Isra wal Miraj (The night journey & ascension to Heaven)

After the Year of Sorrow and the trial of Ta’if, Allah blessed the Prophet PBUH with a great miracle. It refers to the journey of the Prophet Muhammed inwhich he travels from Makkah to Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem before ascending to heaven, all in one night. Isra’ is the night journey from Makka to Masjid Al-Aqsa while Mi’raj is the journey from Masjid Al-Aqsa to the heavens. The year of sorrow was a tough year for the prophet Muhammed, it is the year that the prophet Muhammad lost his Wife, the Lady Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib, it’s around the tenth year of revelation. Also, the Muslims  faced boycotts, torture, and the loss of some companions.

Al-Israa wal Mirag is a miraculous event in which the Prophet Muhammed witnessed a great, Allah said in Holy Quran, Surah Al-Israa, Aya 1 ”Glorified be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer”

سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسۡرَىٰ بِعَبۡدِهِۦ لَيۡلٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡأَقۡصَا ٱلَّذِي بَٰرَكۡنَا حَوۡلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَآۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ

Allah wanted to strengthen the Prophet Muhammed’s will and determination to face all the forms of tyranny and injustice. The journey was a great honor to the Prophet Muhammed. And, during this journey, the prayer was decreed with a specific times and forms. It started with the Prophet Muhammed traveling with the Angel Jibril, peace be upon him, from the Kauba to the Mosque in Jerusalem on a buraq [from the Arabic word barq, meaning lightning], bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach’. [Muslim]. The first stop was at a place called Taybia (Yathrib), the destination of the prophet Muahhmed immigration, where the Sayidna Jibril asked the Prophet Muhammed to dismount and pray. The second stop was Tur Sina where The Angel Jibril and Prophet Muhammed stopped and prayed again, and where Allah spoke to the prophet Musa. The Buraq continued and stopped again in Bayet Lahm where they stopped and prayer 2 Rakas, where the Prophet Isa was born.

Finally, the Messenger of Allah (saw) arrived in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem). the Prophet entered the masjid where Allah assembled for him all the Prophets–from Adam to ^Isa. Prophet Muhammad moved forward and led them all in prayer. After finishing the prayer he sends Salam to all the prophets of Allah and spoke about the Hour with Syidna Isa and Ibrahim. Afterwards, the Prophet (saw) said, ‘Then I came out and Jibril (as) brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. Then I chose the milk, and Jibril (as) said, “You have chosen the natural state (Fitrah)”’ (Muslim). Then, the next part of the incredible journey started, the Ascension!

   After the Prophet Muhammed met the Prophets in Masjid Al-Aqsa, he went out with Sayydina Gabriel and tied the Buraq to a rock. Let us read what the prophet said about it; It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

First Heaven

           ”He (The Angel Gabriel) took me to heaven. Gabriel then asked the (gate of heaven) to be opened and he was asked who he was. He replied: Gabriel. He was again asked: Who is with you? He (Gabriel) said: Muhammad. It was said: Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied: He has indeed been sent for. And (the door of the heaven) was opened for us and lo! we saw Adam. He welcomed me and prayed for my good.”

Second Heaven

          ”Gabriel (peace be upon him) (asked the door of heaven to be opened), and he was asked who he was. He answered: Gabriel; and was again asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad. It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. The gate was opened. When I entered ‘Isa b. Maryam and Yahya b. Zakariya (peace be upon both of them), cousins from the maternal side. welcomed me and prayed for my good.”

Third Heaven

               ”Then I was taken to the third heaven and Gabriel asked for the opening (of the door). He was asked: Who are you? He replied: Gabriel. He was (again) asked: Who is with you? He replied Muhammad (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and I saw Yusuf (peace of Allah be upon him) who had been given half of (world) beauty. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being.”

Fourth Heaven

                 ”Then he ascended with us to the fourth heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the (gate) to be opened, and it was said: Who is he? He replied: Gabriel. It was (again) said: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad. It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. The (gate) was opened for us, and lo! Idris was there. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being (About him) Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, has said:” We elevated him (Idris) to the exalted position” (Qur’an xix. 57).”

Fifth Heaven

                 ”Then he ascended with us to the fifth heaven and Gabriel asked for the (gate) to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He replied Gabriel. It was (again) said: Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammad. It was said Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and then I was with Harun (Aaron-peace of Allah be upon him). He welcomed me prayed for my well-being.”

Sixth Heaven

                     ”Then I was taken to the sixth heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the door to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He replied: Gabriel. It was said: Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammad. It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I was with Musa (Moses peace be upon him) He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being.

seventh heaven

             ”Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven. Gabriel asked the (gate) to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He said: Gabriel It was said. Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammad (may peace be upon him.) It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I found Ibrahim (Abraham peace be upon him) reclining against the Bait-ul-Ma’mur and there enter into it seventy thousand angels every day, never to visit (this place) again.”

                   Then the Prophet Muhammed was taken to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha. What is Sidrat-ul-Muntaha and what did the Prophet Muhammed saw there? Stay tuned to our next blog of Al-Israa wal-Miraag series.