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 And We vouchsafed unto Musa the Book and We appointed it as a guidance to the Children of Isra'il: take not beside Me a trustee. 2 O descendants of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful servant. 3 And We had made known to the children of Israel in the Book: Most certainly you will make mischief in the land twice, and most certainly you will behave insolently with great insolence. 4 So, when the promise of the first of these came to pass, We sent against you servants of Ours, men of great might, and they went through the habitations, and it was a promise performed. 5 We then reversed your attack upon them, and aided you with wealth and sons and increased your numbers. 6 (We said): 'If you do good, it shall be for your own souls; but if you do evil it is likewise' And when the second promise came (We sent them against you), to sadden your faces and to enter the Mosque as they entered it the first time, they utterly destroyed whatever they came across. 7 It may be that your Lord may (yet) show Mercy unto you; but if ye revert (to your sins), We shall revert (to Our punishments): And we have made Hell a prison for those who reject (all Faith). 8 Surely, this Quran guides to the most upright way and gives good news to the believers who do good deeds, so that they will 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