Sūrah Al-Isrāʾ

āyāt 2–4

This passage states that God gave Mūsā عليه السلام the Scripture as a guide for the Children of Israel, instructing them to take none but Him as their guardian. It addresses the descendants of those who were with Nūḥ عليه السلام on the ship, acknowledging Nūḥ عليه السلام as a grateful servant. It then reveals that God forewarned the Children of Israel in the Scripture that they would cause corruption on the earth twice and become exceedingly arrogant.

āyāt 5–7

When the time for the first promise arrived, God sent against them powerful servants who searched through their homes, and this promise was fulfilled. Then, God granted them victory over their enemies, and reinforced them with wealth and sons, making them more numerous. God then stated that if they did good, it was for their own benefit, and if they did evil, it was against themselves; when the time for the second promise came, enemies were sent to sadden their faces, to enter the Sacred House as they had done before, and to utterly destroy all that they had conquered.

āyāt 8

It is hoped that if you turn back to Allāh, He will be merciful to you. But if you return to wrongdoing, Allāh will return to punishing you. For those who reject faith, Hell has been made a confining bed.

āyāt 9–11

This Qurʾān truly guides humanity to the best way of life and gives glad tidings to those who believe and do good deeds that they will have a magnificent reward. However, for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, a painful punishment has been prepared. Humans often pray for bad things with the same fervor as they pray for good things, because humanity is inherently impatient.

āyāt 12–14

God has made the night and day two signs. He made the sign of the night dark and the sign of the day bright so that people may seek His provisions and know the number of years and how to calculate time. God has explained everything clearly. For every person, God has bound their deeds to them, and on the Day of Resurrection, He will bring forth a record for them that they will find spread open. It will be said to them, "Read your record. Today, you are sufficient as an accountant against yourself."

āyāt 15–17

Whoever chooses to follow guidance does so for their own benefit, and whoever goes astray only harms themselves by it. No one will carry the burdens of another, and Allah never punishes a people until He has sent them a messenger. When Allah decides to destroy a town, He first commands its people of influence to obey Him, but if they defiantly disobey, then His decree comes upon them, and He completely destroys that town. Allah has destroyed many generations after the time of Prophet Nūḥ عليه السلام, and He is sufficient as the All-Aware and All-Seeing regarding the sins of His servants.

āyāt 18–20

This passage describes two paths for humanity: those who seek only the fleeting pleasures of this world will have some of their desires fulfilled as God wills, but their ultimate destination will be Hell, where they will burn, blamed and outcast. In contrast, those who strive for the Afterlife with sincere effort and belief will find their struggles fully appreciated by God. The passage concludes by noting that God extends His bounty to all, whether they seek this world or the next, and His giving is never restricted.

āyāt 21–22

This passage asks us to observe how God provides for some people more than others in this worldly life. However, it then clarifies that the Hereafter holds even greater differences in rank and distinction. Following this, it warns against associating any partners with God, lest one become blameworthy and abandoned.

āyāt 24–26

This stretch of āyāt instructs believers to treat their parents with great humility and mercy, and to pray for God's mercy upon them, remembering how they nurtured them when they were small. God knows best what is within people's hearts; if someone is truly righteous in intention, then God is always forgiving to those who frequently turn back to Him. It also commands giving relatives their due, as well as the needy and the traveler, and warns against wasteful spending.

āyāt 27–29

This section begins by warning against wastefulness, stating that those who waste are like companions to devils, and indeed, Satan has always been ungrateful to his Lord. It then addresses what to do if you cannot immediately help someone in need because you are waiting for Allah's provision; in such a case, you should speak to them kindly and gently. Finally, it advises a balanced approach to giving: do not be so stingy that your hand feels tied to your neck, nor so extravagant that you give everything away and end up blameworthy and in poverty yourself.

āyāt 30–31

Your Lord grants provision generously to whomever He wishes and restricts it for whomever He wishes, for He is always fully aware of His servants and sees them. Do not kill your children because you fear poverty; Allah provides for both them and you. Indeed, killing them is a truly grave sin.

āyāt 33–35

This section begins by forbidding the taking of a life that Allāh has made sacred, unless it is by right. If someone is unjustly killed, their heir has been given the authority to seek justice, but they should not go beyond fair limits in avenging the death, as they are supported by the law. You are also warned not to touch an orphan's property except in the best way, until they reach adulthood, and to fulfill every promise you make, because you will be questioned about your commitments. Finally, when you measure, give full measure, and weigh with an honest balance, as this is the best way and leads to the best outcome.

āyāt 37–39

The āyāt tell us not to walk on earth with arrogance, for we can never pierce through the earth or reach the height of mountains. All these behaviors that have been forbidden are detestable in the sight of your Lord. This teaching is part of the wisdom your Lord has revealed to the Prophet ﷺ, and it warns against associating any partners with Allah, lest one be cast into Hell, censured and expelled.

āyāt 40–42

This stretch of āyāt begins by questioning the people’s belief that Allāh has sons for Himself while taking daughters from the angels, stating that this is indeed a terrible thing to say. Allāh then says that He has presented lessons in various ways throughout this Qur’ān so that people may be reminded, yet for some, it only increases their aversion. The Prophet ﷺ is then instructed to tell them that if there were other gods alongside Allāh, as they claim, then those gods would surely have sought a way to challenge the Lord of the Throne.

āyāt 43–45

This stretch of āyāt begins by declaring Allāh to be far above whatever they attribute to Him in their claims. It then tells us that the seven heavens, the earth, and everything within them declare His glory, and in fact, there is nothing that does not glorify Him with praise, though we may not comprehend how they do so. Allāh is indeed ever Forbearing and Forgiving. Then, it explains that when the Prophet ﷺ recites the Qur'an, Allāh places an unseen barrier between him and those who do not believe in the Hereafter.

āyāt 46–48

This passage describes how Allah has placed coverings over the hearts of some, preventing them from understanding the truth, and deafness in their ears. When the Prophet ﷺ mentions Allah alone in the Qur'an, these people turn away in dislike. Allah knows best how they listen when they are with the Prophet ﷺ and when they speak in private, as the wrongdoers say that he ﷺ is only following a man affected by magic. The passage asks us to consider how they invent comparisons about the Prophet ﷺ, showing that they have truly gone astray and cannot find the right path.

āyāt 49–51

These āyāt describe people asking, "Once we've turned into bones and dust, how can we be brought back to life as something new?" The Prophet ﷺ is told to respond, "Even if you were to become stones, or iron, or anything else that seems impossible to revive—even things you think are greater than that—you would still be resurrected." They will then ask, "Who will bring us back?" He ﷺ is to reply, "The One who created you the first time." They will then mockingly shake their heads and ask, "When will that be?" The Prophet ﷺ is instructed to say, "Perhaps it is very near."

āyāt 52–54

On the Day of Judgement, when God calls you, you will respond with His praise, realizing that your time in the world was very short. Tell God's servants to speak only what is good, because Satan tries to sow discord among them, and he is a clear enemy to humanity. Your Lord knows you best; He may have mercy on you if He wills, or punish you if He wills. And the Prophet ﷺ was not sent to manage their affairs.

āyāt 55–57

Your Lord knows best everyone in the heavens and the earth. He has made some prophets superior to others, and to Prophet Dawūd عليه السلام He gave the scripture. Say to those who associate partners with God, 'Call upon those you claim are gods besides Him, for they have no power to remove any harm from you, nor to change it.' Indeed, those very beings whom these people invoke are themselves striving to get closer to their Lord, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment. Truly, the punishment of your Lord is something to be greatly feared.

āyāt 58–60

God states that every city will be destroyed or severely punished before the Day of Resurrection, as is written in a divine record. He explains that He does not send specific signs or miracles because past peoples denied them, citing how the people of Thamūd wronged the she-camel that was sent as a clear sign, and that such signs are sent only as a warning. God reminds the Prophet ﷺ that his Lord encompasses all people, and that the special sight shown to him, as well as the accursed tree mentioned in the Qur’ān, were made as trials for humanity; yet, these warnings only increase some in great transgression.

āyāt 61–63

Allāh reminded of a time when He commanded the angels to prostrate to Ādam عليه السلام, and they all did so except for Iblīs. Iblīs questioned Allāh, saying he would not prostrate to someone created from clay. He then declared that if Allāh granted him respite until the Day of Resurrection, he would surely lead astray most of Ādam's عليه السلام descendants. Allāh then told Iblīs to go, stating that whoever among mankind follows him, Hell will be the fitting consequence for all of them.

āyāt 64–66

This passage describes how Iblīs tries to lead people astray: with his voice, his forces, and by sharing in their wealth and children, he makes them promises that are nothing but delusion. However, Iblīs has no authority over God's truly believing servants, and God is sufficient as their Disposer of affairs. It is God who causes ships to sail for you across the sea so that you may seek His provision, for He is always Merciful to you.

āyāt 67–69

When people face distress at sea, they call upon God alone, forgetting all others. But once safely on land, they turn away from Him, showing human ingratitude. So, do they feel safe that God will not cause the earth to swallow them, or send a storm of stones upon them, with no one to protect them? Or do they believe God will not return them to the sea, sending a destructive wind to drown them for their disbelief, with no one to avenge them against Him?

āyāt 70–72

This passage begins by reminding us that God has honored all human beings, enabling them to travel on land and sea, providing them with good things, and preferring them over much of His creation. It then speaks of the Day of Judgement, when each community will be called forth with their record of deeds. Those who receive their record in their right hand will read it, and no one will suffer even the slightest injustice. However, whoever has been spiritually blind in this life will also be blind in the Hereafter and even further astray from the right path.

āyāt 73–75

These āyāt tell the Prophet ﷺ that the disbelievers were close to enticing him away from the revelation Allah sent to him, hoping he would invent something false about Allah, in which case they would have befriended him. Allah then explains that if He had not strengthened the Prophet ﷺ, he would have nearly leaned towards their desires a little. If that had occurred, Allah would have made the Prophet ﷺ taste a double punishment in this life and another double punishment after death, and he would have found no one to help him against Allah.

āyāt 76–77

This passage warns the Prophet ﷺ that his opponents were close to driving him out of his homeland. If they succeeded, they themselves would not remain there for long afterward. This is the way Allah had dealt with previous messengers; His way never changes.

āyāt 78

This passage instructs believers to establish regular prayers from the time the sun begins to set until the darkness of night, and also to observe the prayer at dawn. It emphasizes that the recitation of the Qur'an during the dawn prayer is always witnessed by angels.

āyāt 80–81

This passage instructs you to pray to your Lord, asking Him to grant you a good and honorable entry and exit in all your affairs, and to bless you with a strong authority that supports you. It then commands you to declare that the truth has arrived and falsehood has vanished, for falsehood is destined to disappear.

āyāt 83–85

When God bestows favor upon a person who rejects faith, that person often turns away and distances himself, but when something bad happens to him, he becomes utterly despairing. Tell them that everyone acts according to their own disposition, but God knows best who is most rightly guided. They ask the Prophet ﷺ about the soul, so he should tell them that the soul is from God's special knowledge, and humanity has only been given a little bit of knowledge.

āyāt 86–88

God states that He could, if He wished, remove what He has revealed to the Prophet ﷺ, and then the Prophet ﷺ would find no one to defend him against God. However, God kept it with him as a mercy from the Lord, for God's favor upon the Prophet ﷺ has always been great. The Prophet ﷺ is told to declare that even if all of humanity and the jinn were to gather to produce something like this Qurʾān, they would be utterly unable to do so, even if they helped one another.

āyāt 89

In this āyah, God explains that He has presented diverse examples and lessons within the Qurʾān for the benefit of humanity. However, despite these clear illustrations, most people have chosen to reject the truth, persisting only in disbelief.

āyāt 90–92

People say that they will not believe the Prophet ﷺ until he makes a spring gush forth from the ground for them. Or, they demand that he have a garden of date palms and grapes, with rivers flowing powerfully through it. They also demand that he make the sky fall on them in pieces, as he has warned, or that he bring Allāh and the angels to them.

āyāt 93–95

People challenged the Prophet ﷺ, saying they would not believe in him unless he built a golden house, or ascended into the sky and brought down a book for them to read. The Prophet ﷺ was told to declare that his Lord is exalted, and that he was nothing more than a human messenger. The text then asks what prevented people from believing when guidance came to them, except their disbelief that Allāh would send a human as a messenger. It instructs the Prophet ﷺ to tell them that if angels walked securely upon the earth, Allāh would have sent an angel from heaven as a messenger to them.

āyāt 96–98

The Prophet ﷺ is instructed to say that Allāh is sufficient as a Witness between him and the people, for Allāh is always aware of and sees His servants. It is Allāh who guides, and whoever He guides is truly guided, but for those He allows to go astray, no protectors will be found besides Him. On the Day of Resurrection, they will be gathered blind, dumb, and deaf, falling on their faces, and their refuge will be Hell, where its blazing fire will be intensified every time it subsides. This is their punishment because they rejected Allāh's signs and questioned whether they would be brought back to life as a new creation after becoming mere bones and dust.

āyāt 99–101

Allāh, who created the heavens and earth, is certainly able to create people like those who disbelieve, and He has set a definite time for them to return to Him. However, those who do wrong insist on denying the truth. The Prophet ﷺ is told to say that if people controlled Allāh's boundless mercy, they would still hold back from sharing it out of fear of running out, because humans are generally stingy. Allāh also mentions that He gave Musa عليه السلام nine clear miracles, and then Pharaoh accused Musa عليه السلام of being under the influence of magic.

āyāt 102–104

Mūsā عليه السلام then told Pharaoh that he already knew that only the Lord of the heavens and the earth could have sent down these signs as clear proof, and Mūsā عليه السلام believed Pharaoh was doomed. Pharaoh then tried to drive Mūsā عليه السلام and his people out of the land, but God drowned him and all those with him. After Pharaoh, God told the Children of Israel to dwell in the land, and when the promise of the Hereafter arrives, He would bring them all forth in one gathering.

āyāt 105–107

This message emphasizes that the Qur'an was revealed with truth and descended with truth. The Prophet ﷺ was sent only as a bearer of good news and a warner. The Qur'an was sent down in stages so that it could be recited to people gradually over time. It is then stated that people can choose to believe in it or not, but those who received knowledge before its revelation fall in prostration when it is recited to them.

āyāt 108–110

This section describes how those who truly understand the truth acknowledge the greatness of their Lord and recognize that His promise has been fulfilled. They prostrate themselves, weeping, and the Qurʾān deepens their humility. The Prophet ﷺ is told to inform people that they can call upon God by His name Allāh or by the Most Merciful, as the most beautiful names belong to Him alone. He is also instructed not to recite the prayer too loudly or too softly, but to find a moderate way between the two extremes.

āyāt 111

This āyah instructs us to declare all praise belongs to Allāh. It emphasizes that He has not taken a son, nor does He share His dominion with any partner, nor does He need any protector because of weakness. Instead, it directs us to magnify Him with immense glorification.