Who Are the Bani Israel in Tanah Melayu and the Nusantara, and How Will Allah Gather the Bani Israel at the End of Time?

There is one question that I need to answer. I cannot provide an answer based entirely on my own opinion. I have to answer within the framework of how Allah answers in the Qur’an. So, I will bring everything together directly. To understand this, you need to read all of my previous writings.

Here is the question. This question was asked of me privately, and I have condensed it to make it easier to understand. There are several questions being asked simultaneously in it.

The Question:

Who exactly are the Bani Israel in Tanah Melayu and the Nusantara? If they are the people who will be punished, how will they be gathered?

Answer:

In this question, there are several points that I have extracted.

1. Who exactly are the Bani Israel?
2. Who are the Bani Israel in the Nusantara?
3. Will they be punished?
4. How will they be gathered before being punished?

Since this question comes from a reader who has indeed read my writings, and several questions arise from it, I will answer it directly by combining opinion with textual evidence. If anything in my answer is unclear, ask in the comments section.

The First Question Is: Who Exactly Are the Bani Israel?

This is indeed a popular topic. If we simply search for it, we will find many historical answers, whether they are based on true history or fabricated history. Therefore, when this question is asked, I believe the questioner wants an answer that can connect all the knowledge they already possess. So, I will answer from a purely logical perspective.

The Bani Israel are a people who exist on earth like other peoples. We are familiar with Bani Adam, the people of Hud, the people of Salih, the people of Shu‘ayb and many others in the Qur’an. The Bani Israel are the same. They are a large group descended from Nabi Yaakub, whose father was Nabi Ishak and one of whose sons was Nabi Yusuf.

The era of Nabi Yaakub was a long time ago, before the time of the Pharaoh who pursued Nabi Musa. Therefore, this is a story that began thousands of years before Christ.

Imagine how human generations change over a period of three or four thousand years. Moreover, they comprise 12 lineages, not just one lineage. For example, we may have Chinese ancestry, and one child may suddenly be dark-skinned while another is fair-skinned. This is even more so when they come from different tribes and live in different geographical regions. Over three to four thousand years, their culture, religion, language, skin colour and customs will change significantly.

Therefore, if we want to identify the Bani Israel, we must look at what Allah mentions in the Qur’an. Allah has already said this in Surah al-Isra’ 17:104.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala says:

وَقُلۡنَا مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ لِبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱسۡكُنُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعۡدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ جِئۡنَا بِكُمۡ لَفِيفًا

Wa qulnā min ba‘dihī li-banī Isrā’īla uskunū al-arḍa fa-idhā jā’a wa‘du al-ākhirati ji’nā bikum lafīfan.

The usual Malay translation by Abdullah Muhammad Basmeih conveys the following:

“And We said to the Bani Israel, after Pharaoh was destroyed: ‘Remain in that land, then when the time of the Hereafter comes, We will bring you to the Plain of Mahshar in a mixed multitude.’”

(Surah al-Isra’ 17:104)

Pay close attention to the Arabic text, and then look at the BAZ translation:

Then We said to the Bani Israel after him: “Remain in that land. Then, when the final promise comes, We will bring all of you together as a mixed multitude.”

Surah al-Isra’ 17:104

Then, you must also not be swayed by the Jews in the Haram State of Israel. They are not necessarily Bani Israel. They merely claim to be Bani Israel and want to establish the state of Israel.

Who Are the Bani Israel in the Nusantara?

There were already many peoples in the Nusantara before the Bani Israel arrived. There are descendants of Nabi Adam, Nabi Idris, Nabi Nuh, Nabi Hud, Nabi Ibrahim, Nabi Lut, Bani Mā’ as-Samā’ī and others whom I am not certain about. Either they originated here and then migrated to the central cluster, or they originated in the central cluster and then migrated here.

The Bani Israel were brought, by Allah’s command, to Nabi Musa and Nabi Harun. However, not all of the Bani Israel arrived. That is why there were many prophets among the Bani Israel. One of the reasons there were so many of them was to continue the mission of the Bani Israel to the promised land in the Mashriq. Some arrived through a prophet, while others have not yet arrived.

Yet Allah still brought some of them here. Look again at Surah al-Isra’ 17:104. Allah will gather them to be punished in this land.

Therefore, do not be surprised if some arrived after being brought by the British from India. Some were brought by the British from China. They too are Bani Israel.

Some arrived through trade from the era of Melaka all the way to the era of the Federation of Malaysia.

Some also arrived as refugees, particularly from Rohingya. Some migrated from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and so on. They too are part of Bani Israel.

Do not forget those who came from the Nusantara as well. Some came from Indonesia, including those from the islands of Java and Sumatra. They too are part of Bani Israel.

Do not forget that, most recently, there are Israeli citizens who have also gathered in southern Thailand. Is that a coincidence?

No.

Allah has already said that the Bani Israel will be gathered, even as a mixed multitude.

Who arranged for them to be gathered?

Allah.

Allah has already said that when the final promise arrives, He will gather and punish them.

So, who are the Bani Israel?

We do not know exactly who they are. If you want an easy way, look at the Land of Muqaddasi Tuwa or Lembah Bujang. Look at that land and look at its surroundings. All of them are prospects.

The Third Question: Will They Be Punished?

My answer is yes, because that is Allah’s promise.

What is the punishment?

The second and final attack, as a punishment that destroys, humiliates and darkens the face.

Will any survive or not?

We need to look at the history of earlier nations that were destroyed. Some survived, while others were utterly destroyed.

However, I think that some among the Bani Israel will survive. The reason is that they are called “Bani”, not “kaum” and not “ashab”. The important thing is Allah’s mercy. There is no way to fight destiny. All we can do is hope for Allah’s forgiveness and for the opportunity to live in the next era.

The Fourth Question: How Will They Be Gathered?

I have already answered this above. If Allah wants to gather them, He will gather them by whatever means.

Therefore, there is no need to be shocked or wonder why, from the first attack until now, this land has had all kinds of people, colours, languages, cultures, customs and beliefs. Allah gathered them all, gave them an opportunity to rise, and will then punish them.

Conclusion

I do not know how to end this. This is what I have to say.

Do not focus on the idea that the Bani Israel are exclusively Malay. Focus on all peoples, regardless of skin colour, religion or belief.

Look at the Indians, the Chinese and the Javanese. Many of them worship idols, do they not? What is the first commandment in the Ten Commandments? Do not commit shirk against Allah.

Look at the banking system, finance, digitalisation and everything related to them. Say there is absolutely no riba or injustice in them. Say that everything is pure and clean. That is also in the Ten Commandments, is it not?

Many people appear to have faith and religion, but make things other than Allah into ilah. They make money, status, political parties, systems, leaders, customs, bomohs, keramat, power, popularity and worldly security things upon which they depend, as though all of these determine more than Allah does.

The absolute poverty rate in Malaysia in 2024 was still 5.1 per cent, was it not? Why do poor people still exist? Is it really necessary for the zakat system to be administered according to state boundaries? Refer back to the perintah masjid.

Malaysia produces around 17,000 tonnes of food waste every day, and approximately 24 per cent of it is still edible. This is equivalent to around 4,080 tonnes of good food being discarded every day. When Ramadan arrives, the waste becomes worse. This also violates the command.

The command is clear: do not go near zina. This means that not only is zina prohibited, but the paths leading to it are prohibited as well. What is happening now? LGBT is widespread. There are even people who support it and act as its defenders.

The same applies to the prohibition against killing children. Abortions are taking place on a large scale. People have forgotten because they have become accustomed to it.

The same applies to this command. Allah forbids following anything without knowledge, but this is being violated on a massive scale on social media. In the Qur’an, Allah clearly says that the land of the Bani Israel lies in the Mashriq, yet so many follow the Jews and still insist on supporting their land in Jerusalem.

In the Qur’an, Allah says that Muqaddasi Tuwa is in a valley, yet many still believe the Jews’ claim that it is located on a mountain. They follow them en masse on the grounds of the ulama muktabar.

The worst of all is arrogance.

Not only do you not know, you are also unaware that you do not know. Then you act clever and call the people who bring forward the contents of the Qur’an stupid.

That is uluww.

Self-exaltation.

Following people instead of following the commands in the Qur’an.

I think I have answered all the questions that were asked. If anything remains unanswered, send me a PM again later.