The Night Journey (Al-Isra)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the 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 We gave Moses the Book and made it a guide for the Children of Israel saying, "Do not take anyone besides Me as a guardian, 2 you who are the descendants of those whom We carried in the Ark with Noah. He was a truly thankful servant." 3 Then We clearly declared to the Children of Israel in the Book: "Twice you will make mischief in the land and will commit transgression." 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 And after a time We allowed you to prevail against them once again, and aided you with wealth and offspring, and made you more numerous [than ever]. 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 Belike your Lord may yet have mercy on you; and if ye still revert, We will revert. And We have appointed Hell for the infidels a prison. 8 Surely this Quran guides to that which is most upright and gives good news to the believers who do good that they shall have a great reward. 9 And that (as for) those who do not believe in the hereafter, We have prepared for them a painful chastisement. 10