Al-Isra · Makki · ayah 57 of 111

Al-Isra 17:57

أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا

“Those whom they invoke[754] seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The very beings people call on are themselves straining towards their Lord, hoping for His mercy and afraid of His punishment.

A reflection

The ones you call are calling too

Ulāʾika lladhīna yadʿūna yabtaghūna ilā rabbihimu l-wasīla: those they call on are themselves seeking a way to their Lord. The ayah turns the camera round. A moment ago we watched people calling on others. Now we see the ones being called, and they are facing the same direction as everyone else.

Sahih al-Bukhari records a striking setting for this. Some people used to worship a group of jinn. Then those jinn became Muslim. Their worshippers held on to their old worship regardless. So devotees were still bowing towards beings who were, by then, bowing to Allah.

Picture a young student who reveres his teacher. He quotes him, copies his handwriting and defends him in every argument. One winter he arrives at the mosque long before dawn to fetch a forgotten book. In the dark he hears his teacher in the far corner. The man is in prostration, repeating in a cracked voice: 'O Allah, do not let me be a fraud'.

The student walks home changed. His teacher has not become smaller. He has become his true size: a servant, needing what the student needs.

That is what the ayah does to every rival we set beside Allah. It does the same to every pedestal we stand on ourselves, every time the ego enjoys being admired. The angels, the prophets and the righteous are not at the top of the ladder looking down. They are on the ladder, climbing, ayyuhum aqrab, each eager to be nearer.

Does Allah need such devotion from the mightiest beings? One classical commentator answers directly. They are described with need and weakness, and Allah is the richest of the rich. Their seeking adds nothing to Him. It is simply the only fitting posture for anything created. The humbling news is that it is ours too.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.