Surah Al-Isra
Surah 17 · The Night Journey · 111 verses · meccan
The Night Journey — from the opening verse, in which the Prophet ﷺ was taken by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque. It is also called Bani Isra'il.
The story
One night, Allah took the Prophet ﷺ on an amazing journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and up through the heavens — and that is when we were given our five daily prayers. This surah then teaches us how to behave, especially with our parents when they get old.
How it unfolds
AYAH 1
The journey by night
One verse, no elaboration — from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, to be shown some of Allah's signs.
AYAH 13-22
Every neck carries its record
Each person's deeds fastened to them, and a book they will be told to read for themselves.
AYAH 23-39
The code
Parents, relatives, the poor, the traveller; no waste, no killing, no adultery, no false claims, no arrogance.
AYAH 78-89
A healing and a mercy
The Quran as cure, the night prayer, and the challenge that humans and jinn together could not produce its like.
Verses to carry
- 17:23"Do not say to them uff" — the Quran forbidding even a sound of irritation toward ageing parents.
- 17:24"My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small." The du'a for parents.
- 17:82"We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers."
- 17:36"Do not pursue what you have no knowledge of — the hearing, the sight and the heart will all be questioned."
Remember this
Never say even "ugh" to your mum or dad. Allah made that a rule.
Talk about it
Allah taught us a du'a for our parents: "have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small." Can you learn it by heart?