• Moses given the signs

• Pharaoh’s arrogance

• Apostle Muhammad sent as the Bearer of glad tidings and a Warner

• Those gifted with knowledge believe in the Qur’an even if any one else believes not

• Glorification of God

Al-Israa (Bani-Israel) Verses 101 – 111

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ فَاسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا

And indeed We gave Moses nine clear signs (miracles); so ask the children of Israel when he came unto them, Pharaoh said unto him; “Verily I deem thee O’ Moses one 1bewitched (17:101)2

قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنْزَلَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا

“Said he3Indeed, thou knowest that none hath sent these down save the Lord of the heavens and the earth (as) eye opening proofs; and I think thou O’ Pharaoh is doomed to perdition.” (17:102)

فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَفِزَّهُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ جَمِيعًا

And resolved he4to tare them away out of the land, so We drowned him and those with him, all together, (17:103)

وَقُلْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا

And said We after that, unto the children of Israel: “Abide ye in peace in the land, but when cometh the later 5promise, We shall bring you all rolled up (collected together)” (17:104)6

وَبِالْحَقِّ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

And with truth have We sent it down and with truth it hath come down; and We sent not thee (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!) but as a Giver of glad tidings and as a Warner. (17:105)

وَقُرْآنًا فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَىٰ مُكْثٍ وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنْزِيلًا

And it is Qur’an which We have apportioned it7so that thou mayest recite it unto the people with deliberation (by degrees), and We have sent it down, gradually in portions. (17:106)

قُلْ آمِنُوا بِهِ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا

Say thou (O’ Our Apostle Muhammad!): “Believe ye in it or believe ye not; Verily those who are (already) given8the knowledge from before it, when it is recited unto them they fall down on their faces prostrating in obeisance,” (17:107)

وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا

And say they: “Glorious is our Lord! verily the promise of our Lord was (a certainty) to be fulfilled.” (17:108)

وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا

And they fall down on their faces weeping and it (the listening to the Qur’an) increaseth their humility.9(17:109)10

قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَٰنَ أَيًّا مَا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا

Say: “Call upon ‘Allah’ (God) or call upon 11‘Rahman’ (the Beneficent); whichever ye call upon, for Him (alone) are all the best names; and say thou not thy prayer too aloud, nor say it in too low a voice, but seek between these (extremes) a middle course.” (17:110)12

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِيٌّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

And say thou: “(All) Praise is God’s, Who hath not taken unto Him a son and Who hath not a partner in the kingdom, and there is not for Him any helper against any humility, and proclaim thou His Greatness magnifying (His Glory).” (17:111)13

Commentary

Verse 101

The following nine signs are given in the Old Testament:

(1) Turning of water into blood, (2) Frogs, (3) Lice, (4) Flies, (5) The plague, (6) Hail, (7) Locusts, (8) Darkness, (9) Plague on the first born.14

Verse 109

After exposing the adamance of the contemporary infidels and comparing them to the repulsive attitude of Pharaoh and his people towards Moses and their ultimate destiny, God gives the utmost assurance of the truth of the Qur’an and the success of the Holy Prophet and thus gives the confidence to the Holy Prophet that whether they accept the truth or not, the people gifted with the knowledge15 will submit with utmost devotional humility to it. In support of this refer to verses 29:47-52. (A.P.).

Verses 110 - 111

The Holy Prophet told Ali Ibn Abi Talib that the recitation of the last two verses of this chapter are a guarantee for my people against theft.

• 1. Lost sense of reasoning.
• 2. Refer to verses 7:133 & 27:12.
• 3. Moses.
• 4. Pharaoh.
• 5. Refer to verses 17:101 & 17:4-8.
• 6. This refers to the third promise given in 17:8 indicating that their chance or respite, also will not last long.
• 7. Or made distinct.
• 8. Refer to verse 29:46.
• 9. Devotional humility.
• 10. Refer to verses 29:47-52.
• 11. Refer to verses 25:60 & 20:8.
• 12. Refer to note on Surah 1.
• 13. This Sura ends with praise to God and the mention of His Unity, of the Holy Prophet & the Holy Qur’an - The next Surah also begins with the same.
• 14. See verses 7:133 & 27:12.
• 15. See verse 17:107.