question concerning Al-Isra surah 4

format_quote Originally Posted by davejames2027

017.004
YUSUFALI: And We gave (Clear) Warning to the Children of Israel in the Book, that twice would they do mischief on the earth and be elated with mighty arrogance (and twice would they be punished)!

what are these 2 mischiefs that Prophet is mentionning here .

thank you

Hi David,

Firstly it is not the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) who is saying it, we as muslims believe that the Qur'an is direct revelation from Allah (SWT), so every single word in the Qur'an is that of Allah (SWT), not from any Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) or man/women.

The two verses mention events of the Children of Israel so that they serve as a lesson. They where engrossed in sin and disobedience so Allah (SWT) set there enemies upon them who shook them up. The Children of Israel got the message so cut down on there mischief and gave the impression of having bieng corrected. But soon after the same lust and desires over took them. Again Allah (SWT) had them punished at the hands of there enemies.

The Holy Qur'an mentions two events while history records six like these.

1. The first event came to pass after the death of Prophet Sulayman (Solomon), the founder of Al Masjid Al Aqsa, when the ruler of Jerusalem became irreligious and corrupt. The ruler of Egypt attacked him and took away the gold and silver of Jerusalem. He however did not demolish the city or masjid.

2. The second event relates to nearly four hundred years after that. Some Jews who settled in Jerusalem started idol-worshiping while the rest began disputing among themselves. This ill omen prompted another ruler of Egypt to attack which somewhat affected the city and Masjid. After this incident things took a turn for the better.

3. The third event came to pass after some years when Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon ransacked Jerusalem. He conqured the city, looted property and took back many prisoners of war. When he left he had a member of the family of the former king appointed a ruler of the city as his deputy.

4. When this new King, who worshipped idols and was corrupt, rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, he returned, killed people, destroyed property en masse and burned the city razing it to rubbles. This happened nearly 450 years after the construction of the Masjid. After that, the Jews went out as exiles to Babylon where they lived in disgrace for seventy years. After that the King of Iran attacked the King of Babylon and conquered it. The King of Iran showed mercy to the Jews and ordered that the ex-pats be let back in. The jews repented having forsaken there habitual sins and misdeeds. With the King of Iran they restored Masjid Al Aqsa to its former state.

5. After this event when the jews had peace and prosperity the first thing they forgot was their past. They returned to there previous sins. Then it so happened 170 years before the birth of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) the King who founded Antioch attacked killing 40,000 jews and taking another 40,000 as prisoners and slaves, even desecrated the Masjid though its structre remained safe. But later, the successors of that king rendered the city and the Masjid totally denuded. Soon after this, Jerusalem came under the authority of the Roman kings. They put the masjid back into shape this was eight years after the birth of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him).

6. Forty years after the physical ascension of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), the jews chose to rebel against there roman rulers. The Romans destroyed the city and the Masjid leaving it the way they had found it. The King of the time was Titus who was neither a Jew or Christian. From that time to the time of the Second Caliph Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), the Masjid lay desolate until had it reconstructed. These six events have been reported in Tafsir Bayan Al Qur'an with referance to Tafsir Haqqani.

Now, it is difficult to precisley determine as to which two are being referred to in the Holy Qur'an. But, as obvious, the events that are major and serious among these, in which the Jews were far to wicked in there sins and more seriously punished too, should be taken as the likley ones. The fourth and sixth seem to be fit for such application. A long Hadeeth from the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) narrated by Sayyidna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in Tafsir Al Qurtubi, helps to determine that the fourth and sixth events are being referred to.

Peace

First time: When moses came to them

2nd time when jesus came to them