The miracle of Al-Isra'
and Al-Mi^raj
(The night journey and the ascension of prophet Muhammad)
Bismillah, al-hamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ^ala Rasulillah.
Praise be to
Allah, the Lord of t he Worlds, the One Who exists without a place. To Him
belong the endowments and proper commendations. May Allah raise the rank of
Prophet Muhammad and his kind Al and Companions and protect his nation from
what he fears for them. May the Lord of Heavens and Earth grant us the sincere
intentions and guide us to the acceptable deeds.
Thereafter, Allah sent the prophets as a
mercy to the slaves and supported them with miracles to indicate the
truthfulness of their message. Of all the prophets, our Prophet, Muhammad, was
blessed with the most miracles. Al-Isra' and al-Mi^raj are among the many miracles of Prophet Muhammad.
The miracle of al-Isra'
is confirmed in the Qur'an. In
which means: [Praise be to Allah Who enabled
His slave, Muhammad, to make the journey at night from Masjid
al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in
This journey is also confirmed in the sahih hadith. As such, there is
scholarly consensus (ijma^) Prophet Muhammad
journeyed in body and soul the night of al-Isra' from
Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsain
Before the Prophet took this night
journey, the ceiling of the house in which he was staying was opened, and Jibril descended. He cut open the chest of Prophet Muhammad
and washed that open area with Zamzam water. Then he
emptied something from a container into the chest of
the Prophet to increase his wisdom as well as the strength of his belief. This
was done to prepare the Messenger of Allah for that which he had yet to see in
the upper world from among the wonders of the creation of Allah.
Al-Isra'
After the Prophet performed the Evening
Prayer (^Isha'), Jibril
came to him with a white animal, slightly larger than a donkey yet smaller than
a mule. This animal was the buraq,--one of the
animals of Paradise. Jibril held the buraq by his ear and told the Prophet to mount it. When the
buraq was mounted, the Prophet set forth.
The buraq is a
very fast animal; the length of the buraq's stride is
the farthest distance it's eye can see. The Prophet
and Jibril arrived to a land with palm trees. Jibril told the Prophet to dismount and pray, so the
Prophet dismounted the buraq and prayed two rak^as. Jibril asked him, "Do
you know where you prayed?" and the Prophet answered, "Allah knows
best." Jibril told him, "This is Yathrib; this is Taybah.
"." (These are two names for the city of al-Madinah.)
Before the Prophet emigrated to al-Madinah, it was
called Taybah and Yathrib. It
earned the name al-Madinah after the Prophet
emigrated to it.
The buraq
continued with the Prophet and Jibril until they
reached another place. Again Jibril told the Prophet
to get down and pray. The Prophet dismounted there and prayed two rak^as. Jibril informed the
Prophet of the name of that place; it was Tur Sina'.
Once again the buraq
took off with the Prophet and Jibril. Once again it
stopped, and the Prophet dismounted and prayed two rak^as.
This was in Bayt Lahm, where
Prophet ^Isa (Jesus) was born. Then the buraq continued with the Messenger of Allah until they
entered the city of
1- On Prophet Muhammad's journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa, Allah enabled him
to see some of His wondrous creations. Allah enabled the Prophet to see the
world (dunya) like an old woman. However, this old
woman was wearing a great deal of jewelry, and in this there is an indication
signifying the reality of the world.
2- Allah enabled the Prophet to see Iblis. The Prophet saw something on the side of the road
which did not dare to stand in his way or speak to him. What the Prophet saw
was Iblis. Originally, Iblis
was a believer and lived with the angels in Paradise. When Allah ordered the
angels to prostrate (sujud) to Prophet Adam, Iblis was ordered to prostrate to him as well. The angels
prostrated to Adam in obedience to Allah, because angels do not disobey Allah. However,
Iblis did not obey, and he objected to the order of
Allah. He said, "You created me out of fire, and You
created him out of clay. How do You order me to
prostrate to him?" So this objection by Iblis to
the order of Allah was the first blasphemy he committed.
3- On his journey, the Prophet smelled a
very nice odor. He asked Jibril about this pleasant
scent and Jibril informed him this good smell was
coming from the grave of the woman whose duty used to be to comb Pharaoh's
daughter's hair.
This woman was a good, pious believer. One
day, as she was combing Pharaoh's daughter's hair, the comb fell from her hand.
At this she said, ""Bismillah. "Pharaoh's daughter asked her, "Do you have a
god other than my father?" The woman said, "Yes. My Lord and the Lord
of your father is Allah." Pharaoh's daughter told her father what had
happened. Pharaoh demanded this woman blaspheme and leave Islam, but she
refused. At that, Pharaoh threatened to kill her children. He brought a great
pot of water and built a great fire under it. When the water boiled, Pharaoh
brought her children and started to drop them into that pot one after the other.
Throughout all this, the woman remained steadfast to Islam, even when Pharaoh
reached her youngest child--a little boy still breast feeding--but she felt
pity for him. At that, Allah enabled this child to speak. He said to his mother,
"O Mother, be patient. The torture of the Hereafter is far more severe
than the torture of this life, and do not be reluctant, because you are right."
At this the woman requested Pharaoh collect her bones and the bones of her
children and bury them in the same grave. Pharaoh promised her that--then
dropped her into that boiling water. She died as a martyr. The good odor the
Prophet smelled coming from her grave is an indication of her high status.
4- During his trip, the Prophet saw
people who were planting and reaping in two days. Jibril
told the Prophet, "These were the people who fight for the sake of Allah (mujahidun). ")."
5- The Prophet also saw people whose
lips and tongues were clipped with scissors made of fire. Jibril
told the Prophet, "These are the speakers of sedition (fitna)
who call people to misguidance."
6- He also saw a bull which exited a
very small outlet, then was trying in vain to return through that small outlet.
Jibril told the Prophet, "This is the example of
the bad word--once spoken, it cannot be returned."
7-
The Prophet saw people grazing like animals, with very little clothing on their
private parts. Jibril told the Prophet, "These
are the ones who refused to pay zakat. "."
8- The Prophet saw angels smashing some
people's heads with rocks. These heads would return to the shape they had been,
and then the angels would smash their heads again--and so on. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are the ones whose
heads felt too heavy to perform prayer--the ones who used to sleep without
praying."
9- On his journey the Prophet saw people
who were competing to eat some rotten meat--ignoring meat that was sliced and
unspoiled. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are
people from your nation who leave out that which is permissible (halal), and consume that which is forbidden ((haram). "This reference was to the fornicators, that
is, the ones who left out the permissible (marriage) and committed sins (fornication).
10- Also, the Prophet saw people who were drinking from the fluid coming from the
bodies of the fornicators, (water mixed with blood). Jibril
indicated to the Prophet these were the ones who were drinking the alcohol
which is prohibited in this world.
11-
The Prophet saw people scratching their faces and chests with brass finger
nails. Jibril said, "These are the examples of
those who commit gossip ((ghibah). ")."
We ask Allah to protect us ameen.
Al-Mi^raj
1- After the Prophet took this night
journey from Masjid al-Haram
to Masjid al-Aqsa, he
ascended to the upper heavens. The Prophet ascended to the heaven on stairs, called
al-mirqat, in which one step is made of gold and the
next of silver, and so on. These stairs are veiled from us. The Prophet
ascended these stairs until he reached the first heaven. When the Prophet and Jibril arrived at the first heaven, Jibril
requested the gate to be opened. The angel assigned to that gate asked Jibril, "Who is with you?" Jibril
answered, "It is Muhammad." The angel asked Jibril, "Was he
dispatched? Is it time for him to ascend to the heaven?" Jibril said, "Yes." So, the gate was opened for
him, and Prophet Muhammad entered the first heaven.
There, Prophet Muhammad saw Prophet Adam.
To Adam's right, the Prophet saw some bodies, and to Adam’s left, other bodies.
If Adam would look to his right he would laugh, and if he would look to his
left he would cry. Adam was seeing the souls of his descendants. Those on his
right were his descendants who would die as believers and those on his left
were his descendants who would die as non-believers.
Then the Prophet ascended to the second
heaven. In this second heaven was where Prophet Muhammad saw Prophets ^Isa and Yahya. ^Isa and Yahya are cousins; their
mothers were sisters. They welcomed the Prophet and made supplication (du^a') for him for good things. The Prophet ascended to the
third heaven, where he found Prophet Yusuf. Prophet Yusuf was extremely
handsome. Allah bestowed half the beauty on Yusuf. Yusuf received the Prophet
with a warm welcome and made supplication (du^a') for
him for good things.
Then the Prophet ascended to the fourth
heaven, where he found Prophet Idris. Idris welcomed the Prophet and made supplication (du^a') for him for good things. In the fifth heaven, the
Prophet encountered Harun, the brother of Prophet
Musa. In the sixth heaven, he encountered Prophet Musa. Each of these Prophets
received Prophet Muhammad with a warm welcome and made supplication (du^a')') for him for good things.
Then the Prophet ascended to the seventh
heaven, and that is where our Messenger saw Prophet Ibrahim.
Prophet Ibrahim is the best of the prophets after our
prophet, Muhammad. The Prophet saw Prophet Ibrahim
with his back against al-Bayt al-Ma^mur. To the inhabitants of the skies, al-Bayt al-Ma^mur
is like the Ka^bah is to us, the inhabitants of the
earth. Every day 70,000 angels go there; then exit from it, and never return. The
next day another 70,000 angels go, come out, and never return. This will
continue until the Day of Judgment. In this, there is an indication as to the
greatness of the numbers of the angels--their numbers are far more than the
numbers of the humans and the jinns together.
In the seventh heaven, Prophet Muhammad
saw Sidrat al-Muntaha--a
very big tree of sidr. Each of the fruits of this
tree is as large as a big jar. The leaves of this tree are similar to the ears
of the elephants. Sidrat al-Muntahais an extremely beautiful tree.
It is visited by butterflies made of gold. When these butterflies gather on
this tree, its beauty is beyond description.
Then the Prophet ascended to what is
beyond the seven skies; he entered Paradise. He saw examples of the inhabitants
of Paradise and how their situation would be. He saw most of the inhabitants of
Paradise are the poor people .
The Prophet saw other things on the
night of his ascension. He saw Malik, the angel in
charge of the Hellfire. Malik did not smile at the
Prophet when he saw him, and the Prophet asked why. In answer to the Prophet's
question, Jibril said, "Malik
did not smile since the day Allah created him. Had he smiled for anyone, he
would have smiled for you."
In Paradise, the Prophet saw some of the
bounties Allah prepared for the inhabitants of Paradise. He saw the Hoor ul-^In:
females Allah created who are not humans or jinn. They are in Paradise and will
be married to those men Allah willed them to marry.
The Prophet saw the wildan
ul-mukhalladun: creations of Allah who are not human,
jinn, or angels. They are a very beautiful creation of Allah whose appearance
is like laid-out pearls. They are servants of the inhabitants of Paradise. The
least in status of the People of Paradise will have 10,000 wildan ul-mukhalladun to serve
him. Each one of them would carry a tray of gold in one hand and a tray
of silver in the other hand.
The Prophet saw the Throne (^Arsh), which is the ceiling of Paradise. The Throne is the
largest creation of Allah in size; Allah did not create anything bigger in size
than it. The seven heavens and the earth in comparison to the Kursiyy, are
like a ring thrown in a desert, and the Kursiyy in
comparison to the Throne, is like a ring thrown in a desert. The seven heavens
and the earth in comparison to the Throne are like a seed of mustard compared
to the ocean. Allah created the Throne as a sign of His Power and He did not
create the Throne to sit on it.
Allah created the Throne to show His
Power. It is carried by four angels, and on the Day of Judgment, it will be
carried by eight. The Prophet said he was permitted to speak about one of these
angels who carry the Throne. In describing this angel, the Prophet told us the
distance between his ear lobe and shoulder is the distance a fast-flying bird
would cover in 700 years.
Then the Prophet ascended beyond
Paradise. He reached a place where he heard the creaking of the pens used by
the angels who are copying from the Preserved Tablet. It is at that location
Prophet Muhammad heard the Kalam of Allah, which is
an attribute of the Self of Allah. He heard the Kalam
of Allah which does not resemble our speech--so it is not something that occurs bit after bit. It is not letter after letter or a
word that comes after another word. Rather, it is an attribute of Allah which
is eternal and everlasting. It does not resemble our attributes. The Kalam of Allah has neither silence nor interruptions. It is
an attribute of Allah, and it does not resemble the attributes of the creation.
The Prophet understood several things
from hearing this Kalam of Allah. He understood the
obligation of the five Obligatory Prayers. At first, Allah obligated fifty
prayers. When Prophet Muhammad encountered Musa, Musa told him to make
supplication (du^a') to his Lord to ease the
obligation of fifty (50) prayers, because his nation could not handle that. Musa
said, "I have experience with the people of
From the Kalam
of Allah, the Prophet also understood that a good deed would be written for the
person who intends to do a good deed, even if he did not do it. Also, the good
deed performed would be registered for he who performs it as at least ten good
deeds--up to 700 good deeds. For some people, Allah would multiply the reward
of their deeds more than that. Additionally, if one performs a bad deed, it is
registered for him as one bad deed; yet for he who
inclines towards committing a bad deed and then refrains from committing it, a
good deed would be registered for him. Here one should note the difference
between two matters. If a thought crossed a person's mind about doing something
sinful, and this person wavered in this thinking, i.e., considered whether he
should do it or not, then he refrained from doing this for the sake of Allah, this
is written as a good deed. However, if a person has the firm intention in his
heart that he wants to commit a sin, it would be written for him as a sin, even
if he does not do it.
The Prophet Returns to Makkah
After all these matters took place with
the Prophet, he returned to the city of
The blasphemous people questioned the
Prophet: "If you are truthful, then describe to us Masjid
al-Aqsa and its surroundings." They asked this
because they knew Prophet Muhammad had never been there before the previous
night.
Allah enabled the Messenger to see Masjid al-Aqsa, and he described
the masjid and its surroundings in exact detail. Moreover,
the Prophet said, "On my way back, I saw some of your shepherds grazing
their animals in a particular location. They were searching for a camel they
had lost." The Prophet continued by giving the description of the camel. When
these shepherds came back, they told their people what happened to them--precisely
as the Prophet had already told them.
These blasphemers admitted the Prophet's
description was exact. Despite that, they were still stubborn and rejected the
faith. They did not accept Islam. Only those whom
Allah willed to be guided, will be guided. The person whom Allah did not will
to be guided, will not believe--regardless of how much explanation or how many
proofs he is shown. The person whom Allah willed to be guided, surely he will
be a believer.
Many people witnessed miracles and still
did not believe. Many people witnessed the miracle of the Prophet's splitting
of the moon. Those who refused to embrace Islam said, "This is magic. Muhammad
played a magic trick on our eyes." They even asked the people of a faraway
land who witnessed the moon split in two. Despite this, they still did not
believe. They said, "The magic of Muhammad is powerful; it even reached
the faraway lands!" This was their response to witnessing a miracle--instead
of believing and becoming Muslims.
We ask Allah that we would all die as
Muslims. We ask Allah to bestow on us the bounty of entering Paradise without
torture.
And Allah knows best.
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