Al-Isra wal Miraj 1

              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!

Stay tuned with Jannat AlQuran articles to know more about what happened next!