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A warning to us regarding what led the enemies to overpower the Muslims of Bani Israel


In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allah [The Exalted] says:

وَقَضَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ لَتُفۡسِدُنَّ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَّتَيۡنِ وَلَتَعۡلُنَّ عُلُوًّ۬ا ڪَبِيرً۬ا

And We decreed for the Children of Israel in the Scripture, that indeed you would do mischief on the earth twice and you will become tyrants and extremely arrogant! [Al-Israa. Ayah 4]– Meaning, “We have declared, made a covenant with them and told them in their book that corruption will certainly occur from them on earth twice through committing sins, showing ingratitude to Allah for His Blessings, exalting themselves on earth and being arrogant therein; and that when one of these two (occasions) come to pass, Allah will give power to their enemies and take revenge on them, and this is an admonition and warning to them so that they may return to obedience and take heed”. [a]

فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ أُولَٮٰهُمَا بَعَثۡنَا عَلَيۡڪُمۡ عِبَادً۬ا لَّنَآ أُوْلِى بَأۡسٍ۬ شَدِيدٍ۬ فَجَاسُواْ خِلَـٰلَ ٱلدِّيَارِ‌ۚ وَكَانَ وَعۡدً۬ا مَّفۡعُولاً۬

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. [Al-Israa. Ayah 5] – Meaning, the first of the two occasions during which they become corrupt; if such corruption occurred among them, We sent on you – by way of our all-encompassing divine will and decree- recompense (punishment) at the hands of those people with courage, large numbers, and armed, so, Allah gave them victory over you. They killed you, took your children away, plundered your wealth, invaded and destroyed your homes, and entered the Sacred Masjid (Baytul Maqdis), and violated it. It must happen due to a reason from themselves. The Qur’an commentators differed regarding the identity of these people who were sent to overpower them, but they agreed that they were unbelievers. Either they were from the people of Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, or elsewhere, whom Allah gave (the strength) to overpower the Children of Israel when their sins became rife, they abandoned much of their Shariah, and transgressed in the land. [b]

ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَا لَكُمُ ٱلۡڪَرَّةَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَأَمۡدَدۡنَـٰكُم بِأَمۡوَٲلٍ۬ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أَڪۡثَرَ نَفِيرًا

Then We gave you once again, a return of victory over them. And We helped you with wealth and children and made you more numerous in manpower. [Al-Israa. Ayah 6] – Meaning, (gave you victory) against those who overpowered you, so you expelled them from your land; increased your sustenance and number, and gave you strength over them because of your righteous deeds and submission to Allah. [c]

إِنۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ لِأَنفُسِكُمۡ‌ۖ وَإِنۡ أَسَأۡتُمۡ فَلَهَا‌ۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ لِيَسُـۥۤـُٔواْ وُجُوهَڪُمۡ وَلِيَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ ڪَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ۬ وَلِيُتَبِّرُواْ مَا عَلَوۡاْ تَتۡبِيرًا

(And We said): ‘If you do good, you do good for your ownselves, and if you do evil, then it is (to your ownselves).’ Then when the later promise came to pass (We enabled your enemies) to put sorrow on your faces (by conquering and enslaving you) and to enter the Mosque (of Jerusalem), as they had entered it the first time, and to destroy everything they came upon with utter destruction. [Al-Israa. Ayah 7] [d]

“If you do good, you do good for your ownselves” because the benefit will return to you, even in this world [before the hereafter] as you witnessed when he aided you against your enemies. “And if you do evil, then it is [to your ownselves]”, meaning, the harm will return upon yourselves, as Allāh showed you by empowering the enemies [against you]. [e]

“Then when the later promise came to pass”– meaning, the next time you spread corruption on earth, we make your enemies overpower you. “to put sorrow on your faces (by conquering and enslaving you)”- Meaning, given victory over you, capture you, and enter the Sacred Masjid as they entered it the first time, and what is meant by the Mosque is Baytul Maqdis. “and to destroy everything they came upon with utter destruction”– Meaning, destroy your homes, Masjids and crops. [f]

عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يَرۡحَمَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَإِنۡ عُدتُّمۡ عُدۡنَا‌ۘ وَجَعَلۡنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ حَصِيرًا

(Thereafter Allāh said): ‘Perhaps your Lord may show mercy to you (if you repent), but if you return (to your sinful ways), then We shall return (to punishment). And we have made Hell an enclosure for the disbelievers. [Al-Israa. Ayah 8] [g]

Within these verses (Al-Israa 7) (al-Israa 8) is a warning to this nation from committing acts of disobedience lest what afflicted the Children of Israel afflict them as well. The sunnah (way, rule) of Allāh is one, it does not change or become altered. Whoever looks [and reflects] upon the empowerment of the disbelievers and oppressors over the Muslims will come to know that this was due to their sins, as a punishment to them. [And also to make them realise] that if they enact and establish the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger, He will grant them firm authority in the land and aid them against their enemies. [h]

We ask Allah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي
وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي
وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

O Allah! Rectify my religion for me, which is the safeguard of my affairs; rectify my worldly [affairs], wherein is my livelihood; and rectify my Afterlife to which is my return; and make life for me [as a means of] increase in every good and make death for me as a rest from every evil. [Saheeh Muslim Number: 2720]


[Refs a, b, c & f]: 

Tafseer As-Sadi. salaficentre

 

[Refs d, e, g & h]:

Translator: Shaikh Abu Iyaad [may Allah preserve him]:

https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/verse/17/7

https://www.thenoblequran.com/q/#/verse/17/8

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