17. Surah Al Isra

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

Transliteration Man-ihtada_ fa innama_ yahtadi li nafsih(i), wa man dalla fa innama_ yadillu 'alaiha_, wa la_ taziru wa_ziratuw wizra ukhra_, wa ma_ kunna_ mu'azzibina hatta_ nab'asa rasu_la_(n).

مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ...   

17: 15.  Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit:

...وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا...

who goeth astray doth so to his own loss:

C2190. The doctrine of personal responsibility is insisted on, and the basis of ethics is shown to be our own good or evil as furthering or obstructing our highest development.

...وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى...

no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another:

C2191. The doctrine of vicarious atonement is condemned. Salvation for the wicked cannot be attained by the punishment of the innocent.

One man cannot bear the burden of another: that would be unjust. Every man must bear his own personal responsibility. Cf. 6:164.

But Allah never visits His wrath on anyone until due warning is conveyed to him through an accredited messenger.

...وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولاً ﴿١٥﴾

nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a Messenger (to give warning).

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا...

17: 16.  When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress;

C2192. Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together.

Those who are highly gifted from Allah -it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities- are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed.

 ...فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا ﴿١٦﴾

so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.

C2193. Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law.

Other versions:

17: 15

Asad Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever goes astray goes but astray to his own hurt; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden. 19 Moreover. We would never chastise [any community for the wrong they may do] ere We have sent an apostle [to them]. 20

Yusuf Ali Who receiveth guidance receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an apostle (to give warning).

Pickthall Whosoever goeth right, it is only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth, erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another's load. We never punish until We have sent a messenger.

Yuksel Whoever is guided is guided for himself, and whoever is misguided is for his own loss. No person shall carry the load of another, and We were not to punish until We send a messenger.*

[[ Yuksel’s notes - 017:013 All our intentions, words, and actions are recorded in a record. We will be impeached by this record on the Day of Judgment. See 57:22.

[[ Asad’s note - 20 Sc, "so that they might fully understand the meaning of right and wrong": cf 6:131-132 and the corresponding note 1 17, as well as 29:59 (which, in the chronology of revelation, immediately precedes the present surah). ]]

[[ Yuksel’s note -

017:015 This verse confirms the Biblical verse Ezekiel 18:20. However, the Bible also contains verses claiming collective punishment: Exodus 20:5;Lamentations 5:7; Psalms 109:9-10. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 2190 The doctrine of personal responsibility is insisted on, and the basis of ethics is shown to be our own good or evil as furthering or obstructing our highest development. (17.15)

2191 The doctrine of vicarious atonement is condemned. Salvation for the wicked cannot be attained by the punishment of the innocent. One man cannot bear the burden of another: that would be unjust. Every man must bear his own personal responsibility. Cf. vi. 164. But Allah never visits His wrath on anyone until due warning is conveyed to him through an accredited messenger. (17.15) ]]

17: 16 [al-Israa, Mecca 50]

Yusuf Ali When We decide to destroy a population We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.

Pickthall And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and We annihilate it with complete annihilation.

Yuksel If We wish to destroy a town, We allow its privileged hedonists to rule it, then they commit evil in it, then it deserves the punishment, then We destroy it completely.

Transliteration Wa iza_ aradna_ an nuhlika qaryatan amarna_ mutrafiha_ fa fasaqu_ fiha_ fa haqqa 'alaihal qaulu fa dammarna_ha_ tadmira_(n).

[[Ali’s notes - 2192 Allah's Mercy gives every chance to the wicked to repent. When wickedness gets so rampant that punishment becomes inevitable, even then Allah's Mercy and Justice act together. Those who are highly gifted from Allah-it may be with wealth or position, or it may be with talents and opportunities-are expected to understand and obey. They are given a definite order and warning. If they still transgress there is no further room for argument. They cannot plead that they were ignorant. The command of the Lord is proved against them, and its application is called for beyond doubt. Then it is that their punishment is completed. (17.16)

2193 Qaul here has the sense of word, order, law, charge framed against one under a definite law. (17.16)]]