17. Al-Israa

The Night Journey · Meccan · 111 ayahs

سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ

Reading Tafsir al-Tustari by Sahl al-Tustari

Ayahs 11–20 of 111

وَيَدْعُ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ بِٱلشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهُۥ بِٱلْخَيْرِ ۖ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَٰنُ عَجُولًۭا

And man supplicates for evil as he supplicates for good, and man is ever hasty.

And man prays for ill as [avidly] as he prays for good...Sahl said:The soundest of supplications is the remembrance (dhikr) [of God], and relinquishing the choice [that is made] through petitioning and supplication, for remembrance [itself] suffices. For it may be that when a person supplicates, he asks for something that will lead to his ruin without realising it. Do you not see that God, Exalted is He, says, And man prays for ill as [avidly] as he prays for good? The one who remembers [God] constantly, and who abandons choice (ikhtiyār), supplication (duʿāʾ) and petitioning (suʾāl), will be granted the best that could be desired, and the ills of petitioning and choice will fall away from him. For this reason the Messenger of God said, �To those whose remembrance of Me kept them from petitioning Me, I will grant the best that petitioners ask for.� His words, Exalted is He:

Al-Israa 17:11Listen in Qur'an →

وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ ۖ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةًۭ لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًۭا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ فَصَّلْنَٰهُ تَفْصِيلًۭا

And We have made the night and day two signs, and We erased the sign of the night and made the sign of the day visible that you may seek bounty from your Lord and may know the number of years and the account [of time]. And everything We have set out in detail.

Explained together with ayah 11

Al-Israa 17:12Listen in Qur'an →

وَكُلَّ إِنسَٰنٍ أَلْزَمْنَٰهُ طَٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ ۖ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ كِتَٰبًۭا يَلْقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا

And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.

And We have attached every person�s omen to his neck�He said:[This means] his action[s], that is, of whatever came to be of good or evil.His words:

Al-Israa 17:13Listen in Qur'an →

ٱقْرَأْ كِتَٰبَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًۭا

[It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant."

Read your record! This day your own soul suffices as your own reckoner.He said:The following saying is related from Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: �Prepare for the questioning with an answer, and [be ready] to respond with what is correct. Or else, prepare to have the Fire as your cloak.� ʿUmar said: �Call yourselves to account before you are called to account. Weigh yourselves up before you are weighed up, and prepare for the great [Day of] Exposure before you are exposed.� Sahl was asked about the calling to account (muḥāsaba) and the weighing up (muwāzana). He said:The calling to account is of two kinds: the accounting that concerns those matters which are between the servant and his Lord, and this is in secret; and the accounting that concerns matters that are between him and other people, and that is done openly. The weighing up is when you have before you [the possibility of] two obligatory acts, two Sunna acts, or two supererogatory acts (nafl). After reflecting on which of them will bring you closer to God and is weightier with Him, you start with that act. His words:

Al-Israa 17:14Listen in Qur'an →

مَّنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًۭا

Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever errs only errs against it. And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.