FREE

EBOOK

Speech by:
Ustaz Syaari Ab Rahman

Written by:
Usaid Subki & Nik Fatma

Translated by:
Maria Fahmi
 Copyright © 2021 by Mutiara Tadabbur.

All rights reserved. This e-book or any

portion thereof may not be reproduced or
used in any manner whatsoever without the
express written permission from Mutiara
Tadabbur.
FIVE important messages brought by Surah
Al-Isra’:

1. The struggle and fight to defend Masjidil Aqsa is a

fight of aqidah.

2. Allah SWT revealed Surah Al-Isra’ after the event of

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj, which was during a period of
weakness before the impending period of strength.

3. Do not repeat the mistakes of Bani Israel; do away

with the characteristics of “ ‫” اﻟﻤﻐﻀﻮب ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬.

4. Why did Allah SWT associate barakah with Masjidil

Aqsa i.e. ““baarakna haulah”?

5. Glad tidings to Palestine and its future in ayah 6 & 7

of Surah al-Isra`.

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 1.The struggle and fight to defend
Masjidil Aqsa is a fight of aqidah.

We stand with the people of Palestine not

because we are Muslims nor because both of
us are friendly as nations. It is because the
story of Masjidil Aqsa is stated in the Quran,
and that makes it a matter of aqidah. Our fight
cannot solely be based on human rights. When
those human rights issues are gone, we tend to
slow down.

Prophet Muhammad SAW was brought to

Masjidil Aqsa for a reason. It is our duty as
Muslims to understand what Allah SWT is
teaching us when our Prophet was taken to Al
Aqsa (prior to the Ascension).

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Surah Al-Isra’ ayah 1: “Exalted is He who took His
Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-
Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have
blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is
the Hearing, the Seeing. ”

This verse should bring comfort to our brothers

and sisters in Palestine who are tested by Allah
SWT. The sentiment of this verse is, “you are not
alone” because this fight traces back to our
Prophet’s arrival there.

“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from

al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa.” Read this
portion of the ayah carefully. It is a divine plan, a
strategic move by Allah SWT to bring Rasulullah
SAW to Al Aqsa. Why? We must ponder upon it.
There has to be a reason.
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 It falls upon us to struggle to return
Masjidil Aqsa to its rightful guardian -
someone who possess the characteristics
of Muhammad SAW, and not let it fall in
the hands of the arrogant like the
Zionists who only brings harm and
corruption to the blessed land.

The surah begins with tasbih and that

should tell us, the rightful guardians are
those who exalt Allah, who humble
themselves, whose attitude is servitude.
Such are the people deserving of this
holy land.
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 2. Allah SWT revealed Surah Al-Isra’ after
the event of Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj, which was
during a period of weakness before the
impending period of strength.

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj was not just a historical event

that we celebrate, debate its date, and make
viral its information. If it is just about those
reasons, then ayah 1 is enough. But this surah
contains 111 verses. What are they all about?

Surah Al Isra’ brings good news to the ummah

of Muhammad SAW. It is a surah that
motivated companions like Umar Al-Khattab
and became a source of strength to Salahuddin
Al Ayyubi. Therefore, this very surah should
awaken our souls to act, in the footsteps of
Rasulullah SAW.

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 The story of Isra’ is not just a story but a
significant event filled with ibrah or lessons to
be learned from. The land of Baitul Maqdis is
the yard stick as to how strong we are as an
ummah at any given point! It is when the
Muslim ummah reclaim and rule Baitul Maqdis
that the ummah will be at its peak throughout
the world. Yes, Baitul Maqdis is the “key
performance indicator” to the unity of the
Muslim ummah!

Ask yourself this question: why was the

Prophet SAW taken to Baitul Maqdis only after
12 years of hardship against the Quraish? Why
wait that long? It signifies a turning point -
from a weak state to a state of power and
strength.
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 When the Prophet SAW returned from
the miraculous night journey, the history
witnessed that soon after, he took over
Yathrib.

His arrival at Masjidil Aqsa is the

transition point to power. Similarly, when
the Muslim ummah reclaim Baitul Maqdis,
it shall be our transition point to strength
and power as well.

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 The issue of Baitul Maqdis is evidently
not a side issue to the ongoing conflict. It
is a critical success factor of the global
ummah - are we united or are we divided?

We may not be totally united yet, but

the support we see from Malaysia,
Indonesia and Muslims from many
countries around the world is a good
start. At the very least, our solidarity as
“one nation” with Palestine is well
expressed on social media.

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Rasulullah SAW named Surah Al Isra’ with the
name of Bani Israel. We not only study this
surah to understand the event of Al-Isra’ wal-
Mi’raj, but also to learn the characteristics of
the nation of Israel. This surah describes a
particular disease of the heart so that we can
take heed, have more taqwa and take refuge
in Allah from being inflicted by it.

The biggest flaw of Bani Israel was (and is)

their extreme pride of being the descendant
of noble prophets (Moses, Abraham, Noah)
that they were blinded from remembering the
qualities of their ancestors, what more to
apply it.

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 They claim that Palestine is their land simply
because it was the land of their ancestors. As a
nation of the past, they were not grateful with
the favors that Allah SWT had bestowed upon
them, and their extreme ingratitude led them
to a subtle form of shirk - denial of truth and
absence of gratitude.

Sequentially in the surah, after Allah SWT

described the lost quality and noble
characteristics of Bani Israel by referring to
the characteristics of Musa a.s, Allah then
mentioned what they did and will be doing
wrong as a result of their intense ingratitude,
in verse 4-7.

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The first: the destruction that happened
at the time of Rasulullah SAW

The second: the destruction that is

happening now right in front of our
eyes.

And Allah promised in ayah 6 and 7 that

their corruptions across the land will be
punished severely and that is the
promise of Allah.

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 3. Do not repeat the mistake of
Bani Israel; do away with the
characteristics of “‫”اﻟﻤﻐﻀﻮب ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬.

We read in Surah Al-Isra’ that Bani Israel is infected

with what is called ‘uluw - great arrogance- thinking
that they are better and above every other people.
Allah SWT also narrated to us the story of Iblis and
Adam a.s. in ayah 61-65 which mentioned Iblis’ refusal
to prostrate. It is clear that the heart disease of Bani
Israel originated from Iblis.

Just like Iblis could not accept Adam, Bani Israel could
not accept Muhammad SAW and the Muslims as the
khalifah. Arrogance is unacceptable and must be
cleansed from our hearts. We do not want to be like
Bani Israel who committed crimes and corruptions
against humanity all because of that ego of self-
importance. Do not be like them. Do not be from the
‫ اﻟﻤﻐﻀﻮب ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬group of people.

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 The ummah is divided from the same
reason - some feel they are better than the
other. For how long will we succumb to
this disease of ‘uluw? This surah not only
explains the cruelty of the current era Bani
Israel -the Zionists - but it also presents a
firm reminder to all Muslims. We are
reminded that Baitul Maqdis will only be
returned to those who are true slaves of
Allah, who glorify Him, worship Him and
abide by His law. The Muslims are brothers
and sisters on equal footing; no one, no
race, no nation is better than the other.

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 4. Why did Allah SWT associate
barakah with Masjidil Aqsa i.e.
“baarakna haulah”?

Even before Rasulullah SAW reached Masjidil

Aqsa, it was already full of barakah. The land
around it, the land of Sham was already blessed.
We know of the abundance of provision - the
trees of figs and olives (tin and zaitun). What was
the source of barakah?

It was non other than the Anbiya, the many

prophets whose presence invited barakah to the
land. These prophets were present at the night
of Isra’ and Rasulullah SAW arrived to complete
the circle of barakah - both seen and unseen.
Such is the teaching of our religion.

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So “baarakna” means blessings for all. We
can refer to Surah al-Anbiya’. Prophet
Ibrahim a.s walked on this blessed land.
Allah SWT granted barakah to
al-’Alaameen i.e. all mankind regardless of
religion and race, not just to the muttaqin.
When the Muslims return to rule Baitul
Maqdis, the blessings of justice, human
rights will be restored. The cruelty of
zionism will perish. The entire humanity
will benefit from peace in Baitul Maqdis.

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 5. Glad tidings to Palestine and its
future in ayah 6 & 7 of Surah al-
Isra`.

Ayah 1: “Exalted is He who took His Servant by

night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-
Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to
show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing,
the Seeing.”

Rasulullah SAW arrived at Masjidil Aqsa by the

plan and permission of Allah, and he led the
prayer of all the prophets. This is a sign of hope
to the ummah of Muhammad. Do not see this as
a historical fact but rather a tiding of a bright
future.

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 Ayah 2 & 3: “And We gave Moses the
Scripture and made it a guidance for the
Children of Israel that you not take other
than Me as Disposer of affairs; O
descendants of those We carried [in the
ship] with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful
servant.”

Allah SWT highlighted that the shirk of

Bani Israel is not through idol worshiping
but rather, the absence of gratitude. They
lost the quality possessed by Prophet
Moses a.s. and Prophet Noah a.s.

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Ayah 4: “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. ”

The corruptions by the Jews are due to a

disease of the hearts, which is extreme
ingratitude that led to corruptions on
earth. This fact is also mentioned in the
Taurah.

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 Ayah 5: “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.”

The first corruption happened during the

time of Rasulullah SAW. Allah SWT sent his
decree and Umar RA was sent to reclaim
Baitul Maqdis.

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 Ayah 6: “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”.

The scholars said that this ayah is actually

happening right in front of our eyes. Allah
SWT had granted Israel with power -
prosperity of economy and manpower, and
they are supported by other big powers
such as the USA.

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Ayah 7: “[And said], "If you do good, you do
good for yourselves; and if you do evil,
[you do it] to yourselves." Then when the
final promise came, [We sent your
enemies] to sadden your faces and to
enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they
entered it the first time, and to destroy
what they had taken over with [total]
destruction.”

A call to the people of Israel, that if they

do good, it is for them and if they commit
evil, when the promise of Allah arrive, they
will surely taste the punishment.

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 They will not win against the Muslims because 2
things will happen:

1- They will be humiliated, their faces will turn

melancholic as they go through the destruction of
their people and nation.

2- The ummah of Muhammad will enter Masjidil

Aqsa in such a victorious way like the previous
entrance. This will be the last conquest, after the
conquests by Umar Al Khattab and Salahuddin Al-
Ayyubi. The Zionists, with their extreme
arrogance, along with whatever they have built,
will be destroyed. Whatever they have done in the
world and to the world, including “contributions”
in the field of science & technology and economy,
Allah will destroy everything with irrecoverable

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destruction.
 Conclusion

1. Allah ends the first ayah with 2 of His

majestic names, As-Sami` & Al-Basir.
Allah hears every call, every cry and Allah
is All-Seeing in everything that is
happening. Before the news of Palestine
reaches us, Allah already knows it. So
have faith! Never lose hope of His love
and mercy. We move on with our
strategies and action plans to our fullest
capacity in order to pave the way
towards Masjidil Aqsa for our ummah.

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 Conclusion

2. The future of Palestine is clearly

stated in the Quran. It is beyond glad
tidings but also a plan of action for
the ummah to return to Baitul Maqdis.
Nonetheless ayah 7 should not be
read in isolation. The entire surah is
virtuous. Our Prophet SAW did not go
to sleep until he completed reciting
the surah.

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 Conclusion

3. Our fight against Zionism should not be

seasonal. This surah teaches us to be
consistent in our battle against the Zionists,
including in battling their sick ideology and
philosophy of life. A clear action plan is to
avoid a series of evil deeds - shirk, excessive
in spending, acting with arrogance,
murdering innocent children, committing
adultery, robbing others of their wealth and
possessions, breaching trusts and promises
and following others blindly without
knowledge. If we truly live the Quran and this
surah in particular, without a doubt, Allah
SWT will return Baitul Maqdis to us,
insha Allah.
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follow us

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