Isra wal-Miraj -The Miraculous Night Journey

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ (1)

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 hearth and seeth (all things).

Talha b. ‘Abd Allah, one of the ten men who were promised to enter paradise, said. I asked the prophet about the meaning of Subhana Allah? He said: it is to believe in the ultimate goodness of God.

Al-Qushayri said: When Allah made him [meaning the prophet Muhammad] ascend to the glory of His Presence and raised him over the high stars, gave him the title of servant (‘abd) to stress the importance of humility to the ummah.

The story of ascension has been mentioned in all books of Hadith, and was reported on the authority of the prophet’s companions in all Muslim regions. As a result, it is considered mutawatir, that is, widely reported.

It’s been narrated in the sahih, that Anas b. Malik said: that the prophet said:

The Buraq was brought to me. It is a tall white animal, little bigger than a donkey and smaller than a Mule. It travels in one step as far as the eye can see. He added; I mounted on its back until I arrived at the BaytalMaqdis. I tied it with a leash in the same place that apostles had previously done so. Then I entered the mosque and prayed two rak‘a. When I exited Jabril may peace be upon him came to me with two vessels; one of wine and one of milk. I chose milk. Jabril said: your choice matches the fitra, the natural state of purity. Then he ascended with us to heaven.

There is no divergence of opinion among Muslim scholars and historians that it was during this night that the prophet was informed that the prayer became obligatory.

In the following morning, the prophet told of his journey and what he saw. The Meccans started talking about the story, mocking the prophet and laughing at the idea. Then some of them challenged the prophet to describe to them the ruins of the old city of Jerusalem since he claims to have gone there and prayed in it. Immediately, Allah placed the image of the city before his eyes and he started describing it in details and with impeccable exactitude.

Both Bukhari and Muslim reported that the prophet peace be upon him said: “When Quraysh accused me of lying. I went to the ka’ba. Then Allah brought before my eyes the image of bayt al-maqdis, I started telling them its signs as I looked at them.”

Abu Bakr may Allah be please with him was informed of the story by some polytheists, hoping he will think it is unbelievable. He said: If the prophet said so, then is true. I will even believe him if he claims to have gone even beyond that. I believed that he receives revelation from heaven in the morning and evening, why would I not believe him in this regard. If he said, what you say he said, then he is right. This is why Abu Bakr was nicknamed al-Siddiq.

Oh dear Muslim:

If we reflect on the prophet’s life and the events that took place in his life, we will realize that Allah has given him many miracles—which cannot be gainsaid—since it has been reported to us by sound chain of narration and through the mutawatir. All of these reports are conclusive.

The Arabic term al-mu‘jiza or miracle means an act that appears to violate the known norms of physics. Miracles are often granted to prophets.

The imam al-Nawawi, may Allah bless his soul, counted up to 1200 miracles in the introduction of his commentary on Sahih Muslim. We should also know that the prophet was given all the miracles given to other prophets. Any miracle that was granted to other prophets was given to the our prophet as well.

The greatest miracle of our prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam is the Holy Quran, God’s revelation in his own words. It contains knowledge and legislation, pertaining to iman, to Allah, His angels, His books, His prophets, and the Day of Judgment.

The miracles that were given to the prophet include: the water springing out of his fingers; increasing the volume of foods [at times of food shortage]; interacting with animals, trees and other objects; defeating his enemies by throwing sands into their faces; the crying of a trunk which he used to lean on when delivering his sermons; the splitting of the moon per the request of the nonbelievers.

He also returned the eye of Qutada b. al-Nu‘man during the battle of ‘Uhud after it had fallen on his cheek. He took it with his honourable hands and placed it back in its place, and said oh Allah make him handsome.

The most evident miracle is your own presence: Al- Haythami reported that Tamim al-Dari said: this religion will reach any place covered by day or night (meaning any place on earth). There will be no house of brick or wool, which this religion won’t enter regardless of the strength or weakness of Muslim leaders. This is something which Allah will make a source of pride for Muslims and a source of humiliation for the disbelievers.