The Night Journey (Al-Isra)
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
۞ Purity is to Him Who took His bondman in a part of the night from the Sacred Mosque to the Aqsa Mosque around which We have placed blessings, in order that We may show him Our great signs; indeed he is the listener, the beholder. (This verse refers to the physical journey of Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – to Al Aqsa Mosque and from there to the heavens and beyond. The entire journey back to Mecca was completed within a small part of the night.) 1 And We gave Moses the Book, and made it a guidance to the Children of Israel: 'Take not unto yourselves any guardian apart from Me.' 2 "O offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh (Noah)! Verily, he was a grateful slave." 3 And We decreed for the Descendants of Israel in the Book that, “You will indeed create great turmoil in the earth twice, and you will surely become very proud.” 4 When the time of the first of these warnings came, We sent against you servants of Ours, of great might, who ravaged your homes. So the warning was fulfilled, 5 We, then, gave you a chance to defeat your enemies with the help of increasing your wealth and offspring. 6 (And We said): "If you do good, you do good for your ownselves, and if you do evil (you do it) against yourselves." Then, when the second promise came to pass, (We permitted your enemies) to make your faces sorrowful and to enter the mosque (of Jerusalem) as they had entered it before, and to destroy with utter destruction all that fell in their hands. 7 Your Sustainer may well show mercy unto you; but if you revert [to sinning,] We shall revert [to chastising you]. And [remember this:] We have ordained that [in the hereafter] hell shall close upon all who deny the truth. 8 Verily this Qur'an guides to the Way that is the Straight most. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them, 9 And to those who believe not in the Hereafter, (it announceth) that We have prepared for them a Penalty Grievous (indeed). 10