17. Surah Al Isra

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ...   

17: 2.     We gave Moses the Book,

C2170. The Book: the revelation that was given to Moses.

It was there clearly laid down that those who followed Moses must consider Allah as the Only God.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me; thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ...... thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God .... ;" etc. (Exod. 20:3-5).

These are the words of the English Bible.

As a matter of fact the spirit of the Mosaic teaching went further. It referred all things to the Providence of Allah: Allah is the Disposer of all affairs, and we are to look to none but Him. This is Islam, and the Mi'raj showed that it was the teaching of Allah from the most ancient times, and yet it was violated by the very people who claimed to be its custodians.

...وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَلاَّ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِي وَكِيلاً ﴿٢﴾

 and made it a Guide to the Children of Israel, (commanding):

"Take not other than Me as Disposer of (your) affairs."

C2171. Note the transition from "We" in the first clause to "Me" in the second clause.

-         The first clause refers to the majesty of Allah as the Heavenly King;

-         the second clause refers to His personal interest in all our affairs.

Other versions:

17: 2 [ al-Israa, Mecca 50 ]

Yusuf Ali We gave Moses the Book and made it a Guide to the Children of Israel (commanding): "Take not other than Me as Disposer of (your) affairs."

Pickthall We gave unto Moses the Scripture, and We appointed it a guidance for the Children of Israel, saying: Choose no guardian beside Me.

Yuksel We gave Moses the book and We made it a guidance for the Children of Israel: "Do not pick any protector besides Me."

Transliteration Wa a_taina_ mu_sal kita_ba wa ja'alna_hu hudal libani isra_'ila alla_ tattakhiztu_ min du_ni wakila_(n).