Isra and Mi'raj, The Details

The Miraj - Brief Description

In the twelfth year of his mission, the Prophet made his night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, and thence to heaven. His journey, known in history as Miraj (Ascension), was a real bodily one and not only a vision. It was at this time that Allah ordered the Muslims to pray the five daily prayers.

Almighty Allah has said: Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) above all that (evil) they associate with Him, Who took His slave Muhammad for a journey by night from AlMasjid-al-Haram (at Makka) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of 0ur Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer." Surah 17: 1

The Miraj - Full Description

Abbas Ibn Malik reported that Malik Ibn Sasaa said that Allah's Messenger described to them his Night Journey saying: "While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here." I asked Al-Jarud, who was by my side, "What does he mean?" He said: "It means from his throat to his pubic area," or said, "From the top of the chest." The Prophet further said, "He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me." (On this Al-Jarud asked: "Was it the Buraq, 0 Abu Hamza?" I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said: 'The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven.


"When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has Muhammad been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Gabriel said (to me): 'This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said:'You are welcomed, 0 pious son and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered: 'Gabriel.' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel answered in the affirmative. Then it was said: 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened. "When I went over the second heaven, there I saw John (Yahya) and Jesus (Isa), who were cousins of each other. Gabriel said (to me): 'These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings.' So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, 0 pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied: 'Gabriel.' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said: 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph (Yusuf). Gabriel said (to me): 'This is Joseph; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said: 'You are welcomed, 0 pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied: 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said: 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' "The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Enoch (Idris). Gabriel said (to me): This is Enoch; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said: 'You are welcomed, 0 pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied: 'Gabriel.' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied: 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said: "He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Aaron (Harun), Gabriel said (to me): 'This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.' I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said: 'You are welcomed, 0 pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied: 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. It was said: 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' "When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses (Musa). Gabriel said (to me): 'This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said: 'You are welcomed, 0 pious brother and pious Prophet.' When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him: 'What makes you weep?' Moses said: 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked: 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied: 'Gabriel.' It was asked: 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied: 'Muhammad.' It was asked: 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said: 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' "So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham (Ibrahim). Gabriel said (to me): This is your father; pay your greetings to him.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said: 'You are welcomed, 0 pious son and pious Prophet.'

Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary). Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Gabriel said: 'This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary.' Behold! There ran four rivers; two were hidden and two were visible, I asked: 'What are these two kinds of rivers, 0 Gabriel?' He replied: 'As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.'

'Then Al-Bait-ul-Mamur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked: 'This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.'

Then the prayers were enjoined on me: they were fifty prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Moses, who asked (me): 'What have you been ordered to do?' I replied: 'I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.' Moses said: 'Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me. Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah, and He reduced ten more prayers. When I came back to Moses he said the same. I went back to Allah, and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day.

"When I came back to Moses, he said: 'What have you been ordered?' I replied: 'I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.' He said: 'Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' I said: 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order.' When I left, I heard a voice saying: 'I have passed My order and have lessened the burden of My worshippers."'

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Isra and Mi'raj

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Is Celebrating Al-Israa’ & Al-Mi`raj Bid`ah?

Question:

Scholars of Islam, as-salamu `alaykum. My question is, there’s still a handful of Muslims around the world who regard celebrating the occasion of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj as an act of innovation (bid`ah). Of course, we didn’t hear the Prophet celebrate his own birthday or the blessed Journey (Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj). What’s your comment on this?

Answer:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, thanks a lot for your question which reflects your care to have a clear view of the teachings of Islam. Allah commands Muslims to refer to people of knowledge to get themselves well-acquainted with the teachings of Islam as well as all aspects of life.

No doubt that Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj is a unique and very important occasion and we all need to be reminded about it whenever its date arrives. Not only that, but we also need to keep in touch with our important historical events in order to derive fruitful lessons from them while moving forward.

Celebrating historical events and occasions such as Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj should not be considered as a totally forbidden innovation. It is true that such celebrations are innovations but not all innovations are considered prohibited.

In response to your question, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, professor of fiqh and its principles, International Islamic University, Malaysia, states:

Dear brother, thank you for your question.
I do believe that celebrating historical events and occasions such as the Mawlid (Prophet’s birthday) and Al-Israa’ should not be considered as a totally forbidden innovation. It is true that these celebrations are innovations but not all innovations are considered prohibited or forbidden.
Thus, there are so many innovations which took place after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) such as compilation of the Qur'an, and the second call for Prayer on Friday.

Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: "Whoever innovates something good he will be rewarded for it and the rewards of whoever follows him in that innovation. The same thing goes to whoever innovates something bad, he will be sinful of it and the sin of whoever follows him in that matter."
Accordingly, one shouldn't take the general statement in other hadith which says all innovations are acts of straying but we should restrict that general statement to the specific statement in this hadith—meaning that innovations are considered prohibited when they are sinful, not when they are good.

In light of this aspect of understanding the divine texts from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, I shall conclude that the legal ruling of celebrating any auspicious Islamic occasion such as the Mawlid and Al-Israa' has been done in the context of its relevance to the maslahah or interest of Islam. In other words, if the celebration is found in a place and time leading to bringing a clear interest to Islam, it should be then considered as a good innovation. For instance, these occasions could be used as means to correct or send a message to the masses or to educate the younger generation and bring them more awareness about the importance of these occasions and the necessity of benefiting from them in the current life.

However, I shall stress that no sins should be committed in the name of the celebration of these occasions. The sins are forbidden before, after, and within these occasions. All in all, I am appealing to those scholars who prohibit all these celebrations without looking at them in the context of maslahah. They shouldn't take the prophetic statement about the innovation without relating it to other prophetic statements.

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Celebrating Mi'raj

Question:

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. It is reported that during the journey of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw some people being punished. I would like to know how he could have seen them when the Day of Judgment has not come yet. Jazakum Allah khayran.

Answer:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

The Prophet’s miraculous night journey toJerusalem and the heavens establishes several facts. Among them is the status of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), as he was chosen to lead all the prophets in Prayer, and to go where no one else, not even Jibreel, was allowed.

Responding to your question, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, Deputy Chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states:

This is among the Unseen matters that each Muslim has to accept, as it is reported in the authentic sources of Shari`ah. It is not correct to occupy one’s mind with the way such matters occurred. However, in order for our minds to understand this, we say that there are two explanations for it:

First: Almighty Allah collected time—past, present, and future—for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj. He collected for him the past time when He brought all the prophets and made Muhammad lead them in Prayer (peace and blessings be upon them all). He also collected the future time until the Day of Judgment and briefed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on some examples of what will happen on that Day. Both matters are miraculous and transcend people’s minds and universal phenomena, but Almighty Allah, the Creator of the universe, did this in support of one of His prophets.

Second: The kinds of punishment that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw were for the previous nations who disbelieved in their prophets, fought against Allah’s commands, and did several kinds of grave sins while all prophets forbade such sins.

Having stated the above, I am of the opinion that the first explanation is the most correct one. However, the true nature of its occurrence is known only to Allah, and we Muslims believe in it as reported in the authentic hadiths.

Adding to the above, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

The explanation for this is that the time and space were wrapped up for him in an instant, because the journey of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj is an experience that transcends the barrier of space and time.

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Sights of the Hereafter in Al-Israa': How?

Question:

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. It is reported that during the journey of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw some people being punished. I would like to know how he could have seen them when the Day of Judgment has not come yet. Jazakum Allah khayran.

Answer:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

The Prophet’s miraculous night journey toJerusalem and the heavens establishes several facts. Among them is the status of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), as he was chosen to lead all the prophets in Prayer, and to go where no one else, not even Jibreel, was allowed.

Responding to your question, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, Deputy Chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states:

This is among the Unseen matters that each Muslim has to accept, as it is reported in the authentic sources of Shari`ah. It is not correct to occupy one’s mind with the way such matters occurred. However, in order for our minds to understand this, we say that there are two explanations for it:

First: Almighty Allah collected time—past, present, and future—for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj. He collected for him the past time when He brought all the prophets and made Muhammad lead them in Prayer (peace and blessings be upon them all). He also collected the future time until the Day of Judgment and briefed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on some examples of what will happen on that Day. Both matters are miraculous and transcend people’s minds and universal phenomena, but Almighty Allah, the Creator of the universe, did this in support of one of His prophets.

Second: The kinds of punishment that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw were for the previous nations who disbelieved in their prophets, fought against Allah’s commands, and did several kinds of grave sins while all prophets forbade such sins.

Having stated the above, I am of the opinion that the first explanation is the most correct one. However, the true nature of its occurrence is known only to Allah, and we Muslims believe in it as reported in the authentic hadiths.

Adding to the above, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

The explanation for this is that the time and space were wrapped up for him in an instant, because the journey of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi`raj is an experience that transcends the barrier of space and time.

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