The Night Journey And The Ascent To Heaven
One night as the Prophet (pbuh) lay sleeping in the same spot where 'Abd
al-Muttalib used to sleep, next to the Ka‟bah, he was woken by the
Archangel Gabriel. Later the Prophet (pbuh) described what happened: 'I
sat up and he took hold of my arm. I stood beside him and he brought me
to the door of the mosque where there was a white animal for me to ride.'
The Prophet (pbuh) told of how he mounted the animal and, with the
Archangel Gabriel at his side, was transported from Mecca to the mosque
called al-Aqsa, in far away Jerusalem. There the Prophet (pbuh) found
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus among a group of Prophets. The Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) acted as their leader, or imam, in prayer. Then he was
brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other milk. He chose the
milk and refused the wine. At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, 'You have
been rightly guided to the fitrah, the true nature of man, and so will your
people be, Muhammad. Wine is forbidden to you. The Prophet (pbuh)
also related how they passed through Heaven's gates and saw countless
angels. Among them was Malik, the Keeper of Hell, who never smiles.
Malik stepped forward and showed the Prophet (pbuh) a view of Hell and
the terrible plight of those who suffer in that place. Then the Prophet
(pbuh) was taken up by the angels, through the seven Heavens, one by
one Along the way he again saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and the
Prophet (pbuh) said that he had never seen a man more like himself than
Abraham. He also saw John, called Yahya in Arabic, Joseph or Yusef,
Enoch, that is Idris, and Aaron. At last he reached the Lote Tree of the
Uttermost, the sidrat al-muntaha where no Prophet had been before. Here
the Prophet (pbuh) received Revelation of what Muslims believe.
“The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him
from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah and
His Angels and His Books and His Messengers-We make no distinction
between any of His messengers-and they say: We hear, and we obey.
Grant us Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the homecoming”.
(Qur'an 2.285) , Then he was taken into the Light of the Divine Presence
of Allah, and was instructed that Muslims should pray fifty times a day.
The Prophet (pbuh) recalled: “ On my way back I passed by Moses and
what a good friend to you he was! He asked me how many prayers had I
been ordained to perform. When I told him fifty, he said, 'Prayer is a
serious matter and your people are weak, so go back to your Lord and ask
Him to reduce the number for you and your community.' I did so and He
took away ten. Again I passed by Moses and he said the same again; and
so it went on until only five prayers for the whole day and night were left.
Moses again gave me the same advice. I replied that I had been back to
my Lord and asked him to reduce the number until I was ashamed, and I
would not do it again. He of you who performs the five prayers faithfully,
will have the reward of fifty prayers.
On the morning following these events and the Prophet's return to
Mecca, he told Quraysh what had happened. Most of them said, 'By God!
This is ridiculous! A caravan takes a month to go to Syria and a month to
return! Can you do that long journey in a single night?' Even many
Muslims were amazed by this and wanted the Prophet (pbuh) to explain.
Some ran with the news to Abu Bakr who said, 'By Allah, if Muhammad
(pbuh) himself has said so, then it is true. Remember, the Prophet tells us
that the word of Allah comes to him directly from heaven to earth at any
hour by day or night, and we believe him.
Isn't that a greater miracle than what you are now doubting?' Then
Abu Bakr went to the mosque and listened to the Prophet's detailed
description of Jerusalem. He commented, 'You tell the truth, 0 Prophet of
Allah!' From then on, Abu Bakr was honored with the title 'al-Siddiq‟,
which means 'he who gives his word to support the truth'. Others also
began to believe the Prophet's story when he went on to describe two
caravans he had seen on his way back to Mecca. He told the doubters
where he had seen the caravans, what they were carrying and when they
would arrive in Mecca. All that the Prophet (pbuh) had said was born out
when the caravans arrived at the time he said they would, carrying all that
he had described.
“Glory be to Him, who carried His servant by night from the Holy
Mosque to the Far distant place of worship, the Neighborhood which We
have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs, He, only He is
the All-hearing, the All-seeing”. (Qur'an 17:1)
By the Star when it setteth, Your comrade is not astray, neither
deceived, Nor does he speak of his (own) desire. This is naught but a
revelation revealed, Taught him by one mighty in power, very strong; he
stood poised, being on the uppermost horizon, Then drew near and came
down, two bows'-length away, or nearer, Then revealed to His servant
that which He revealed. His heart lies not of what he saw; What, will you
then dispute with him what he sees? Indeed, he saw him yet another time
By the Lote- Tree of the utmost Boundary Near which is the Garden of
Abode When there covered the Lote- Tree that which covered; his eye
turne not aside, nor yet was overbold. Verily, he saw one of the greatest
signs of his Lord.(Qur'an 53:1-18)
One night as the Prophet (pbuh) lay sleeping in the same spot where 'Abd
al-Muttalib used to sleep, next to the Ka‟bah, he was woken by the
Archangel Gabriel. Later the Prophet (pbuh) described what happened: 'I
sat up and he took hold of my arm. I stood beside him and he brought me
to the door of the mosque where there was a white animal for me to ride.'
The Prophet (pbuh) told of how he mounted the animal and, with the
Archangel Gabriel at his side, was transported from Mecca to the mosque
called al-Aqsa, in far away Jerusalem. There the Prophet (pbuh) found
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus among a group of Prophets. The Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) acted as their leader, or imam, in prayer. Then he was
brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other milk. He chose the
milk and refused the wine. At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, 'You have
been rightly guided to the fitrah, the true nature of man, and so will your
people be, Muhammad. Wine is forbidden to you. The Prophet (pbuh)
also related how they passed through Heaven's gates and saw countless
angels. Among them was Malik, the Keeper of Hell, who never smiles.
Malik stepped forward and showed the Prophet (pbuh) a view of Hell and
the terrible plight of those who suffer in that place. Then the Prophet
(pbuh) was taken up by the angels, through the seven Heavens, one by
one Along the way he again saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and the
Prophet (pbuh) said that he had never seen a man more like himself than
Abraham. He also saw John, called Yahya in Arabic, Joseph or Yusef,
Enoch, that is Idris, and Aaron. At last he reached the Lote Tree of the
Uttermost, the sidrat al-muntaha where no Prophet had been before. Here
the Prophet (pbuh) received Revelation of what Muslims believe.
“The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him
from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah and
His Angels and His Books and His Messengers-We make no distinction
between any of His messengers-and they say: We hear, and we obey.
Grant us Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the homecoming”.
(Qur'an 2.285) , Then he was taken into the Light of the Divine Presence
of Allah, and was instructed that Muslims should pray fifty times a day.
The Prophet (pbuh) recalled: “ On my way back I passed by Moses and
what a good friend to you he was! He asked me how many prayers had I
been ordained to perform. When I told him fifty, he said, 'Prayer is a
serious matter and your people are weak, so go back to your Lord and ask
Him to reduce the number for you and your community.' I did so and He
took away ten. Again I passed by Moses and he said the same again; and
so it went on until only five prayers for the whole day and night were left.
Moses again gave me the same advice. I replied that I had been back to
my Lord and asked him to reduce the number until I was ashamed, and I
would not do it again. He of you who performs the five prayers faithfully,
will have the reward of fifty prayers.
On the morning following these events and the Prophet's return to
Mecca, he told Quraysh what had happened. Most of them said, 'By God!
This is ridiculous! A caravan takes a month to go to Syria and a month to
return! Can you do that long journey in a single night?' Even many
Muslims were amazed by this and wanted the Prophet (pbuh) to explain.
Some ran with the news to Abu Bakr who said, 'By Allah, if Muhammad
(pbuh) himself has said so, then it is true. Remember, the Prophet tells us
that the word of Allah comes to him directly from heaven to earth at any
hour by day or night, and we believe him.
Isn't that a greater miracle than what you are now doubting?' Then
Abu Bakr went to the mosque and listened to the Prophet's detailed
description of Jerusalem. He commented, 'You tell the truth, 0 Prophet of
Allah!' From then on, Abu Bakr was honored with the title 'al-Siddiq‟,
which means 'he who gives his word to support the truth'. Others also
began to believe the Prophet's story when he went on to describe two
caravans he had seen on his way back to Mecca. He told the doubters
where he had seen the caravans, what they were carrying and when they
would arrive in Mecca. All that the Prophet (pbuh) had said was born out
when the caravans arrived at the time he said they would, carrying all that
he had described.
“Glory be to Him, who carried His servant by night from the Holy
Mosque to the Far distant place of worship, the Neighborhood which We
have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs, He, only He is
the All-hearing, the All-seeing”. (Qur'an 17:1)
By the Star when it setteth, Your comrade is not astray, neither
deceived, Nor does he speak of his (own) desire. This is naught but a
revelation revealed, Taught him by one mighty in power, very strong; he
stood poised, being on the uppermost horizon, Then drew near and came
down, two bows'-length away, or nearer, Then revealed to His servant
that which He revealed. His heart lies not of what he saw; What, will you
then dispute with him what he sees? Indeed, he saw him yet another time
By the Lote- Tree of the utmost Boundary Near which is the Garden of
Abode When there covered the Lote- Tree that which covered; his eye
turne not aside, nor yet was overbold. Verily, he saw one of the greatest
signs of his Lord.(Qur'an 53:1-18)
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