3- وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ “And...

3- وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ “And We had made known to the children of Israel in the Book…” (Surah Bani Israel 17:4) That is*: And We made declaration to the Children of Israel in the Book, that is, We gave them knowledge.* Then the address shifts from the Children of Israel to the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) saying: لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ “Most certainly you will make mischief in the land twice…” (Surah Bani Israel 17:4) That is (O Ummah of Muhammad), you will raise mischief on earth twice, alluding to the two certain individuals and their followers and their breach of the covenant.

وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا “…and most certainly you will behave insolently with great insolence.”… (Surah Bani Israel 17:4) …that is, their claim of the caliphate. When the promise of the first of the two came to pass, that is, the Battle of Jamal, We sent against you Our servants, men of great prowess, meaning Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and his companions. They went to and fro in the lands, that is, they searched for you and killed you.

Then We gave you back the turn to prevail over them, meaning, We gave the Umayyads back the turn to prevail over Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and We succored you through wealth and progeny and We made your band of greater number compared to Husain Ibne Ali (a.s.) and his companions, when the womenfolk of Aale Muhammad (a.s.) were taken hostage. If you should do good, you do good for your own selves and if you should do evil, you do it against yourselves.

So when the second promise comes to pass, meaning the Qaim (a.s.) and his companions, so they may make discountenance you, meaning rendering their countenances dark, and so they may enter the Mosque as they entered the first time, meaning, the Messenger of Allah and his companions, and to destroy utterly that which they ascended to, that is, they will prevail over you and will kill you.

Then the verse shifts to Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and says: Perchance your Lord will have mercy on you, that is, He will grant you victory over your enemy. Then it addresses the Umayyads, If you again return, We will return, that is, If you return with Sufyani, We will return with the Qaim from Aale Muhammad (a.s.). 4- أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ ذِكْرًا “…or that it may produce a reminder for them.” (Surah Taha 20:113)” … that is, remembrance of the reappearance of the Qaim and advent of the Sufyani.

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