Source: Sermons of Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq Zahid, compiled by: Tauheed.com
Brothers in Islam!
Allah Almighty bestowed the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with numerous miracles, among which one important miracle is the "Isra and Mi'raj." This miracle has two parts: one relates to the journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa, which is called "Isra." The other relates to the journey from Masjid al-Aqsa to the heavens above, as far as Allah Almighty willed. In this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was shown many signs of Allah, including Paradise and Hell, met several Prophets (peace be upon them), and was prescribed five daily prayers. This is called "Mi'raj."
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah regarding the event of Isra and Mi'raj is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken on this journey physically and consciously, not spiritually or in a state of sleep.
Imam Tahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: (وَالْمِعْرَاجُ حَقٌّ وَقَدْ أُسْرِیَ بِالنَّبِیِّ صلي الله عليه وسلم وَعُرِجَ بِشَخْصِہِ فِی الْیَقَظَةِ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ إِلٰی حَیْثُ شَاءَ اللّٰہُ مِنَ الْعُلَا وَأَکْرَمَہُ اللّٰہُ بِمَا شَاءَ،وَأَوْحٰی إِلَیْہِ مَا أَوْحٰی)
That is, "The Mi'raj is true; the Holy Prophet ﷺ was taken on a physical journey while awake to the heavens and even beyond, as far as Allah Almighty willed to take him. And Allah honored him according to His will and revealed to him whatever He wished."
Reference: Matn al-Aqeedah al-Tahawiyyah:39/45
Regarding "Isra," Allah, the Lord of Glory, says:
﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ ﴾
"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." [Al-Isra: 1]
The beginning of this noble verse starts with ﴿سُبْحَانَ﴾ by Allah Almighty. Its literal meaning is that He is free from every kind of defect; however, in the Arabic language, this word is also used to express amazement and wonder. Here, the power of Allah Almighty is being expressed with amazement that He made His servant travel a long distance overnight, which at that time used to take forty nights. This style of expression is evidence that the "Isra and Mi'raj" was performed physically in a state of wakefulness; otherwise, if it had been spiritual in a dream state, the expression of amazement with the word ﴿سُبْحَانَ﴾ would not have been used. Moreover, Allah Almighty used the word "Abd" (servant), meaning He made His "servant" travel. This word is used for both body and soul, not just the soul. This is the second evidence that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was honored with the "Isra and Mi'raj" not in a dream but in a state of wakefulness.
And the third argument is that if the event of "Isra and Mi'raj" had appeared in a dream and you had only narrated your dream to the people, then they would neither have denied you nor rejected it. Therefore, the denial by the disbelievers of Makkah is evidence that the Noble Prophet ﷺ did not narrate a dream, but rather informed the people that you were taken on Isra and Mi'raj in a physical state of wakefulness. That is why they mocked you ﷺ, saying that we travel from Makkah to Alia (Bayt al-Maqdis) in forty nights, and you reached there and returned overnight!
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, says: (وَہَذَا مَذْہَبُ جَمْہُوْرِ السَّلَفِ وَالْخَلَفِ مِنْ أَنَّ الْإِسْرَاءَ کَانَ بِبَدَنِہِ وَرُوْحِہِ صَلَوَاتُ اللّٰہِ وَسَلاَمُہُ عَلَیْہِ کَمَا دَلَّ عَلٰی ذَلِكَ ظَاہِرُ السِّیَاقَاتِ مِنْ رُکُوْبِہِ وَصُعُوْدِہٖ فِی الْمِعْرَاجِ وَغَیْرِ ذَلِكَ)
’’The religion of most scholars, past and present, is that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was taken on the Isra with both body and soul, as is clearly evident from the story of Mi'raj, such as the Prophet ﷺ riding the mount, ascending, and other related matters.
Reference: Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya:346/3
Regarding this noble verse, also know that the deniers of Hadith, who consider the miracle of Isra and Mi'raj to be a story, say that the mosque mentioned in this verse as Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa refers to the Prophet's Mosque, and that Allah Almighty here is alluding to the event of Hijrah!
And this is clear evidence of their ignorance because the event of Hijrah was not completed in a part of the night but took several days. And its beginning was not at night but in the scorching heat of the afternoon. Moreover, at that time, the Prophet's Mosque did not exist when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah Tayyibah; it was built after his arrival there. Besides, this Surah is Makki, not Madani, so it can only refer to an event that occurred during the Makkan period of life; how can the mosque built during the Madani period be mentioned in a Makki Surah!!
When did the event of Isra and Mi'raj occur?
Now the question is, when did the event of Isra and Mi'raj take place?
There is intense disagreement among the scholars on this matter. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, has narrated more than ten opinions in Fath al-Bari, the commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari. Some have said: one year before the Hijrah (in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, 12th year of the Prophethood), and this is the view of Ibn Sa'd and others. This is also stated with certainty by Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him. However, Ibn Hazm, may Allah have mercy on him, has reported consensus on this, which is not correct. Besides this, Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, has also categorically mentioned the same date (one year before the Hijrah).
And someone said: eight months before the migration (in the month of Rajab, 12 AH). Someone said: six months before. Someone said: eleven months before, and someone said something else. But what seems closest to the truth is that this great event occurred one year before the migration, that is, in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, 12 AH. The evidence for this is the statement of Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, and Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair, may Allah have mercy on him, that the Isra' to Bayt al-Maqdis was one year before your departure to Medina. This statement was mentioned by Musa bin Uqbah in his Maghazi, who is among the narrators of the Sahihayn, and regarding this book, Ibn Ma'in, may Allah have mercy on him, said: (کِتَابُ مُوْسَی بْنِ عَقَبَةَ عَنِ الزُّہْرِیِّ مِنْ أَصَحِّ ہَذِہِ الْکُتُبِ)
"The book of Musa bin Uqbah, which he narrated from Zuhri, is among the most authentic books in the Seerah literature." Similarly, Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) also authenticated his book.
And Hafiz Abdul Ghani Al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him) preferred this view in his Seerah book, as Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated.
And perhaps Hafiz Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) also leaned towards this view because he first quoted Zuhri's (may Allah have mercy on him) statement in Zad Al-Ma'ad. Besides this, he also mentioned the statement of Ibn Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) and others that this event occurred one year and two months before the Hijrah.
Therefore, the commonly known fact among people that this event took place on the twenty-seventh night of the month of Rajab is not correct because there is no evidence from any reliable narration to support it. And Allah knows best.
Maulana Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned six opinions of the scholars of Seerah in "Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum." Among them, he quoted one opinion attributed to Allama Mansoorpuri, may Allah have mercy on him, stating that this event occurred in the tenth year of prophethood, on the 27th of Rajab. However, he refused to accept this as correct on the basis that the death of Hazrat Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, occurred before the obligation of the five daily prayers, that is, in the tenth year of prophethood during the month of Ramadan. Whereas the prayers were made obligatory on the night of Isra and Mi'raj. Therefore, according to him, the time of Mi'raj would be after that, not before. Similarly, he also declared two other opinions incorrect that date the event even earlier. As for the remaining three opinions (in the twelfth year of prophethood in Ramadan, the thirteenth year of prophethood in Muharram, and the thirteenth year of prophethood in Rabi' al-Awwal), he stated that there is no evidence to prefer one over the others. However, according to him, the context of Surah Al-Isra indicates that this event belongs to the very last period of the Makkan life.
After presenting a few preliminary remarks regarding the miracle of Isra and Mi'raj, we now come to the actual event. The truth is that there are numerous narrations about this magnificent event in Sahihain and other hadith books, narrated by approximately twenty-five noble companions, may Allah be pleased with them. If a person considers only one or two of these narrations, he will certainly not be able to cover the entire event because no single narration contains all its details. Moreover, among these narrations, there are authentic ones as well as weak and unreliable ones. Therefore, we will try to mention the details of this miracle in the light of authentic narrations. Verily, Allah is the Grantor of success.
Splitting of the Chest
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
"I was sleeping in my house in Makkah Mukarramah. (A narration, cited by Hafiz Ibn Hajar from Tabarani, states that the Prophet ﷺ was at the house of Hazrat Umm Hani رضي الله عنها that night. Why did the Prophet ﷺ call her house his own? Because he was residing there.) The roof of the house was opened. Hazrat Jibra'il عليه السلام descended and took me near the Ka'bah at Hatim (where I rested for a while). I was drowsy, neither fully asleep nor fully awake, when a speaker said: One of the three, who is between two men (Hamzah and Jafar) (this is Muhammad ﷺ). Then I was taken up towards Zamzam, where a golden basin filled with faith and wisdom was brought. Then my chest was cut open up to the hair below the navel, and my heart was taken out and washed with the water of Zamzam. Then it was filled with faith and wisdom and returned to its original place. Afterwards, my chest was closed."
The incident of the chest splitting is present in the most authentic narrations. Therefore, there is no room for any doubt or suspicion in it. And this was not the first time; rather, it had happened at least twice before. The first time was in childhood when you, peace be upon him, were being raised in the house of Hazrat Halimah Sa'diyah, and the second time was at the time of the Prophethood. As Hafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned in Fath al-Bari. And perhaps the wisdom in this was to prepare you for the great events that would occur later. And Allah knows best.
The Beginning of Isra
The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( ثُمَّ أُتِیْتُ بِدَابَّةٍ أَبْیَضَ یُقَالُ لَہُ الْبُرَاقُ،فَوْقَ الْحِمَارِ وَدُوْنَ الْبَغْلِ،یَقَعُ خَطْوُہُ عِنْدَ أَقْصٰی طَرْفِہِ ، فَحُمِلْتُ عَلَیْہِ )) "Then a white animal was brought to me called Buraq, which was bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule, and one of its steps reached as far as its sight could see. I was mounted on it."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3207
Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه states that on the night of Isra, the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was brought the "Buraq" in such a condition that it was tied with a halter and had a saddle on it. When it showed some playfulness, Hazrat Jibra'il عليه السلام said: Do you show playfulness to Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم while there is no rider more honored in the sight of Allah than him for you? When it heard this, it began to sweat.
In Bayt al-Maqdis
The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
(( فَرَکِبْتُہُ حَتّٰی أَتَیْتُ بَیْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ،قَالَ : فَرَبَطْتُہُ بِالْحَلْقَةِ الَّتِی یَرْبِطُ بِہِ الْأنْبِیَاءُ ، ثُمَّ دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّیْتُ فِیْہِ رَکْعَتَیْنِ ))
"Then I mounted the Buraq until I reached Bayt al-Maqdis. (So I dismounted and) tied my mount where other Prophets عليه السلام used to tie theirs, then I entered the mosque and offered two rak'ahs of prayer therein."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 411
In the narration of Ibn Jarir, which Sheikh Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared authentic, the words are: "I led the Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them, in prayer." Here, two or three points deserve utmost attention:
◄ First, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was brought from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa, where he performed prayer. This is evidence that Masjid al-Aqsa is a mosque of virtue, and one can make a formal journey towards it with the intention of praying, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( لَا تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلَّا إِلٰی ثَلَاثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ:اَلْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْأقْصٰی، وَمَسْجِدِیْ ہَذَا))
"Traveling with the intention of reward is permissible only to three mosques: Masjid al-Haram, Masjid al-Aqsa, and my mosque."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 827
And this is the mosque whose surroundings are also blessed according to Allah's command ﴿الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ﴾, so what to say about its own blessing!
And this is the mosque which was the first Qibla of the Muslims, and the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the companions who believed in him continued to pray facing it for sixteen or seventeen months after the migration to Medina. So this mosque is of utmost greatness, but alas, it is today under the control of the Jews who desecrate its sanctity every day. Even the Muslims of Jerusalem and the people of Palestine have to go through many hardships to offer prayers in this mosque. Only after passing through various restrictions and fulfilling the self-imposed conditions of the impure Jews are they allowed to cross the threshold of Masjid al-Aqsa. Let alone the residents of any other Islamic country imagining praying there... We pray to Allah Almighty to free this mosque from the control of the oppressive and usurping Jews and to grant us the opportunity to pray in it. Ameen.
◄ The second point is that the fact that the Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them, prayed behind the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in Masjid al-Aqsa is evidence that our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is superior to all the Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them. That is why, in their presence, no one else but he became the Imam.
And this also proves that the religion of all the noble Prophets, peace be upon them, is one, and that is the religion of Islam. And this religion is the one favored by Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
"Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers."
Reference: Surah Al-Imran: 85
It also proves that after the advent of the Prophet of the Last Age, Muhammad ﷺ, he is the same Greatest Imam, and his Shariah is obligatory to follow. The book revealed to him is the source of guidance. Therefore, abandoning it and considering any other book, such as the Torah or the Gospel, as a source of guidance is misguidance. The third point is that regarding the incident of the Prophets, peace be upon them, praying in congregation behind you ﷺ in Bait al-Maqdis, scholars differ on whether this occurred before or after the Mi'raj.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, in his Tafsir and also in his famous book "Al-Bidaya wa An-Nihaya," has taken the position that when the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, returned from the Mi'raj, the Prophets, peace be upon them, also came with him and they prayed behind him in Bayt al-Maqdis, which might have been the Fajr prayer of that day. Meanwhile, the position of many other scholars is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was honored with the leadership (Imamat) of the Prophets, peace be upon them, when he went for the Mi'raj. Among them, Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, and Ibn Abi al-Izz Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, are particularly noteworthy. The narration we mentioned from Ibn Jarir supports this position. And Allah knows best.
Hospitality
The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ فَجَاءَ نِی جِبْرِیْلُ علیہ السلام بِإِنَاءٍ مِنْ خَمْرٍ وَإِنَاءٍ مِنْ لَبَنٍ ، فَاخْتَرْتُ اللَّبَنَ،فَقَالَ جِبْرِیْلُ: اخْتَرْتَ الْفِطْرَۃَ ))
"Then when I came out (from Masjid Al-Aqsa), Hazrat Jibra'il (AS) presented me with two vessels, one containing wine and the other milk. I chose the milk, so Jibra'il (AS) said: You have chosen nature."
Reference: Sahih Muslim:411
This is evidence that Islam is the religion of nature because milk is pure, whereas wine is made by transforming grapes and such. Moreover, wine changes a person's temperament and clouds their intellect, while milk is part of a person's nature from the day of birth.
Mi'raj
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
(( ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْنَا حَتّٰی أَتَیْنَا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْیَا))
"Then (Jibra'il (AS) and I) set out until we reached the lowest heaven."
In another narration, it is stated: "Then Jibra'il (AS) took me towards the lowest heaven."
In another narration, it is said:
(( ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِیَدِیْ فَعَرَجَ بِی إِلیَ السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْیَا ))
"Then Jibra'il (AS) took my hand and took me towards the lowest heaven."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:349
All three narrations are authentic, and from them it is clearly proven that the means by which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ascended was through Hazrat Jibra'il (Gabriel) عليه السلام. However, Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمه الله mentioned in Fath al-Bari some narrations indicating that a very beautiful ladder was set up through which the Prophet ﷺ ascended. And Allah knows best.
On the First Heaven
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
"Hazrat Jibra'il عليه السلام knocked, and it was asked: Who are you? He said: Jibra'il. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad ﷺ. It was asked: Have you been called? He said: Yes, he has been called. It was said: (( مَرْحَبًا بِہٖ،وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِیْیُٔ جَاءَ )) Welcome to him and blessed is his arrival."
Then the gate of the sky was opened. When we went above the first sky, we passed by Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him). Jibra'il (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) said: This is your father Adam, greet him. I greeted him, and he replied to my greeting and said: (( مَرْحَبًا بِالنَّبِیِّ الصَّالِحِ وَالْاِبْنِ الصَّالِحِ ))
"Welcome, righteous son and pious prophet."
Then he prayed for my well-being. And I saw that there were some shadows on his right and left; when he looked to the right, he smiled, and when he looked to the left, he wept. I asked Jibra'il (peace be upon him) about this, and he said: These on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. On the right side are those of the people of Paradise, and on the left side are those of the people of Hell. Therefore, when he looks to his right side, he expresses happiness, and when he looks to the left side, he weeps due to grief and sorrow."
On the second sky
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, accompanied by Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) عليه السلام, reached the second heaven, where, as in the first heaven, Angel Jibreel عليه السلام knocked. After questions and answers, the door was opened, and you ﷺ were welcomed. Here, you ﷺ met Prophet Yahya عليه السلام and Prophet Isa عليه السلام, who were maternal cousins. You ﷺ greeted them, and they replied, welcomed you ﷺ, and prayed for your well-being.
On the third heaven
Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached the third heaven, where, as in the first heaven, Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) knocked and after questioning and answering with the gatekeepers of the heaven, the door was opened and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was welcomed. In this heaven, Angel Jibreel introduced the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), to whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) greeted. After responding, he welcomed the Prophet (peace be upon him) and prayed for his well-being. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said about him: (( وَإِذَا ہُوَ قَدْ أُعْطِیَ شَطْرَ الْحُسْنِ )) "I saw that half of beauty was given only to Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)."
On the Fourth Heaven
Then on the fourth heaven, you, peace be upon him, were welcomed in the same manner as on the previous heavens. On this heaven, you met with Prophet Idris, peace be upon him, who welcomed his righteous brother and pious prophet and prayed for his well-being.
On the Fifth Heaven
Then on the fifth heaven, you, peace be upon him, were also welcomed with joy and gladness, and here you met with Prophet Harun, peace be upon him. He also greeted you warmly and, as a righteous brother and pious prophet, prayed for your well-being.
On the Sixth Heaven
Then Angel Jibril, peace be upon him, took you, peace be upon him, to the sixth heaven. Here too, you were welcomed warmly as on the previous heavens. Then you met with Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, who, like the other prophets, gave you a hearty welcome and prayed for your well-being.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"When I advanced, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) began to weep. When asked why he was crying, he said: (( یَا رَبِّ،ہَذَا الْغُلَامُ الَّذِیْ بَعَثْتَہُ بَعْدِیْ یَدْخُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِہِ الْجَنَّةَ أَکْثَرُ وَأَفْضَلُ مِمَّا یَدْخُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِی ))
'O my Lord! This handsome young man whom You have sent after me, the people of his nation will enter Paradise far more than the people of my nation!'"
On the Seventh Heaven
Then Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) took the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the seventh heaven, where, as in the previous heavens, he was warmly welcomed and introduced to Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). Like the other prophets, he gave a hearty welcome to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and greeted his righteous son and noble prophet.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: (فَإِذَا أَنَا بِإِبْرَاہِیْمَ مُسْنِدًا ظَہْرَہُ إِلَی الْبَیْتِ الْمَعْمُوْرِ،وَإِذَا ہُوَ یَدْخُلُہُ کُلَّ یَوْمٍ سَبْعُوْنَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ لَا یَعُوْدُوْنَ إِلَیْہِ)
Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was sitting supported by (ہَذَا الْبَیْتُ الْمَعْمُوْرُ یُصَلِّی فِیْہِ کُلَّ یَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ،إِذَا خَرَجُوْا لَمْ یَعُودُوْا إِلَیْہِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَیْہِمْ) "Al-Bayt Al-Ma'mur," into which seventy thousand angels enter every day (and when they leave it), they can never enter it again.
While in Sahih Bukhari it is mentioned:
"Seventy thousand angels pray in Al-Bayt Al-Ma'mur every day, and when they leave, they will never return to it again."
Qatadah says: (ذُکِرَ لَنَا أَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صلي الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: الْبَیْتُ الْمَعْمُوْرُ مَسْجِدٌ فِی السَّمَائِ بِحِذَاءِ الْکَعْبَةِ،لَوْ خَرَّ لَخَرَّ عَلَیْہَا)
"We have been informed that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Al-Bayt Al-Ma'mur is a mosque in the sky equal to the Kaaba, and if it were to fall, it would fall directly on the Kaaba."
And when Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about Al-Bayt Al-Ma'mur, he said:
(بَیْتٌ فِی السَّمَاءِ بِحِیَالِ الْبَیْتِ،حُرْمَتُہُ فِی السَّمَاءِ کَحُرْمَةِ ہَذَا فِی الْأَرْضِ)
"It is Allah's house in the sky equal to the Kaaba, and its sanctity in the sky is just like the sanctity of the Kaaba on earth."
Hospitality
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
(( ثُمَّ أُتِیْتُ بِإِنَاءٍ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ وَإِنَاءٍ مِّن لَّبَنٍ وَإِنَاءٍ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ فَأَخَذْتُ اللَّبَنَ ، فَقَالَ:ہِیَ الْفِطْرَۃُ الَّتِی أَنْتَ عَلَیْہَا وَأُمَّتُكَ))
"Then three vessels were presented to me, one containing wine, another containing milk, and the third containing honey. I took the vessel with milk and drank it. Then Jibra'il said: You and your Ummah are upon the natural disposition (fitrah)."
In another narration in Sahihayn, only milk and wine are mentioned, and it also includes these words: (أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَوْ أَخَذْتَ الْخَمْرَ غَوَتْ أُمَّتُكَ ) "Beware! If you had taken the vessel with wine, your Ummah would have gone astray."
Sidrat al-Muntaha
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"Then I was taken further up towards the 'Sidrat al-Muntaha.' (When I looked at it carefully) its leaves were like the ears of an elephant, and its fruits were like the jars of 'Hajr.' Then, when by Allah's command something covered it, it became so beautiful that no one among Allah's creation can describe its beauty. (And I saw) at its root there are four rivers, two internal and two external. When I asked Jibreel, he told me that the two internal rivers are in Paradise, and the external rivers are the 'Euphrates' and the 'Nile.'"
In a narration from Sahih Muslim, it is stated that (إِلَیْہَا یَنْتَہِیْ مَا یُعْرَجُ بِہِ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَیُقْبَضُ مِنْہَا، وَإِلَیْہَا یَنْتَہِی مَا یُہْبَطُ بِہِ مِنْ فَوْقِہَا ، فَیُقْبَضُ مِنْہَا)
"The Sidrat al-Muntaha is the place where that which is taken up from the earth is delivered and received, and likewise, that which is brought down from above is also delivered and received at this place."
Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), while explaining ﴿إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ﴾, said that it is covered with golden butterflies.
The Vision of Jibreel Ameen (Gabriel, the Trustworthy)
Near the Sidrat al-Muntaha, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) saw Hazrat Jibreel (Gabriel) in his original form for the second time. The Divine command is: ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ ﴿١٣﴾ عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾ عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾ إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ ﴿١٦﴾ مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ ﴿١٧﴾ لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ﴾
"And he certainly saw him (the angel) at another time near Sidrat al-Muntaha, near which is the Garden of Refuge, when there covered the Sidrah that which covered it. Neither his eyes swerved nor did they transgress. He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord."
Reference: Surah An-Najm: 13 to 17
Hazrat Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) explains in the interpretation of ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ﴾ that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (( رَأَیْتُ جِبْرِیْلَ عِنْدَ سِدْرَۃِ الْمُنْتُہٰی عَلَیْہِ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاحٍ ))
"I saw Jibreel (Gabriel) near Sidrat al-Muntaha, on whom were six hundred wings."
Similarly, Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) have also interpreted this noble verse ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ﴾ to mean the vision of Jibreel (Gabriel) the Trustworthy (peace be upon him).
Whereas, at the very beginning of the first revelation, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw him in his original form, about which Allah Almighty says:
﴿ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ﴿٨﴾ فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ﴿٩﴾
"Then he drew near and descended, and was at a distance of two bow-lengths or nearer."
Reference: Surah An-Najm: 8/9
In the interpretation of these verses, Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Hazrat Jibreel (peace be upon him) when he had six hundred wings.
When the interpretation of these verses is authentically established from a companion in the Sahihayn, it is completely wrong to say that the distance of two bow-lengths remained between the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Allah Almighty.
Journey to Paradise
The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
(( ثُمَّ أُدْخِلْتُ الْجَنَّةَ فَإِذَا فِیْہَا جَنَابِذُ اللُّؤْلُؤ وَإِذَا تُرَابُہَا الْمِسْك ))
"Then I was admitted into Paradise, (I saw that) it had domes made of the finest pearls and its soil was musk."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:349
Also, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
(( بَیْنَا أَنَا أَسِیْرُ فِی الْجَنَّةِ أَتَیْتُ عَلٰی نَہْرٍ حَافَتَاہُ قُبَابُ اللُّؤْلُؤ ، فَقُلْتُ : مَا ہَذَا یَا جِبْرِیْلُ ؟قَالَ: ہَذَا الْکَوْثَرُ الَّذِیْ أَعْطَاكَ رَبُّكَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ،قَالَ : فَضَرَبْتُ بِیَدِیْ فِیْہِ فَإِذَا طِیْنُہُ الْمِسْك))
"I was touring Paradise when I reached a river whose banks were adorned with domes of fine pearls. I said: Jibril! What is this? He said: This is the river Kawthar which Allah has granted to you. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I dipped my hand into it and its soil was musk."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:6581
The Sound of Pens Moving
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
(( ثُمَّ عُرِجَ بِی حَتّٰی ظَہَرْتُ لِمُسْتَوَی أَسْمَعُ فِیْہِ صَرِیْفَ الْأَقْلَامِ))
"Then I was taken higher until I reached a place where I heard the sound of pens moving."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:349
That is, where the angels were writing Allah’s decrees and commands, I was taken there.
Did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) see Allah, the Lord of Glory, on the night of Isra and Mi'raj?
Ibn Abi al-Izz Hanafi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: (وَاتَّفَقَتِ الْأُمَّةُ عَلٰی أنَّہُ لَا یَرَاہُ أَحَدٌ فِی الدُّنْیَا بِعَیْنِہِ ،وَلَمْ یَتَنَازَعُوْا فِی ذَلِكَ إِلَّا فِی نَبِیِّنَا صلي الله عليه وسلم خَاصَّةً، مِنْہُمْ مَّنْ نَفٰی رُؤْیَتَہُ بِالْعَیْنِ ، وَمِنْہُمْ مَّنْ أَثْبَتَہَا لَہُ صلي الله عليه وسلم )
"The Ummah is unanimous that no one can see Allah Almighty with their eyes in this world, and there is no disagreement among them on this matter. However, there is a difference of opinion only regarding our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Some of them deny that he (peace be upon him) saw Allah with his eyes, while others affirm it."
Then he mentioned, referring to Qadi Iyaz, that there was even disagreement among the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, on this issue. For instance, Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood, may Allah be pleased with him, and Hazrat Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, were proponents of the negation of seeing, while it is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he was in favor of affirming the seeing. According to Qadi Iyaz, there is no definitive proof for affirming the seeing except for two verses of Surah An-Najm. And there is also disagreement in their interpretation.
Dear respected ones! This dispute is in its place, but explicit and definitive texts indicate that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not see Allah with his own eyes on the night of Mi'raj. Some of these texts are:
➊ Masruq narrates that I was sitting with Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) when she said: O Abu Aisha (Masruq's kunya)! There are three things such that if a person speaks about any one of them, it is as if he has committed a great slander against Allah Almighty. I asked: What are they?
She said: Whoever claims that Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw his Lord, then he has committed a great slander against Allah Almighty.
Masruq says: I was leaning on a pillow, but upon hearing this from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), I sat up straight and said: Umm al-Mu'minin! Please allow me to speak. Did not Allah Almighty say: ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ ﴾ "They saw Him at the farthest horizon of the heaven" and He said ﴿وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ﴾ "And He saw Him a second time"?
So he said: I first asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, about him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: He is Gabriel, whom I have seen twice in his true form. This is mentioned in these two verses.
Then Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Have you not heard the command of Allah Almighty:
﴿لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ ﴾
"Eyes cannot perceive Him, but He perceives all eyes; He is the Subtle, the Acquainted."
And have you not heard the command of Allah Almighty as well:
﴿وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ﴾
"And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High, Most Wise." ........ Al-Kh
In the narration of Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that Masrooq asked Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "Mother! Did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) see his Lord?" She said: "When I heard the question you asked, my hair stood on end. I am telling you three things; whoever tells you otherwise is a liar. The first thing is that whoever tells you that Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw his Lord is certainly a liar...etc.
➋ Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) whether he had seen his Lord. He (peace be upon him) said:
( نُوْرٌ أَنّٰی أُرَاہُ ) "He is light; how could I see Him."
➌ Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood among us and mentioned five things: (( إِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا یَنَامُ وَلَا یَنْبَغِی لَہُ أَنْ یَّنَامَ ، یَخْفِضُ الْقِسْطَ وَیَرْفَعُہُ،یُرْفَعُ إِلَیْہِ عَمَلُ اللَّیْلِ قَبْلَ عَمَلِ النَّہَارِ،وَعَمَلُ النَّہَارِ قَبْلَ عَمَلِ اللَّیْلِ،حِجَابُہُ النُّوْرُ،لَوْ کَشَفَہُ لَأَحْرَقَتْ سُبُحَاتُ وَجْہِہِ مَا انْتَہَی إِلَیْہِ بَصَرُہُ مِنْ خَلْقِہِ))
"Indeed, Allah does not sleep, nor is it befitting for Him to sleep. He raises and lowers the scales. The deeds of the night are taken before the deeds of the coming day, and the deeds of the day are taken before the deeds of the coming night. Light stands before Him; if He were to remove it, the radiance of His face would burn all creation to ashes."
From all these evidences, it is proven that it is not possible for any person in this world to see Allah with their own eyes, no matter if they are a prophet.
Another evidence is the story of Prophet Musa (Moses), peace be upon him. Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَٰكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴾
"And when Moses (peace be upon him) came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, He said: O my Lord! Grant me to see You. Allah Almighty said: You cannot see Me, but look at this mountain; if it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me. Then when the manifestation of his Lord appeared on that mountain, it crumbled to pieces. And Moses (peace be upon him) fell unconscious. Then when he regained consciousness, he said: O Allah! You are free from all defects, I turn to You and I am the first believer."
As for the verses ﴿ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ﴿٨﴾ فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ﴿٩﴾ فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ ﴾ of Surah An-Najm, their interpretation in Sahihain is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) that it refers to Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) seeing of Angel Jibreel (Gabriel, peace be upon him).
However, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will grant the believers the vision of Himself.
Allah the Exalted says: ﴿وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ﴾
"On that Day, many faces will be radiant, looking towards their Lord."
Reference: Al-Qiyamah: 22-23
And Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that some people asked the Holy Prophet (SAW):
"O Messenger of Allah! Will we be able to see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet (SAW) replied: (( ہَلْ تُضَارُّوْنَ فِی رُؤْیَةِ الْقَمَرِ لَیْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ)) "Do you face any difficulty or hardship in seeing the moon on the fourteenth night?"
They said: No.
Then the Prophet (SAW) said: (( ہَلْ تُضَارُّوْنَ فِی الشَّمْسِ لَیْسَ دُوْنَہَا سَحَابٌ ؟))
"Do you face any difficulty or hardship in seeing the sun when there are no clouds in front of it?"
The Companions (RA) said: No. Then the Prophet (SAW) said: (( فَإِنَّکُمْ تَرَوْنَہُ کَذَلِكَ))
"In the same way, you will see your Lord."
And it is narrated from Hazrat Suhaib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
(( إِذَا دَخَلَ أَہْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ ، قَالَ : یَقُوْلُ اللّٰہُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی: تُرِیْدُوْنَ شَیْئًا أَزِیْدُکُمْ ؟ فَیَقُوْلُوْنَ: أَلَمْ تُبَیِّضْ وُجُوْہَنَا ؟ أَلَمْ تُدْخِلْنَا الْجَنَّةَ وَتُنَجِّنَا مِنَ النَّارِ ؟ قَالَ : فَیَکْشِفُ الْحِجَابَ ، فَمَا أُعْطُوْا شَیْئًا أَحَبَّ إِلَیْہِمْ مِنَ النَّظَرِ إِلٰی رَبِّہِمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ))
"When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, will say: Do you desire anything else? They will say: Have You not brightened our faces? Have You not saved us from Hell by admitting us to Paradise? Then Allah will remove the veil, and nothing will be more beloved to them than looking at their Lord." [Sahih Muslim: 449]
We pray that Allah includes us among the people of Paradise and grants us the blessing of seeing Him.
In summary, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was taken by Hazrat Jibra'il (peace be upon him) beyond Sidrat al-Muntaha to the place where he heard the sounds of the pens that record Allah's decrees and commands.
Gift of Mi'raj
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: (( فَأَوْحَی اللّٰہُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَیَّ مَا أَوْحٰی، وَفَرَضَ عَلَیَّ خَمْسِیْنَ صَلَاۃً فِیْ کُلِّ یَوْمٍ وَلَیْلَةٍ))
Then Allah revealed whatever He wished to reveal to me and made fifty prayers obligatory upon me in the day and night.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3342
He (peace be upon him) said:
"I returned until I reached Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). He asked: What has your Lord prescribed for your nation? I said: Fifty prayers in the day and night. He said: Go back to your Lord and ask for a reduction because your nation cannot bear it. I have already tested Bani Israel. So I returned to my Lord and said: O my Lord! Reduce it for my nation. So Allah Almighty reduced five prayers.
Then I reached Musa (peace be upon him) again, and he asked: What happened? I said: Allah Almighty has reduced five prayers. He said: Your nation cannot bear even this, so go back and ask for further reduction."
You, peace be upon him, said: I repeatedly went back and forth between my Lord and Moses, peace be upon him, and Allah, the Exalted, kept reducing the number of prayers by five each time until He said: (یَا مُحَمَّدُ،إِنَّہُنَّ خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ کُلِّ یَوْمٍ وَلَیْلَةٍ،لِکُلِّ صَلَاۃٍ عَشْرٌ،فَذَلِكَ خَمْسُوْنَ صَلَاۃً)
"O Muhammad (peace be upon him)! Now there are five prayers in every day and night, and each prayer is equivalent to ten prayers. So these (counted as five in number but in terms of reward and merit) are fifty prayers."
In a narration, it is stated that "Allah Almighty reduced the prayers by ten each time, and the last time by five prayers. When five prayers remained, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) still said to go back and ask for further reduction, but I said: Now I feel ashamed before my Lord. I am content with this and submit humbly. Then a caller announced: I have established my obligation and reduced it for my servants, and I give ten good deeds for one such good deed."
Brothers in Islam! The five daily prayers, performed day and night, are a gift of the Mi'raj. And from this entire miracle, not only are the virtues of the Holy Prophet ﷺ established, but also the importance and obligation of these prayers are proven. Allah, the Almighty, has repeatedly emphasized in the Holy Quran to the believers to perform the prayers regularly. And the abode of those who neglect or are lazy in their prayers is mentioned as Hell. (We ask Allah for forgiveness and well-being)
And our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, upon whom all other commandments were made obligatory on earth, while the prayers were made obligatory upon you by calling you above the heavens, you yourself consistently performed these prayers throughout your life and you gave your Ummah the final advice on this matter: ( اَلصَّلَاۃَ وَمَا مَلَکَتْ أَیْمَانُکُمْ) "Be steadfast in prayer and fulfill the rights of those under your authority."
Therefore, it is obligatory upon every Muslim that while refreshing their faith through the story of Mi'raj, they also sincerely acknowledge the importance and obligation of this gift of Mi'raj from the depths of their heart and practically continue to perform it with strict adherence, because in it lies the coolness of the eyes and the comfort of the hearts, and it is a great means of supplication to Allah Almighty. That is why it is called "Umm al-'Ibadat" (the mother of worships) and the Mi'raj of the believer.
Another Blessing from Allah, the Exalted
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
(( وَمَنْ ہَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ یَعْمَلْہَا کُتِبَتْ لَہُ حَسَنَةٌ ،فَإِنْ عَمِلَہَا کُتِبَتْ لَہُ عَشْرًا،وَمَنْ ہَمَّ بِسَیِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ یَعْمَلْہَا لَمْ تُکْتَبْ شَیْئًا، فَإِنْ عَمِلَہَا کُتِبَتْ سَیِّئَةً وَاحِدَۃً ))
"Besides the obligation of prayers, it was also revealed to me that whoever intends to do a good deed but does not perform it, a good deed is recorded for him. And if he performs it, then ten good deeds are recorded for him. And whoever intends to do an evil deed but does not act upon it, no sin is recorded for him. But if he acts upon it, then only one sin is recorded."
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 6491
Three Rewards
Hazrat Ibn Masood (RA) narrates that
(أُعْطِیَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہ صلي الله عليه وسلم ثَلَاثًا: أُعْطِیَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ،وَأُعْطِیَ خَوَاتِیْمَ سُوْرَۃِ الْبَقَرَۃِ،وَغُفِرَ لِمَنْ لَمْ یُشْرِك بِاللّٰہِ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ شَیْئًا اَلْمُقْحِمَاتُ)
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was given three things:
➊ Five prayers
➋ The last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah
➌ The major sins of every individual of his Ummah who did not associate anyone with Allah were forgiven.
Reference: Sahih Muslim:431
The first gift is the five prayers, about which we have already had a brief discussion. The second gift is the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, regarding the virtue of which the Noble Prophet (PBUH) said: (( اَلْآیَتَانِ مِنْ آخِرِ سُوْرَۃِ الْبَقَرَۃِ مَنْ قَرَأَ بِہِمَا فِیْ لَیْلَةٍ کَفَتَاہُ ))
"Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him."
And the third reward is the forgiveness of major sins for every person whose death occurs upon the belief in Tawheed. And what is meant by this is that if Allah Almighty wills, He will forgive him without punishment and torment, and if He wills, He will punish him for his major sins, then take him out of Hell and then admit him into Paradise, as is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah regarding some disobedient monotheists, and clear evidences exist regarding this.
Some Important Incidents
➊ The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
On the night I was taken on a journey, I smelled a wonderful fragrance. I said: Jibreel! What is this wonderful fragrance? He said: It is the fragrance of the woman who combed the hair of Pharaoh’s daughter and her children. I said: What is her story?
He said: One day she was combing the hair of the daughter of Pharaoh when the comb fell from her hand, then she said: بسم اﷲ
The daughter of Pharaoh asked: My father?
He said: No, this is Allah who is also the Lord of your father.
The daughter of Pharaoh said: Should I inform my father? He said: Yes, inform him.
So the daughter of Pharaoh informed her father Pharaoh about this incident. He called her and said: Is there any god other than me for you? She said: Yes, Allah who is the Lord of both me and you.
Then he ordered to heat oil in a large copper vessel, and said: Throw her and her children into it.
The woman said: I want to make a request to you. He said: What is it? She said: I want you to wrap the bones of my children in a cloth and bury all of us in the same grave.
He said: Alright.
Then, according to his command, his children were thrown one by one into boiling oil until only one breastfeeding child remained. Because of him, it seemed as if she was retreating, then the breastfeeding child spoke up and said: (یَا أُمَّہْ،اِقْتَحِمِیْ،فَإِنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنْیَا أَہْوَنُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْآخِرَۃِ )
"O mother! Jump, because the torment of this world is lighter than the torment of the Hereafter."
So she also jumped into it.
➋ It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
(( لَقِیْتُ إِبْرَاہِیْمَ لَیْلَةَ أُسْرِیَ بِی،فَقَالَ:یَا مُحَمَّدُ،أَقْرِءُ أُمَّتَكَ مِنِّی السَّلَامَ، وَأَخْبِرْہُمْ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ طَیِّبَةُ التُّرْبَةِ،عَذْبَةُ الْمَاءِ،وَأَنَّہَا قِیْعَانٌ،غِرَاسُہَا : سُبْحَانَ اللّٰہِ،وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ،وَلَا إِلٰہَ إِلَّا اللّٰہُ،وَاللّٰہُ أَکْبَرُ))
"On the night of Isra and Mi'raj, I met Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), and he said: O Muhammad! Convey my greetings to your Ummah, and inform them that the soil of Paradise is very good, its water is extremely sweet, its land is completely smooth, and with (سُبْحَانَ اللّٰہِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ،وَلَا إِلٰہَ إِلَّا اللّٰہُ،وَاللّٰہُ أَکْبَرُ) trees can be planted in it."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi:3462
➌ The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
"When my Lord, the Exalted, took me on the Mi'raj, I passed by some people who had copper nails and were scratching their faces and chests. I said: Jibril! Who are these? He replied:
(ہٰؤُلاَءِ الَّذِیْنَ یَأْکُلُوْنَ لُحُوْمَ النَّاسِ وَیَقَعُوْنَ فِی أَعْرَاضِہِمْ)
"These are the people who eat the flesh of others (backbite) and slander their honor.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood:4878
➍ It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
"On the night of Mi'raj, I saw some people whose lips were being cut with scissors of fire. I said: Jibril! Who are these? He said:
(ہٰؤُلَاءِ خُطَبَاءُ مِنْ أُمَّتِكَ،یَأْمُرُوْنَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَیَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَہُمْ وَہُمْ یَتْلُوْنَ الْکِتَابَ،أَفَلَا یَعْقِلُوْنَ ؟)
"These are the preachers of your Ummah who command people to do good but neglect themselves, even though they recite the Book of Allah. Do they not have understanding?
Reference: Silsilat al-Sahiha:3158
These were the miraculous events of Isra and Mi'raj that have been narrated with authentic chains of transmission. We have presented them as they are, and we pray to Allah Almighty to grant us the ability to believe in this magnificent miracle and all the unseen matters mentioned in it, and to fulfill their requirements. Ameen.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned in his Tafsir that when the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, descended from above, the noble Prophets, peace be upon them, also came with him to Bait al-Maqdis, where he led them in prayer, which might have been the morning prayer of that day... Then the Prophet, peace be upon him, left Bait al-Maqdis, mounted the Buraq, and reached Mecca in the darkness of the morning.
Perhaps his evidence is the hadith in Sahih Muslim in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( وَقَدْ رَأَیْتُنِی فِی جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْأنْبِیَاءِ فَإِذَا مُوسٰی قَائِمٌ یُّصَلِّی،فإِذَا رَجُلٌ ضَرْبٌ جَعْدٌ کَأَنَّہُ مِنْ رِجَالِ شَنُوْئةِ وَإِذَا عِیْسٰی ابْنُ مَرْیَمَ قَائِمٌ یُّصَلِّی، أَقْرَبُ النَّاسِ بِہِ شَبَہًا عُرْوَۃُ بْنُ مَسْعُوْدٍ الثَّقَفِی،وَإِذَا إِبْرَاہِیْمُ قَائِمٌ یُّصَلِّی، أَشْبَہُ النَّاسِ بِہِ صَاحِبُکُمْ (یَعْنِی نَفْسَہُ ) فَحَانَتِ الصَّلَاۃُ،فَأَمَمْتُہُمْ ))
"I saw myself among the group of the noble Prophets, peace be upon them. Suddenly, I saw Moses, peace be upon him, standing and praying. (When I looked at him carefully) he was thin and had curly hair, as if he belonged to the tribe of Shanu’ah. Then I saw Jesus, peace be upon him, also standing and praying, and the one who resembled him the most was Urwah bin Mas’ud Al-Thaqafi. Then I saw Abraham, peace be upon him, standing and praying, and the one who resembled him the most was your companion (i.e., the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him). Then it was time for prayer, so I led them in prayer."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 430
After the Isra and Mi'raj, when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was returning to Makkah, he passed by a caravan of the Quraysh whose one camel had gone missing. The Prophet ﷺ informed the disbelievers of Makkah about it and the time of its arrival, and what he had said proved to be true. However, the disbelievers still refused to accept this great event.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
"On the morning of the night I was taken on the journey, I was in Makkah, and I was distressed that people would deny me. So I sat apart from the people in a sorrowful state. At that time, Allah's enemy Abu Jahl passed by me. When he saw me, he came towards me and sat by me, mockingly saying:
'Is there any new news today?' The Prophet ﷺ replied: 'Yes.'"
He said: What is it? You, peace be upon him, said: Tonight I was taken on a journey.
He said: Where to? You, peace be upon him, said: To Al-Bayt Al-Maqdis.
He said: After the journey, you reached us early in the morning?
You, peace be upon him, said: Yes.
So, out of this concern, he did not deny you, peace be upon him, because when he called the people of your nation and brought them to you, you might refuse to narrate this story in front of them. Therefore, he said:
What do you think if I call your people so that you can also tell them this story?
You, peace be upon him, said: Alright.
So he called the Banu Ka'b bin Lu'ayy, and when all the people gathered around the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Jahl said: Now you tell your own people the same incident that you told me.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Tonight I was taken on a journey.
The people asked: To where? The Prophet ﷺ said: To Al-Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).
The people said: Then you also spent the morning among us? The Prophet ﷺ said: Yes.
The Prophet ﷺ said: Some people started clapping, and some held their heads in astonishment.
Then they said: Can you describe Masjid Al-Aqsa? What is it like? It should be noted that some of them had traveled towards Jerusalem and had seen the mosque.
You, peace be upon him, said: "When I began to describe Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, I became somewhat confused about some of its features. Then what do I see? Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa was placed near Aqeel's house. I kept looking at it with my own eyes and continued to tell people about how it was." Consequently, people were compelled to say that as far as describing Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is concerned, by Allah! Muhammad (peace be upon him) made no mistake.
And Hazrat Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
(( لَقَدْ رَأَیْتُنِیْ فِی الْحِجْرِ وَقُرَیْشٌ تَسْأَلُنِی عَنْ مَسْرَایَ،فَسَأَلَتْنِیْ عَنْ أَشْیَاءَ مِنْ بَیْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ لَمْ أُثْبِتْہَا،فَکَرَبْتُ کُرْبَةً مَا کَرَبْتُ مِثْلَہُ قَطُّ،قَالَ: فَرَفَعَہُ اللّٰہُ لِی أَنْظُرُ إِلَیْہِ،مَا یَسْأَلُوْنِی عَنْ شَیْئٍ إِلَّا أَنْبَأْتُہُمْ بِہِ ))
"I saw that I was in Hatim al-Kaaba and the Quraysh were asking me questions about the event of Isra. They asked me about Bayt al-Maqdis things that I could not remember. Therefore, I was so distressed that day like never before. Then Allah Almighty raised Bayt al-Maqdis and brought it before me. Afterwards, when they asked questions, I would look at Bayt al-Maqdis and answer them."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 430
This was the condition of the Quraysh. But as far as the believers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are concerned, they immediately confirmed the event upon hearing it from the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) narrates that some people from Quraish came to Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) and said: Will you believe your companion’s claim that he went to Bayt al-Maqdis in one night and returned to Mecca? Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) said: Did he really say such a thing?
The people said: Yes, absolutely.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) said: Then he has spoken the truth.
And in one narration, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) replied to them that I confirm the Prophet’s (SAW) words even about matters farther than this, when he informs about the revelation descending from the heavens.
The narrator says: That is why Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was called "Siddiq."
Brothers in Islam!
Finally, briefly understand that this great miracle had many purposes. Some of them are:
➊ The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was granted this miracle at a time when he was deeply saddened by the passing of his pure wife Hazrat Khadijah (RA) and the death of his uncle Abu Talib. Moreover, the ill-treatment he received from the people of Taif also surely caused him distress. At such a time, he ﷺ was consoled through the Isra and Mi'raj, and he was informed that if the people of the earth mistreat him, the people of the heavens warmly welcome him.
➋ In Bait al-Maqdis, all the noble Prophets (peace be upon them) were made to stand behind him ﷺ, establishing his superiority.
➌ Through the splitting of the chest, the faith of the Prophet ﷺ was strengthened and given renewed freshness.
➍ You, peace be upon him, were taken above the heavens and shown many great signs of Allah Almighty, taken on a tour of Paradise, shown many people suffering the torment of Hell, and shown the Sidrat al-Muntaha and so on. Surely, regarding such unseen matters, you, peace be upon him, were granted absolute certainty.
➎ In this great journey, Allah Almighty made five prayers obligatory upon you, peace be upon him, during the day and night, which is evidence of the greatness and importance of this Islamic duty.
We pray to Allah Almighty to grant us the ability to believe in all the miracles of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, and on the Day of Judgment, to grant us his intercession and the water of the Pond of Kawthar from his hands.
Our final prayer is: All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
