدۡحُوۡرًا ﴿۱۸﴾
Whoever desires this transitory life, We hasten to him in it what We please for whom-soever We desire, then We assign to him hell; he will enter it despised, driven away.
17:19
وَ مَنۡ اَرَادَ الۡاٰخِرَۃَ وَ سَعٰی لَہَا سَعۡیَہَا وَ ہُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ کَانَ سَعۡیُہُمۡ مَّشۡکُوۡرًا ﴿۱۹﴾
And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it with due striving and is a believer — those are they whose striving is amply rewarded.
17:20
کُلًّا نُّمِدُّ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ وَ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ مِنۡ عَطَآءِ رَبِّکَ ؕ وَ مَا کَانَ عَطَـآءُ رَبِّکَ مَحۡظُوۡرًا ﴿۲۰﴾
All do We aid — these as well as those — out of the bounty of your Lord, and the bounty of your Lord is not limited.
17:21
اُنۡظُرۡ کَیۡفَ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَہُمۡ عَلٰی بَعۡضٍ ؕ وَ لَلۡاٰخِرَۃُ اَکۡبَرُ دَرَجٰتٍ وَّ اَکۡبَرُ تَفۡضِیۡلًا ﴿۲۱﴾
See how We have made some of them to excel others. And certainly the Hereafter is greater in degrees and greater in excellence.
17:22
لَا تَجۡعَلۡ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَذۡمُوۡمًا مَّخۡذُوۡلًا ﴿٪۲۲﴾
Do not set up any other god with Allah, or you will sit down despised, forsaken.
Section 3 (Verses 17:23–17:30): Moral Precepts
17:23
وَ قَضٰی رَبُّکَ اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِیَّاہُ وَ بِالۡوَالِدَیۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا ؕ اِمَّا یَبۡلُغَنَّ عِنۡدَکَ الۡکِبَرَ اَحَدُہُمَاۤ اَوۡ کِلٰہُمَا فَلَا تَقُلۡ لَّہُمَاۤ اُفٍّ وَّ لَا تَنۡہَرۡہُمَا وَ قُلۡ لَّہُمَا قَوۡلًا کَرِیۡمًا ﴿۲۳﴾
And your Lord has decreed that you serve none but Him, and do good to parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say no word to them showing annoyance, nor rebuke them, and speak to them a generous word.
Doing good to parents is placed next to submission to Allah, for among fellow-beings none has a greater claim upon a person than his parents.
17:24
وَ اخۡفِضۡ لَہُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحۡمَۃِ وَ قُلۡ رَّبِّ ارۡحَمۡہُمَا کَمَا رَبَّیٰنِیۡ صَغِیۡرًا ﴿ؕ۲۴﴾
And make yourself gentle to them with humility out of mercy, and say: My Lord, have mercy on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.
17:25
رَبُّکُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا فِیۡ نُفُوۡسِکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ تَکُوۡنُوۡا صٰلِحِیۡنَ فَاِنَّہٗ کَانَ لِلۡاَوَّابِیۡنَ غَفُوۡرًا ﴿۲۵﴾
Your Lord knows best what is in your minds. If you are righteous, He is surely Forgiving to those who turn (to Him).
17:26
وَ اٰتِ ذَاالۡقُرۡبٰی حَقَّہٗ وَ الۡمِسۡکِیۡنَ وَ ابۡنَ السَّبِیۡلِ وَ لَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِیۡرًا ﴿۲۶﴾
And give to the near of kin his due and (to) the needy and the traveller, and do not squander wastefully.
17:27
اِنَّ الۡمُبَذِّرِیۡنَ کَانُوۡۤا اِخۡوَانَ الشَّیٰطِیۡنِ ؕ وَ کَانَ الشَّیۡطٰنُ لِرَبِّہٖ کَفُوۡرًا ﴿۲۷﴾
Surely the squanderers are the devil’s brethren. And the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.
While enjoining charity, the Quran also draws attention to economy, thus indicating the golden mean. Those who waste wealth are called the devil’s brethren, because they are ungrateful to God for wasting away what He has given them out of His grace.
17:28
وَ اِمَّا تُعۡرِضَنَّ عَنۡہُمُ ابۡتِغَآءَ رَحۡمَۃٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ تَرۡجُوۡہَا فَقُلۡ لَّہُمۡ قَوۡلًا مَّیۡسُوۡرًا ﴿۲۸﴾
And if you (have to) turn away from them (in order) to seek mercy from your Lord that you hope for, then speak to them a gentle word.
Hoping for mercy from the Lord means standing in need of the bounty of the Lord, i.e., not having anything to give to the needy. In that case one should still speak to the needy gently. A saying of the Holy Prophet declares a gentle word spoken to someone to be a deed of charity (Bukhari, 56:72).
17:29
وَ لَا تَجۡعَلۡ یَدَکَ مَغۡلُوۡلَۃً اِلٰی عُنُقِکَ وَ لَا تَبۡسُطۡہَا کُلَّ الۡبَسۡطِ فَتَقۡعُدَ مَلُوۡمًا مَّحۡسُوۡرًا ﴿۲۹﴾
And do not make your hand to be chained to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its fullest extension, so that you sit down blamed, stripped off.
By the hand being tied to the neck is meant being miserly, and by stretching it forth to its fullest extension is meant being wasteful. The verse teaches that the middle path should be adopted in one’s ordinary expenses.
17:30
اِنَّ رَبَّکَ یَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ یَقۡدِرُ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ بِعِبَادِہٖ خَبِیۡرًۢا بَصِیۡرًا ﴿٪۳۰﴾
Surely your Lord amplifies provision for whom He pleases, and restricts (it also). Surely He is ever Aware, Seer, of His servants.
Section 4 (Verses 17:31–17:40): Moral Precepts
17:31
وَ لَا تَقۡتُلُوۡۤا اَوۡلَادَکُمۡ خَشۡیَۃَ اِمۡلَاقٍ ؕ نَحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُہُمۡ وَ اِیَّاکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ قَتۡلَہُمۡ کَانَ خِطۡاً کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۳۱﴾
And do not kill your children for fear of poverty — We provide for them and for you. Surely the killing of them is a great wrong.
Infanticide, in the case of daughters, was met with among the Arabs, but this was not for fear of poverty. Since the word children (aulād) includes both males and females, the killing of children here may mean not giving them proper education; ignorance, or intellectual death, being treated as death. (Editor’s Note: Abortion without a medical reason may also be included here.)
17:32
وَ لَا تَقۡرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤی اِنَّہٗ کَانَ فَاحِشَۃً ؕ وَ سَآءَ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۳۲﴾
And do not go near to fornication: surely it is an obscenity. And evil is the way.
The Quran not only forbids all out-of-wedlock sex, but enjoins people not to go near it, thus avoiding all those opportunities which are likely to tempt one to fall into the evil. Hence it is that Islam discourages the too free intermingling of the sexes.
17:33
وَ لَا تَقۡتُلُوا النَّفۡسَ الَّتِیۡ حَرَّمَ اللّٰہُ اِلَّا بِالۡحَقِّ ؕ وَ مَنۡ قُتِلَ مَظۡلُوۡمًا فَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا لِوَلِیِّہٖ سُلۡطٰنًا فَلَا یُسۡرِفۡ فِّی الۡقَتۡلِ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ مَنۡصُوۡرًا ﴿۳۳﴾
And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause. And whoever is killed unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority — but let him not exceed the limit in killing. Surely he will be helped.
The words he will be helped indicate that as the state is bound to help him by bringing the murderer within reach of the law, the heir should not take the law into his own hands. This is called exceeding the limits.
17:34
وَ لَا تَقۡرَبُوۡا مَالَ الۡیَتِیۡمِ اِلَّا بِالَّتِیۡ ہِیَ اَحۡسَنُ حَتّٰی یَبۡلُغَ اَشُدَّہٗ ۪ وَ اَوۡفُوۡا بِالۡعَہۡدِ ۚ اِنَّ الۡعَہۡدَ کَانَ مَسۡـُٔوۡلًا ﴿۳۴﴾
And do not draw near to the orphan’s property, except in the best way, till he attains his maturity. And fulfil the promise; surely the promise will be enquired into.
17:35
وَ اَوۡفُوا الۡکَیۡلَ اِذَا کِلۡتُمۡ وَ زِنُوۡا بِالۡقِسۡطَاسِ الۡمُسۡتَقِیۡمِ ؕ ذٰلِکَ خَیۡرٌ وَّ اَحۡسَنُ تَاۡوِیۡلًا ﴿۳۵﴾
And give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance. This is fair and better in the end.
17:36
وَ لَا تَقۡفُ مَا لَیۡسَ لَکَ بِہٖ عِلۡمٌ ؕ اِنَّ السَّمۡعَ وَ الۡبَصَرَ وَ الۡفُؤَادَ کُلُّ اُولٰٓئِکَ کَانَ عَنۡہُ مَسۡـُٔوۡلًا ﴿۳۶﴾
And do not follow that of which you have no knowledge. Surely the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these will be asked about it.
If this injunction were followed, all society gossip would immediately cease, relieving many innocent people of the heart-burning which they suffer on account of evil and unfounded reports. The verse also forbids entering into discussions without accurate knowledge, or putting forward uncertain opinion.
17:37
وَ لَا تَمۡشِ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ مَرَحًا ۚ اِنَّکَ لَنۡ تَخۡرِقَ الۡاَرۡضَ وَ لَنۡ تَبۡلُغَ الۡجِبَالَ طُوۡلًا ﴿۳۷﴾
And do not go about in the land exultingly, for you cannot split the earth, nor reach the mountains in height.
17:38
کُلُّ ذٰلِکَ کَانَ سَیِّئُہٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّکَ مَکۡرُوۡہًا ﴿۳۸﴾
All this, the evil of it, is hateful in the sight of your Lord.
17:39
ذٰلِکَ مِمَّاۤ اَوۡحٰۤی اِلَیۡکَ رَبُّکَ مِنَ الۡحِکۡمَۃِ ؕ وَ لَا تَجۡعَلۡ مَعَ اللّٰہِ اِلٰـہًا اٰخَرَ فَتُلۡقٰی فِیۡ جَہَنَّمَ مَلُوۡمًا مَّدۡحُوۡرًا ﴿۳۹﴾
This is from the wisdom which your Lord has revealed to you. And do not set up with Allah any other god, or you would be thrown into hell, blamed, cast away.
17:40
اَفَاَصۡفٰىکُمۡ رَبُّکُمۡ بِالۡبَنِیۡنَ وَ اتَّخَذَ مِنَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ اِنَاثًا ؕ اِنَّکُمۡ لَتَقُوۡلُوۡنَ قَوۡلًا عَظِیۡمًا ﴿٪۴۰﴾
Has then your Lord preferred to give you sons, and (for Himself) taken daughters from among the angels? Surely you utter a terrible saying.
Section 5 (Verses 17:41–17:52): Disbelievers Grow Harder
17:41
وَ لَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡ ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ لِیَذَّکَّرُوۡا ؕ وَ مَا یَزِیۡدُہُمۡ اِلَّا نُفُوۡرًا ﴿۴۱﴾
And certainly We have repeated (warnings) in this Quran that they may be mindful. And it only adds to their aversion.
Allah’s purpose in repeating arguments and signs in the Quran is to make people mindful, but the more they are reminded, the greater is their aversion to it.
17:42
قُلۡ لَّوۡ کَانَ مَعَہٗۤ اٰلِـہَۃٌ کَمَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ اِذًا لَّابۡتَغَوۡا اِلٰی ذِی الۡعَرۡشِ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۴۲﴾
Say: If there were with Him gods, as they say, then certainly they would have been able to seek a way to the Lord of the Throne.
The idol-worshippers were sunk deep in vices and immorality, while access to the Divine Being — a way to the Lord of the Throne — which they claimed they got through their idols, should have purified their lives. Or, the meaning is that, if they had access to God, Who holds all power in His hands, they should have received Divine help and been successful in uprooting Islam.
17:43
سُبۡحٰنَہٗ وَ تَعٰلٰی عَمَّا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ عُلُوًّا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۴۳﴾
Glory be to Him, and He is supremely exalted above what they say!
17:44
تُسَبِّحُ لَہُ السَّمٰوٰتُ السَّبۡعُ وَ الۡاَرۡضُ وَ مَنۡ فِیۡہِنَّ ؕ وَ اِنۡ مِّنۡ شَیۡءٍ اِلَّا یُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِہٖ وَ لٰکِنۡ لَّا تَفۡقَہُوۡنَ تَسۡبِیۡحَہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ حَلِیۡمًا غَفُوۡرًا ﴿۴۴﴾
The seven heavens and the earth and those in them declare His glory. And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification. Surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving.
The whole universe is here mentioned as declaring the glory of Allah, which means declaring God to be free from every imperfection and impurity, or from everything derogatory to His dignity. This declaration need not be with the tongue and in words: in fact, the very dependence of the whole creation on the Creator and its consequent imperfection is a glorification of the Creator.
17:45
وَ اِذَا قَرَاۡتَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ جَعَلۡنَا بَیۡنَکَ وَ بَیۡنَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِالۡاٰخِرَۃِ حِجَابًا مَّسۡتُوۡرًا ﴿ۙ۴۵﴾
And when you recite the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a hidden barrier;
This hidden barrier is nothing but that erected by their own aversion, as plainly indicated in v. 41.
17:46
وَّ جَعَلۡنَا عَلٰی قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ اَکِنَّۃً اَنۡ یَّفۡقَہُوۡہُ وَ فِیۡۤ اٰذَانِہِمۡ وَقۡرًا ؕ وَ اِذَا ذَکَرۡتَ رَبَّکَ فِی الۡقُرۡاٰنِ وَحۡدَہٗ وَلَّوۡا عَلٰۤی اَدۡبَارِہِمۡ نُفُوۡرًا ﴿۴۶﴾
and We put coverings on their hearts and a deafness in their ears that they may not understand it; and when you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion.
The placing of coverings on the hearts and deafness in the ears of the disbelievers is no doubt attributed to Allah as the prime cause of all things, but this covering and deafness is directly brought about because they do not even listen to the mention of Allah, and flee in aversion from His word. Allah brings it about on account of the condition of their very hearts and ears. See also 7:179.
17:47
نَحۡنُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَسۡتَمِعُوۡنَ بِہٖۤ اِذۡ یَسۡتَمِعُوۡنَ اِلَیۡکَ وَ اِذۡ ہُمۡ نَجۡوٰۤی اِذۡ یَقُوۡلُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ اِنۡ تَتَّبِعُوۡنَ اِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسۡحُوۡرًا ﴿۴۷﴾
We know best what they listen to when they listen to you, and when they take counsel secretly, when the wrongdoers say: You follow only a man deprived of reason.
17:48
اُنۡظُرۡ کَیۡفَ ضَرَبُوۡا لَکَ الۡاَمۡثَالَ فَضَلُّوۡا فَلَا یَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۴۸﴾
See, what they liken you to! So they have gone astray, and cannot find the way.
17:49
وَ قَالُوۡۤاءَ اِذَا کُنَّا عِظَامًا وَّ رُفَاتًاءَ اِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَ خَلۡقًا جَدِیۡدًا ﴿۴۹﴾
And they say: When we are bones and decayed particles, shall we then be raised up as a new creation?
17:51
اَوۡ خَلۡقًا مِّمَّا یَکۡبُرُ فِیۡ صُدُوۡرِکُمۡ ۚ فَسَیَقُوۡلُوۡنَ مَنۡ یُّعِیۡدُنَا ؕ قُلِ الَّذِیۡ فَطَرَکُمۡ اَوَّلَ مَرَّۃٍ ۚ فَسَیُنۡغِضُوۡنَ اِلَیۡکَ رُءُوۡسَہُمۡ وَ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ مَتٰی ہُوَ ؕ قُلۡ عَسٰۤی اَنۡ یَّکُوۡنَ قَرِیۡبًا ﴿۵۱﴾
or some other creature of those which are too hard (to receive life) in your minds! But they will say: Who will return us? Say: He Who created you at first. Still they will shake their heads at you and say: When will it be? Say: Maybe it has drawn near.
They are told that a life after death must follow even if they could change themselves into stones. And the spiritual life with which they were quickened by the Holy Prophet, despite their hard-heartedness — “they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness” (2:74) — was a clear proof of this.
17:52
یَوۡمَ یَدۡعُوۡکُمۡ فَتَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡنَ بِحَمۡدِہٖ وَ تَظُنُّوۡنَ اِنۡ لَّبِثۡتُمۡ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿٪۵۲﴾
On the day when He will call you forth, then will you obey Him, giving Him praise, and you will think that you remained only a little (while).
Section 6 (Verses 17:53–17:60): Punishment must Follow
17:53
وَ قُلۡ لِّعِبَادِیۡ یَقُوۡلُوا الَّتِیۡ ہِیَ اَحۡسَنُ ؕ اِنَّ الشَّیۡطٰنَ یَنۡزَغُ بَیۡنَہُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ الشَّیۡطٰنَ کَانَ لِلۡاِنۡسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِیۡنًا ﴿۵۳﴾
And say to My servants that they speak what is best. Surely the devil sows dissensions among them. The devil is surely an open enemy to man.
The Muslims — My servants — are here enjoined to be very kind when they speak to the disbelievers. It is related that when the Muslims complained to the Holy Prophet that they were abused by the idolaters, they were told to be kind and not to retaliate. It was the devil that was causing these quarrels. The words evidently imply that these dissensions were only transient, and that the two parties would again become united.
17:54
رَبُّکُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ یَّشَاۡ یَرۡحَمۡکُمۡ اَوۡ اِنۡ یَّشَاۡ یُعَذِّبۡکُمۡ ؕ وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَکِیۡلًا ﴿۵۴﴾
Your Lord knows you best. He will have mercy on you, if He please, or He will punish you, if He please. And We have not sent you as being in charge of them.
In this verse, as elsewhere in the Quran, mercy is mentioned first, thus showing that Divine mercy has precedence over Divine retribution.
17:55
وَ رَبُّکَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ لَقَدۡ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَ النَّبِیّٖنَ عَلٰی بَعۡضٍ وَّ اٰتَیۡنَا دَاوٗدَ زَبُوۡرًا ﴿۵۵﴾
And your Lord best knows those who are in the heavens and the earth. And certainly We made some of the prophets to excel others, and to David We gave the Zabūr.
By saying that some of the prophets are made to excel others, the excellence of the Holy Prophet over others is implied. David is specially mentioned, because, as stated in the Psalms (called here Zabūr), he prayed for the utter destruction of his enemies, whereas the two previous verses show that the Holy Prophet was enjoined to deal mercifully with his opponents.
17:56
قُلِ ادۡعُوا الَّذِیۡنَ زَعَمۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ فَلَا یَمۡلِکُوۡنَ کَشۡفَ الضُّرِّ عَنۡکُمۡ وَ لَا تَحۡوِیۡلًا ﴿۵۶﴾
Say: Call on those whom you assert besides Him; they have no power to remove distress from you nor to change.
17:57
اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَدۡعُوۡنَ یَبۡتَغُوۡنَ اِلٰی رَبِّہِمُ الۡوَسِیۡلَۃَ اَیُّہُمۡ اَقۡرَبُ وَ یَرۡجُوۡنَ رَحۡمَتَہٗ وَ یَخَافُوۡنَ عَذَابَہٗ ؕ اِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّکَ کَانَ مَحۡذُوۡرًا ﴿۵۷﴾
Those whom they call upon, themselves seek the means of access to their Lord — whoever of them is nearest — and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Surely the punishment of your Lord is a thing to be cautious of.
These divinities, it is argued, themselves hoped for Divine mercy and feared His retribution; the nearer a person to the Divine Being, the greater was his hope of mercy and his fear of punishment if he disobeyed.
17:58
وَ اِنۡ مِّنۡ قَرۡیَۃٍ اِلَّا نَحۡنُ مُہۡلِکُوۡہَا قَبۡلَ یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ اَوۡ مُعَذِّبُوۡہَا عَذَابًا شَدِیۡدًا ؕ کَانَ ذٰلِکَ فِی الۡکِتٰبِ مَسۡطُوۡرًا ﴿۵۸﴾
And there is not a town but We will destroy it before the day of Resurrection or punish it with a severe punishment. That is written in the Book.
There is a prophetical reference here to great disasters which would ruin populous towns. The words “before the day of Resurrection” clearly show that the destruction of the towns does not refer to the end of things. Already we have seen the fulfilment of this prophecy in the destruction of populous towns in almost every country of the world on an unprecedented scale, but it is nothing compared with the havoc which the atomic bomb and other inventions of this modern age are likely to work, if the mad struggle for power is not ended. It should be noted that the prophecy of the ruination of populous towns is here mentioned as a part of the Divine scheme in the ultimate triumph of Islam with which this chapter deals, and hence the reference to the sending of signs in v. 59.
17:59
وَ مَا مَنَعَنَاۤ اَنۡ نُّرۡسِلَ بِالۡاٰیٰتِ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ کَذَّبَ بِہَا الۡاَوَّلُوۡنَ ؕ وَ اٰتَیۡنَا ثَمُوۡدَ النَّاقَۃَ مُبۡصِرَۃً فَظَلَمُوۡا بِہَا ؕ وَ مَا نُرۡسِلُ بِالۡاٰیٰتِ اِلَّا تَخۡوِیۡفًا ﴿۵۹﴾
And nothing hindered Us from sending signs, but the ancients rejected them. And We gave to Thamūd the she-camel, a manifest sign, but they did her wrong, and We send signs only to warn.
After speaking of a great sign in the latter days, the destruction of towns on a large scale, this verse speaks of a general law that God has always been sending signs to establish truth, and that nothing ever hindered Him from sending signs, though such signs were rejected by the people to whom they were sent. It is further made clear that signs are sent to warn people of the evil consequences of doing evil.
17:60
وَ اِذۡ قُلۡنَا لَکَ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ اَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ ؕ وَ مَا جَعَلۡنَا الرُّءۡیَا الَّتِیۡۤ اَرَیۡنٰکَ اِلَّا فِتۡنَۃً لِّلنَّاسِ وَ الشَّجَرَۃَ الۡمَلۡعُوۡنَۃَ فِی الۡقُرۡاٰنِ ؕ وَ نُخَوِّفُہُمۡ ۙ فَمَا یَزِیۡدُہُمۡ اِلَّا طُغۡیَانًا کَبِیۡرًا ﴿٪۶۰﴾
And when We said to you: Surely your Lord encompasses people. And We made the vision which We showed you only a trial for people, as also the tree cursed in the Quran. And We warn them, but it only adds to their great inordinacy.
The reference here is to the vision of Ascension or the Mi‘rāj (Bukhari, 63:42), which was really a prophecy of the ultimate triumph of Islam. In a Hadith report the words describing the condition in which the Holy Prophet was at the time of this Ascension are: whilst I was in a state between that of one sleeping and one awake (Bukhari, 59:6). Thus it was not an Ascension of the body. Although he was not asleep he was in a vision. He was actually carried to the Holy Presence, and he was shown great wonders, but it was in spirit that he was carried, and it was with the spiritual eye that he saw those wonders, not in body and with the physical eye, for things spiritual can only be seen with the spiritual eye. This vision had an important significance. He saw it at a time when his condition was one of utmost helplessness, and he was shown that a great future lay before him. His opponents, as usual, disbelieved in such visions, and laughed at him.
Section 7 (Verses 17:61–17:70): The Devil’s Opposition to the Righteous
17:61
وَ اِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ اسۡجُدُوۡا لِاٰدَمَ فَسَجَدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِبۡلِیۡسَ ؕ قَالَ ءَاَسۡجُدُ لِمَنۡ خَلَقۡتَ طِیۡنًا ﴿ۚ۶۱﴾
And when We said to the angels: Be submissive to Adam, they submitted, but not Iblīs. He said: Shall I submit to him whom You have created of dust?
See 2:34 and 7:12.
17:62
قَالَ اَرَءَیۡتَکَ ہٰذَا الَّذِیۡ کَرَّمۡتَ عَلَیَّ ۫ لَئِنۡ اَخَّرۡتَنِ اِلٰی یَوۡمِ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ لَاَحۡتَنِکَنَّ ذُرِّیَّتَہٗۤ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿۶۲﴾
He said: Do You see, this is he whom You have honoured above me! If You grant me respite to the day of Resurrection, I will certainly cause his progeny to perish except a few.
17:63
قَالَ اذۡہَبۡ فَمَنۡ تَبِعَکَ مِنۡہُمۡ فَاِنَّ جَہَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُکُمۡ جَزَآءً مَّوۡفُوۡرًا ﴿۶۳﴾
He said: Go away! Whoever of them follows you surely hell is your recompense, a full recompense.
17:64
وَ اسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ اسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡہُمۡ بِصَوۡتِکَ وَ اَجۡلِبۡ عَلَیۡہِمۡ بِخَیۡلِکَ وَ رَجِلِکَ وَ شَارِکۡہُمۡ فِی الۡاَمۡوَالِ وَ الۡاَوۡلَادِ وَ عِدۡہُمۡ ؕ وَ مَا یَعِدُہُمُ الشَّیۡطٰنُ اِلَّا غُرُوۡرًا ﴿۶۴﴾
And incite whoever of them you can with your voice, and collect against them your horse(-men) and your foot(-soldiers), and share with them in wealth and children, and promise them. And the devil promises them only to deceive.
The devil is here compared with a coward who comes with great show but little real force, and who, if shown the least resistance, retreats at every step. Every inviter who invites people to the disobedience of Allah is such a devil.
17:65
اِنَّ عِبَادِیۡ لَیۡسَ لَکَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ سُلۡطٰنٌ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِرَبِّکَ وَکِیۡلًا ﴿۶۵﴾
My servants — you have surely no authority over them. And your Lord is sufficient as having charge of affairs.
My servants may include all human beings. The devil will say to the sinners: I had no authority over you (14:22).
17:66
رَبُّکُمُ الَّذِیۡ یُزۡجِیۡ لَکُمُ الۡفُلۡکَ فِی الۡبَحۡرِ لِتَبۡتَغُوۡا مِنۡ فَضۡلِہٖ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ بِکُمۡ رَحِیۡمًا ﴿۶۶﴾
Your Lord is He Who speeds the ships for you in the sea that you may seek of His grace. Surely He is ever Merciful to you.
17:67
وَ اِذَا مَسَّکُمُ الضُّرُّ فِی الۡبَحۡرِ ضَلَّ مَنۡ تَدۡعُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اِیَّاہُ ۚ فَلَمَّا نَجّٰىکُمۡ اِلَی الۡبَرِّ اَعۡرَضۡتُمۡ ؕ وَ کَانَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ کَفُوۡرًا ﴿۶۷﴾
And when distress afflicts you in the sea, away go those whom you call on except He; but when He brings you safe to the land, you turn away. And man is ever ungrateful.
A true picture is drawn here of human nature, which turns to Allah in affliction but forgets Him in ease.
17:68
اَفَاَمِنۡتُمۡ اَنۡ یَّخۡسِفَ بِکُمۡ جَانِبَ الۡبَرِّ اَوۡ یُرۡسِلَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ حَاصِبًا ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُوۡا لَکُمۡ وَکِیۡلًا ﴿ۙ۶۸﴾
Do you then feel secure that He will not bring you low on a tract of land, or send on you a violent wind? Then you will not find a protector for yourselves;
It was by a violent wind that the combined forces of all the enemies of Islam were brought low in the battle of the Allies, when, besieging Madinah in the year 5 A.H., they had to flee in disorder.
17:69
اَمۡ اَمِنۡتُمۡ اَنۡ یُّعِیۡدَکُمۡ فِیۡہِ تَارَۃً اُخۡرٰی فَیُرۡسِلَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ قَاصِفًا مِّنَ الرِّیۡحِ فَیُغۡرِقَکُمۡ بِمَا کَفَرۡتُمۡ ۙ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُوۡا لَکُمۡ عَلَیۡنَا بِہٖ تَبِیۡعًا ﴿۶۹﴾
or, do you feel secure that He will not take you back into it another time, then send on you a fierce gale and thus overwhelm you for your ungratefulness? Then you will not find any aider against Us in the matter.
17:70
وَ لَقَدۡ کَرَّمۡنَا بَنِیۡۤ اٰدَمَ وَ حَمَلۡنٰہُمۡ فِی الۡبَرِّ وَ الۡبَحۡرِ وَ رَزَقۡنٰہُمۡ مِّنَ الطَّیِّبٰتِ وَ فَضَّلۡنٰہُمۡ عَلٰی کَثِیۡرٍ مِّمَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَا تَفۡضِیۡلًا ﴿٪۷۰﴾
And surely We have honoured the children of Adam, and We carry them in the land and the sea, and We provide them with good things, and We have made them to excel highly most of those whom We have created.
Section 8 (Verses 17:71–17:77): Opposition to the Prophet
17:71
یَوۡمَ نَدۡعُوۡا کُلَّ اُنَاسٍۭ بِاِمَامِہِمۡ ۚ فَمَنۡ اُوۡتِیَ کِتٰبَہٗ بِیَمِیۡنِہٖ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ یَقۡرَءُوۡنَ کِتٰبَہُمۡ وَ لَا یُظۡلَمُوۡنَ فَتِیۡلًا ﴿۷۱﴾
On the day when We shall call every people with their leader: then whoever is given his book in his right hand, these will read their book; and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.
The meaning is that the righteous will follow the righteous leaders and the wicked will follow their wicked leaders. The word imām, or leader, here is interpreted in several other ways, meaning scripture, prophet, law, book of deeds. The last of these significances also suits the context, as the books of deeds are spoken of in the words that follow.
17:72
وَ مَنۡ کَانَ فِیۡ ہٰذِہٖۤ اَعۡمٰی فَہُوَ فِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ اَعۡمٰی وَ اَضَلُّ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۷۲﴾
And whoever is blind in this (world) he will be blind in the Hereafter, and further away from the path.
Those who remain blind to truth in this life remain blind in the life after death, which shows that it is here that a hellish life begins with spiritual blindness, and that the hell of the next life is also a blindness. This is corroborated by what is said in 57:12, that the faithful will have a light on that day.
17:73
وَ اِنۡ کَادُوۡا لَیَفۡتِنُوۡنَکَ عَنِ الَّذِیۡۤ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ لِتَفۡتَرِیَ عَلَیۡنَا غَیۡرَہٗ ٭ۖ وَ اِذًا لَّاتَّخَذُوۡکَ خَلِیۡلًا ﴿۷۳﴾
And surely they had purposed to turn you away from what We have revealed to you, that you should forge against Us (some revelation) other than that, and then they would have taken you for a friend.
This refers to an incident at Makkah when the chief men of the Quraish offered to give the Prophet wealth or to make him their king, if he gave up speaking against their idols and their evil ways. The Prophet’s reply was that he wanted neither of these things, but that it was for their welfare that he asked them to give up evil ways.
17:74
وَ لَوۡ لَاۤ اَنۡ ثَبَّتۡنٰکَ لَقَدۡ کِدۡتَّ تَرۡکَنُ اِلَیۡہِمۡ شَیۡئًا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿٭ۙ۷۴﴾
And if We had not made you firm, you might have indeed inclined to them a little;
17:75
اِذًا لَّاَذَقۡنٰکَ ضِعۡفَ الۡحَیٰوۃِ وَ ضِعۡفَ الۡمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَکَ عَلَیۡنَا نَصِیۡرًا ﴿۷۵﴾
then We would have made you taste a double (punishment) in life and a double (punishment) after death, and then you would not have found any helper against Us.
17:76
وَ اِنۡ کَادُوۡا لَیَسۡتَفِزُّوۡنَکَ مِنَ الۡاَرۡضِ لِیُخۡرِجُوۡکَ مِنۡہَا وَ اِذًا لَّا یَلۡبَثُوۡنَ خِلٰفَکَ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿۷۶﴾
And surely they purposed to unsettle you from the land that they might expel you from it, and then they will not remain after you but a little while.
When the opponents failed to make the Prophet swerve from the path of Truth, they planned to expel him from the land, though they were told beforehand that in that case they themselves would not retain power but for a short time. It was only eight years after the Hijrah that the Prophet entered Makkah as a conqueror.
17:77
سُنَّۃَ مَنۡ قَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا قَبۡلَکَ مِنۡ رُّسُلِنَا وَ لَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحۡوِیۡلًا ﴿٪۷۷﴾
(This is Our) way with Our messengers whom We sent before you, and you will not find a change in Our course.
This law is also stated in 14:13–14.
Section 9 (Verses 17:78–17:84): Truth will Prevail
17:78
اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوۃَ لِدُلُوۡکِ الشَّمۡسِ اِلٰی غَسَقِ الَّیۡلِ وَ قُرۡاٰنَ الۡفَجۡرِ ؕ اِنَّ قُرۡاٰنَ الۡفَجۡرِ کَانَ مَشۡہُوۡدًا ﴿۷۸﴾
Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Quran at dawn. Surely the recital of the Quran at dawn is witnessed.
After describing how the opponents wanted to bring the Prophet’s mission to failure by various means, the Prophet is told to resort to prayer as a solution of the great difficulties he faced. From the declining of the sun to sunset are ẓuhr and ‘aṣr, or the early and late afternoon prayers, while from sunset till darkness are maghrib and ‘ishā’, or the sunset prayer and the prayer at nightfall. The fifth is the morning prayer, which is called here Qur’ān al-fajr, or the recital of the Quran at dawn. Thus this verse, which is one of the very early revelations, mentions all the five prayers.
17:79
وَ مِنَ الَّیۡلِ فَتَہَجَّدۡ بِہٖ نَافِلَۃً لَّکَ ٭ۖ عَسٰۤی اَنۡ یَّبۡعَثَکَ رَبُّکَ مَقَامًا مَّحۡمُوۡدًا ﴿۷۹﴾
And during a part of the night, keep awake by it, beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.
This refers to the tahajjud prayer, whose name is derived from the words “keep awake” (fa-tahajjad). The time for this prayer is the latter portion of the night in the early hours. It is not an obligatory prayer but, as stated here, it is the means of raising a man to a position of great glory. The time at which it is said is most suited for the concentration of mind and for communion with God.
17:80
وَ قُلۡ رَّبِّ اَدۡخِلۡنِیۡ مُدۡخَلَ صِدۡقٍ وَّ اَخۡرِجۡنِیۡ مُخۡرَجَ صِدۡقٍ وَّ اجۡعَلۡ لِّیۡ مِنۡ لَّدُنۡکَ سُلۡطٰنًا نَّصِیۡرًا ﴿۸۰﴾
And say: My Lord, make me enter a truthful entering, and make me go forth a truthful exit, and grant me from Your presence an authority to help (me).
The reference here is a prophecy of the Prophet’s Flight, entering Madinah and going forth from Makkah. But the words are also general, man being taught here to pray that his entering into any affair and his exit may be marked by truthfulness, and that he may be granted Divine help in all his undertakings.
17:81
وَ قُلۡ جَآءَ الۡحَقُّ وَ زَہَقَ الۡبَاطِلُ ؕ اِنَّ الۡبَاطِلَ کَانَ زَہُوۡقًا ﴿۸۱﴾
And say: The Truth has come and falsehood vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.
The advent of the Prophet is here spoken of as the advent of the Truth, in reference to the prophecy in John 16:13: “However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak; and he will tell you things to come.” The vanishing of falsehood is here spoken of in the past tense to indicate the certainty of its occurrence. Falsehood finally disappeared from Makkah when the Prophet entered it as a conqueror, and as the House of the Holy One was cleared of the idols, the Prophet recited this verse, The Truth has come and falsehood vanished (Bukhari, 46:32), thus showing that he understood it to contain the prophecy of the conquest of Makkah. The statement made here, however, is general and it means that falsehood cannot stand before Truth and that Truth must finally prevail in the whole world.
17:82
وَ نُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنِ مَا ہُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَّ رَحۡمَۃٌ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ۙ وَ لَا یَزِیۡدُ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ اِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿۸۲﴾
And the Quran that We reveal is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it only increases the wrongdoers in loss.
The Quran is here called a healing and a mercy for spiritual diseases, and history bears testimony that spiritual diseases were all swept away by the Quran. But, it is added, it is a healing for the believers who follow it, and not for those who reject it, and its rejection brings only greater loss.
17:83
وَ اِذَاۤ اَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَی الۡاِنۡسَانِ اَعۡرَضَ وَ نَاٰ بِجَانِبِہٖ ۚ وَ اِذَا مَسَّہُ الشَّرُّ کَانَ یَــُٔوۡسًا ﴿۸۳﴾
And when We bestow favours on man, he turns away and behaves proudly; and when evil afflicts him, he is in despair.
17:84
قُلۡ کُلٌّ یَّعۡمَلُ عَلٰی شَاکِلَتِہٖ ؕ فَرَبُّکُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ ہُوَ اَہۡدٰی سَبِیۡلًا ﴿٪۸۴﴾
Say: Everyone acts according to his manner. But your Lord best knows who is best guided on the path.
Both the believer and the disbeliever act according to the rules of conduct which they have set before themselves. Who is on the right path is made clear by the consequences which appear later but which are always known to God.
Section 10 (Verses 17:85–17:93): The Quran — a Unique Guidance
17:85
وَ یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ عَنِ الرُّوۡحِ ؕ قُلِ الرُّوۡحُ مِنۡ اَمۡرِ رَبِّیۡ وَ مَاۤ اُوۡتِیۡتُمۡ مِّنَ الۡعِلۡمِ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿۸۵﴾
And they ask you about the revelation. Say: The revelation is by the commandment of my Lord, and you are not given knowledge but a little.
The word rūḥ means inspiration or revelation as well as spirit. Here, before this verse as well as after it, the Quran is the only topic of discussion, and therefore the context shows clearly that the question of the disbelievers is not about the soul of man, but about the Quran itself.
17:86
وَ لَئِنۡ شِئۡنَا لَنَذۡہَبَنَّ بِالَّذِیۡۤ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَکَ بِہٖ عَلَیۡنَا وَکِیۡلًا ﴿ۙ۸۶﴾
And if We please, We could certainly take away what We have revealed to you, then you would find none to plead (your cause) against Us —
17:87
اِلَّا رَحۡمَۃً مِّنۡ رَّبِّکَ ؕ اِنَّ فَضۡلَہٗ کَانَ عَلَیۡکَ کَبِیۡرًا ﴿۸۷﴾
But it is a mercy from your Lord. Surely His bounty to you is abundant.
17:88
قُلۡ لَّئِنِ اجۡتَمَعَتِ الۡاِنۡسُ وَ الۡجِنُّ عَلٰۤی اَنۡ یَّاۡتُوۡا بِمِثۡلِ ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ لَا یَاۡتُوۡنَ بِمِثۡلِہٖ وَ لَوۡ کَانَ بَعۡضُہُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ ظَہِیۡرًا ﴿۸۸﴾
Say: If people and jinn should combine together to bring the like of this Quran, they could not bring the like of it, though they helped one another.
See 2:23 and 11:13 footnote. Out of the four places in which the disbelievers are challenged to produce the like of the Quran, this is the only one where the jinn and the people are spoken of together; in all the other places the shuhadā’, meaning helpers, leaders or their great men, take the place of the jinn. This shows that the word jinn is used in the Quran for the leaders of evil.
17:89
وَ لَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِیۡ ہٰذَا الۡقُرۡاٰنِ مِنۡ کُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۫ فَاَبٰۤی اَکۡثَرُ النَّاسِ اِلَّا کُفُوۡرًا ﴿۸۹﴾
And certainly We have made clear for people in this Quran every kind of description, but most people consent only to denying.
It is here affirmed that all that contributes to the moral and spiritual welfare of man is made distinct in the Quran.
17:90
وَ قَالُوۡا لَنۡ نُّؤۡمِنَ لَکَ حَتّٰی تَفۡجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الۡاَرۡضِ یَنۡۢبُوۡعًا ﴿ۙ۹۰﴾
And they say: We will by no means believe in you, till you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us,
The signs demanded in this and the following three verses relate to the promises made for the righteous and the threats of punishment for the wicked, and they were no doubt fulfilled in due time. But the disbelievers wanted to see the spiritual blessings of communion with God in a physical shape. The believers were granted gardens with rivers running in them even in this life, and punishment from heaven overtook the opponents, but this was to come about gradually.
17:91
اَوۡ تَکُوۡنَ لَکَ جَنَّۃٌ مِّنۡ نَّخِیۡلٍ وَّ عِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الۡاَنۡہٰرَ خِلٰلَہَا تَفۡجِیۡرًا ﴿ۙ۹۱﴾
or you have a garden of palms and grapes in the midst of which you cause rivers to flow forth abundantly,
17:92
اَوۡ تُسۡقِطَ السَّمَآءَ کَمَا زَعَمۡتَ عَلَیۡنَا کِسَفًا اَوۡ تَاۡتِیَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ قَبِیۡلًا ﴿ۙ۹۲﴾
or you cause the heaven to come down upon us in pieces, as you think, or bring Allah and the angels face to face (with us),
17:93
اَوۡ یَکُوۡنَ لَکَ بَیۡتٌ مِّنۡ زُخۡرُفٍ اَوۡ تَرۡقٰی فِی السَّمَآءِ ؕ وَ لَنۡ نُّؤۡمِنَ لِرُقِیِّکَ حَتّٰی تُنَزِّلَ عَلَیۡنَا کِتٰبًا نَّقۡرَؤُہٗ ؕ قُلۡ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّیۡ ہَلۡ کُنۡتُ اِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُوۡلًا ﴿٪۹۳﴾
or you have a house of gold, or you ascend into heaven. And we will not believe in your ascending till you bring down to us a book we can read. Say: Glory be to my Lord! Am I anything but a mortal messenger?
The answer to all the demands of the disbelievers is that the Prophet was only a mortal messenger, and the prophecies regarding his own great future or the discomfiture of his enemies would be brought to fulfilment gradually, as in the case of messengers before him.
Section 11 (Verses 17:94–17:100): Justice of Retribution
17:94
وَ مَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ اَنۡ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِذۡ جَآءَہُمُ الۡہُدٰۤی اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡۤا اَبَعَثَ اللّٰہُ بَشَرًا رَّسُوۡلًا ﴿۹۴﴾
And nothing prevents people from believing, when the guidance comes to them, except that they say: Has Allah raised up a mortal to be a messenger?
17:95
قُلۡ لَّوۡ کَانَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ مَلٰٓئِکَۃٌ یَّمۡشُوۡنَ مُطۡمَئِنِّیۡنَ لَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡہِمۡ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ مَلَکًا رَّسُوۡلًا ﴿۹۵﴾
Say: If there had been in the earth angels walking about secure, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel as messenger.
17:96
قُلۡ کَفٰی بِاللّٰہِ شَہِیۡدًۢا بَیۡنِیۡ وَ بَیۡنَکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ بِعِبَادِہٖ خَبِیۡرًۢا بَصِیۡرًا ﴿۹۶﴾
Say: Allah is sufficient for a witness between me and you. Surely He is ever Aware of His servants, Seer (of them).
17:97
وَ مَنۡ یَّہۡدِ اللّٰہُ فَہُوَ الۡمُہۡتَدِ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یُّضۡلِلۡ فَلَنۡ تَجِدَ لَہُمۡ اَوۡلِیَآءَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖ ؕ وَ نَحۡشُرُہُمۡ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ عَلٰی وُجُوۡہِہِمۡ عُمۡیًا وَّ بُکۡمًا وَّ صُمًّا ؕ مَاۡوٰىہُمۡ جَہَنَّمُ ؕ کُلَّمَا خَبَتۡ زِدۡنٰہُمۡ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿۹۷﴾
And he whom Allah guides, he is on the right way; and he whom He leaves in error, for them you will find no guardians besides Him. And We shall gather them together on the day of Resurrection on their faces, blind and dumb and deaf. Their abode is hell. Whenever it abates, We make them burn the more.
17:98
ذٰلِکَ جَزَآؤُہُمۡ بِاَنَّہُمۡ کَفَرُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا وَ قَالُوۡۤاءَ اِذَا کُنَّا عِظَامًا وَّ رُفَاتًاءَ اِنَّا لَمَبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَ خَلۡقًا جَدِیۡدًا ﴿۹۸﴾
This is their retribution because they disbelieve in Our messages and say: When we are bones and decayed particles, shall we then be raised up into a new creation?
17:99
اَوَ لَمۡ یَرَوۡا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ الَّذِیۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ قَادِرٌ عَلٰۤی اَنۡ یَّخۡلُقَ مِثۡلَہُمۡ وَ جَعَلَ لَہُمۡ اَجَلًا لَّا رَیۡبَ فِیۡہِ ؕ فَاَبَی الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ اِلَّا کُفُوۡرًا ﴿۹۹﴾
Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, is Able to create the like of them? And He has appointed for them a term, of which there is no doubt. But the wrongdoers consent only to denying.
17:100
قُلۡ لَّوۡ اَنۡتُمۡ تَمۡلِکُوۡنَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحۡمَۃِ رَبِّیۡۤ اِذًا لَّاَمۡسَکۡتُمۡ خَشۡیَۃَ الۡاِنۡفَاقِ ؕ وَ کَانَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ قَتُوۡرًا ﴿۱۰۰﴾٪
Say: If you control the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold (them) for fear of spending. And man is ever miserly.
Section 12 (Verses 17:101–17:111): Comparison with Moses
17:101
وَ لَقَدۡ اٰتَیۡنَا مُوۡسٰی تِسۡعَ اٰیٰتٍۭ بَیِّنٰتٍ فَسۡـَٔلۡ بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ اِذۡ جَآءَہُمۡ فَقَالَ لَہٗ فِرۡعَوۡنُ اِنِّیۡ لَاَظُنُّکَ یٰمُوۡسٰی مَسۡحُوۡرًا ﴿۱۰۱﴾
And certainly We gave Moses nine clear signs; so ask the Children of Israel. When he came to them, Pharaoh said to him: Surely I think you, Moses, to be one bewitched.
17:102
قَالَ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَ مَاۤ اَنۡزَلَ ہٰۤؤُلَآءِ اِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ بَصَآئِرَ ۚ وَ اِنِّیۡ لَاَظُنُّکَ یٰفِرۡعَوۡنُ مَثۡبُوۡرًا ﴿۱۰۲﴾
He said: Truly you know that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent these as clear proofs; and surely I believe you, Pharaoh, to be lost.
17:103
فَاَرَادَ اَنۡ یَّسۡتَفِزَّہُمۡ مِّنَ الۡاَرۡضِ فَاَغۡرَقۡنٰہُ وَ مَنۡ مَّعَہٗ جَمِیۡعًا ﴿۱۰۳﴾ۙ
So he desired to scare them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him, all together;
17:104
وَّ قُلۡنَا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ لِبَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ اسۡکُنُوا الۡاَرۡضَ فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَۃِ جِئۡنَا بِکُمۡ لَفِیۡفًا ﴿۱۰۴﴾ؕ
and We said to the Children of Israel after him: Abide in the land. But when the latter promise came, We brought you all rolled up.
The latter promise here relates to the promise given to Moses for the raising up of another prophet like him. This is corroborated by what is said in the next verse about the revelation of the Quran, which came with truth, i.e., in fulfilment of a true promise. By the rolling up of the Israelites is meant that they would make way for another people, who would inherit the kingdom of God.
17:105
وَ بِالۡحَقِّ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ وَ بِالۡحَقِّ نَزَلَ ؕ وَ مَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ اِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَّ نَذِیۡرًا ﴿۱۰۵﴾ۘ
And with truth have We revealed it, and with truth did it come. And We have not sent you but as a giver of good news and as a warner.
17:106
وَ قُرۡاٰنًا فَرَقۡنٰہُ لِتَقۡرَاَہٗ عَلَی النَّاسِ عَلٰی مُکۡثٍ وَّ نَزَّلۡنٰہُ تَنۡزِیۡلًا ﴿۱۰۶﴾
And it is a Quran We have made distinct, so that you may read it to the people by slow degrees, and We have revealed it in portions.
17:107
قُلۡ اٰمِنُوۡا بِہٖۤ اَوۡ لَا تُؤۡمِنُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡعِلۡمَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہٖۤ اِذَا یُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِمۡ یَخِرُّوۡنَ لِلۡاَذۡقَانِ سُجَّدًا ﴿۱۰۷﴾ۙ
Say: Believe in it or do not believe. Surely those who are given the knowledge before it, fall down prostrate on their faces, when it is recited to them,
17:108
وَّ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ سُبۡحٰنَ رَبِّنَاۤ اِنۡ کَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفۡعُوۡلًا ﴿۱۰۸﴾
and they say: Glory be to our Lord! Surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled.
The promise spoken of here is no doubt the promise given to the former prophets regarding the advent of the Holy Prophet; and by knowledge in the previous verse is also meant knowledge of the prophecies.
17:109
وَ یَخِرُّوۡنَ لِلۡاَذۡقَانِ یَبۡکُوۡنَ وَ یَزِیۡدُہُمۡ خُشُوۡعًا ﴿۱۰۹﴾ٛ
And they fall down on their faces, weeping, and it adds to their humility.
17:110
قُلِ ادۡعُوا اللّٰہَ اَوِ ادۡعُوا الرَّحۡمٰنَ ؕ اَیًّامَّا تَدۡعُوۡا فَلَہُ الۡاَسۡمَآءُ الۡحُسۡنٰی ۚ وَ لَا تَجۡہَرۡ بِصَلَاتِکَ وَ لَا تُخَافِتۡ بِہَا وَ ابۡتَغِ بَیۡنَ ذٰلِکَ سَبِیۡلًا ﴿۱۱۰﴾
Say: Call on Allah or call on the Beneficent. By whatever (name) you call on Him, He has the best names. And do not be loud in your prayer nor be silent in it, and seek a way between these.
The name Raḥmān (Beneficent) seems to have been particularly objectionable to the Arabs, who objected to its use even so late as the truce at Hudaibiyah. The Christians also do not recognize Allah to be Raḥmān, because it means that Allah shows mercy to His creatures without their having done anything to deserve it, while the Christian doctrine of atonement is based on the belief that Allah cannot show mercy to His creatures without receiving some satisfaction.
17:111
وَ قُلِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰہِ الَّذِیۡ لَمۡ یَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدًا وَّ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّہٗ شَرِیۡکٌ فِی الۡمُلۡکِ وَ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّہٗ وَلِیٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ وَ کَبِّرۡہُ تَکۡبِیۡرًا ﴿۱۱۱﴾٪
And say: Praise be to Allah! Who has not taken to Himself a son, and Who does not have a partner in the kingdom, and Who does not have a helper because of weakness; and proclaim His greatness, magnifying (Him).