FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: The Isrā as Divine Pedagogy

This study demonstrates that Qur’an 17:1 describes a divinely initiated movement from epistemological darkness toward illumination—a pedagogical narrative rather than a geographical travelogue. Through semantic analysis and literary examination, the research reveals that the verse’s minimalist structure directs interpretation toward theological meaning rather than physical mechanics. The Qur’anic text provides only essentials: divine agency, nocturnal timing, two locations (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām and al-Masjid al-Aqṣā), and explicit purpose—“so that We might show him some of Our signs.” This contrasts sharply with elaborate ḥadīth narratives describing celestial mounts, heavenly ascensions, and encounters with previous prophets. Semantic analysis reveals that key terms (isrā, layl, āyāt) carry meanings beyond literal reference. Critically, Qur’an 17:12 designates night and day as “two signs” representing obscurity and illumination, providing an internal hermeneutical key for reading the “night journey” as symbolic transition. The study demonstrates precedents in al-Ghazālī, Ibn Rushd, and Ibn ‘Arabī, who recognized multiple levels of scriptural meaning. By applying tafsīr al-Qur’ān bi al-Qur’ān through contemporary methodologies, this research contributes to conversations about Qur’anic hermeneutics and how sacred narratives communicate transformative truth—the eternal journey from darkness toward divine light. Keywords: Isra, Qur’an 17:1, divine pedagogy, semantic analysis, darkness and light, Qur’anic hermeneutics, tafsir, intra-textual reading, narrative minimalism, pedagogical hermeneutics