Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj (the Night Journey & Ascension) is a miracle second only to the revelation of the Qur’an, and it is therefore important that we don’t let this night slip by without reflecting on its lessons and its significance. Many of us only know the basic story of Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj - that the Prophet (saw) was transported from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, from where he (saw) ascended to heaven. In fact, there were many stops along this incredible journey, and the story is packed with wonders and miracles. So let's hear the story of Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj .

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj took place during a time when the Prophet (saw) was facing intense hardship and pain. The Quraysh, who were his tribe and his family, constantly ridiculed, humiliated and oppressed the Prophet (saw) and his followers. Moreover, the Prophet (saw) had just faced the Year of Sorrow, during which he (saw) lost his beloved wife Khadijah (ra), and his uncle Abu Talib, who was his protector and ally.

In addition to all these burdens, when the Prophet (saw) had travelled to Ta’if to spread the Islamic message, the people of Ta’if had rejected him in the most cruel way, sending their children into the streets to stone him until he left the city.

When the Prophet (saw) was sleeping in the house of Umm Hani (ra) in Makkah he said, ‘the roof of my house was opened and the Angel Jibril [as] descended’. The Prophet (saw) was then taken to the Hijr, the semi-circular wall of the Ka‘bah, where the Prophet (saw) said that Jibril (as), ‘opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith, and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it’.

The Prophet (saw) continued, ‘I was then brought a white beast which is called al-Buraq [from the Arabic word barq, meaning lightning], bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach. The that Buraq was, ‘saddled and reined, but he shied from him (saw). So Jibril [as] said to him, “Is it from Muhammad [saw] that you do this? For nobody has ridden you who is more  honourable to Allah than him!” He said, “Then he started sweating profusely”’

At several points along the journey, Jibra’eel (as) stopped Buraq and told the Prophet (saw), ‘Dismount and pray’. The first stop was at ‘the place of emigration’ i.e. Madinah - and soon after this night the Prophet (saw) would meet the Ansar and migrate to Madinah. 

The second stop was at Mount Sinai, where Allah (swt) revealed the Torah to Musa (as). 

The third stop was at Bethlehem, where ’Isa (as) was born.. The fourth stop was the grave of Musa (as), ‘I happened to pass by Musa [as] on the night of my Night journey by the red sandhill whilst he was standing praying in his grave. We know that his grave is located, ‘a stone’s throw’ away from the holy land of the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa (Bukhari). This incident clearly shows us an example of what the Messenger of Allah (saw) said about Prophets (as) after they pass away that, ‘The Prophets are alive in their graves praying’

Finally, the Messenger of Allah (saw) arrived in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and he said, ’When we reached Bait al-Maqdis Jibril (as) pointed with his finger causing a crack in the rock, and he tied the Buraq to it [at the western wall of the noble sanctuary]’  Waiting inside were all 124,000 Prophets (as). Jibra’eel (as) led the Prophet (saw) to the front, and he (saw) led them all in prayer in this blessed space.

Some narrations indicate that the Prophet (saw) prayed ‘two units of prayer’  as Tahiyyat al-Masjid. This is one of the first examples of this established Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). It is also mentioned that Jibril (as) called the Adhan (call to prayer) before this practice was even established later in Madinah and that the angels from the heavens descended to pray behind all the Prophets in this sacred place – Subhan-Allah! When the Prophet (saw) completed the prayer, he said, ‘someone said, “Here is Malik (as), the keeper of the Hell, so convey Salams to him”. So, I turned to him, but he preceded me in Salams’