“Limitless in His glory is He who transported His servant by night from the SacredMosque [inMakkah] to the Masjid-e-Aqsa [in Jerusalem] – the environs of which Wehave blessed – so that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is theOne who hears all and sees all…. Twice will you spread corruption on earth and willindeed become grossly overbearing.”
(The Qur’ān 17:1, 4)
The āyah 17:1 refers to the event of Miraj and Isra. This event took place a year before Hijrah. Here, the Qur’ān mentions only a part of the Journey, i.e. from Masjid-i-Haram to the Temple at Jerusalem. The object of this journey as stated here was that Allah willed to show His servant some of His signs. The Qur’ān does not give any details other than this but we find further details in the traditions.
In the book which God gave Moses to serve as a source of guidance to theIsraelites, He issued them with a warning that they would be doomed to destructionshould they spread corruption on earth. The destruction was visited on them twicebecause its causes were repeated. This is followed by a warning of further episodesof destruction should they revert to their old ways of spreading corruption.
Thus, the āyah 17:4 presents the inevitable operation of God’s laws of nature that never fail. This judgement also spells out what they will do and what will happen to them as a result. It is based on God’s knowledge of their fate.