17.

Sura Bani Israel (or the Children of Israel)

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Glory to God who did take His Servant (Muhammad AS) for a Journey
by night from the Sacred Mosque (Ka’ba at Mecca) to the Furthest Mosque
(Masjid-ul-Aqsa at Jerusalem), whose precincts God has blessed, – inorder to
show him some of His Signs: for He is the One Who hears and sees all things
(an allusionary reference to Miraj). God gave Moses a Book of Guidance to
guide the Children of Israel, who sprang from those who were in the Ark with
Noah. God Commanded that those who followed Moses should consider God
as One, the Only Desposer of their affairs. They were warned in the Book that
if they did mischief twice (i.e. more than once); and become mighty arrogant,
they would be punished twice. When the first of the warnings came to pass,
they were punished by a terrible warfare, humiliated and carried off into
captivity. They were again made to flourish with increased resources and
manpower. But the Jews again showed a stiff-necked resistance to God’s
Messenger (Jesus) and the inevitable doom followed in the complete and final
destruction of the Temple (of Solomon in Jerusalem year 70 A.D). Inspite of
all the past, the Jews could still have obtained God’s forgiveness if they had
not obstinately rejected the greatest of the Prophets (Muhammad SA) also. If
they were to continue in their sins, God’s punishment would also continue to
visit them. For them there could be disgrace in the world, but the final disgrace
is in the Hereafter, and that will be inevitable! The Message of Qur-an is for
all. Those who have Faith and show that Faith in their conduct must reap their
spiritual reward. But those who reject Faith cannot escape punishment. For
them is a grievious Penalty in the Hereafter.

Man in his ignorance or haste mistakes evil for good, and desires what
he should not have. The wise and instructive soul has patience and does not
put its own desires above the wisdom of God. He receives with contentment
the favours of God, and prays to be rightly guided in his desires and petitions.
The change of night and day are the Signs of the Lord. Night is but a
preparation for the Day to work and seek His bounty. The phenomenon of
night and day is for the mankind to compute days, months, years, and so on.
The real fate of mankind is not in omens, stars or birds, etc. It depends on our
deeds – good or evil – and hangs around his neck and he is the maker of his
own fortune. The true accusers are his own deeds. Why not then to look to
them instead of vainly prying into something superstitious – book of fortune or
a book of omens? If anyone receives guidance it is in his own benefit and if
goes astray does so to his own loss. Everyone must bear his own
responsibility. But God never visits His Wrath on anyone until due warning is
conveyed to him through an accredited apostle. God’s Mercy gives every
chance to the wicked to repent. Definite order and warning is given to them. If
they still transgress, the Command of Lord is proved against them, and its
application is called for beyond doubt. Noah’s Flood is taken as a new starting
point in history of mankind. But even after that hundreds of empires, towns,
and generations have perished for their wickedness. Let not the wicked think,
because they are given a lease of life and luxury for a time, that their
wickedness has escaped un-noticed. God notes and sees all things, both open
and secret. He knows the hidden motives and thoughts of men, and He has no
need of any other evidence. His knowledge and sight are all-sufficient and all
the pride and insolence will then be brought low. The magnitude of their
punishment cannot be measured in the terms of our present material life.
Those who are believers and think for the things of the Hereafter and strieve
for that end, their striving is acceptable to their Lord. His bounties are for
everyone without any distinction; but more on some than others. Verily, the
gift of Hereafter is more in rank, gradation and excellence than the worldly
things. Do not take (O man!) with God another object of worship or you will
be in disgrace and destitude on the Day of Reckoning.

The spiritual and moral duties are now brought into juxtaposition. God
has decreed mankind to worship none but God only, as none but God is
worthy of worship. That man should be kind to his parents: say not to them a
word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour as they
cherished in childhood. Next come the rights of kinsmen, those in want; and
the way faring strangers: to each according to his need – not in spend-thrift
show. Verily, spend-thrifts are the brothers of the Evil One; – and the Evil One
is ungrateful to His Lord. And gentleness is needed to those whom we cannot
help. God will provide them. Be moderate and do not be lavish in spending –
keep a just measure between capacity and other people’s needs. Lo! Your Lord
enlarges the provision for whom He wills, and strengtheneth for whom He
wills.

He has made life sacred and pure. Do not kill your children for fear of
want: God provides sustenance for you and your children. Nor come near to
adultery, as it is a shameful deed – an evil, opening the door to other evils. Do
not slay anyone – except for a just cause. If anyone slays wrongfully, his heirs
have authority to demand Qisas or to forgive: but let him not exceed bounds in
the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law). For orphans: if an
orphan’s property is touched at all, it should be improve it, or to give him
something better than he had before, – never to take a personal advantage for
the benefit of the guardian, until he attains the age of full strength; and keep
the covenant. Lo! Of the covenant it will be asked on the Day of Reckoning.
Give just measure and weight is not only right in itself but is ultimately to the
best spiritual and material advantage of the person who gives it. Idle curiosity
may lead you to nose into evil, through our ignorance that it is evil. So do not
pursue of which you have no knowledge. Mankind must guard every such
danger. We must only hear the things that are known to us to be of good
report, and see things that are good and instructive, and entertain in our hearts
feelings or in our minds ideas that we have reason to expect will be spiritually
profitable to us. We shall be called to account for the exercise of every faculty
that has been given to us on the Day of Reckoning. Nor walk on the earth with
insolence. Insolence, or arrogance, or undue elation at our powers or
capacities, is the first step to many evils. Besides it is unjustified. All our gifts
are from God. These are some of the percepts of wisdom which God has
revealed to you. It is blameworthy to take with God, another objects for
worship. Such people who do that will be thrown into the Inferno. Has your
Lord (O Pagans!) preferred for you sons, and for Himself daughters among the
angels. Truly such a perception is most dreadful evil; – for God, the One, the
Good, the Universal – hates evil.

Maters are explained in the Qur-an from all points of view, individual
and national, by means of stories, parables, and figures of speech, and by way
of categorical commands. So that they may receive admonition. But those who
are evil, instead of profiting by such instructions, often go farther and farther
away from the Truth. There is only One God. But had there been subsidiary
Gods, as the polytheists say; they would have tried to be on the Throne of the
Supreme God. All the Glory is for One True God. The seven heavens and the
earth and all that is therein hymn His praises! But you do not understand. He is
Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving! When you (O Muhammad) recite Qur-an,
God puts an invisible veil between you and the unbelievers who do not believe
in the Hereafter. The invisible veil being put against the ungodly on account of
their deliberate rejection of Truth, the result is that their minds are fogged so
that they cannot hear. In other words the effects of Evil become cumulative in
shutting out God’s grace. In going astray they have lost the way; but never can
they find any means of getting back to that way, or of justifying themselves or
making good their wicked smiles. They are doubtful about their resurrection!
They do not realize that God Who created them once out of nothing can create
them again and again, with memories of their past, and inorder to render to
Him an account of how they used or misused the talents and opportunities
which they were given. Bones and dust or ashes may yet retain something of
the personality which was enshrined in them. But even if they were reduced to
stones or iron or anything which their minds can conceive of as being most
unlike them, yet there is nothing impossible to God! He has clearly sent a
Message that we shall have to render an account of ourselves, and His
Message is necessarily true.

Say to My servants (O Muhammad): (1) even to your enemies and the

enemies of God, speak fair. Judgement of people belongs to God alone; – for
He knows the mankind best and be careful, Satan is always their trying to
divide you. (2) Amongst yourselves also, you should not entertain suspicion;
speak truly and politely according to the best standards of human speech; –
that God’s knowledge is all embracing. He may grant mercy anyone to whom
He likes or punishes anyone whom He likes. It is to His discreet and to
nobody’s else. He bestowed on some Prophets some special gifts than the
others (according to the needs of that humanity and as judged by the wisdom
of God. To David, the Psalms (Zubur, intended to be sung for the worship of
God and the celebration of God’s praise). One True God has all the power to
remove your troubles and no one has any access to God as to hope His Mercy
through them. So fear the Wrath of God – for it is something to take heed of!
The godless thoughtlessly challage God’s Wrath. But do they realize its
nature? Number of ancient populations were destroyed because of their
rejection of the signs from their Lord. Their destruction by severe Penalty,
before the Day of Judgement, was pre-written in the Eternal Record. A she-
camel was sent to Thamud as a Sign from their Lord. But they treated her
wrongfully. Thus they invited doom for themselves. Signs, Miracles, and
Portents are sent by God’s All-Wise Plan of Mercy and Justice – to strike
terror into the hearts of evil-doers and to reclaim them on the right path. His
delay in the punishment is a Sign of His Mercy and in no way diminishes His
Power. He encompasses mankind on all sides and the Vision (may be Miraj or
other spiritual happenings) showed to you (O Muhammad) were as a trial for
men. Also, is true with the Cursed Tree (Zaqqum) in the Hell, as mentioned in
the Qur-an. All are mentioned to put terror and warnings into the Unbelievers;
but it only increases its inordinate transgression!

Arrogance, jealousy, malice, and hatred were the cause of the fall of
Iblis. God ordered the angels to bow down before Adam. Iblis (who was
among angels refused as Adam was made out of clay and was not superior to
him. Then on his request, he was given a respite till the Day of Judgement he
would surely bring Adam’s decendents under his sway – except the few. His
request was granted; but he was expelled from the heavens and told that those
who followed him will be in the Fire of Hell. As regards the servants of God,
Iblis would have no authority over them. O men! be sure, your Lord is He,
Who makes the ship go smoothy through the seas for you so that you may
seek of His Bounty. When distress seize them on the sea, they call upon Him.
But when they are safe on the land, they become most ungrateful of their
Lord! How they feel that they are secured on the land? God may cause earth to
swallow them in; cause tornado with showers of stones to kill them. Or do
they feel secured that He would not send them back a second time to sea and
send against them a violent gale to drown them? The sons of Adam are
honoured, provided sustenance good and pure; transport on land and sea; and
conferred with special favours by the Lord.

On the Judgement Day, all the human beings will be called together
along with their respective Imams (i.e. Leaders, or their Books, or may be
record of their deeds). Those whom their record of deeds is given in their right
hands will read it with pleasure and will be dealt with justification. But those
unbelievers, who were blind in this world will be blind in the Hereafter too.
Their purpose on earth was to tempt the believers away from the revelation of
God and to substitude other objects with God. Had you (O Muhammad) fallen
in their trap, you would have been also liable for punishment. Their purpose
was also to scare you off and expel you from the land. But they are counting
without the Plan of God. If they persecute the righteous, they dig their own
graves! This was no new thing in history. God protects His own, and the
ungodly cannot long enjoy the fruits of their unrighteousness even if their
punishment be delayed a little while.

The Command for the five daily mandatory prayers is given: the four
from the declination of the sun from the zenith to the fullest darkness of the
night, and the early morning prayer, Fajr, which is usually accompanied by a
reading of the holy Qur-an. The four afternoon prayers are: Zuhr, immediately
after the sun begins to decline in the afternoon; ‘Asr, in the late afternoon;
Magrib, immediately after sunset; and ‘Isha, after the glow of sunset has
disappeared and the full darkness of the night has set in. And pray in the small
watches in the morning (this is held specially to the Prophet AS is the Tuha-
jjud prayer); – therein is the hope that your Lord will raise you to a praised
estate. Pray that your entry (death) and your exist (resurrection) be by the Gate
of Truth and Honour; – and give me from your presence a sustaining Power;
and that Truth has now arrived, and Falsehood perished, for Falsehood is by its
nature bound to perish. The Qur-an is a healing and a mercy for the believers
and to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss. Man must realize the
every gift, happiness, honour, etc. comes from his Lord where as he himself
was not entitled to it. Thus he should have been more inclined towards his
Lord. And when some loss seizes him he is drawn towards despair! If the
wicked go to their own ways, there is nothing to discourage the righteous
ones. It is their way. The believers should seek and hold fast to true guidance.

The spirit of inspiration comes to you (O Muhammad) on the

Command of your Lord. The spiritual knowledge that comes to you comes
because of the favour and mercy of God. If He were to withhold it, who can
call Him in question? If the whole of mankind and Jinns were together to
produce the like of this Qur-an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if
they backed up each other. In the Qur-an everything is explained in detail
from various points of view, by commands, similitudes, examples, stories,
parables, etc. It does not merely narrate stories or lay down vague abstract
propositions. It gives every detailed help in outwards and inner life. The
Unbelievers demand ill-assorted and crude jumble of the sort of miracles. But
miracles are not for faithless crowds to gape at. The Unbelievers ask for: a
beautiful well-watered garden; a house adorned with gold; the fall of sky;
producing God face to face to them; climbing to the skies by a ladder; bringing
down a book of parchment which men could handle; are all irreverent
suggestions that make no distinction between spiritual and material things!

When a man is raised to honour and dignity, the evil in their hearts are
jealous like their prototype Iblis. To such men the mere fact that their own
brother receives the grace of God is enough to turn them against that brother.
Any other reasons they may devise are mere make-believe. If angels inhabited
the earth, an angel from heaven could be sent down as an apostle to them. But
the earth is inhabited by men, and the apostle is a man. God is well acquainted
with his servants, and He sees all things. To whom God guides are on right
path; while those whom He leaves astray will find no protectors or friends
besides Him. On the Day of resurrection, they shall be on their faces, blind,
dumb and deaf and shall be driven to their eternal abode and put into the
raging Fire of Hell. That will be their recompense of rejecting the Signs of
God. They do not even believe in the Day. They even do not see that He
created the heavens and the earth for the first time has the power to create the
like of these a new. It is He Who has decreed the appointed time for that event.
God’s Mercy is universal, and He scatters the priceless Treasures of His Mercy
among His creatures. They are not exhausted by spending. It is only the misers
who hoard their wealth for fear it should be used up by spending. ‘Are you
(Unbelievers) spiritual misers going to keep back God’s holy Message from
the multitude? Is that the reason why you deny the advent of the new Teacher,
who comes as a Mercy to all men – to all Creation?’

A phase of the story of Pharaoh is told with a view to exhibiting the

decline of a soul on account of pride in outward power and dignity. Moses was
sent to Pharaoh and the Children of Israel with nine clear Signs from his Lord.
But, Pharaoh and his chiefs considered these as just objects of sorcery! Indeed,
Pharaoh was doomed to destruction, although he strived to remove Moses and
his followers from the face of the earth. Thereafter, the Children of Israel were
told to dwell securely in the promised land (Palestine) and establish their own
kingdom there; but they forfeited God’s favour by their sins and backslidings
and will have to answer like all souls on the Day of Judgement. This was the
first warning to them. When the second warning due to the rejection of Jesus
came to pass, the Jews were gathered together in a mingled crowd, and they
have never had a Jewish nationality since (some consider the second warning
to be the Day of Judgement). God has sent down the Qur-an in Truth,
descended in Truth: it was not and has not been falsified or corrupted in the
process of being communicated to mankind. It is divided into parts, revealed at
different times, different occasions; and at different events, as and when
necessary. All revelation is progressive. Believe it or not, does not affects the
beauty and grandeur of God’s Message. But those endowed with spiritual
knowledge or insite know at once when they hear God’s holy Word, and fall
down and adore God. Those endowed with knowledge include those who had
received previous revelations and had kept themselves free from corrupt ideas.
All Glory to your Lord! Those who had received previous revelations find in
the Qur-an and in the Apostle who brought it, the promise of God fulfilled.
Such is the case with those who were spiritually prepared for it, found
satisfaction in their spiritual yearnings. In earnest humility such people, with
tears in their eyes, fall down in prostrate before their Lord. Call Him God or
Rehman – by whatever name you call, it is well: for to Him belong the Most
Beautiful Names. Neither speak your prayer aloud, nor in a slow tone, but seek
a middle course in between. Clear your mind from superstitions. Praise be to
God, Who has neither any son nor any partners are with Him in His dominion:
He does not need any one to protect Him or depends upon any of His
creatures. His greatness and glory are above any thing mankind can conceive.