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Monday, July 5, 2010

Isra’: a Scientific Analysis

The Isra’ was an historical event explained immensely in the holy Quran. The journey was really a physical one and not a dreamy or spiritual. The verses of holy Quran reveal this fact: Glorified be He (Allah) Who carried His servant by night from Al- Masjid Al- Haram (in holy Makkah) to Al- Masjid Al- Aqsa (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is All-hearing, All-Seeing (H.Q 17/1). If it is a mere journey in one’s dream, how will be it qualified for the statement of holy verses? For, most of us might be experienced such a dream. As for the word ‘Subhana’, the Quranic style is to use the word only for expressing an extraordinary event. Habitually, the word would be applied for any astonishment. But it isn’t an astonishing matter that to travel about 1,000 kms through one’s dream. Accordingly, the word ‘Subhana’ never used for referring such a travel.


The journey, stated in the holy Quran, was happened after the messenger’s prophet hood. Al Hathami sufi comments: about 30 times, Isra had taken place in the life of the messenger (Peace and Blessing be upon him). There are some reports to support the argument that the Isra’ happened before his Prophethood. So, here is a possibility to be the thirty journeys other than the one as mere dreamy without any physical touch. The Prophet (PBH) once said the beginning of Prophethood was by some true dreams. In addition, the real and physical Isra’ and Mi’raj took place on the Prophet’s 52nd age on 27th of Rajab.



The beginning of his journey



On that night, the Prophet (PBH) was in the house of Ummu Hani’(May Allah please with her) at Shi’b Abu thalib (Street Abu Thalib). Often, He would consider this house as his own house. Ummu hani’ (R) was the daughter of Abu thalib. In the Hadiths depicting the Isra’, some reports claim that it was from his own house. Some claim from the house of Ummu hani’ (R). Even though, the above mentioned joins together the two reports more wisely.

In the night, a crack approximately broad appeared on the roof of the house. When he saw the crack, the messenger (PBH) came to remember his experience of getting his chest torn and stitched while he was in the caring hands of Haleema (R). This remembrance might be helping him to be brave. It is good to start an operation after getting courage and confidence.

The angels, climbing down from the heaven, took the Messenger (PBH) to Masjid Al Haram. While the sleeping annoyed him, he laid on the Hijr ismaeel where Hamza, and jafer (May Allah Please with them) had been sleeping. After some time, the angels awaked the Prophet (PBH) from the sleeping. Taking him in to the well of Zam Zam, they put him laid on his back. In an extraordinary manner, the operation was conducted without using any equipment in the leadership of Jibreel (A). The angels Jibreel and Mikael (A) took the Prophet’s heart and washed it with the water Zam Zam as they did during his childhood.

Afterwards, Jibreel (A) took him out of the Masjid Al haram where an animal, which was bigger than an ass but smaller than a mule, had been waiting as their vehicle. Its name was Buraque. This name might be derived from the Arabic word ‘Baraq’ which means ‘the lightning’. The vehicle was very fast like the lightning. When the Messenger (PBH) climbed up the vehicle it started to rush. Oh! What a speedy! On every rush, it leaped over beyond the reach of eye sight. Its legs and hands was spring like one and their movements changed in accordance with the wharf. Ibn Al muneer (R) says: “the Buraque needs only one step for reaching on the sky from the earth”. Buraque, how wonderful it is! It had two wings on its both thighs. For the betterment of rushing, these wings worked as an engine.

Here is a question raised, is this vehicle sent down newly for the miraculous journey of Messenger (PBH)? Some scholars denied it. Imam sha’rani (R) says: “every Prophet has got chance to travel on the Buraque”. Some historical scholars opinioned that it was the same vehicle that took the Prophet Ibrahim, his son Ismaeel and Hajra (May Allah Blessed with them) from the Quds to holy Makkah. Even though, some claim this vehicle was arranged only for the Messenger (PBH).

It isn’t impossible to survive an animal on earth for so many eras. The surviving of khidr (A) in the earth and Isa (A) on the heaven both are clear evident to make possible of the survival of living things for eras. Ashabul Kahf (The people of the Cave) fell asleep about three hundred years in a Cave. In addition, the camel of Salih (A), the cow which got her life back while his sword touched her and the wood pecker of Messenger Sulaiman (A) are the miraculous phenomena in animal world. The Buraque can also be added to this list.

The Buraque challenges the helicopters, a high technological comfort in the modern world. The copters need helipad to land in. but the Buraque, which set out from the Masjid Al haram, reached on Baith Al Muqaddis after landing frequently without the help of helipads or special grounds. The planes and copters necessitate the set up for protecting the traveler from the airy difficulties. But the travelers on the Buraque need not to bother about such problems. For, Allah arranged this journey to the Messenger (PBH) as a Mu’ajizath. So, he (PBH) feared not any difficulties which the common people confronted with.

Thus, the travelers reached in Masjid Al- Aqsa. The Messenger (PBH) tied the Buraque in a ring on the gate of Aqsa. Meanwhile, the Angel Jibreel (A) made a new ring on a stone adjacent to the gate. Then the Buraque was tied on it soon. The Jibreel (A) might think to make a sign for tomorrow. For, all the Prophets used to tie their vehicle in the ring on which the Messenger (PBH) tied at first. Accordingly, if he tied Buraque in the same ring, here would not be any evident for the visit of Messenger(PBH) . That is why, the new made ring might be a sign for the visit.




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From Muslimpath.com
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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.
 
 
islamxplored.com
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Isra And Miraj -- Miraculous Journey of Prophet Muhammad (s)

Al- Isra and Al- Miraj (The night journey and Ascension) is the most miraculous incident in the life of Prophet Muhammad (s) which remains to be unparalleled in the history. In a time when technology was not known and space journey is non-imaginative, Prophet Muhammad (s) travelled from Makkah to Al-Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem) and from there to spaces, galaxies, seven skies and far beyond the reach of so called modern technologies, within a very short period of a night. Prophet Muhammad (s) experienced both physical and spiritual journey in which he met many prophets of olden ages like Eesa (Jesus) and Moosa (Moses) and He stood imam for prayer in Al-aqsa Mosque.


The Muslim world celebrates Rajab 27 and fall in worships of zikr and fasting with due respects and remembrance of this miraculous journey. This journey was very decisive stage in the history of Prophet Muhammad (s) as it caused many people to embrace Islam.

Prophet’s companion like Abu-Bakr Siddique (r) became most truthful believer after this incident as even while disbelievers started mocking at Muslims saying about the journey, Abu- Bakr (r) and other companions, with no further seeks, extremely believed and it helped them increase their Ee-man (belief) in Islam.

On Mi-raj night, the messenger of Allah has traveled from the sacred mosque in Makkah to the sacred mosque Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem on a special creature (a vehicle) called Al-Buraq. In this sacred journey, Jibreel (Gabriel) was accompanying Prophet Muhammad (s). On the way, near to Zam Zam well in Makkah, Prophet Muhammad (s) was subjected to a surgery that was to enlighten His hearts so as to prepare him to meet Allah. Prophet Muhammad (s) was subjected for four sacred surgeries in his life, none of them was to cure any disease or for purifying him from any sins, but instead, all these surgeries were done to enlighten His hearts for revelation. Prophet Muhammad (s) was extremely infallible and Allah has purified him from doing any sins. (islamxplored will shortly post articles regarding Prophet’s surgeries and his infallibility).

Holy Quran says:

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

“Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allâh) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc) Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” (17:1)



The Isra and Miraj Journey was to Jerusalem

Very recently, I came across an article published in Jewishpost saying that Prophet Muhammad’s Isra and Miraj journey was to Makkah only and not to Jerusalem. Off course, Jews and Zionists would attempt their maximum to argue that Jerusalem is not significant to Islam. Holy Quran, Hadith, Islamic histories and Scholars sayings and everything that are significant to Islam proved that Prophet’s journey was to sacred mosque in Jerusalem. But, the new argument appeared on the Jewsihpost sounds as fun as a wrong attempt.

It is very clear from the above Holy Quran verse that Prophet Muhammad (s) was carried from Makkah to Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Based on this verse, all Quran commentators have clearly pointed out, with due referencing on Hadiths, that Prophet’s journey was to Masjidul Aqsa that situates in Jerusalem and also because Holy Quran itself denotes this with the verse “the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed”. All commentators describe that, Masjidual Aqas’s surroundings have been blessed by Almighty Allah with presents of many prophets who paved the ways to true religion. This Holy Quran verse also proves that Holy Prophets who had died are very significant to Islam as they are sacred and the places their tombs situate are also blessed.
 
By: islamxplored.com
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