Surah Al-Isra — Verse 57
The Night Journey · 17:57 · 57/111
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا
Ola-ika allatheena yadAAoonayabtaghoona ila rabbihimu alwaseelata ayyuhum aqrabuwayarjoona rahmatahu wayakhafoona AAathabahuinna AAathaba rabbika kana mahthoora
Translations of this verse 11
Saheeh International
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.
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
Those [angels] they pray to are themselves seeking a way to their Lord, even those who are closest to Him. They hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. The punishment of your Lord is much to be feared:
Marmaduke Pickthall
Those unto whom they cry seek the way of approach to their Lord, which of them shall be the nearest; they hope for His mercy and they fear His doom. Lo! the doom of thy Lord is to be shunned.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Those whom they call upon do desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord, - even those who are nearest: they hope for His Mercy and fear His Wrath: for the Wrath of thy Lord is something to take heed of.
Mufti Taqi Usmani
Those whom they invoke, do themselves seek the means of access to their Lord as to which of them becomes the closest, and they hope for His Mercy and fear His punishment. The punishment of your Lord is really something to be feared.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Those whom they call upon [like ‘Îsâ (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angel] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allâh), as to which of them should be the nearest; and they [‘Îsâ (Jesus), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angels and others] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
Those whom they call upon are themselves seeking the means of access to their Lord, each trying to be nearer to Him. They crave for His Mercy and dread His chastisement. Surely your Lord's punishment is to be feared.
Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an
Those [saintly beings] whom they invoke are themselves striving to obtain their Sustainer's favour - [even] those among them who are closest [to Him] - hoping for His grace and dreading His chastisement: for, verily, thy Sustainer's chastisement is something to beware of!
Rowwad · source edition
Those whom they call upon seek means of nearness to their Lord, each trying to become closer, hoping for His Mercy and fearing His punishment[50]. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is fearsome.
Notes
[50] Such as angels, prophets, righteous believers, etc.
Noor International · source edition
(57) 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.
Notes
[754]- Among the righteous of Allāh's creation, such as angels, prophets, deceased scholars, etc.
Hilali and Khan · source edition
57. Those whom they call upon [like ‘Îsâ (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angel] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allâh), as to which of them should be the nearest; and they [‘Îsâ (Jesus), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angels and others] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا (57)} [الإسراء: 57].
222 - عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ - رضي الله عنه - {أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ} قَالَ: نَزَلَتْ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ الْعَرَبِ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ نَفَرَاً مِنْ الْجِنِّ، فَأَسْلَمَ الْجِنِّيُّونَ، وَالْإِنْسُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ، فَنَزَلَتْ {أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمُ الْوَسِيلَةَ}. واللفظ لمسلم ¬أخرجه البخاري برقم: 4714، 4715، ومسلم برقم: 3030، والنسائي في التفسير برقم: 307، 308، 309، والكبرى برقم: 11287، والطبراني في الكبير برقم: 9077، وابن جرير: 15/ 104 - 105، والحاكم: 2/ 362.¥.