Exegesis of Surat al-Isra
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Question: Allah the Exalted says in His Noble Book in Surat al-Isra: [al-Isra: 4-6]. What is the meaning of these verses, what is intended by the corruption in the earth twice, and have the two times already passed?And what is the meaning of His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Isra 17:5], and what is understood from these verses?
Answer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:: meaning We informed them, We made it clear to them that they would commit corruption in the earth through disbelief, sins, and killing the prophets. [Al-Isra 17:4]: meaning through sins, disbelief, and deviation. , the first time occurred, then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, punished them. [Al-Isra 17:5]: Allah sent against them an enemy from among the disbelievers, from the disbelieving Zoroastrians or others, so they killed them a terrible killing and made their lands and homes lawful to them as a punishment for what they corrupted in the earth. This happened to them the first time, then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, repeated the cycle for the Children of Israel, they grew, and He restored their strength to them.
[Al-Isra 17:6] After Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, punished them for the first corruption, He favored them by restoring their strength, their honor, and the abundance of wealth and children. Then they did not bind the blessing of Allah with gratitude, and they returned to their corruption a second time, so they corrupted in the earth a second time.
At that time, Allah sent against them another enemy who also made their lands lawful and destroyed the crops and offspring, and entered the mosque, which is Bayt al-Maqdis, just as the first enemy had entered it.[Al-Isra 17:7]: meaning so that this enemy would devastate what you had achieved in this period of activity, development, and abundance of wealth and children, so that it would be devastated and put to an end as a punishment for you.
[Al-Isra 17:7]: meaning the second time, which is the corruption in the earth.
[Al-Isra 17:7], so Allah, Mighty and Majestic, informed in this verse about the Children of Israel that they committed corruption in the earth twice, and this was in the past. Then He threatened them that if they repeated this, He would repeat the punishment for them until the Day of Resurrection. [Al-Isra 17:8]: This is a threat from Allah. Just as He punished them for the first two times, so He will punish them every time they corrupt in the earth, until the end of the world. This is a reality and is observed: the Jews are still subjected to tyrants, and their enemy is unleashed upon them whenever they become arrogant in the earth and corrupt in the earth. This is a punishment from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, for this people who corrupt in the earth, spread corruption in it, and are arrogant toward the servants.
Question: Are the two corruptions two specific incidents or a general description of their actions?
Answer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, did not specify the type of the two corruptions.But some of the exegetes said: They killed (Isaiah), a prophet from among their prophets, in the first time.And in the second time they killed: "Yahya ibn Zakariyya" (peace be upon him).
And this is correct that they killed the prophets. Allah mentioned about them that they kill the prophets. This is one of the greatest forms of corruption without a doubt.
And the result is that these Jews, whenever they commit corruption, Allah repeats the punishment upon them and unleashes the enemy against them in the first two times, and in every instance where that occurred from them.As in the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Isra 17:8]. So this is absolute until the Day of Resurrection.
Question: His saying, Exalted is He, at the end of the verse:[Al-Isra 17:7], does its meaning refer to the second time?
Answer: Yes, the second time.
(4) And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness. (5) So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled. (6) Then We gave back to you a return victory over them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower
وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَفْعُولًا ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًاand they probed [even] into the homes
فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِAnswer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
And We decreed for the Children of Israel
وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَAnd We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the earth
وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِTwice
مَرَّتَيْنِSo when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes
فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِThen We gave back to you a return victory over them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower
ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًاAt that time, Allah sent against them another enemy who also made their lands lawful and destroyed the crops and offspring, and entered the mosque, which is Bayt al-Maqdis, just as the first enemy had entered it.
to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.
وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًاThen when the final promise came
فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِto sadden your faces and to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time
لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍBut if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment]. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed."
وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًاQuestion: Are the two corruptions two specific incidents or a general description of their actions?
Answer: Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, did not specify the type of the two corruptions.But some of the exegetes said: They killed (Isaiah), a prophet from among their prophets, in the first time.And in the second time they killed: "Yahya ibn Zakariyya" (peace be upon him).
And this is correct that they killed the prophets. Allah mentioned about them that they kill the prophets. This is one of the greatest forms of corruption without a doubt.
And the result is that these Jews, whenever they commit corruption, Allah repeats the punishment upon them and unleashes the enemy against them in the first two times, and in every instance where that occurred from them.As in the saying of Allah the Exalted:
But if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment].
وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَاQuestion: His saying, Exalted is He, at the end of the verse:
Then when the final promise came
فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِAnswer: Yes, the second time.