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Meraj Of Prophet Muhammad "The experience of the Meraj, like the rising kundalini that Abdula had seen, would not onlyrevolutionise Mohammed’s awareness but send out shock waves which resonated in the

unconscious of all Arabians and later, all the world."

The Holy Qur'an

surah 97:1-5 Al-Qadr (Night of Power)

1. We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:2. And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?3. The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.4. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:5. Peace!...This until the rise of morn!

surah 97:1-5 Al-Qadr (Night of Power)(Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, 1989.)

Meraj Of Prophet Muhammad "There are a number of legends about the early life of Mohammed, founder of the religion of Islam.

It is said that just before Mohammed’s birth his father, Abdula, dreamt of his unborn son. He sawgrowing from his child’s back a tree, which climbed upward, and reaching its full height emitted a lightthat spread around the world.

Most Muslims interpret the dream and its imagery symbolically. The tree would of course representthe religion of Islam, supported by Mohammed. The light is the wisdom of his teachings that havetruly been globally disseminated.

However we also know that the tree in Mohammed’s back could be the ‘tree of life’ and is a commonsymbol in Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. Carl Jung, after years of studying the language of the

unconscious, interpreted the tree of life as one of the universal unconscious’s synonyms for theKundalini.

The Kundalini, said Jung, is a spiritual energy best documented by (but by no means exclusive to) theyogis of India. It should not at all be surprising, should we take an open-minded and closer look atIslam, that as with the other great religions, we find a deeper, more mystical and universal message:that of self realisation and the mechanism by which it occurs — Kundalini awakening. Every cultureand religion has had individuals who have achieved a living, spontaneous, direct experience of theirreligion. A dynamic, suprahuman awareness that went beyond dogma and blind faith. The Gnostics ofChristianity, the Yogis of Hinduism, the Fang-Shi of Tao and the Sufis of Islam all achieved these



states and each have spoken of experiences that, despite differences of appearance, are strikinglysimilar in content.

Let us then look at Abdula’s dream from a yogic perspective. We can suggest that he actually saw theuniquely powerful Kundalini of his son. The ascent of Mohammed’s Kundalini was not simply ofindividual importance to Mohammed but had global, even cosmic significance. For the light, the divineenergy of Mohammed’s Kundalini, was about to affect a spiritual and cultural revolution in Arabia.

Mohammed was the vessel through which the universal unconscious, or ‘divine’, or ‘God’ was about toact.

As a child and young man Mohammed showed few signs of his prophetic destiny. He was well knownfor his moral integrity and good character but it was not until his forties that he became aware of histrue purpose. Through a series of transformative experiences Mohammed was prepared for his divinerole. These experiences culminated in the amazing Meraj (or ‘Ascent’).

The experience of the Meraj, like the rising kundalini that Abdula had seen, would not onlyrevolutionise Mohammed’s awareness but send out shock waves which resonated in the unconscious

of all Arabians and later, all the world.

Through the Meraj Mohammed realized the need for the establishment of a new culture. He was toestablish a creed that went beyond the petty tribal boundaries, blood feuds and violent practices

prevalent at the time. To go beyond such ingrained behaviour patterns Mohammed drew upon anawareness of superhuman proportions. He transcended the limitations of the human mind and tappedinto the universal intelligence. His vision then became universal: to unite the peoples of Arabia undera system of morality, justice and compassion. A system that would serve as the foundation for one ofthe greatest civilisations in recorded history.

The Meraj gave Mohammed the confidence, wisdom and superhuman energy to attempt such arevolution.

In this visionary experience the angel Gabriel escorted Mohammed from his humble quarters to theDome of the Rock in Jerusalem. There the Buraq, a fantastic steed with the body of a horse, the headof a woman and the wings of a bird, greeted him. She shone with dazzling white brightness and hertremendous strength bore Mohammed up into the cosmos through the various divine dimensions.

Gabriel escorted Mohammed on the Buraq through the seven heavens. Each heaven had its ownguardian angel and resident prophet who ruled the dimension in accordance with God’s laws.Mohammed bowed to guardian angels who determined his readiness to enter into their heaven, andthen Mohammed respectfully paid homage to the reigning prophet. The prophet in turn blessedMohammed and ushered him on to the next heaven and so on.

At the sixth heaven Gabriel brought Mohammed to the verge of the seventh. The archangel said thathe himself could go no further. This, the seventh heaven, was the last frontier between god and manand Mohammed was ushered into the place described as the abode of God almighty.

Their Mohammed saw a beautiful, radiant tree with wondrous multicolored leaves. It was here that hecommuned with God and learned of his true purpose.

This beautiful and inspiring vision has motivated millions of Muslims for more than a thousand years.

Its significance becomes even more universal when we examine it from the perspective of kundaliniawakening, using the symbolic language of the universal unconscious.

The seven heavens through which Mohammed passed must of course correspond to the seven chakrasthat exist within the human body. Each chakra, say the yogis, is the abode of a special deity whosecharacter embodies the chakra’s innate spiritual qualities. The human chakra system is a m icrocosmfor the entire Eastern pantheon of gods, goddesses and heavenly beings. The prophets and angelsthat Mohammed encountered in each heaven could well have been these same inner deities that theyogis personally discovered through intense meditation.



The seventh heaven or chakra is the ‘Crown Chakra’ also termed Sahasrara. Yogis have described it asthe most important of all the chakras for it represents the ultimate level of mystic awareness.

Like all the chakras it has a specific number of petals (in this case more than a thousand)|. Eachchakra not only has a specific number of petals but also a specific radiant colour. The sahasrara’sappearance however is said to contain all the colours of the rainbow for it contains within it all theaspects (and hence the colours) of the six other chakras below it.

Such ancient yogic descriptions of the sahasrara could logically correspond to the resplendent andmulticoloured sidrat which Mohammed encountered in the 7th heaven.

The kundalini is a feminine energy often described as an ‘inner goddess’ or ‘mother energy’. Herascent from the sacrum, through the chakras located in the spinal cord, is the process of self-realisation. When the kundalini arrives in the crown chakra (sahasrara) the seeker experiences thecomplete transformation of awareness. One is taken beyond the limits of the human mind into themystical states of meditation described by sufis and yogis alike.

In fact C.G. Jung described the kundalini as the ‘divine feminine ‘or ‘God the mother’. Notably,Mohammed’s vehicle for his own ascent through the heavenly dimensions was the lady-faced, dazzlingburaq. The buraq could well be a feminine, Arabic synonym for kundalini.

In conclusion Mohammed’s ascent through the seven heavens was, in fact, the ascent of the kundalini,taking his consciousness with it, to divine union with the god almighty.

It is no coincidence that the entire Meraj is described to have started and finished in an incrediblyshort period of time: While sitting in his room Mohammad heard someone grasp the door handle andthe sound of the latch clicking was the last thing he heard before Gabriel’s appearance and the duo’sdeparture on their spiritual journey. Mohammed’s return to mundane experience restarts with the nextfew clicks of the same latch movement. In other words the entire experience occurred in a sort of ‘no-time’. This is not an unusual proposition since meditation is a state of awareness created by theascent of the kundalini through the chakras. As it pierces the sixth chakra (‘third eye’ or Agnya) andseventh, it takes the meditator into the state of ‘thoughtless awareness’ (Nirvichara Samadhi) andbeyond. This is a simple state where one experiences true mental silence, beyond the normal mentalawareness of past/future, cause/effect.

The mind, as this editorial column has often discussed before, can only deal with the dimension ofpast and future, cause and effect, thought and memory. However, the state of meditation begins inthe ‘spaces between the thoughts’. This is the numinous dimension where there is no passage of timebut only a singular, silent, eternal, thought-free and joyful experience.

It was from this dimension of awareness that Mohammed perceived the divine vision of a universalculture and spirituality. Through his meditative vision he learned of humanity’s higher potential thushis mystic perception of the universal spirit and its presence within each of us became the templateupon which he sought to fashion a new society whose foundations lay not in issues of commonmaterial interest but in the unique awareness of Self-Realization. Mohammed was, in fact, laying thefirst building blocks for the emergence of a spiritual civilization that may only now come into fruition.”[1]

Prophet Muhammad was at all times besides His wife when He experienced this mystical journey

(Meraj) to heaven. Kash made about 1300 such journeys to heaven. Prophet Muhammad made the journey within. Kash also made these journeys within. Both reached the mystical heaven within, theSahasrara or Kingdom of God.

However, in no way is Kash compared or elevated to Prophet Muhammad. Far from it. But there is areason he met Prophet Muhammad, a reason absolutely necessary to confirm what the Qur'an revealsabout His Ruh (Spirit) and the announcement of Al-Qiyamah. These exacting pre-ordained conditionsbeyond human manipulation form the phalanx of Sure Signs that commences Al-Qiyamah.



ADDITIONAL QUOTES

"Experience of the universal

The nature of the goal, however, introduces a paradox. Like every other aim and activity, mysticism

operates in a historical context. Yet, sooner or later, it also tends to reveal a timeless stance. Themystic is both in and out of time. The eternal now is a kind of release from the temporal order. Such arelease may lead to a shift from the local to the universal, to a growing sense of unity of allexperience. Though not a declared or conscious aim, this result could be looked upon as a notunworthy goal as well as a pragmatic standard.

To cure man of a provincialism of the spirit, from which more people suffer than either know or admitit, is one of the goals of a mysticism that has come of age. The true mystic is a cosmopolitan. Inman's many-sided growth toward the real, a sane and mature mysticism leads to an ecumenicalinsight and obligation. Local colour, particulars, and uniqueness will not cease, but, in the perspectiveof the future and of wholeness, the universal alone will have survival value."

Britannica Online(1994-1998 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)

"He was one of those happy few who have attained the supreme joy of making one great truth theirvery life spring. He was the messenger of One God, and never to his life's end did he forget who hewas or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings to his people with agrand dignity sprung from the consciousness of his high office, together with a most sweet humility."

Stanley Lane-Poole, Studies in a Mosque

"Experience of oneness with people

The apotheosized (divinized) field of consciousness is mysticism's ultimate goal and gift to the life ofan evolving humanity. It alone is fitted to mediate between the anguish of existence and the serenityof essence, between samsara ("cycle of birth and rebirth") and Nirvana (the State of Bliss). Accordingto an American Roman Catholic mystic, Thomas Merton, "The spiritual anguish of man has no cure butmysticism."

Though the mystic goal may seem to be tied to a transcendent reality, this does not mean a sunderingof all relations and responsibilities. On the contrary, it is the guarantee of a set of altered relationshipsand a rehabilitation of what may be called the higher reason. Intuitions that sink into private fancyand morbidity have a short life to live. As for the mystic's "yonder," it is not spatially or posthumouslyremote but rather refers to a different order of reality and consciousness. The healthier forms of

mysticism do not abjure action or the claims of love. It is an ancient maxim that one becomes whatone loves. This is how the psychic birth repeats itself in the mystic soul, as stated, for example, byMeister Eckehart, a medieval German mystic: "It is more worthy of God that he should be bornspiritually of every virgin, or of every good soul, than that he should have been born physically ofMary."

The mystic is not always amorous of the beyond, leaving an unredeemed world to its own ways. Notescape but, rather, victory is mysticism's inner urge and promise. The more sober among the mysticsdo not merely withdraw; they also return to the base and attempt the ancient alchemy, thetransformation of men. A solitary salvation does not satisfy either head or heart."



Britannica Online, (1994-1998 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)

"My problem to write this monograph is easier, because we are not generally fed now on that(distorted) kind of history and much time need not be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations ofIslam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth the name.The principle of Islam that "there is no compulsion in religion" is well known.”

K. S. Ramakrishna Rao, Mohammed: The Prophet of Islam

"Mystical relationship between man and the sacred

Nature of the relationship

Within man is the soul of the holy, said Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 19th century. This is true ofsociety, too. As the French sociologist Émile Durkheim saw it, the sacred is but a personified society.Mysticism, one might say, is the art and science of the holy. Theologically, it is but "the experience ofthe Holy Ghost, . . . the realization of the Spirit of Holiness." As the opposite of the profane and as adistinct and irreducible quality of the religious and mystical life, the sacred has always existed. It isindeed a mark of the real, and, when the German theologian Rudolf Otto isolated the sacred as a"quite distinctive category" of mystical apprehension, he had no lack of evidence. The emphasis,however, was not unanimously accepted. Some, like Inge, thought the sacred might as well be elicitedfrom such ultimate values as "truth, goodness, and beauty."

According to the respective world view, the interpretation or emphasis varies, but the universal coreremains unaffected. The sacred is in its own way a coherent system, though not rational. The dualistsno less than the theists insist on the unqualified and irreducible "otherness," the unbridgeable gulf,even when one speaks of union or communion. It is the distance that preserves the sacred.

Christian mystics, who often speak of "union with God," generally do not imply identity with thedivine, since this might lead to heresy. The 16th-century Spanish mystic St. Teresa of Avila couldwrite with impunity: "It is plain enough what unity is — two distinct things becoming one." But mostothers could not be so plain and had to use special strategy to cover up traces of possible deviationfrom what was permissible. Even if there had been a semblance of interpenetration between man andthe divine, there could be no substantial identity. "Each of these," wrote the medieval Dutch mysticJan van Ruysbroeck, "keeps its own nature. There is here a great distinction, for the creature neverbecomes God, nor does God ever become the creature." The same doctrine is preached in the MiddleAges by the mystic Heinrich Suso:

In this merging of itself in God the spirit passes away and yet not wholly; for it receives indeed someattribute of God, but it does not become God by nature. It is still something that has been created outof nothing, and continues to be this everlastingly."

Britannica Online, (1994-1998 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.)

NOTES

• Knowledge of Reality, Yogic Insights into Islam (Issue 15)



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Profound Journey of MIRAJ - The Greatestnight in the History Asifa HYPERLINK "http://www.mail-

archive.com/[email protected]&q=from:%22Asifa+AM%22" AM Tue, 30Aug 2005 03:22:02 -0700

"Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable

Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, the neighborhood

whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo!

He is the Hearer, the Seer" (Quran 17:1).

Isra and Miraj:What are they and why are they important to Muslims?

He was depressed and dejected.

His beloved wife Khadija, a source of comfort and support, was dead.

His uncle Abu Talib, a pillar of strength who defended him against thevicious attacks of his enemies, was also gone.

His mission to Taif had been unsuccessful. He had tried to invite the people

to ISLAM, but in hateful and humiliating retaliation, they had sent theirchildren after him, throwing rocks on him until he bled.

It was truly a Year of Sorrow.

It was in this context that the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings beupon him) was taken up to the heavens in a miraculous and profound journeyMuslims know as Isra and Miraj. This took place on the 27th day of the month ofRajab.

It was the climax of the spiritual progress, which is not attained by anybodyexcept Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). No doubt the night in which he was





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blessed with this unparalleled honor was one of the greatest night in thehistory of this WORLD.

For the disbelievers, it only made them more stubborn in their disbelief. Butfor the true believers, it only strengthened their faith.

For example, the Prophet's trusted Companion, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleasedwith him) didn't flinch when confronted with this miracle. He firmly believed init. It was because of this conviction that he was given the title "as-Siddiq" (thetruthful one).

Given today's advances in technology, where jumbo jets can send us across theocean in a span of mere hours, how can we deny this miracle of travel,especially from the Being Who has no limits, whether those are of time ordistance?

As well, those who object to the possibility of such a journey-taking place areforgetting the story of Prophet Sulayman (pbuh), who lived several centuriesprior to Prophet Mohammed pbuh. It was during his lifetime that the throne ofthe Queen of Sheba was transported about 1500 miles to his kingdom.

Get to know more about the Miraculous andProfound Journey of Isra and Miraj

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Story of Isra/Miraj

Adopted from Mariful Qur'aan by Mufti Mohammed Shafi (RA)

Pure is He Who made his servant travel at night from al-Masjid al-Har am to al-Masjid al-Aqsa the environs of which We have blessed, so thatWe let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All Hearing, All Seeing. [1]

Commentary

Described in this ver - (asra) is a derivation fr (lailan) also makes this sense very clear. Then,

by placing this word as a common noun, the indication released was that during t - - - - - - Isra' and the name of the

journey from here to the seven heavens is al-Mi'raj. Isra' stands proved under the definitive textual authority of this verse and the Mi'raj finds

mention in the verses of Surah an-Najm and is proved by AHadith appearing in an uninterrupted succession. The word: (His servant) used

here for the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is special. It shows that, in this magnificent setting of honor and welcome, when Allah

Ta'ala, on His own, elects to call someone 'His servant', a unique bond of love lies embedded therein and that this is the highest honor any man

could ever have.

(and the servants of Ar-Rahman [the Most Merciful] are

those who walk on the Earth gently - al-Furqan, 25:63) where the objective is to increase the prestige of those who are acceptable with Him.From here, we also learn that the highest achievement man is capable of is to become a perfect servant of Allah - for, on this eve of special honor,the quality of ideal servitude, out of his many attributes of perfection, was chosen. Then, the presence of this expression yields yet another

beneficial outcome in that no one gets the wrong impression of divinity from this wonderful journey by night which, - ('abd: servant), it was declared that, despite all those attributes,

achievements and miracles, the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was still a servant of Allah, not god.

The Qur'an, Sunnah and 'Ijma' prove that the Mi'raj was physical:

It is proved from the text of the Holy Qur'an, and from Ahadith coming in uninterrupted succession mentioned later that the entire journey of theIsra' and Mi'raj was not simply spiritual, instead, it was physical like the journey of anyone else. The very first word of t (Subhan: Pure is He!) carries a hint in this direction because this word is used to register wonder or introduce a great marvel. Had the

Mi'raj been merely spiritual, just a matter of dream, what was there so unusual about it? As for a dream, every Muslim, even every human being,can see it and report that he or she went to the heavens, did this and did that.

('abd: servant) also points out in the same direction because 'abd is no spirit all by itself, instead,it is the name of the combination of body and spirit.

In addition to that, when the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) related the event of Mi'raj to Sayyidah Umm Hanl (RA), she advised himnot to mention it before anyone otherwise people would falsify it even more. Had this been the matter of a dream, what was there in it that needed

to be falsified?

After that, when he did tell people about it, the disbelievers of Makkah called it a lie and made fun of him, so much so that some neo-Muslims

became apostates (murtadd) after hearing the news. If this would have been the matter of a dream, the likelihood of such reactions was leastwarranted. And that he had experienced s - - (ru'ya, which is frequently used in the sense of seeing adream). The reason for this expression could be that this thing has been called ru'ya in the sense of a simile. This is like someone seeing a dream.

And if, ru'yii is taken to mean dream itself, then, it is also not too far out to say that the event of Mi'raj, in addition to its being physical, also

transpired, before or after it, in the form of a spiritual Mi'raj as a dream as well. Therefore, the saying, that it was a dream, reported fromSayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (RA) and Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah 'Aishah (RA) is also correct in its place - but, it does not necessarily imply

that physical Mi'raj did not take place.

It appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi that the Ahadith relating to the event of al-Isra' are recurrent and uninterrupted. Naqqash has reported related

narratives from twenty Sahabah of the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Then, Qadi 'Iyad has given additional details in Al-Shifa'

(Qurtubi).

Imam Ibn Kathir has, in his Tafsir, reported all these narratives and after applying the standard rules of scrutiny has mentioned the names of

twenty-five Sahabah from whom these reports come. Their names are:

Sayyidna 'Umar ibn al-Khattab,

Sayyidna 'Ali al-Murtaza,

Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud,

Sayyidna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari,

Sayyidna Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah,



Sayyidna Abu Hurairah,

Sayyidna Abu Sa'ld al-Khudri,

Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas,

Sayyidna Shaddad ibn Aws,

Sayyidna Ubaiyy ibn Ka'b,

Sayyidna 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Quraz,

Sayyidna Abu Hayyah ,

Sayyidna Abu Laila,

Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar,

Sayyidna Jablr ibn 'Abdullah,

Sayyidna Hudhayfah ibn Yaman,

Sayyidna Buraidah,

Sayyidna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari,

Sayyidna Abu 'Umamah,

Sayyidna Samurah ibn Jundub,

Sayyidna Abu al-Hamra',

Sayyidna Suhayb al-Rumi,

Sayyidah Umm Hani',

Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah 'A'ishah,

Sayyidah Asma' bint Abi Bakr, After that, Ibn Kathir said:

As for the Hadith of al-Isra', there is a consensus of all Muslim on it. Only heretics and atheists have denied it. (Ibn Kathir)

A brief account of Mi'raj as reported by Ibn Kathir

After having explained the present verse in his Tafsir along with a detailed background of relevant Ahadith, Imam Ibn Kathir has said: The truth

of the matter is that the journey of Isra' came to pass when the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was awake, not dreaming. From Makkah

al-Mukarramah to Baitulmaqdis, the journey was covered on buraq (a special heavenly horse to ride). When he reached the gate of Baitulmaqdis,

he tied the buraq close to the gate, entered the Masjid of Baitulmaqdis and offered two rakaat of Tahiyyatul-masjid (prayer in honor of the

Mosque) facing its orientation. After that, a staircase was brought which had steps to go up from below. Through this staircase, he went to thefirst heaven. After that, he went to the rest of the heavens. [Only Allah knows the reality of this staircase - what it was and how did it work and

things like that. In our day too, many kinds of stairs are in use. There are stairs that escalate automatically and there are elevators that take one up.

Therefore, falling into any doubt or suspicion about this miraculous staircase is not right.] On every heaven, the resident angels greeted him andon every heaven, he met blessed prophets who were stationed on a particular heaven, such as, Sayyidna Musa (AS) on the sixth heaven, and

Sayyidna Ibraheem Khalillullah (AS) on the seventh heaven. After that, he went beyond the stations of all these blessed prophets and reached a

plain where he could hear the sound of the pen writing destinies. And he saw the Sidratul-muntaha, the Far Tree in Jannah, on which moths ingold and variegated colors were falling from above by the command of Allah and which was surrounded by angels of Allah. And it was at this

place that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) saw Sayyidna Jibra'il al-Amin in his real form with six hundred wings. And right there,

he saw a flag in green that had the horizon all covered up. And he also saw al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the well-attended House believed to be located inJannah exactly above the Baytullah in Makkah) sitting by which was the founder of the Ka'bah, Sayyidna Ibrahim (AS) with his back reclining

against its wall. Seventy thousand angels enter this Bayt al-Ma'mur every day who shall be waiting for their turn to re-enter there right through

the day of Qiyamah. And the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) saw the Jannah and the Jahannam with his own blessed eyes. At that

time, first came the command that his people were being obligated with fifty prayers, then, these were reduced to five. This shows the importance

and merit of Salah as being the foremost out of all acts of Ibadah.

After that, he alighted back into Baytul-maqdis and, with him, so did the blessed prophets he had met on different heavens (as if) they had come

to see him off as far as Baytul-maqdis. At that time, as it was time for Salah, he offered the prayer with all prophets. It is also probable that this

Salah was the Salah of Fajr the same day. Ibn Kathir says that this event concerning the prayer with prophets led by the Holy Prophet ~ has come

to pass, as held by some, before he went to the heavens. But, as obvious, this event took place after the return because it has been reported in the

incident relating to his meeting with blessed prophets at different heavens that it was Sayyidna -Jibra'il (AS)who introduced him to all prophets.

Had this event relating to his leading the prayer passed earlier, no introduction was needed there - and, for that matter, it is obvious enough thatthe real purpose ofthis journey was to visit with the heavenly hosts. Doing that first appears to be more likely. Once he was done with the real

mission, all prophets came to say good bye to him up to Baytul-maqdis and by making him the Imam of the prayer through a signal from

Sayyidna -Jibra'il, his precedence over others was demonstrated practically.

After that, he departed from Baytul-maqdis riding buraq and reached Makkah al-Mu'azzamah while it was still dark. (And Allah, the Pure and the

High, knows best).

The testimony of a non-Muslims about the event of Mi'raj

It appears in Tafsir ibn Kathir that Hafiz Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani, in his book, Da la'il al-Nubuwwah , has reported a narrative from Muhammad

ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi on the authority of Muhammad ibn 'Amr al-Waqidi *(RA) giving details of the event as follows:



The Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) sent Sayyidna Dihyah ibn Khallfah (RA) with a blessed letter from him to the Roman Emperor,

Caesar. After that, he has given a detailed account of how Sayyidna Dihyah reached the Emperor, delivered the letter, and how intelligent he wasin his mission (an event present in the Sahih of al-B'ukhari as well as in all trustworthy books of Ahadith). Towards the end of it, it has been

reported that Hiraql, the Roman Emperor, once he had read the blessed letter, ordered that all Arab traders who were visiting the country at that

time should be assembled together. He wanted to investigate into the background of the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The royalorder was carried out. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and those with him visiting Syria at that time with their famous trade caravan were presented before

the Emperor. Details of the questions asked by the Emperor are present in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim, as well as elsewhere. Abu Sufyan

was really eager to use this occasion to say things about the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which show his insignificance. But, says

Abu Sufyan : Nothing stopped me from doing that except that I may slip and say something which turns out to be a lie and I stand disgraced inthe eyes of the Emperor and my own comrades keep taunting me for being a liar. Certainly, then it occurred to me that I should relate the event of

Mi'raj before him. The Emperor would himself conclude from it that it was a lie. So, I said: I shall describe before you what he claims to have

happened to him regarding which you will yourself realize that it was a lie. Hiraql asked:

What event is that? Abu Sufyan said: This claimant of prophet-hood says that, one night, he left Makkah al-Mukarramah, reached this MasjidBaytul-maqdis of yours and, then, within that night, before dawn, he returned to us in Makkah al-Mukarramah!

At that time, the leading scholar of Elia' (Baytul-maqdis) was standing close to Hiraql, the Roman Emperor. He disclosed that he knew that night.The Emperor turned to him and inquired as to how did he come to know about it. He submitted that, as a matter of habit, he would not sleep at

night until he had closed all gates of Baytul-maqdis. That night he habitually closed all gates but one which would not close despite his effort. He

summoned his staff. They all tried but they too failed to close it. The panels of the gate remained simply unmoved from their place. It seemed asif they were trying to move some mountain. Rendered helpless, he called technicians and carpenters. They looked at the gate and decided that the

weight of the building has come to rest on the panels of the gate. There was no way it could be closed before morning. When morning comes,

they said, they will see how this could be fixed. Nonplussed, he returned leaving both panels of the gate ajar. As soon as it was morning, he came back to the gate where he noticed that someone had made a hole in the rock close to the gate of the Masjid which gave the impression that some

animal was tied down there. At that time he had told his colleagues: Perhaps, Allah Ta'ala has caused this gate not to close today because some

prophet was to come here. And then, he also stated that this blessed prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has also offered his prayer in this Masjid

of ours. Thereafter, he has described further details. (Ibn Kathir, p. 24, v.3)

The date of the event of al-Isra' and Mi'raj

Imam al-Qurtubi has said in his Tafsir that the narratives of Hadlth regarding the date of Mi'raj are quite different. According to Musa ibn 'Uqbah,

this event came to pass six month before the Hijrah to Madinah. Sayyidah 'A'ishah (RA) says that Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Khadijah (RA)

had passed away before the injunction making Salah a Fard (obligation) was revealed. Imam Zuhri says that the event of the sad demise of

Sayyidah Khadijah (RA) took place seven years after the call to the mission of prophet-hood.

According to some Hadith narratives, the event of Mi'raj happened five years after the call to prophet-hood. Ibn Ishaq says that the event of Mi'raj

took place at a time when Islam had spread throughout the tribes of Arabia generally. The outcome of all these narratives is that the event of

Mi'raj dates back to several years before the Hijrah to Madinah.

Al-Harbi says that the event of al-Isra' and Mi'raj has happened during the night of the 27th of Rabi'ath-Thani, one year before Hijrah and Ibn al-Qasim adh-Dhahabi says that it took place eighteen months after the call to prophet-hood. Esteemed Muhaddithin (Hadith scholars) who have

mentioned these different narratives have not followed it up with any decisive statement. And as commonly known, the 27th night of the month

of Rajab is the Night of Mi'raj. (And Allah, the Pure and the High, knows best).

Al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Aqsa

Sayyidna AbU: Dharr al-Ghifari (RA) says that he asked the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) 'Which Masjid of this world comes first?'

He said, 'Al-Masjid al-Hariim.' Then he inquired, 'Which one after that?' He said, 'AI-Masjid al-Aqsa.' Then he tried to find out the intervening

time difference between the two whereupon he said, 'Forty years.' After that, he added, '(as for the order of these masajid, this is it ) but, AllahTa'ala has made the entire Earth a masjid for us. Wherever comes the time of Salah, offer it right there.' (Reported by Muslim)

Early Tafsir authority, Mujahid says that Allah Ta'aIa has made the site of Baytullah two thousand years before He made the entire Earth and thatits foundations reach as far down as the seventh (strata of) Earth and that al-Masjid al-Aqsa was made by Sayyidna Sulayman (AS). (Reported by

an-Nasa'i with sound chains of authority from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar) (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, p. 137, v. 4)

And al-Masjid al-Haram is the name of the Mosque that stands around the Baytullah ash-Sharif while, on occasions, the entire Haram is also

identified as al-Masjid al-Haram. In terms of this second sense, the dichotomy of those two reports - some hold that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho

Alaihe Wassallam) left for the nocturnal journey, al-Isra', from the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani (RA)while others say that he departed from the

section of Baytullah known as Hatim - stands removed. If we were to take al-Masjid al-Haram in its general sense, it is not far out to believe that

he may have been there in the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani (RA) first, then he walked over to the Hatim of Ka'bah and then began the journey of

al-Isra' from there. Allah knows best.

Al-Masjid al-Aqsa and blessings of the Syrian environs

(the environs of which We have blessed) means the entire land of Syria. It appears in a

Hadlth that Allah Ta'ala has made the land from the 'Arsh (Divine Throne) to the river, Euphrates and, out of this, He has bestowed particular

holiness on the land of Palestine. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

The blessings it has are both religious and worldly. As for religious blessings, it has been the Qiblah of all past prophets, and their home, and the

last resting place. And that its land is green, lush and verdant with streams, rivers and fruit farms etc. shows its worldly blessings.

Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal (RA) reports that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said: Allah Ta'ala says: 0 land of Syria, thou art My

region chosen from many and I shall make My chosen servants reach thee. (Qurtubi) And it appears in a Hadith of the Musnad of Ahmad that theImposter will traverse the whole Earth but he will not be granted access to four Mosques:

Masjid of Madinah,



Masjid of Makkah al-Mukarramah,

Al-Masjid al-Aqsa and

Masjid Tur.

*The Scholars of Hadlth say that Al-Waqidi is weak in Hadith narrations but a cautious Muhaddith like Imam Ibn Kathir has reported his

narration for the reason that this matter is not connected with 'Aqa'id or Halal and Haram and in such historical matters his narration istrustworthy - Muhammad Shafi'

meraj muhammad saww

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