The Journey of Isra and Mi’raj
We have talked about many things around the sacred land of Bayt Al-Maqdis, Masjid Al-Aqsa, or Al-Ardh Al-Muqaddasa, and their stories, and how they intersect with this particular area of the world. But from a faith and spiritual perspective, the most significant event that happened there was the event of Isra, and then Mi’raj. We spoke a little bit about this and its lessons but did not go into the story itself.
The Prophet (SAW) was in his home resting when Jibreel (AS), Mika’il (AS), and one more angel came to see him. They took the Prophet (SAW) to the Ka’bah, and there, the angels laid him down on his back and performed a surgical procedure in which they opened up his chest and extracted his heart. One of the angels went to the well of Zamzam, which was there, brought a golden vessel filled with Zamzam water, and washed the Prophet (SAW)’s heart with that. Then another vessel was brought which was not filled with any worldly substance. It was filled with strong faith, and they washed the Prophet (SAW)’s heart with this, restored his heart, closed his chest, and then the Prophet (SAW) sees that an animal has been brought which is unlike any other animal. It was white, not as large as a horse but not as small as a mule, and had wings close to its hind legs, with a bridle over its mouth and reins and a mouth.
The Prophet (SAW) is asked to be seated on this animal, and he says, “Jibreel and Mika’il are accompanying me, and this animal moves so fast that every step of it goes as far as the eye can see.”
Now, there is nothing strange about that because Allah (SWT) makes the earth spin at 1,670 kilometres per hour. This is how fast it is spinning, and at the same time, it is also revolving around the sun, and that speed is even more incredible. The earth moves around the sun at a speed of 107,000 kilometres per hour. So, for Allah (SWT) to create an animal to move at that speed is nothing. This is why Muslims never had any difficulty in understanding Isra and Mi’raj – it feels so normal.
Some narrations mention that the Prophet (SAW) stopped at some places. These were all date orchards. Jibreel (AS) said, “Come down off of the animal and pray two rak’ahs here.” The Prophet (SAW) got down and prayed, and then was asked, “Do you know where this is?” The Prophet (SAW) replied, “No.” Jibreel (AS) said, “This is Taybah, Madinah, and this is where you will be migrating soon.”
They moved a little more and found a tree, where Jibreel (AS) once again asked the Prophet to pray there. The Prophet (SAW) followed the instructions, and afterwards, Jibreel (AS) asked him if he knew where he prayed, to which he responded, “No.” Jibreel (AS) said, “We just prayed in Madyan, and this tree was the tree that Musa (AS) sat underneath and made du’a when he fled from Egypt.”
Then, they go further to a mountain, and Jibreel once more asks the Prophet to step off of the animal and pray there. Jibreel (AS) tells the Prophet (SAW), “This is Mount Tur, where Allah (SWT) spoke to Musa (AS) and gave him the Torah.”
From there, the Prophet (SAW) moves towards Bayt Al-Maqdis, but on the journey, the Prophet (SAW) sees, hears and smells many things. At one point, he smells a beautiful fragrance, to which he asks Jibreel (AS), “What is that fragrance?” Jibreel replied, “That is coming from the grave of a woman who used to be an attendant in the house of Fir’awn.”
What is her story? Her story is mentioned in the hadith. She was once combing the hair of Fir’awn’s daughter when the comb fell. Upon reaching for it, she said “Bismillah.” So the daughter asked, “What is Bismillah? Is there any other god besides Fir’awn?” She said, “Of course. The one who created him and everyone before him, and the one who rules the heavens. There is only one God.” News of this reached Fir’awn, and he punished her to an extreme extent – not just her, but her husband and her children. She had only one request: that when Fir’awn killed her family, he would bury them all together.
Fir’awn came up with the most wicked and cruel way of killing her family. There was a massive statue of a cow made of copper, with the top of it openable. He had a big fire lit under it and had them all put in there one by one. There, in the belly of the big copper chamber, he had them burned to death. This is how Fir’awn killed this family. Then, he fulfilled her wish and buried them all together. So Jibreel (AS) said, “This is the fragrance of their bodies coming from their grave.”
Then, the Prophet (SAW) saw other people as well – some being rewarded in some way, and some being punished in some way. Some people had strips of fresh meat laid in front of them but were chasing after the dead bodies that were lying there and eating them. The Prophet (SAW) asked, “What is this? This is disgusting. Why are they devouring these dead bodies when there is fresh meat in front of them?” Jibreel (AS) said, “These are the people who used to commit haram and zina. They have left what Allah (SWT) has made pure and halal for them, and they are going after that which is filthy and disgusting.”
Like this, he saw many things, and in some narrations, the Prophet (SAW) stopped and saw caravans coming towards Makkah. He stopped by one caravan and drank the water that they had, and there were different signs that he left behind so that when the caravan came back, they would tell the people of the strange things that happened.
Finally, he reaches Bayt Al-Maqdis. There, Jibreel (AS) shows him around and takes him to the Sakhrah – the Rock over which we have the famous mosque structure known as the Dome of the Rock. Many people think that this Dome of the Rock is Masjid Al-Aqsa, because often times, when you do a search for it, the Dome of the Rock is shown. But that is in fact just a dome that has been constructed around this rock. This rock has always been here and has some significance. The rock is massive, and it has a cavern underneath. In the cave, there are places that have been made for salah.
According to some narrations, Jibreel (AS) told the Prophet (SAW), “Many prophets prayed here, and you should also pray here.” The Prophet (SAW) did, and Allah (SWT) gathered all of the prophets there. For the first time in the world, all of the prophets were assembled, and they all stood in rows, waiting for someone to lead the salah. Jibreel (AS) came and guided the Prophet (SAW) by the hand to the front, and said, “You will lead them in salah.” The Prophet (SAW) led all the prophets in salah, and this was showing that the Prophet (SAW) was not just the prophet of his people, but the prophet of all prophets, and the leader of all prophets.
Then, he met some of the prophets and interacted with them until Jibreel (AS) said, “Let us go to the next leg of the journey.” The Prophet (SAW) and Jibreel (AS) ascend to the heavens. Jibreel (AS) opens the door to the heavens. At the first sky, they meet Adam (AS). Different things are going on, and there are people that are seen being sent off to be rewarded or to be punished. Adam (AS) says, “Welcome, my pious son and successor.” The Prophet (SAW) asked, “What is going on here?” Jibreel (AS) said, “Those going off to the left are being sent to Jahannam, and those going off to the right are going off to Jannah. When Adam (AS) sees those on the right side, he smiles, knowing that they are going to Jannah, but when he sees those on the left side, he cries, knowing that these are his own children.”
Then, at the second sky, the same thing happens. They are allowed to move up, and there are two prophets: Isa (AS) and Yahya (AS). They were both cousins and looked similar, due to being from the same family. They see the Prophet (SAW) and welcome him.
He moves up to the third sky and then meets Yusuf (AS). When Yusuf (AS) hears that the Prophet (SAW) is coming, he welcomes him and prays for him. That is when he describes him, that he was given “half of the beauty in the world.” Some narrations mention that he was the most beautiful creation of Allah (SWT), and other narrations like this. He welcomes his brother as a fellow prophet and a pious slave of Allah (SWT), and makes du’a for him.
Then, the Prophet (SAW) moves to the fourth sky and meets Harun (AS). He welcomes him and prays for him. At the fifth sky is Musa (AS), and the Prophet (SAW) describes his qualities, and Musa (AS) prays for him.
The Prophet (SAW) goes up to the sixth sky, and there is Ibrahim (AS). When the Prophet (SAW) sees Ibrahim (AS), he notes that he resembles him, and in fact, of all the children of Ibrahim (AS), the Prophet (SAW) resembles him the most. Ibrahim (AS) says, “Welcome, my son. I want you to convey my salaam to your ummah. When you go back, give them a message from me: the Jannah that has been prepared for them is of open fields, and anything they want can be planted there.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “What can be planted here?” He said, “Teach them the dhikr of Allah (SWT): ‘SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar.’ These are the plants of Jannah, and for each one of these, a tree will be planted, and it will be so long that its shade will never end. Teach them the dhikr of Allah so that their Jannah will be filled with beautiful gardens.”
“SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, and Allahu Akbar.”
— Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3460
From there, Jibreel (AS) takes the Prophet (SAW) to the next level, to a special tree. Its leaves are so large that one leaf from it could cover the whole world. No human being or angel had gone that far. Upon reaching this place, Jibreel (AS) says, “I cannot go any farther. Now, there is only you and Allah (SWT).”
This is where Allah (SWT) speaks to Muhammad (SAW), and Allah (AWJ) gives him the gift of salah. They converse, and eventually, the Prophet (SAW) makes his way back down. When he reaches Musa (AS) on his way down, Musa (AS) inquires, “What did Allah (SWT) give you?” He replied, “He gave me 50 salahs.” Musa (AS) said, “I know people. I have plenty of experience with my people, and they will not be able to deal with 50 salahs. Ask Allah (SWT) to reduce the amount.”
The Prophet (SAW) goes back, and the number gets reduced. Again, Musa (AS) asks for it to be reduced. Five or ten at a time, these salahs are reduced until finally, he is left with five salahs. Musa (AS) thinks it should be reduced to one, but the Prophet (SAW) becomes shy and is unable to go back to ask for a reduction.
Allah (SWT) hears this and says:
“They are five salahs, but they have the reward of fifty.”
— Sahih Muslim 162
Eventually, the Prophet (SAW) comes down and back to Earth, sees many things, sits around the Ka’bah telling his companions, and the people of Makkah start making all kinds of noise. They said, “You have been there in one night? How many doors and windows are there in Bayt Al-Maqdis?”
Allah (SWT) gave the image of Bayt Al-Maqdis to the Prophet (SAW), to which he correctly gave the description of it.
Abu Bakr (RA) is making his way to the masjid, Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and Abu Jahl also overhears the Prophet (SAW) and is disgusted and angry. He starts leaving and meets Abu Bakr along the way. He has the idea to tease Abu Bakr (RA), so he says to him, “Tell me something; if someone told you that they went from Baitullah to Bayt Al-Maqdis, then the heavens, and came back all in one night, would you believe it?”
Abu Bakr (RA) responded with a response of iman. He said, “It depends on who is saying it.” Now, Abu Jahl is stuck and nods with his head to the Prophet (SAW). Abu Bakr then says, “There is nothing to think about. If he has said it, it is true; that is the end of it.”
With that, we conclude this lengthy series on Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and Bayt Al-Maqdis. People have limitations, but Allah (SWT) does not have any limitations; this is why He says:
“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.”
— Surah Al-Isra (17:1)
He is free of the limitations of the human mind and dimensions, and is beyond all of these things.
May Allah (AWJ) fill our hearts with the love of His prophets and for Him, increase our iman, and make us from those who are from the deen in this world.
