The Second Attack in Surah al-Isra’ Verse 7

Series: Malaysia Is About to Be Attacked, Because This Is the Land of Bani Israel

We have now entered the discussion on the second attack mentioned in Surah al-Isra’ verse 7.

For those who have not followed this series from the beginning, the subject I am writing about is the claim that a foreign power will attack Malaysia for the second time, specifically the Malay Peninsula, after the first attack carried out through Western colonialism.

This is not the first article in the series. It is a continuation of the series:

“Malaysia Will Be Attacked, Because This Is the Land of the Children of Israel”

Therefore, before reading this part, readers are strongly encouraged to read the earlier parts first. Without understanding the foundation of this series, verse 7 may be read hastily, and readers may end up drawing conclusions based on their own assumptions.

A Reminder Before Reading Verse 7

Once we enter the discussion on the second attack, our reading must become more careful.

I do not want readers to speculate from this writing without first understanding the source of authority and the actual basis being used. This discussion must be brought back to the verse of the Qur’an.

The analysis used here is based on language, the relationship between verses, the structure of meaning and a comparison between the indicators found in the verse with historical reality and current conditions.

Before continuing, you are required to read the foundational article below first:

Essential Foundations That Must Be Understood Before Reading This Article

This article must not be read in isolation from that foundation. Do not continue reading this article with a mind already filled with assumptions. Do not read it through an old framework that has become used to locking Surah al-Isra’ into interpretations that may not necessarily be placed correctly.

The Foundational Verse of This Discussion

Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala, says:

إِنۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ أَحۡسَنتُمۡ لِأَنفُسِكُمۡ ۖ وَإِنۡ أَسَأۡتُمۡ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ لِيَسُـُٔواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَلِيَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُواْ مَا عَلَوۡاْ تَتۡبِيرًا

Surah al-Isra’ 17:7

This verse is the main foundation for the discussion on the second attack.

The Common Malay Translation

This is among the Malay translations commonly found in apps and websites:

“Jika kamu berbuat kebaikan, (maka faedah) kebaikan yang kamu lakukan adalah untuk diri kamu; dan jika kamu berbuat kejahatan, maka (kesannya yang buruk) berbalik kepada diri kamu juga. Oleh itu, apabila sampai masa janji (membalas perbuatan derhaka kamu) kali kedua, (Kami datangkan musuh-musuh kamu) untuk memuramkan muka kamu (dengan penghinaan dan keganasannya); dan untuk memasuki masjid (BaitulMaqdis) sebagaimana mereka telah memasukinya pada kali yang pertama; dan untuk menghancurkan apa sahaja yang mereka telah kuasai, dengan sehancur-hancurnya.” Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih

“[And said], ‘If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves.’ Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.” Sahih International

This translation helps general readers understand the basic meaning of the verse. However, for the purpose of linguistic analysis, we need to be more careful.

This is because several additional words placed in brackets are not actually part of the Arabic text of the verse. The words in brackets are interpretive aids provided by the translator. They are not direct wording from the verse itself.

A More Literal Translation for Analytical Purposes

For the purpose of this discussion, I am more inclined to use a translation that is closer to the structure of the Arabic text:

If you do ihsan, your ihsan returns to yourselves. If you do evil, its evil consequence returns upon yourselves. Then, when the second promise comes, it comes so that they may humiliate your faces, so that they may enter al-Masjid as they entered it the first time and so that they may utterly destroy whatever the attacking force manages to dominate.

Surah al-Isra’ 17:7

This translation is not intended to replace all existing translations. Its purpose is to help readers look more closely at the original wording.

Why the Popular Translation Is Not Used as the Main Basis

For the purpose of analysis, I do not use the popular translation as the main basis because many interpretive elements have already been inserted into the translation.

When interpretive elements are inserted too early, readers may no longer see the original Arabic words. They may immediately accept the conclusion already placed there by the translator.

For example, the word ihsan is often translated as “goodness”. However, in the Qur’an, another word such as khair is also often translated as “goodness”.

When all these words are translated using the same general word, precision is reduced. Readers may no longer see the difference between ihsan, khair, birr, salih and other terms, each of which carries its own field of meaning.

The same applies to the word:

ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ
al-Masjid

In the popular translation, this word is often placed in brackets as Baitul Maqdis.

The problem is that the word Baitul Maqdis does not appear in the Arabic text of this verse. What appears in the verse is only al-Masjid.

My intention is not to criticize the translator. However, in this study, I want to return the reading to the original wording first before entering into any conclusion about location or a specific meaning.

The meaning of al-Masjid will be discussed in greater detail in another part.

A General Overview of Verse 7

In general, this verse shows that during the period between the first attack and the second attack, the Children of Israel are given room to make choices.

They may choose ihsan.

They may also choose evil.

Whatever choice is made, its consequence will return upon themselves.

Therefore, this verse begins with a major moral principle:

If you do ihsan, your ihsan is for yourselves.

If you do evil, its evil consequence returns upon yourselves.

This means that the second attack is not an event that comes without cause. It comes after a period of choices, actions and consequences.

The Relationship Between the First Attack and the Second Attack

In the previous part, I presented the analysis that the first attack refers to Western imperialism, which functionally ended on 31 August 1957.

The first attack was not merely a military attack. It involved the entry of foreign powers into living spaces, administrative systems, centers of power, natural resources, economic structures and the arrangement of society.

After that period, Allah returned the turn to them, as mentioned in Surah al-Isra’ verse 6:

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ ٱلۡكَرَّةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ

Then We returned to you the turn over them.

After that return of the turn, a period of revival began. However, this was not a period of freedom without responsibility.

From the time the Malay Peninsula gained independence, together with its original inhabitants and the communities brought in under British rule, this became a period of trial, a period of choice and a period to see whether the people of this land would return to the covenant of Allah or continue committing fasad and uluww.

When the second promise arrives, the second attack will occur.

The Second Attack Is a Punishment

I remind readers again that the coming attack is not an ordinary attack.

It is not merely a geopolitical conflict or a border dispute.

It is not merely a struggle for power between nations, nor is it simply a crisis of smuggling or piracy in the waters.

At the level of international relations, it may be seen as a war crime, an invasion or a military attack. However, from the Qur’anic perspective, the attacker may become an instrument used by Allah to punish people because of their violation of the covenant with Allah.

This is the major difference between reading history through the eyes of politics alone and reading history through the verses of the Qur’an.

Politics sees only the actors.

The Qur’an teaches us to see causes, sins, the way of Allah and consequences.

The Second Attack Is Still a Future Event

As for the second attack, the event has not yet occurred. For that reason, linguistic analysis, cross-references and my own personal views will be used more extensively.

However, you do not need to be concerned.

Whenever something is my personal view, I will state clearly that it is a view. You are free to test it, evaluate it and compare it with the verses of the Qur’an.

I am not asking readers to accept this writing blindly.

Instead, I am asking readers to examine the verses of the Qur’an carefully, word by word, and then assess whether this argument has a basis or not.

Closing

At this point, I plan to enter into two major topics.

Both are rather sensitive. However, sensitivity is not the main measure. The main measure is whether the matter has a basis in the Qur’an or not.

The first topic is the possibility of a physical attack against symbolic centers of authority, including Istana Negara and the state palaces.

The second topic is the ten characteristics of the second attacker based on Surah al-Isra’ verse 7 and the relationship between this verse and other indicators within the same surah.

Since the next phase will be arranged in a question-and-answer format, you may add your own questions in the comment section.