Surah Al-Israa
Chapter 17 · Verse 57 · Revealed in Makkah
“Those whom they invoke 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.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The gods of the Idolators can neither benefit nor harm; rather they themselves seek to draw close to Allah
Allah says:
قُلْ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Commentary
The word 'al-wasilah' in: يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ (seek the means of close ness to their Lord - 57) conveys the sense of that which is used as a means of reaching someone. As for reaching Allah, the wasilah or means is to always keep the pleasure of Allah in sight when learning or doing anything while adhering to the injunctions of the Shari` ah strictly. Thus, the sense of the sentence is that all of them are seeking the closeness of Allah Ta’ ala through their righteous deeds.
What does this verse bring up for you today?