Isra' and Mi'raj

thumb|upright=0.8|1543 illustration of Muhammad's Night Journey. His ascension to the heavens is often interpreted as an [[allegory for the human soul ascending to the celestial realms in Islamic philosophy.]]

The Israʾ and Miʿraj (, ') are the names given to the narrations that the Islamic prophet Muhammad ascended to the sky during a night journey, had a vision of afterlife, and returned. It is believed that expressions without a subject in verses 1-18 of Surāh an-Najm and some verses of the 17th chapter of the Quran, commonly called Surāh al-’Isrā’, allude to the story.

Ibn Sa'd summarizes the earliest version of the written stories; According to him, the angels Gabriel and Michael accompanied Muhammad to a place in the sacred precinct of the Kaaba, between the well of Zamzam and Maqam Ibrahim. There, a ladder (miʿrāj) is said to have been set up by Muhammad and Gabriel, with whose help they ascended to heaven. When he reached the top, Muhammad is said to have met the previous prophets. According to one version of the tradition, Gabriel held Muhammad's hand tightly and ascended with him to heaven. When he reached the Sidrat al-Muntaha mentioned in Sura 53, verse 14, Muhammad saw heaven and hell. So, he was required to perform the original fifty prayers, but negotiated with God to reduce the prayers to 5 and was granted the Last two verses of Al-Baqarah, known as the treasure from God's throne.

The framework and the details are elaborated and developed Ibn Sa'd recorded that Muhammad's Mi'raj took place first, from near the Kaaba to the heavens, on the 27th of Ramadan, 18 months before the , while the Isra' from Mecca to took place on the 17th night of the Rabi' al-Awwal before the as two different, unconnected events. In Ibn Hisham's account, the Isra' came first and then the Mi'raj, and he put these stories before the deaths of Khadija and Abu Talib. In contrast, Al-Tabari placed this story at the beginning of Muhammad's public ministry, between his account of Khadija becoming "the first to believe in the Messenger of God" and his account of "the first male to believe in the Messenger of God".

The 27th night of the month of Rajab, is one of the most celebrated holy days and nights in the Islamic calendar.

Terminology

Al-’Isrā’ literally means "to make someone walk," frequently translated as walking or traveling at night. ʿMiʿrāj literally means "ascending device, ladder" or "ascending place" as counted me'raj, derived from uruj, "rising" or "going up to a high place". The fact that the general name given to the stories is miʿrāj rather than uʿruj may be a reference to the ladder motif in early narratives mentioned above.

thumb|[[Al-Aqsa|Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, as mentioned in the Quran, refers to the entire sacred walled sanctuary in Jerusalem, encompassing all structures that are currently within it, including the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa (Qibli) Mosque]]

The Bait al-Maqdis (the Holy House), in Aelia, described in the hadiths related to the Miraj, marking the place where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven is the Arabic pronunciation of the Hebrew name for the Temple of Solomon. The name Al-Quds, given to the city by Muslims a few centuries later derives from the same root.

thumb|Dome of the Rock, built during the reign of [[Abdul Malik ibn Marwan|Abdul Malik. Anachronistically associated with the Isra and Miraj, it is believed to be the specific place where the Prophet Muhammad have ascended to heaven.]]

The Dome of the Rock, built on the Muallak (lifted) stone and the Al-Aqsa Mosque (sometimes referred to as "masjid Al-Aqsa"), located on the south wall of the compound, was originally built by the fifth Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik () or his successor al-Walid I () (or both) possibly by political motivations. (See also; Dome of the Ascension)

upright=1.3|thumbnail|200px|A stone, [[Foundation Stone|giving its name to the Dome of the Rock associated with the Miraj in Islamic tradition and blessed; The round hole at upper left penetrates to a small cave, known as the Well of Souls, below.]]

Another term used today for the Masjid al-Aqsa, which is argued to refer to the whole area of Temple Mount because there were no buildings there during Muhammad's time, is Haram al-Sharif. This terminology, which emphasizes the site's high sanctity, became popular during the Mamluk (1250–1517) and Ottoman periods.

Islamic tradition

The Quran

The 17th chapter of the Quran takes its name from a word used in the first verse; The name of the sura, which was probably originally called the Surah Banī Isrāʾīl (), during the time of the Companions, gradually became the Surat Al- Isra, and simultaneously, narrations and explanations for Isra began to enter Islamic literature, which is presented as the first stage of the journey, expressed as Isra meaning to make someone walk. The verse is widely considered to refer to Muhammad's miraculous flight from Mecca to Jerusalem at night on the back of a mount called Buraq. A different interpretation of the verse, the Al-aqsa used in the verse is not associated with Jerusalem, but with Al-Ji'rana, which is located near Mecca based on the hint that Masjid al-Haram is a night walk away from Masjid al-Aqsa in :

An expression that is connected with the ascention part of the story is the subject-unclear poetic expressions in the .

right|thumb|One of the stations of Muhammad's ascent after [[Al-Aqsa in the "seven heavens"; Sidrat al-Muntaha; The legendary tree in havens, whose branches extend to the last limits of creation; the sacred cedar known as "Arz el-Rab" in Lebanon or, in simple translation, the lote tree.]]

Apart from the two verses recorded above, there is no verse in the Quran that is associated with the Miraj. In addition, unlike the references to miracles made to other prophets in the Quran, the verses that deny any miracles of Muhammad outside the Quran attract the attention of some researchers.

Story

All the details in the story come from the anecdotes of the biography and hadith collections written a few centuries after Muhammad. The story continues to evolve and change across different geographies and belief groups, as can be seen even in the earliest records.

There are different accounts of what occurred before the Miʿraj. While some narratives speak of purification before ascension, others say these are unconnected; Muhammad's chest was opened up, and zamzam water was poured on his heart, giving him wisdom, before going to prepare him for his ascent. Two hadiths considered the most reliable rely on Anas ibn Malik and ibn ʿAbbas persons who were recorded as children at the time.

Al-Tabari's summary also reflects his choices and is as follows; Muhammad ascends into heaven with Gabriel and meets a different prophet at each of the seven levels of heaven; first Adam, then John the Baptist and Jesus, then Joseph, then Idris, then Aaron, then Moses, and lastly Abraham. Then continues to meet God without Gabriel. God tells Muhammad that his people must pray 50 times a day, but on return to Earth, he meets Moses, who tells him persistently, "return to God and ask for fewer prayers because fifty is too many". Muhammad goes back and forth between Moses and God nine times until the prayers are reduced to five daily prayers, and God rewards those prayers with the merit of fifty."

thumb|[[Ottoman miniature: Muhammad leading the prayer in a Celestial Mosque during the Israʾ and Miʿraj, all the prophets and messengers participating in.]]

Ibn Abbas Primitive Version

Ibn Abbas's Primitive Versions describe everything Muhammad encountered during his journey through heaven. This includes seeing other angels and the seas of light, darkness, and fire. Muhammad, as companion of Gabriel, met four important angels as he travelled through heaven. These angels were the Rooster angel (whose call influences all earthly roosters), the Half Fire Half Snow angel (an example of God's power to bring fire and ice together in harmony), the Angel of Death, and the Guardian of Hellfire. These four angels are introduced at the beginning of Ibn Abbas's narrative and focus on the angels rather than the prophets. There are ranks of angels in heaven, and he even meets some deeply connected angels called cherubim. These angels instill fear in Muhammad, but he sees them later as God's creation and not harmful.

Other important details that Ibn Abbas adds to the narrative are the Heavenly host, the final verses of the Cow Chapter, and the blessing of the Prophets. In other versions by Ibn Abbas, a transmitter seems to have added to Ibn Abbas' authentic narrative the descent of Muhammad and the meeting with the prophets. These are the stories of the meeting with the prophets and the meeting with Moses, which led to the reduction of the daily prayers, which are not included in Ibn Abbas' primitive version. Whether Ibn Abbas included this in his original narrative or whether it was added by a later transmitter is a matter of debate. ascending to the sky (Miʿrāj) from the muallak (suspended) stone, conversations with Allah, dialogues with other prophets in the different heavenly layers, seeing paradise and hell, and returning sections.

thumb|According to terrifying stories (fabricated for some) associated with the ascension, Muhammad, accompanied by Buraq and Gabriel, visits hell; "shameless women are punished for displaying their hair to strangers."(Iranian miniature, 15th century)

In Alevism and Bektashism

The Assembly of the Forty, or the council of forty (in Turkish "Kırklar meclisi"), is a collective worship ceremony in Alevism and Bektashism in which Muhammad is said to have participated upon his return from the Mi'raj. Alevi narratives are stories based on oral transmissions, which have developed, changed, and matured over centuries.

The Alavis Story of the Ascension:On the day Muhammad ascended to the Miraj on his mount Buraq, he was offered honey, milk, and wine or apples. Unlike the classical Sunni Miraj stories, the story includes a section where Muhammad gives his ring, which contains the seal of prophethood, to a lion, and thus passes to the meeting with Allah -wichh alludes Muhammad being removed from being a person who brings Allah's commands. Muhammad spoke ninety thousand words with Allah from behind a veil. However, the voice was familiar and was Ali's voice. Muhammad asked who was speaking to him. The answer was: "I am Allah, but I chose to speak to you with Ali's voice." In another narration, the event is taken to a more advanced level; the veil opens and Muhammad sees Ali's face. Similar allusions are dealt with in later parts, and alongside the understanding developed by islamic theology that Allah cannot be likened to or enter into any created being, the traditional attitudes of Sunnism such as prayer, alcohol prohibition, segregation of men and women, and veiling are challenged with short references.

Sufism

The belief that Muhammad made the heavenly journey bodily was used to prove the unique status of Muhammad. Many Sufis interpreted the Miʿraj to ask questions about the meaning of certain events within the Miʿraj, and drew conclusions based on their interpretations, especially to substantiate ideas of the superiority of Muhammad over other prophets. He recounts that Muhammad, during his Miʿraj journey, visited the heavens and then eventually returned to the temporal world. stating "the apostle's body remained where it was" while the majority of Islamic scholars claim that the journey was both a physical and spiritual one.

Celebrations

thumb|right|Ascension of Muhammad, Topkapı Palace Museum, Istanbul, 18th century (copy of a work probably created in the 8th century)

In Jerusalem on the Temple Mount, the structure of the Dome of the Rock, built several decades after Muhammad's death, marks the place from which Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. The exact date of the Journey is not clear, but it is celebrated as though it took place before the Hijrah and after Muhammad's visit to the people of Ta'if. The normative view amongst Sunni Muslims who ascribe a specific date to the event is that it took place on the 27th of Rajab, slightly over a year before Hijrah. This would correspond to the 26th of February 621 in the Western calendar. In Twelver Iran, Rajab 27 is the day of Muhammad's first calling or Mab'as. The al-Aqsa Mosque and surrounding area is now the third-holiest place on earth for Muslims.

The Lailat al-Miʿraj (, ), also known as Shab-e-Mi'raj (, , ) in Iran, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and Miraç Kandili in Turkish, is the Muslim holiday on the 27th of Rajab (the date varying in the Western calendar) celebrating the Isra and Miʿraj. Another name for the holiday is Mehraj-ul-Alam (also spelled Meraj-ul-Alam). Some Muslims celebrate this event by offering optional prayers during this night, and in some Muslim countries, by illuminating cities with electric lights and candles. The celebrations around this day tend to focus on every Muslim who wants to celebrate it. Worshippers gather in mosques and perform prayer and supplication. Some people may pass their knowledge on to others by telling them the story of how Muhammad's heart was purified by the archangel Gabriel, who filled him with knowledge and faith in preparation to enter the seven levels of heaven. After salah, food and treats are served.

Discussions on history and geography

According to Islamic tradition, a small prayer hall (musalla), what would later become the Al-Aqsa Mosque, was built by Umar, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. A hadith reports Muhammad's account of the experience:

Although not in all of them, in some hadiths, the Miraj story is handled and processed independently of Al-Aqsa. Besides that city of Jerusalem is not mentioned by any of its names in Surah Al-Isra 17:1, however, the consensus of Islamic scholars is that Quranic reference to masjid al-aqṣā in the verse refers to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned in later Islamic literature and in the hadith as the place of Isra and Miʽraj.

Some figures contest the consensus that Al-masjid al-aqṣā was in Jerusalem and believe it was somewhere other than Jerusalem. This arises from the belief that there's no evidence of a Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem before the Islamic conquest of the Levant, and Umar's arrival; The first and second temples were destroyed by the Babylonians and the Romans, respectively, the latter more than five centuries before Muhammad's life. After the initially successful Jewish revolt against Heraclius, the Jewish population resettled in Jerusalem for a short period of time from AD 614 to 630 and immediately started to restore the temple on the Temple Mount and build synagogues in Jerusalem. After the Jewish population was expelled a second time from Jerusalem and shortly before Heraclius retook the city (AD 630), a small synagogue was already in place on the Temple Mount. This synagogue was reportedly demolished after Heraclius retook Jerusalem. In the reign of the caliph Mu'awiyah I of the Umayyad Caliphate (founded in AD 661), a quadrangular mosque for a capacity of 3,000 worshipers is recorded somewhere on the Haram ash-Sharif. This was rebuilt and expanded by the caliph Abd al-Malik in AD 690 along with the Dome of the Rock.thumb|upright=1.15|Dome of the Ascension of [[Muhammad]]

French American Academic Oleg Grabar believed that the Quranic Al-masjid al-aqṣā referred to one of two sanctuaries in a Hijazi village known as al-Juʽranah near Mecca, basing this on the statement of two near-contemporary medieval Muslim travelers Al Waqidi and Al-Azraqi who used the term "Al-masjid al-aqṣā" , and "Al-masjid al-Adna":

Israeli political scientist Yitzhak Reiter mentions some alternative interpretations among some Muslim sects in the 21st century which dispute that the night journey took place in Jerusalem, believing instead it was either in the Heavens, or in Medina and its vicinity by Jaf'ari Shi'tes. Reiter also claimed that the location being in Jerusalem was a tradition invented after Muhmmad's life by the Umayyad Caliphate to divert pilgrimage to either Shi'ite sites such as Al-Kufa, or Mecca when it was held by Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr during the Second Muslim Civil war

Parallels in other traditions

Traditions of living persons ascending to heaven are also found in early Jewish and Christian literature. The Book of Enoch, a late Second Temple Jewish apocryphal work, describes a tour of heaven given by an angel to the patriarch Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. According to Brooke Vuckovic, early Muslims may have had precisely this ascent in mind when interpreting Muhammad's night journey.

The similarity of many details in the Miraj narratives to Zoroastrian literature is striking. While critics argue that these narratives are a transfer from Zoroastrian literature, another claim argues that the relevant literature was written after Islam.

Notes

References

External links

Hadith On Isra and Mi'raj from Sahih Muslim