Expedition Think: The Quran on the Bani Israel

and the Israel-Palestine war in 2023-2024

When Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ informed the angels about His Plan to appoint a Khalifa for the Earth, they wondered why would Allah appoint someone who would cause corruption and shed blood (Q2:30).

When Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ ratified a covenant with the Bani Israel, they solemnly covenanted to not shed blood, nor evict people from their homes (Q2:84-86).

So, it is not surprising that right after the exile of Adam عليه السلام , the Quran directly addresses the Bani Israel asking them to fulfil their part of the covenant, so that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ fulfils His part of the Covenant with them (Q2:40).

The Jews were forbidden from taking usury, and from consuming people's wealth unjustly (Q4:161).

Every time the Jews have kindled the fire of war, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ has extinguished it. And they strive to corrupt the Earth, but Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ does not love the corrupters (Q5:64).

The Rejectors / Disbelievers (kafirs) among the Bani Israel were cursed by the tongues of David (Dawood عليه السلام) and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) because they were disobedient and habitual transgressors (Q5:78).

It was foretold that the Bani Israel will cause corruption in the Earth twice, and become haughty. Both times, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ punished them severely with destruction and exile (Q17:4).

In the first punishment, the servants of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ , people of great military might, entered their homes... (Q17:5)

In the second punishment, their faces were saddened, and their Masjid was destroyed with complete destruction (Q17:7).

They have been warned that if they repeat / return, 'We' will repeat / return (Q17:8).

Surah Bani Israel also informs us that when the promise of the Hereafter comes, they will be collected together, and brought forth in a single gathering (Q17:104).

So, if we are living in end times, the State of Israel is but a means to collect the Bani Israel from all over the world in a single gathering.

If we are not living in the end-times, then they have been warned that if they repeat / return to their corruption and haughtiness, 'We' will repeat / return.

First the Babylonians were sent against them; then the Romans.

Ever since, the Bani Israel and the Jewish diaspora has lived in exile. They have never had a land to call their own.

They settled near Yasrab (Medina) expecting the awaited Prophet, yet they refused to support him, even though they were under a pledge to support him. They were exiled from there in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ .

They have been repeatedly exiled from one country after the other.

They planted themselves in Palestine in the twentieth century, and have been shedding blood and evicting people from their homes, in violation of their covenant with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى‎ .

They have been warned:

Screenshot from quran.com/17/8

Notes on Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock after the ayaat listed here

Al-Quran ayaat referenced above:

Q2:30

وَاِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلٰٓٮِٕكَةِ اِنِّىۡ جَاعِلٌ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ خَلِيۡفَةً ؕ قَالُوۡٓا اَتَجۡعَلُ فِيۡهَا مَنۡ يُّفۡسِدُ فِيۡهَا وَيَسۡفِكُ الدِّمَآءَۚ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَـكَؕ قَالَ اِنِّىۡٓ اَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ٣٠

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?" He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."

[Al-Quran 2:30, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q2:40

يٰبَنِىۡٓ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اذۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتِىَ الَّتِىۡٓ اَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَاَوۡفُوۡا بِعَهۡدِىۡٓ اُوۡفِ بِعَهۡدِكُمۡۚ وَاِيَّاىَ فَارۡهَبُوۡنِ‏ ٤٠

O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.

[Al-Quran 2:40, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q2:84-86

وَاِذۡ اَخَذۡنَا مِيۡثَاقَكُمۡ لَا تَسۡفِكُوۡنَ دِمَآءَكُمۡ وَلَا تُخۡرِجُوۡنَ اَنۡفُسَكُمۡ مِّنۡ دِيَارِكُمۡ ثُمَّ اَقۡرَرۡتُمۡ وَاَنۡـتُمۡ تَشۡهَدُوۡنَ‏ ٨٤ ثُمَّ اَنۡـتُمۡ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ تَقۡتُلُوۡنَ اَنۡفُسَكُمۡ وَتُخۡرِجُوۡنَ فَرِيۡقًا مِّنۡكُمۡ مِّنۡ دِيَارِهِمۡ تَظٰهَرُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ بِالۡاِثۡمِ وَالۡعُدۡوَانِؕ وَاِنۡ يَّاۡتُوۡكُمۡ اُسٰرٰى تُفٰدُوۡهُمۡ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ اِخۡرَاجُهُمۡؕ اَفَتُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِبَعۡضِ الۡكِتٰبِ وَتَكۡفُرُوۡنَ بِبَعۡضٍۚ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَنۡ يَّفۡعَلُ ذٰلِكَ مِنۡکُمۡ اِلَّا خِزۡىٌ فِى الۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا ۚ وَيَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ يُرَدُّوۡنَ اِلٰٓى اَشَدِّ الۡعَذَابِؕ وَمَا اللّٰهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ ٨٥ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ الَّذِيۡنَ اشۡتَرَوُا الۡحَيٰوةَ الدُّنۡيَا بِالۡاٰخِرَةِ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنۡهُمُ الۡعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنۡصَرُوۡنَ‏ ٨٦

And [recall] when We took your covenant, [saying], "Do not shed your [i.e., each other's] blood or evict one another from your homes." Then you acknowledged [this] while you were witnessing. Then, you are those [same ones who are] killing one another and evicting a party of your people from their homes, cooperating against them in sin and aggression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their eviction was forbidden to you. So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? Then what is the recompense for those who do that among you except disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection they will be sent back to the severest of punishment. And Allāh is not unaware of what you do. Those are the ones who have bought the life of this world [in exchange] for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be aided.

[Al-Quran 2:84-86, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q4:161

وَّاَخۡذِهِمُ الرِّبٰوا وَقَدۡ نُهُوۡا عَنۡهُ وَاَكۡلِـهِمۡ اَمۡوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالۡبَاطِلِ ؕ وَاَعۡتَدۡنَـا لِلۡـكٰفِرِيۡنَ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابًا اَ لِيۡمًا‏ ١٦١

And [for] their taking of usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their consuming of the people's wealth unjustly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.

[Al-Quran 4:161, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q5:64

وَقَالَتِ الۡيَهُوۡدُ يَدُ اللّٰهِ مَغۡلُوۡلَةٌ ؕ غُلَّتۡ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَلُعِنُوۡا بِمَا قَالُوۡا ۘ بَلۡ يَدٰهُ مَبۡسُوۡطَتٰنِ ۙ يُنۡفِقُ كَيۡفَ يَشَآءُ ؕ وَلَيَزِيۡدَنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنۡهُمۡ مَّاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡكَ مِنۡ رَّبِّكَ طُغۡيَانًا وَّكُفۡرًا ؕ وَاَ لۡقَيۡنَا بَيۡنَهُمُ الۡعَدَاوَةَ وَالۡبَغۡضَآءَ اِلٰى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيٰمَةِ ؕ كُلَّمَاۤ اَوۡقَدُوۡا نَارًا لِّلۡحَرۡبِ اَطۡفَاَهَا اللّٰهُ ۙ وَيَسۡعَوۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَسَادًا ؕ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الۡمُفۡسِدِيۡنَ‏ ٦٤

And the Jews say, "The hand of Allāh is chained." Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended; He spends however He wills. And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in transgression and disbelief. And We have cast among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war [against you], Allāh extinguished it. And they strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allāh does not like corrupters.

[Al-Quran 5:64, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q5:78

لُعِنَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ عَلٰى لِسَانِ دَاوٗدَ وَعِيۡسَى ابۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَّكَانُوۡا يَعۡتَدُوۡنَ‏ ٧٨

Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.

[Al-Quran 5:78, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:4

وَقَضَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰى بَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَاۤءِيۡلَ فِى الۡكِتٰبِ لَـتُفۡسِدُنَّ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ مَرَّتَيۡنِ وَلَتَعۡلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيۡرًا‏ ٤

And We conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness."

[Al-Quran 17:4, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:5

فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ اُوۡلٰٮهُمَا بَعَثۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ عِبَادًا لَّنَاۤ اُولِىۡ بَاۡسٍ شَدِيۡدٍ فَجَاسُوۡا خِلٰلَ الدِّيَارِ ؕ وَكَانَ وَعۡدًا مَّفۡعُوۡلًا‏ ٥

So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours - those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.

[Al-Quran 17:5, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:6

ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَا لَـكُمُ الۡكَرَّةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَاَمۡدَدۡنٰـكُمۡ بِاَمۡوَالٍ وَّبَنِيۡنَ وَجَعَلۡنٰكُمۡ اَكۡثَرَ نَفِيۡرًا‏ ٦

Then We gave back to you a return victory over them. And We reinforced you with wealth and sons and made you more numerous in manpower.

[Al-Quran 17:6, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:7

اِنۡ اَحۡسَنۡتُمۡ اَحۡسَنۡتُمۡ لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ وَاِنۡ اَسَاۡتُمۡ فَلَهَا ؕ فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَةِ لِيَسُـوْۤءا وُجُوۡهَكُمۡ وَلِيَدۡخُلُوا الۡمَسۡجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوۡهُ اَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَّلِيُتَبِّرُوۡا مَا عَلَوۡا تَتۡبِيۡرًا‏ ٧

[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to them [i.e., yourselves]." Then when the final [i.e., second] promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the masjid [i.e., the temple in Jerusalem], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.

[Al-Quran 17:7, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:8

عَسٰى رَبُّكُمۡ اَنۡ يَّرۡحَمَكُمۡ ۚ وَاِنۡ عُدْتُّمۡ عُدۡنَاۘ وَجَعَلۡنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ حَصِيۡرًا‏ ٨

[Then Allāh said], "It is expected, [if you repent], that your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment]. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed."

[Al-Quran 17:8, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q17:104

وَّقُلۡنَا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ لِبَنِىۡۤ اِسۡرَاۤءِيۡلَ اسۡكُنُوا الۡاَرۡضَ فَاِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ الۡاٰخِرَةِ جِئۡنَا بِكُمۡ لَفِيۡفًا ؕ‏ ١٠٤

And We said after him [i.e., Pharaoh] to the Children of Israel, "Dwell in the land, and when there comes the promise [i.e., appointment] of the Hereafter, We will bring you forth in [one] gathering."

[Al-Quran 17:104, Translation: Saheeh International]

Q59:2-4

هُوَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَخۡرَجَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ مِنۡ دِيَارِهِمۡ لِاَوَّلِ الۡحَشۡرِؔؕ مَا ظَنَنۡـتُمۡ اَنۡ يَّخۡرُجُوۡا وَظَنُّوۡۤا اَنَّهُمۡ مَّانِعَتُهُمۡ حُصُوۡنُهُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ فَاَتٰٮهُمُ اللّٰهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَمۡ يَحۡتَسِبُوۡا وَقَذَفَ فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِهِمُ الرُّعۡبَ يُخۡرِبُوۡنَ بُيُوۡتَهُمۡ بِاَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَاَيۡدِى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ فَاعۡتَبِـرُوۡا يٰۤاُولِى الۡاَبۡصَارِ‏ ٢ وَلَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ كَتَبَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِمُ الۡجَـلَاۤءَ لَعَذَّبَهُمۡ فِى الدُّنۡيَاؕ وَلَهُمۡ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ عَذَابُ النَّارِ‏ ٣ ذٰ لِكَ بِاَنَّهُمۡ شَآقُّوا اللّٰهَ وَرَسُوۡلَهٗ ۚ وَمَنۡ يُّشَآقِّ اللّٰهَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ شَدِيۡدُ الۡعِقَابِ‏ ٤

It is He who expelled the ones who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture from their homes at the first gathering. You did not think they would leave, and they thought that their fortresses would protect them from Allāh; but [the decree of] Allāh came upon them from where they had not expected, and He cast terror into their hearts [so] they destroyed their houses by their [own] hands and the hands of the believers. So take warning, O people of vision. And if not that Allāh had decreed for them evacuation, He would have punished them in [this] world, and for them in the Hereafter is the punishment of the Fire. That is because they opposed Allāh and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allāh - then indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty.

[Al-Quran 59:2-4, Translation: Saheeh International]

Note on Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (excerpt from Muhammad ﷺ – Ascension & Return)

[Quote]

سُبۡحٰنَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَسۡرٰى بِعَبۡدِهٖ لَيۡلًا مِّنَ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَـرَامِ اِلَى الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡاَقۡصَا الَّذِىۡ بٰرَكۡنَا حَوۡلَهٗ لِنُرِيَهٗ مِنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ السَّمِيۡعُ الۡبَصِيۡرُ‏ ١

Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things ).

[Al-Quran 17:1, Translation: Yusuf Ali]

Farthest Mosque

The Quran describes the Earth as situated within the innermost layer of the seven concentric skies/heavens, and the Throne of God above it. Therefore the farthest mosque from Earth must be at or very near The Mighty Throne, possibly Bait-ul-Mamoor whose oath has been taken in Q52:4.

A common misconception is that alMasjid alAqsa in Q17:1 refers to the mosque in Jerusalem. The subsequent ayaat of the same surah clarify that the Temple of Solomon had already been completely destroyed and didn’t exist then. Masjid alAqsa is supposed to have been built later, by a Muslim ruler, on the empty site where Caliph Umar رضي الله عنه had prayed after conquering Jerusalem during his caliphate. There was no Masjid alAqsa in Jerusalem, at the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ’s ascension.

[End Quote]

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The Possessors of the Stone

Surah al-Fajr states that its opening statements are oaths for the possessors of the 'hijr'. It could be referring to the Arabs who have the Hajar-e-Aswad, the Hijr-e-Ismail, the Madain Saleh, or it could be referring to the masons, or to the rock in Jerusalem on which the golden dome has been built, or the people who throw stones at their enemies ...

Note on Dome of The Rock (excerpt from The Oaths in Surah alFajr ):

[Quote]

The Possessor of حِجْرٍ

هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِّذِي حِجْرٍ

Is there not in that an oath to be sworn for a possessor of حِجْرٍ?

[Al-Quran 89:5, Translation: Dr Laleh Bakhtiar, edited to retain last word]

The root ح ج ر occurs 21 times in The Quran, generally for words meaning stone, as well as for partition, forbidden, private chamber, guardianship, and strangely, translated in Q89:5 as who understand or possess intelligence.

If a stone (حجر) is a rock (صخرة) that has been modified for a purpose, then:

Though there is some disagreement on the exact site of The Temple, there exists a rock under the Dome of The Rock (Arabic: قبة الصخرة‎) in Jerusalem, which is supposed to be the foundation stone of the Temple of Solomon, and some believe that it is site of the Holy of Holies in The Temple.

Attribution: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2490663 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_rock_of_the_Dome_of_the_Rock_Corrected.jpg

...

Jerusalem has exchanged many hands since ancient times. The Dome of the Rock was built above the ancient rock/stone by a Muslim ruler. Since the Crusades, the site has been managed by the Muslim community of Jerusalem as a Waqf. Since 1967 that part of Jerusalem is under Israel's control. However, Israel has returned the administration of the Temple Mount to the Waqf under Jordanian custodianship.

Jews hope to rebuild the Third Temple at the site ...

[End Quote]

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Note on the people who throw stones (excerpt from The Potential in The Ordinary):

[Quote]

David (Daud عليه السلام)’ sling

وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوۡا لِجَـالُوۡتَ وَجُنُوۡدِهٖ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَآ اَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرًا وَّثَبِّتۡ اَقۡدَامَنَا وَانۡصُرۡنَا عَلَى الۡقَوۡمِ الۡکٰفِرِيۡنَؕ‏ ٢٥٠ فَهَزَمُوۡهُمۡ بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ ۙ وَقَتَلَ دَاوٗدُ جَالُوۡتَ وَاٰتٰٮهُ اللّٰهُ الۡمُلۡكَ وَالۡحِکۡمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهٗ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ؕ وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ اللّٰهِ النَّاسَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ بِبَعۡضٍ لَّفَسَدَتِ الۡاَرۡضُ وَلٰـکِنَّ اللّٰهَ ذُوۡ فَضۡلٍ عَلَى الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ٢٥١ تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ اللّٰهِ نَـتۡلُوۡهَا عَلَيۡكَ بِالۡحَـقِّؕ وَاِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ‏ ٢٥٢

And when they went forth to [face] Goliath and his soldiers, they said, "Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people." So they defeated them by permission of Allāh, and David killed Goliath, and Allāh gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allāh checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allāh is the possessor of bounty for the worlds. These are the verses of Allāh which We recite to you, [O Muḥammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the messengers.

[Al-Quran 2:250-252, Translation: Saheeh International]

49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P’lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground. 50 Thus David defeated the P’lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P’lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the P’lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it.

[The Bible, 1 Samuel 17 CJB]

To defeat the giant Goliath (Jalut), all that David (Daud عليه السلام) needed was a sling and a stone.

[End Quote]

At that time, the P’lishti were mighty, and the Bani Israel fighting with faith; now Israel is mighty, and the Palestinians fighting with faith...

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Also read:

The Covenant & Its Ratification

The Case against the Bani Israel

Seventy Men & The Torah in Seventy Languages

Muhammad ﷺ, a Messenger like Moses: The Qibla

The Destruction of The Masjid of Solomon

Feeding the Miskeen