Majmu Fatawa - Salih Al-Fawzan - (1/155)

Majmu FatawaSalih Al-Fawzan

Exegesis of Sura al-Isrāʾ

Question: Allah the Exalted says in His Noble Book, in Sura al-Isrāʾ, “We decreed for the Children of Israel in the Book: ‘You will surely cause corruption on earth twice, and you will assuredly rise to a great height in arrogance. So when the promise of the first of the two came to pass, We sent against you servants of Ours, possessed of formidable might, who swept through the homes, and the promise was fulfilled. Then We allowed you to prevail over them once again, supplied you with wealth and sons, and made you greater in mobilised numbers’ ” (17:4-6).
What do these verses mean? What is intended by “corruption on earth twice,” and have the two occasions already taken place? What is the meaning of His words, “they roamed through the homes,” and what lessons are to be drawn from these verses?

Answer: Allah, exalted be He, says, “We decreed for the Children of Israel,” that is, We informed them and made it clear to them that they would perpetrate corruption on earth through disbelief, sin, and the killing of prophets. His words, “You will surely cause corruption on earth,” refer to their sins, unbelief, and impiety. “Twice” means that the first occasion has already occurred, after which Allah punished them. Concerning His statement, “So when the promise of the first of the two came to pass, We sent against you servants of Ours, possessed of formidable might, who swept through the homes,” Allah sent against them an enemy from among the disbelievers—some say Zoroastrian Persians, others another people—who slaughtered them mercilessly and laid their lands and dwellings open to pillage, as retribution for the corruption they had spread. This was the first occasion.

Thereafter, Allah restored the turn of advantage to the Children of Israel; they multiplied and regained their strength. He says, “Then We allowed you to prevail over them once again, supplied you with wealth and sons, and made you greater in mobilised numbers.” After He had punished them for that first corruption, He favoured them anew with power, honour, abundant wealth, and many children. Yet they did not safeguard Allah’s favour by showing gratitude; instead, they returned to corruption a second time and again spread mischief on the earth.

تفسير سورة الإسراء سؤال: يقول الله تعالى في كتابه العزيز في سورة الإسراء: ﴿وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَفْعُولًا ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا﴾ [الإسراء: ٤-٦] ، فما معنى هذه الآيات، وما المقصود بالإفساد في الأرض مرتين، وهل مضت المرتان، وما معنى قوله تعالى: ﴿فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ﴾ ، وماذا يفهم من هذه الآيات؟ الجواب: يقول الله ﷾: ﴿وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ﴾ : أي أخبرناهم، بينا لهم أنه سيحصل منهم إفساد في الأرض بالكفر والمعاصي وقتل الأنبياء. ﴿وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾ : يعني بالمعاصي والكفر والإلحاد. ﴿مَرَّتَيْنِ﴾ ، المرة الأولى حصلت، ثم إن الله ﷾ عاقبهم. ﴿فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ﴾ : بعث الله عليهم عدوًا من الكفار، من كفار المجوس أو من غيرهم، فقتلوهم شر قتلة واستباحوا بلادهم وديارهم عقوبة لهم لما أفسدوا في الأرض، هذا حصل عليهم المرة الأولى، ثم إن الله ﷾ أعاد الكرة لبني إسرائيل ونموا، وأعاد لهم قوتهم. ﴿ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا﴾ بعدما عاقبهم الله ﷾ على الإفساد الأول، مَنَّ عليهم بأن أعاد لهم قوتهم وعزتهم وكثرة الغنى والأولاد، ثم إنهم لم يقيدوا نعمة الله بالشكر، وعادوا إلى إفسادهم مرة ثانية، فأفسدوا في الأرض مرة ثانية،