وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا (٤) فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا (٥) ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا (٦) إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا (٧) عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًا

(4) And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Book that, You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness.

(5) So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you slaves of Ours – those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.

(6) Then We gave back to you a return victory over them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower

(7) [And said], “If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves.” Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter ʾal-Masjid [ʾal-ʾAqṣā], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.

(8) [Then Allāh said], “It is expected, [if you repent], that your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment]. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed.”

ʾal-ʾIsrāʾ: 4-8

In view of the ongoing massacre of Ghazzah, it is heart warming that the Muslims are turning to Allāh and His Words. In the age of social media words spread, good and bad, but also in the age of social media the words of Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ have become democratised, without the references and authenticity that sacred knowledge requires. One such message on social media, is that the above verses refer to the current state of Israel, implying that Allāh has promised to destroy the current state of Israel in these words.

A cursory glance at a translation seems to support such an interpretation and even the weakest believer would not brush the Words of Allāh aside. (Actually after writing that sentence, I remembered that just two days ago a prominent Palestine activist had scoffed at Allāh declaring His authority over the entire earth, as being irrelevant to discourse on Palestine. Anyway, I therefore address the rest of the Muslims who are less brazen).

Now let us examine the verses honestly. I do not say “honestly and without bias” because I am definitely biased. I am biased to my abused brethren and would like them to have any source of legitimate hope. I am also biased towards maintaining the principles of interpretation of Allāh’s Word as established by His Messenger ﷺ and handed to us through the Companions and Pious Predecessors. The Qurʾān is not my plaything to do with as strikes my fancy.

The View that it is Modern Israel

At the outset it must be understood that this view has been formulated within our times. A little thought makes that obvious. Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ almost never specify dates in what they foretell, and even names of places and people are not that frequent. So if the verses do foretell the future destruction of Israel, no scholar would have specified it to be 1948 onwards. It would simply have been left open as a future event.

This already raises the question, how can we be certain that it foretells the destruction of this Israel? Although it may seem far fetched that there can be another Israel after this one, recall that Crusader Jerusalem was captured in 1187, but arose again in 1229. History is long and not subject to our limited vison.

Nevertheless, the way the world is going, it does seem far fetched for there to be another Israel after this. So by way of discussion let us continue with the view that the verses foretell the destruction of contemporary Israel.

This view branches off from the generally accepted commentary that verses 4-5 refer to the punishment of the Israelites at the hands of the Babylonians. In 586 B.C. the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar sent his general, Nebuzaradan, to destroy Baytul Maqdis. The general burnt the entire city, including ʾal-Masjid ʾal-ʾAqṣā and the Children of Israel were exiled to Babylon.

The next two verses speak of the Israelites reestablishing themselves and then facing a second punishment due to their disobedience. As Israel reestablished itself in 1948, this second punishment is expected to be inflicted on the current state.

This is what some say. Is this in line with the actual Tafsīr and its rules?

Tafsīr bi ʾar-Raʾy

Before referring to our Pious Predecessors for the interpretation of these verses, which should be our first step when seeking clarity on the Qurʾān, it is meet that we remind ourselves of what Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ stated in regards commenting on the Qurʾān based on personal opinion, rather than established knowledge and principles.

مَن قال في القرآنِ برأيِّهِ ، فليتَبوَّأْ مَقعدَهُ مِن النَّارِ

He who utters about the Qurʾān according to his opinion, should prepare his seat out of fire [of Hell].

ʾat_Tirmidhī 2951, ʾAḥmad 2976

‏مَنْ قَالَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ بِرَأْيِهِ فَأَصَابَ فَقَدْ أَخْطَأَ

He who utters about the Qurʾān according to his opinion, then even if he happens to be correct he has still erred [sinned].

ʾat_Tirmidhī 2652

Thus no matter how plausible an interpretation may be, the Qurʾān is not a toy for us to play with. I ask western Muslims to fear Allāh and not comment based solely on a vernacular translations. There is much more to Allāh’s words. Great scholars who have studied Arabic, Ḥadīth, Tafsīr and so many other prerequisite scinces fear to utter anything about the Qurʾān without proper study. It would benefit our Hereafter to follow their example.

I also advise the brothers in the Arab world to fear Allāh. Your grasp of colloquial Arabic does not license you to comment without study either. Words change in meaning from time to place, and your understanding may not be according to revelation. You do not have greater understanding than ʿAdī bin Ḥātim (may Allāh be pleased with him) – a prince who spoke the purest of Arabic, and Companion, yet he misunderstood ʾal-Baqarah: 187 and Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ rectified him. Even his name is a lesson for us on how vast knowledge is. I have met Arabs who are only familiar with pronouncing عدي as ʿUdayy and thus wrongly insisted that it is ʿUdayy bin Ḥātim instead of ʾAdī.

Tafsīr of the Predecessors

Does the Tafsīr of those with their chains of knowledge stretching back to Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ accommodate the view that the second punishment is still to be inflicted on Israel? Every classic Tafsīr declares that both punishments had already fallen on Israel. There is none that speaks of this as foretelling of a future event. The only difference amongst the Commentors is when did these past events take place and who exactly inflicted them. So for example did Goliath punish Israel the first time or did Nebuchadnezzar? But will it occur 14 centuries after Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ is not a question even entertained before this generation.

It would seem that ʾal-ʾImām ʾal-Qurṭubī has devoted the most in discussing the subject. A very apt explanation and conclusion from his works is as follows:

قال حذيفة : فقلت يا رسول الله ، وكيف أخذت هذه الأشياء من بيت المقدس . فقال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – : إن بني إسرائيل لما عصوا الله وقتلوا الأنبياء سلط الله عليهم بختنصر وهو من المجوس وكان ملكه سبعمائة سنة ، وهو قوله : فإذا جاء وعد أولاهما بعثنا عليكم عبادا لنا أولي بأس شديد فجاسوا خلال الديار وكان وعدا مفعولا فدخلوا بيت المقدس وقتلوا الرجال وسبوا النساء والأطفال وأخذوا الأموال وجميع ما كان في بيت المقدس من هذه الأصناف فاحتملوها على سبعين ألفا ومائة ألف عجلة حتى أودعوها أرض بابل ، فأقاموا يستخدمون بني إسرائيل ويستملكونهم بالخزي والعقاب والنكال مائة عام ، ثم إن الله – عز وجل – رحمهم فأوحى إلى ملك من ملوك فارس أن يسير إلى المجوس في أرض بابل ، وأن يستنقذ من في أيديهم من بني إسرائيل ; فسار إليهم ذلك الملك حتى دخل أرض بابل فاستنقذ من بقي من بني إسرائيل من أيدي المجوس واستنقذ ذلك الحلي الذي كان في بيت المقدس ورده الله إليه كما كان أول مرة وقال لهم : يا بني إسرائيل إن عدتم إلى المعاصي عدنا عليكم بالسبي والقتل ، وهو قوله : عسى ربكم أن يرحمكم وإن عدتم عدنا فلما رجعت بنو إسرائيل إلى بيت المقدس عادوا إلى المعاصي فسلط الله عليهم ملك الروم قيصر ، وهو قوله : فإذا جاء وعد الآخرة ليسوءوا وجوهكم وليدخلوا المسجد كما دخلوه أول مرة وليتبروا ما علوا تتبيرا فغزاهم في البر والبحر فسباهم وقتلهم وأخذ أموالهم ونساءهم ، وأخذ حلي جميع بيت المقدس واحتمله على سبعين ألفا ومائة ألف عجلة حتى أودعه في كنيسة الذهب ، فهو فيها الآن حتى يأخذه المهدي فيرده إلى بيت المقدس ، وهو ألف سفينة وسبعمائة سفينة يرسى بها على يافا حتى تنقل إلى بيت المقدس وبها يجمع الله الأولين والآخرين . . . وذكر الحديث

Ḥudhayfah said…Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ said:

When the Children of Israel disobeyed and slew the Prophets, Allāh imposed Nebuchadnezzar upon them… and this in in reference to what Allāh says “So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you slaves of Ours – those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.” So they entered Baytul Maqdis, slew the men and enslaved the women and children….for a hundred years. The Allāh…inspired a Persian king… to free the Children of Israel. He went…and freed what remained of the Children of Israel…Allāh restored Baytul Maqdis as it was the first time and said to them, “O Children of Israel, if you return to disobedience We shall return with slavery and killing upon you.” And this in reference to what Allāh says “[Then Allāh said], “It is expected, [if you repent], that your Lord will have mercy upon you.” However, when the Children of Israel returned to Baytul Maqdis they returned to disobedience, so Allāh imposed the Ceasar of Rome on them. And this is in reference to what Allāh says, “Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter ʾal-Masjid [ʾal-ʾAqṣā], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.”

Verse 6: The Intermediate Kingdom

The modern interpretation of verse 6 is that the restored power of Israel refers to the modern state. The argument runs that the verse refers to a restored Israelite state between the two punishments. As there was no state of Israelites after the Babylonian invasion the verse must of necessity refer to 1948.

This argument is flawed on two counts. Firstly while the verse does indicate towards symbols of state – wealth and numbers – Israel was tribal before that, which they possessed without having a state. A formal state is not necessary to fulfil the description.

Secondly it is false that there was no Intermediate Israel before 1948. The Hasmonean Kingdom of 140 BC to 37 BC for example fits perfectly with the classical Tafsīr.

Summary & Comparison

A modern interpretation based on the apparent words of Sūrah ʾal-ʾIsrāʾ is that it tells of a second future punishment to befall the Israelites, construed as the modern state of Israel.
The Qurʾān does not mention dates. Even if the modern interpretation of a future event has a basis, proof must be provided that the Qurʾān refers to this time, place and political entity.
The classical Commentary, based on traditional Islāmic exegesis and narrations state both punishments to have already fallen.
The traditional interpretation of two past punishments of 586 BC (under Nebuchadnezzar) and 70 AD (under Titus Caesar) matches both Jewish narrations as well as historical fact.
The modern argument hinges on there being no state of Israel before 1948 and ignores facts such as the Hasmonean Kingdom, an independent Israelite kingdom that existed for over a century.
The Qurʾān mentions the destruction of ʾal-ʾAqṣā during the first punishment and compares the destruction during the second punishment with that of the first. According to history and Jewish narrations ʾal-ʾAqṣā was destroyed during both events. Thus the comparison matches within the ambit of the traditional Commentary.
If the second punishment is yet to occur and is to be at the hands of the Muslims, how does the modern argument accommodate for the destruction of both Jerusalem and ʾal-Masjid ʾal-ʾAqṣā which happened in the first punishment. Are the Muslims calling for the liberation of the Masjid, only to destroy it as a punishment for the Jews? How is that a punishment for them instead of us?
It is also worth pointing that many (e.g. Maḥmūd ʿAbbās) argue that contemporary Jews are descendants of Turkic Khazars and not the Children of Israel. Well Sūrah ʾal-ʾIsrāʾ specifically addresses the “Children of Israel” not Jews. It would therefore make no sense for Khazar theory advocates to also advocate the revised Commentary of the Sūrah.

This article is far short of a deeper discussion that could have been composed, but is already too long for most people’s attention spans. I can only affirm that all Muslims love the land of the Night Journey of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ, and our hearts bleed at the ongoing massacre and difficulties, but our love and support are framed by obedience to Allāh, not manufacturing fancies, especially in regards His Book.

Before I conclude, although not at all relate to this topic, I have to use this opportunity to awaken Muslims to the fact that for the past 16 years the hypocrite regimes of Egypt and “Saudi” Arabia have assisted Israel in besieging Ghazzah. For Allah’s sake, look at the map! Israel does not surround Ghazzah completely. The siege is not possible without these hypocrites amongst us! Shame on those scholars and activists who keep silent on this.

سليمان الكندي

Twitter: @sulayman_kindi