The Night Journey (Al-Isra)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially 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 Musa the Book and made it a guidance to the children of Israel, saying: Do not take a protector besides Me; 2 "O offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nuh (Noah)! Verily, he was a grateful slave." 3 We announced to the children of Israel in the Book: "You will surely create disorder twice in the land, and become exceedingly arrogant." 4 So, when the promise came for the first of the two, We sent against you slaves of Ours given to terrible warfare. They entered the very innermost parts of your homes. And it was a promise (completely) fulfilled. 5 We then reversed your attack upon them, and aided you with wealth and sons and increased your numbers. 6 [We said], "If you persevere in doing good, you will be doing good to yourselves; but if you do evil, it will go against you." When the time of the second warning came, [We roused against you others] to disgrace you utterly and to enter the place of worship as they had entered it before, utterly destroying all that they laid their hands on. 7 Perchance your Lord will have mercy upon you; but if you return, We shall return; and We have made Gehenna a prison for the unbelievers. 8 This Koran guides to the straightest way. It gives glad tidings of a great wage to the believers who do good deeds, 9 And that those who do not believe in the Hereafter - We have prepared for them a painful punishment. 10