By Safa Rahman
Al Isra wa Al Miraj. The journey of the night and the ascension. Scholars say this is the greatest miracle the Prophet Muhammad (s) himself has experienced. To analyze the Arabic phrase itself, Isra is defined as “journey of the night.” This correlates to the beginning of the journey in which the Prophet (s) went from his house, to the Kabah, and then to Madinah. Miraj is defined as to “ascend” and correlates to the part of the journey when the Prophet (s) ascends to the heavens and above.
This spectacular journey took place only two years after the Year of Sorrow. A time where the Prophet (s) was in deep grief after losing two of his most beloved family members in the same year; his wife and great supporter, Khadija bint Khuwaylid, and wise, loving uncle, Abu Talib. Not only was he mourning the death of his family members, but he was also constantly facing abuse from the disbelievers of his tribe. This time of deep sorrow, which came into the Prophet (s)’s life like a huge, unexpected tide crushing into the shore, gets followed by another huge, unexpected tide, except this time with a majestic rhythm almost impossible to forget. A journey that no other human had ever experienced besides the Prophet (s). The journey to the heavens.
Isra:
The journey began in the Prophet (s)’s house in Makkah. Jibril (A) approached him and took him to the hateem (the place around the Kabah), where as reported in a hadith, Jibril opened the prophet’s chest, washed it with what is mentioned in some narrations to be zamzam water or in others to be imaan from a bowl of gold, and poured wisdom and faith inside before sealing it. Then, a huge, white beast called Al-Buraq, reported to be “bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule” carried the Prophet (s) and Jibril to Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem. The word Al-Buraq, meaning “The lightning”, resembles the beast’s lightning speed. The journey from Makkah to Madinah at the time would generally be a month long on foot/camel. On the Buraq, the Prophet (s) had completed this part of the journey in less than a full night as this was only a small segment of the entire journey as a whole.
Upon reaching Masjid Al-Aqsa, the Prophet (s) stopped to pray 2 rakats, where in one narration he is described to have seen all the prophets of the past, lined behind him. This narration holds significance as it shows that the Prophet (s) is the imam of all prophets and leader of all ummahs. This also resembles how he is the final messenger and gave the final note of dawah. The prophets standing side by side behind him also resemble a strong sense of unity; that even though they all served a different ummah, they all spread the same message and believed in the same Lord.
About the Author
Safa Rahman is an American-Muslim girl who loves to express herself through pen and paper and uses her voice to inspire the voices in others. She is currently a high schooler who hopes to make an impact in the world one word at a time. Instagram: @safa__t__rahman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rahman.t.safa