The virtues of Isra' and Mi'raj

By: Siddique Saqafi Sidheeqi



Isra and Miraj is one of the most significant miracles that Prophet Muhammad (s) has been honored by Almighty Allah. In the Month of Rajab every year, a large number of Muslims worldwide celebrates the anniversary of Isra and Miraj, marking Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and from there to farthest regions of skies, spaces and galaxies . Celebrating on such various substantial occasions of Prophet’s history has long been considered to be of greater importance as it can help us remember its importance, spread its messages to the public and teach ourselves specific lessons of such incidents.


Prophet’s ascension was merely physical

The entire journey of Al-Isra and Al-miraj was not just spiritual, but it was merely a physical journey as has been proved from the text of Holy Quran and from many hadiths. The Holy Quran talks about Prophet’s journey with the word of Subhaana-سُبْحَانَ

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ

“Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allâh) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night”

In this verse, the word Subhaana puts a hint that the journey was merely physical because this word is used to record wonder or to show a great miracle. If miraj is merely a spiritual and is only a matter of Prophet’s dream, what is there unusual to use the phrase of Subhaan-سُبْحَانَ.

The phrase عَبۡدِ (Slave) also indicates that Prophet’s miraj was merely a journey to skies and galaxies, because, عَبۡدِ is not only spirit, but it is the name for the combination of body and spirit. These both explanations have been given by many Quran Mufassirs (Quran commentators) like Imam Faqrudheen Al-raazi.

Imam Raazi has also pointed that the events of s that Prophet Muhammad (s) has experienced during the time of Isra and Miraj and facilitating a specific and distinctive vehicle for His transportation are also some of the evidences that prove Prophet’s Miraj journey was merely a physical journey.

Did Prophet Muhammad (s) meet with Allah during Miraj?

As Ibn Abbas (R) stated, Prophet Muhammad (s) has met with Allah during the conversation in the Miraj day and it is considered to be the right view regarding whether Prophet (s) has met with Allah or not. The Hadith below is narrated from Ibn Abbas (r).

رأيت ربي تبارك وتعالى

This Hadith clearly states “I saw My Lord”.

Prophet Muhammad (s) has been granted five times prayer for His Ummah from Allah during this conversation and this has been proved by a number of Hadiths. The Five times prayer is the most significant worship that every Muslims are extremely responsible for, the first and foremost that Allah will ask about it in the Hereafter, a vital point that determines the difference between a true Muslim and others (according to a Hadith) and an extremely imperative worship that even the most unhealthy, ill-fallen and handicapped are not excused of, but are responsible to offer it five times by any means possible like Ishaarah. One of the main fundamental and salient features of this worship is that it is a direct conversation between a person and Allah (Munaajath) and therefore, it can be logically concluded that, it is awarded to the Holy Prophet for his followers in a very direct conversation (Munaajath).

Prophet Muhammad (s) has met with Allah and it makes him unique, peerless and greatest man ever lived. He has been glorified being taken to heavens, galaxies and all those super spaces that even our most advanced technology will surely fail to find a path on it. As Allah has declared in His Quran:

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى

“While He is in the highest spaces of the Horizon”

والظاهر أن المراد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم معناه استوى بمكان وهو بالمكان العالي رتبة ومنزلة في رفعة القدر (Imam Raazi)

Prophet Muhammad (s) has been honored such a great, loyal, exalted and high-ranking position that distinguished him in the History of humankind.
 
 
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