17. Surah Al Isra

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَى فِي السَّمَاء...   

17: 93.  "Or thou have a house adorned with gold, or thou mount a ladder right into the skies.

C2296. Cf. 6:35 about a ladder to the skies.

...وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَؤُهُ...

No, we shall not even believe in thy mounting until thou send down to us a book that we could read."

C2297. Cf. 6:7 for the foolish idea of materialistic skeptics that a spiritual revelation could come down from the heavens on a piece of parchment that they can touch.

...قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنتُ إَلاَّ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً ﴿٩٣﴾

Say: "Glory to my Lord! am I aught but a man -- a Messenger?"

C2298. A prophet or messenger of Allah is a man at the command of Allah, and not to satisfy the disingenuous whims and fancies of Unbelievers.

Miracles greater than any that their foolish fancies could devise were before them. The Quran was such a miracle, and it is a standing miracle that lasts through the ages.

Why did they not believe?

The real reason was spite and jealousy like that of Iblis. See next verse.

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَاءهُمُ الْهُدَى...   

17: 94.   What kept men back from Belief when Guidance came to them, was nothing but this:

...إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً ﴿٩٤﴾

they said, "Has Allah sent a man like (us) to be (His) Messenger?"

C2299. When a man is raised to honour and dignity, his sincere brothers rejoice, for it is an honour that reflects its glory on them. But those with evil in their hearts are jealous like their prototype Iblis, (17:61, n. 2251).

To such men the mere fact that their own brother receives the grace of Allah is enough to turn them against that brother.

Any other reasons they may devise are mere make-believe.

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِي الأَرْضِ مَلآئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ...   

17: 95.   Say,

"If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet,

C2300. The argument is that if angels inhabited this earth, an angel from heaven could be sent down as a messenger to them, as they could mutually understand each other, and the Message of Allah could be explained without difficulty.

But the earth is inhabited by men, and the men themselves are divided into races, or groups, or nations. To each Group is sent a prophet from among their brethren: to 'Ad, their brother Hud (11:50); to Thamud, their brother Salih (11:61): and so on.

As a matter of fact, with wicked men, constituted as they are, the appearance of an angel causes disturbance and an unseemly riot, as in the case of the angels that came to Lut (11:77-80).

In any case they cannot carry out an effective mission among men (6:8-9).

...لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَاء مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً ﴿٩٥﴾

We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger."

Other versions:

17: 93

Asad …………Say you, [O Prophet:] “Limitless in His glory is my Sustainer!” Am I, then, aught but a mortal man, an apostle?”

Yusuf Ali "Or thou have a house adorned with gold or thou mount a ladder right into the skies. No we shall not even believe in thy mounting until thou send down to us a book that we could read." Say: "Glory to my Lord! am I aught but a man an apostle?"

Pickthall Thou have a house of gold; or thou ascend up into heaven, and even then we will put no faith in thine ascension till thou bring down for us a book that we can read. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord be glorified! Am I naught save a mortal messenger?

Au yaku_na laka baitum min zukhrufin au tarqa_ fis sama_'(i), wa lan nu'mina liruqiyyika hatta_ tunazzila 'alaina_ kita_ban naqra'uh(u_), qul subha_na rabbi hal kuntu illa_ basyarar rasu_la_(n).

17: 94

Yusuf Ali What kept men back from Belief when Guidance came to them was nothing but this: they said "Has Allah sent a man like us) to be (His) Apostle?"

Pickthall And naught prevented mankind from believing when the guidance came unto them save that they said: Hath Allah sent a mortal as (His) messenger?

Yuksel 17:94 Nothing stopped the people from acknowledging when the guidance came to them, except they said, "Has God sent a human messenger?"

Transliteration Wa ma_ mana'an na_sa ay yu'minu_ iz ja_'ahumul huda_ illa_ an qa_lu_ aba'asalla_hu basyarar rasu_la_(n

17: 95

Yusuf Ali Say "If there were settled on earth angels walking about in peace and quiet We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for an apostle."

Pickthall Say: If there were in the earth angels walking secure, We had sent down for them from heaven an angel as messenger.

Yuksel 17:95 Say, "If the earth had angels walking about at ease, We would have sent down to them from heaven an angel as a messenger."

Transliteration Qul lau ka_na fil ardi mala_'ikatuy yamsyu_na mutma'innina lanazzalna_ 'alaihim minas sama_'i malakar rasu_la_(n).