سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Reading Asbab al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi
Ayahs 71–80 of 111
يَوْمَ نَدْعُوا۟ كُلَّ أُنَاسٍۭ بِإِمَٰمِهِمْ ۖ فَمَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَٰبَهُمْ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًۭا
[Mention, O Muhammad], the Day We will call forth every people with their record [of deeds]. Then whoever is given his record in his right hand - those will read their records, and injustice will not be done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside the date seed].
Explained together with ayah 70
وَمَن كَانَ فِى هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَعْمَىٰ فَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَعْمَىٰ وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلًۭا
And whoever is blind in this [life] will be blind in the Hereafter and more astray in way.
Explained together with ayah 70
وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِىَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُۥ ۖ وَإِذًۭا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًۭا
And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to [make] you invent about Us something else; and then they would have taken you as a friend.
(And they indeed strove hard to beguile thee (Muhammad) away from that wherewith We have inspired thee�) [17:73]. �Ata� reported that Ibn �Abbas said: �This was revealed about the delegation of Thaqif. They went to see the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and asked for unacceptable things. They said: �Allow us to worship al-Lat for one year and make our valley inviolable � its trees, birds and wild animals � just as you have made Mecca inviolable�. They persisted and insisted but the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, rejected all their demands. They said: �We want the Arabs to know our merit over them. If you dislike what we say and you are afraid that the Arabs say, you have given them that which you did not give us, simply say that Allah has commanded you to do so�. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, did not answer them and this raised their hope. But �Umar shouted in their faces: �Do you not see that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, did not answer you because he does not like what you have come for?� The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was on the verge of giving them what they wanted. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�. Said Sa�id ibn Jubayr: �The idolaters said to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace: �We will not leave you alone until you come close to our idols, even if you only have to touch them with your fingers�. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said in reply: �And what harm is there in me doing so, if Allah knows that I dislike it�. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse (And they indeed strove hard to beguile thee (Muhammad) away from that wherewith We have inspired thee) up to His words (� accepted thee as a friend)�. Said Qatadah: �It was mentioned to us that one night the Quraysh met the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, alone and their meeting lasted until morning. They talked to him, treated him as if he was one of their greats and chiefs and were agreeable to him. They said: �You have brought something that no human being has brought before; you are our master and the son of our master�, and they kept talking to him until he almost agreed to some of the things they wanted. But Allah, exalted is He, protected him. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed this verse�.
وَلَوْلَآ أَن ثَبَّتْنَٰكَ لَقَدْ كِدتَّ تَرْكَنُ إِلَيْهِمْ شَيْـًۭٔا قَلِيلًا
And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little.
Explained together with ayah 73
إِذًۭا لَّأَذَقْنَٰكَ ضِعْفَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ وَضِعْفَ ٱلْمَمَاتِ ثُمَّ لَا تَجِدُ لَكَ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيرًۭا
Then [if you had], We would have made you taste double [punishment in] life and double [after] death. Then you would not find for yourself against Us a helper.
Explained together with ayah 73
وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَإِذًۭا لَّا يَلْبَثُونَ خِلَٰفَكَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا
And indeed, they were about to drive you from the land to evict you therefrom. And then [when they do], they will not remain [there] after you, except for a little.
(And they indeed wished to scare thee from the land�) [17:76]. Said Ibn �Abbas: �The Jews resentfully envied the settling of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, in Medina, and so they said: �The Prophets were only sent in Syria; if you are truly a prophet, you should go over there. And if you go there, we will believe and have faith in you�. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, liked what he heard from them, since he was keen that they embrace Islam. He left Medina but when he had traversed a day�s journey, Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�. �Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghunm said: �The Jews went to see the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: �If you are truthful about being a prophet of Allah, then you should go to Syria, for the latter is the land of Resurrection and Mustering [on the Day of Judgement] as it is the land of prophets�. He believed what they said. And when he went for the Battle of Tabuk, he had the intention of going to Syria. But when he reached Tabuk, Allah, exalted is He, revealed (And they indeed wished to scare thee from the land)�. Mujahid, Qatadah and al-Hasan said: �The people of Mecca were on the verge of driving the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, out of Mecca, when Allah, exalted is He, commanded him to leave. He revealed this verse to inform him of what the people of Mecca intended to do�.
سُنَّةَ مَن قَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ لِسُنَّتِنَا تَحْوِيلًا
[That is Our] established way for those We had sent before you of Our messengers; and you will not find in Our way any alteration.
Explained together with ayah 76
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
Explained together with ayah 76
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُودًۭا
And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
Explained together with ayah 76
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍۢ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍۢ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا
And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."
(And say: My Lord! Cause me to come in with a firm incoming�) [17:80]. Said al-Hasan: �When the unbelievers of Quraysh wanted to fetter the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and expel him from Mecca, Allah, exalted is He, wanted the survival of the people of Mecca and commanded His Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to migrate to Medina. And He then revealed (And say: My Lord! Cause me to come in with a firm incoming and to go out with a firm outgoing�)�.
Commentary: Asbab al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.
