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| Journey from the "Sacred Mosque" to the "Farthest Mosque" |
Today, Sunday, is a
public holiday in the UAE and most of the Gulf and Middle East.
It is Al-Isra’ wal Mi'raj -- الإسراء والمعراج -- an important
observance day in the Muslim calendar. It falls on 27 Rajab in the Hijri
calendar, corresponding to May 25 this year.
It also marks the
countdown to the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan, which falls on June 28 or
29.
Al-Isra’ wal Mi'raj marks the two parts of a physical
and spiritual night journey that, according to Muslim tradition, the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) took during a single night circa the year 621.
A brief sketch of the
story comes in Sura 17 Al-Isra of the Holy Quran.
Other details come from the hadiths or supplemental writings about the life of the Prophet.
Surat Al-Isra’ (The Night Journey), also called Surat Bani Isra'eel (Children of Israel),
is the 17th chapter of the Quran with 111 verses.
According to the hadith, the journey goes like this:
The Prophet Muhammad
travels on the steed Buraq to "the Farthest
Mosque,” where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to
Heaven where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take
back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer.
The exact location of
"the Farthest Mosque” is not specified, although the first verse refers to
Muhammad being taken from the “Sacred Mosque” to the “Farthest Mosque”:
Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a journey by night from
the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless -- in
order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth
and seeth (all things).
It is generally
agreed the “Farthest Mosque” refers to al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the
“Sacred Mosque” refers to al-Haram in Mecca.
The Sura was revealed in the last year before
the Hijra. Its main theme is salat (daily prayers),
whose number was fixed at five during the Mi’raj that it alludes to. The Sura also forbids adultery, calls for respect for father and mother and
for patience and control in the face of the persecutions the Muslim community
was facing at the time.
According to
traditions, the journey is associated with Lailat al-Mi'raj, one of
the most significant events in the Muslim calendar.
The Night Journey
starts with the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel (who was bringing the
revelation of the Quran). Gabriel leads Muhammad to a white mule with wings
attached to its thighs. This mule had carried other prophets, including
Abraham, and was the Buraq or spirit horse.
Muhammad gets on and goes high into the sky.
He arrives at
Jerusalem where he meets many prophets including Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The
Prophet is quoted as saying Abraham “looked like no one else, but also no one
did not look like him.” Moses was “tall, tanned, slim and with a hooked nose
and curly hair.” Jesus was “red skinned of medium height with straight hair and
many moles on his face.” He also looked like “he had come out of a bath. His hair
looked wet although it was not wet.”
Muhammad is asked to
lead them in prayer and did.
Three dishes are
placed in front of Muhammad containing water, wine and milk. Muhammad said he
knew of the prophecy that if he chose water the Muslim community would drown,
if he chose wine they would leave the true path, and if he chose milk they
would follow the true religion of the one God. He chose milk and drank from it.
Gabriel confirmed the prophecy.
Then Muhammad lifts
up to the first gate of Heaven guarded by the Angel Ishmael (first son of
Abraham) who was in charge of 12,000 more and each of those had 12,000 of their
own. All these 144,000,001 angels guarded the one gate. Ishmael asked Gabriel
if Muhammad was the one sent to deliver God's message to humankind and Gabriel
confirmed this, so Muhammad was let through.
Muhammad passes
through seven heavenly realms.
In the First Heaven
he sees Adam being shown the souls of his descendents both good and bad.
In the Second Heaven
he sees Jesus and John, son of Zachariah.
In the Third Heaven
he sees Joseph, son of Jacob.
In the Fourth Heaven
he sees Idris, the prophet from before the flood.
In the Fifth Heaven
he sees Moses' older brother, Harun, with his long white beard.
In the Sixth Heaven
Muhammad meets a tall man with a hooked nose and Gabriel says it is Moses.
In the Seventh Heaven
Muhammad sees an old man seated by the gate to Paradise where 70,000 angels
pass through each day but do not return until Judgment Day. Gabriel identifies
him as Abraham.
Gabriel then takes
Muhammad into Paradise where he speaks to God who tells him the importance of
regular prayers.
On the way back Moses
asks how many prayers have been commanded and Muhammad says 50 a day. Moses
tells him to go back to God and get the number cut. God reduces the number to
10 a day but Moses again says this is too many. Muhammad returns to God and
they are reduced to five times a day. Moses says this is still too many, but
Muhammad tells Moses he is too embarrassed to return to God again.
The Prophet is also
shown Sidrat al-Muntaha (a Lote Tree of the utmost boundary
[Quran 53:14]). He says, “I saw its Nabk fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (near Medina) and its
leaves were like the ears of elephants and four rivers originated at its root
-- two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Gabriel about those
rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise and the apparent
ones are the Nile and the Euphrates’.”
Sidrat al-Muntaha marks the end of the
Seventh Heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass, according to Muslim
beliefs.
Muhammad then returns
to Mecca.
When he describes his
journey to followers, many don’t believe he had gone to Jerusalem in one night,
seen the Seven Heavens and had spoken with God.
Some of the disbelievers
went to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (one of the senior companions -- Sahabi -- father-in-law of Muhammad and the first Muslim
Caliph following Muhammad's death).
Abu Bakr asked the
Prophet to describe Jerusalem. He did and Abu Bakr declared all the details
were accurate and so Muhammad must have been there.
Exalted is He who
took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose
surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the
Hearing, the Seeing. Quran, Chapter
17 (Al-Isra), Verse 1
So today, we
celebrate the miracle of Al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj, the night journey
and ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Have a wonderful day.
