بیت المقدس اور عالم بالا کا سفر

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I saw myself in the Hijr (Hatim), in the state that I was standing, and the Quraysh of Makkah were questioning me about my journey on the night of the Mi'raj and were asking about those things and signs of Bayt al-Maqdis which I did not remember at that time. On account of this — that if I could not answer the questions the Quraysh had asked, all these people would take my journey to Bayt al-Maqdis and the event of the Mi'raj to be a false claim — I became so severely distressed and grieved as I had never been distressed and grieved before. Then Allah Almighty (came to my aid and) raised up Bayt al-Maqdis so that it came before my eyes (that is, the Absolutely Powerful One folded up all the distances between me and Bayt al-Maqdis and lifted every veil), so that the whole structure of Bayt al-Maqdis, together with its surroundings, came before my eyes, and I became able — whichever thing or sign of Bayt al-Maqdis the Quraysh of Makkah might ask about — to look at it and describe it. So whatever they asked me (about Bayt al-Maqdis), I told them (while looking at it before me). And it is a fact that (on the night of the Isra and Mi'raj) I saw myself among the prophets. I saw (at that time) Musa (peace be upon him), standing in prayer; Musa (peace be upon him) appeared to be a man of medium height, as though he were a man belonging to the tribe of Shanu'ah. And I also saw 'Isa (peace be upon him), standing in prayer; the person who resembles him most of all is 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud al-Thaqafi. Then I also saw Ibrahim (peace be upon him), standing in prayer; the person who resembles him most of all is your companion — (by 'your companion' the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, meant his own self). Then (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:) when the time for prayer came, I became the imam of all of them (the prophets). And when I had finished the prayer, (either before ascending to the heavens, or after reaching the heavens and being presented in the court of the Lord of Glory,) someone addressed me and said: 'O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Here is the keeper of Hell — (out of reverence for the awesome majesty of your Lord, or as is among the manners of the righteous and the pious, out of humility and self-effacement) — greet him with salaam.' So I turned towards him (the keeper of Hell) in order to greet him, but he was the first to give the salaam.”

The word mi'raj comes from 'uruj, which means to climb, to go upward; and mi'raj is the name given to that by which one ascends — that is, a ladder. The tour of the heavens which Allah Almighty granted the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the special signs He showed him there, is called the Mi'raj for this reason: as though a ladder was placed for the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by which he ascended and honoured the heavens with his presence. And this is the very ladder by which the angels come and go from the heavens, and by which the souls of the children of Adam ascend to the heavens.

Here one more thing should be understood: there is the Isra, and there is the Mi'raj. Isra is the name of the journey which the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made on that night from the Sacred Mosque (the House of Allah) to Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis). Its mention comes in the Holy Qur'an in this way:

“Glory be to that Being who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to Masjid al-Aqsa, around which We have placed blessings, so that We might show him some of the signs of Our power; indeed Allah Almighty alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (al-Isra – 1)

And the journey from Masjid al-Aqsa to the heavens and the higher realm is called the Mi'raj. Its mention comes in the Holy Qur'an in this way:

“Near the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary, near which is the Garden of Abode, when that which covered was covering the Lote Tree; his sight did not swerve, nor did it exceed the limit; he saw the great signs of (the power of) his Lord.” (al-Najm – 14–18)

The Mi'raj granted with body and soul is the special honour of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); this rank was not granted to any other prophet or messenger. Allah Almighty manifested this extraordinary display of power especially in order to make plain the greatness and chosen status of His final Prophet, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore the event of the Mi'raj should be viewed in that very context. To measure this matter by the yardstick of reason and analogy is futile, and to grasp and explain the reality of the event by mere intellectual capacity is beyond the power of those held captive by reason. This matter is one of pure certainty and belief; simply to believe in it and to consign its reality and manner to the knowledge of Allah is itself true felicity. And in any case, all the matters of prophethood, revelation and miracles are things outside the compass of reason and analogy. Whoever makes such things subject to analogy and dependent on reason and understanding, and says that until a thing comes within his reason he will not accept it and will not hold belief in it, should understand that such a person is deprived of his own share of faith. Therefore the very demand of faith is that whatever Allah and His Messenger declare, we accept it and believe in it without question or objection; there is no other road to safety and salvation besides this. Hence to deny this event is tantamount to placing oneself outside the fold of Islam.