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Isra Wa-Al Miraj
The event of Isra Wa al-Meraj took place around a year before Prophet (saw) migrated to Madinah. Its exact date is still controversial. The first part of the journey is called Isra. It is mentioned in the first Ayah of Surah Bani Israel.
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سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ -
The object of this journey stated here is to show Allah SWT’s signs to the Prophet (saw). The Prophets are special people. They are great men chosen by Allah SWT for a special purpose. All the prophets before Muhammad (saw) were given miracles of their own. These miracles were the signs of Allah SWT and were given to the prophets to make them stronger in their faiths. Allah SWT wanted to show some of His signs to the Prophet (saw).
It was a hard time for the Prophet (saw), when this event occurred. It was the year when his beloved Uncle Abu Talib and his treasured wife Khadija RA passed away. This was the same year when people of Taif mistreated and rejected the Prophet (saw).
Before we start the details of the Prophet’s (saw) night journey, one must open one’s mind. One should accept that one cannot have logical reasoning to every religious belief. This is our faith. The belief in the Unseen. So, think of it as a supernatural event which was brought about by the unlimited powers of Allah SWT.
The night journey took place in one part of the night. That is in real time of this world; it took place only in few moments. The students of science know about Time dilation. Time behaves differently in different spaces affected by gravity and speed. For example, the astronauts returning from the space station age less than the mission control crew that remained on the earth. So, time will bend due to difference in gravity or difference in speed. This is the law of Allah SWT.
The angels are not confined by earth’s time and space and are also quite different from humans. They could travel at the speed of light or more. Prophet (saw) himself told his companions about his night journey and there are reports of about twenty companions of the Prophet (saw) who witnessed this event.
One night, the Prophet (saw) was sleeping in Umm-e-Hani’s (Prophet’s cousin) house after praying Isha prayers. Angel Jibril came to the prophet (saw) and took him to the Khana Ka’aba. Prophet (saw), saw a horse like creature there. It was white in color and smaller than a usual horse but bigger than a donkey. The Prophet (saw) was told that it was called a Burraq. Some scholars mention another Hadith which reveals that before the Prophet (saw) was told to ride Burraq, his breasts were opened by angel Jibril (as), his heart extracted and washed with Zam Zam water.
The Messenger of Allah was told to get on the Burraq. The Burraq travelled extremely fast. One step of the Burraq was so big that it seems like, as far as the eye could see. The prophet (saw) and angel Jibril reached Masjid Aqsa in Jerusalem. There he got off the horse and tied the Burraq to a ring in the gate of the Masjid. The Prophet (saw) went inside the Masjid and saw all the prophets from Adam AS to Essa AS. The Prophet (saw) led all the prophets in a congregation there and prayed two Rakats.
After leading the salah with all the prophets, Jibril, took the Prophet (saw) to the heavens. This is the second part of the journey; it is called Miraj. When the Prophet (saw) and Jibril reached the first Heavens, Jibril asked the guardian angel to open the doors of Heaven. It was opened and the Prophet (saw) met the father of humankind, Adam AS. The Prophet (saw) gave his Salam to him. Then Jibril and the Prophet (saw) ascended to the second heavens. There the prophet (saw) met with Issa AS and Yahya AS, the two cousins who were prophets too. They returned the prophet’s Salam and expressed their faith in his prophethood. Then they reached the third Heaven and met and gave Salam to Yusuf AS who returned the prophet’s Salam. Then in the company of Jibril, the Prophet (saw) reached the fourth Heaven. He met Idris AS there and gave his Salam. Idris AS returned his Salam and expressed his faith in his prophethood.
On the fifth Heaven prophet (saw) met Harun AS and the same exchange of Salams occurred. On the 6th Heaven the Prophet (saw) met Musa AS and gave his Salam and it was returned. On the 7th Heaven the Prophet (saw) met Ibrahim AS. Our Prophet gave the salaam to him and he greeted him with salaam too. After that, Prophet Muhammad was taken to Al-Bait-al-Mamur (the very frequent house) which is like the Kaaba. It is said, that it is located to be directly above the Kaaba in Dunya. The angels do Tawaf around it, 70 thousand at a time, and they keep on doing tawaf until the day of Judgement.
The Prophet was than carried to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha. It is a kind of a lote tree, but this tree changes it’s colors. Colours which the Prophet (saw) had never seen! The Prophet (saw) said that Sidrat-ul-Muntaha was a major sign, when he saw it. Prophet (saw) could not describe the tree because he had never seen anything like it. He also saw butterflies of gold and those who change their colours as well. He said the tree was so massive that it started from the 6th Heaven and goes up to the 7th Heaven.
The Prophet (saw) met Jibril in his original form, there. He had 600 wings. From his wings pearls were emanating. Angel Jibril could not go beyond that point. He said his wings would burn if he went beyond this point. The Prophet (saw) said then someone caused me to ascend and the first thing I felt was I heard the writing of a pen. No other living creature beyond that point, only the Prophet (saw). There was a book above the throne and the pen was writing which he could hear. Whatever happened there was private between Allah (saw) and the prophet of Allah. There our prophet was given 50 Salawat and some scholars say the last two Ayahs of surah Baqarah. The third thing he was given there was assurance that if anyone stays away from shirk, he will get Jannah.
When the meeting with Allah SWT was over, our Prophet (saw) on his return spoke to Musa AS, where he pointed out to Prophet Muhammad (saw) that “Your followers cannot perform so many prayers. I know from experience with my Ummah, Bani Israel. Your people are also weak. Go back to Allah and ask for a lesser amount in the daily prayer.” So along with Jibril AS our Prophet (saw) went back to Allah SWT and asked for a reduction in daily prayer. Allah SWT decreased 10 prayers to a total of 40 prayers. Again, when Muhammad (saw) passed Musa (AS) and told him about the reduction in prayers, Musa AS said it is still too many daily prayers for your Ummah, so go back again and ask for further reduction.
So once more our Prophet (saw) begged his lord to reduce the number of prayers further. Allah SWT again decreased the number. The Prophet went again and again on the suggestion of Prophet Musa AS for reductions in daily prayers, until they were reduced to five. Musa AS told the Prophet (saw) that your Ummah is weak and will not be able to read even 5 daily prayers, go back to Allah SWT and ask Him to reduce the number, but the Prophet (saw) said that I feel ashamed now on repeatedly asking my Lord for more reductions, I accept and resign to my Lords will.
Allah SWT imposed five daily prayers on the ummah of Prophet Muhammad but the reward for it would be for fifty. Still the Prophet (saw) always prayed fifty Rakah all his life. On his way back the Prophet (saw) also got to see Jannah and Hellfire.
The Prophet (saw) came down to Jerusalem and untied Burraq and rode him back to Makkah. On his way back he glimpsed and recognized three caravans going to Makkah. he got back to Haram just in time for Fajr prayers.
When he woke up the next morning, he felt anxious about the reaction of his community about his journey to Heavens. This shows his humanity. He was stressed out of how he will tell others. The next day he was sitting in the Haram, Abu-Jehal came by and inquired about what happened. Prophet (saw) started telling him about his night journey. Other people gathered around the prophet. When the Prophet (saw) told them how he was carried to Jerusalem from Makkah in one-night people started making fun of him. But Allah SWT helped our prophet (saw) when he was asked about the temple in Jerusalem, and what it was like. The Prophet (saw) also told them about the caravans he saw on his return journey and that one of the caravans had a red camel with a broken leg. When that caravan reached Makkah, it was verified that the Prophet (saw) spoke the truth.
There is a debate among scholars whether the prophet (saw) got to see Allah SWT or not. Ayesha RA said that whoever said that the Prophet (saw) saw Allah SWT, said a huge lie about Allah. Ayesha RA said I was the first person to ask the Prophet (saw) about these ayahs. The verses are about Jibril and not Allah. Our eyes cannot see Allah. When asked directly to the Prophet (saw), he said there was so much Nur (light) how could I see him? No creation can withstand seeing of Allah. When Musa (AS) tried to speak to Allah, the mountain turned into ashes. So, Allah SWT created a veil or hijab of light between the Prophet (saw) and Him. No creations of this world can see Allah SWT.Allah Humma Salleh Ala Muhammadin!!!
By: Afshan Habib
