Meraj Of Prophet Muhammad

"The experience of the Meraj, like the rising kundalini that Abdula had seen, would not only revolutionise Mohammeds awareness but send out shock waves which resonated in the unconscious of all Arabians and later, all the world."

The Holy Qur'an

surah 97:1-5 Al-Qadr (Night of Power) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: And what will explain to thee what the night of power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand: Peace!...This until the rise of morn!

surah 97:1-5 Al-Qadr (Night of Power) (Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, 1989.) Meraj Of Prophet Muhammad "There are a number of legends about the early life of Mohammed, founder of the religion of Islam. It is said that just before Mohammeds birth his father, Abdula, dreamt of his unborn son. He saw growing from his childs back a tree, which climbed upward, and reaching its full height emitted a light that spread around the world. Most Muslims interpret the dream and its imagery symbolically. The tree would of course represent the religion of Islam, supported by Mohammed. The light is the wisdom of his teachings that have truly been globally disseminated. However we also know that the tree in Mohammeds back could be the tree of life and is a common symbol in Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. Carl Jung, after years of studying the language of the unconscious, interpreted the tree of life as one of the universal unconsciouss synonyms for the Kundalini. The Kundalini, said Jung, is a spiritual energy best documented by (but by no means exclusive to) the yogis of India. It should not at all be surprising, should we take an open-minded and closer look at Islam, that as with the other great religions, we find a deeper, more mystical and universal message: that of self realisation and the mechanism by which it occurs Kundalini awakening. Every culture and religion has had individuals who have achieved a living, spontaneous, direct experience of their religion. A dynamic, suprahuman awareness that went beyond dogma and blind faith. The Gnostics of Christianity, the Yogis of Hinduism, the Fang-Shi of Tao and the Sufis of Islam all achieved these

states and each have spoken of experiences that, despite differences of appearance, are strikingly similar in content. Let us then look at Abdulas dream from a yogic perspective. We can suggest that he actually saw the uniquely powerful Kundalini of his son. The ascent of Mohammeds Kundalini was not simply of individual importance to Mohammed but had global, even cosmic significance. For the light, the divine energy of Mohammeds Kundalini, was about to affect a spiritual and cultural revolution in Arabia. Mohammed was the vessel through which the universal unconscious, or divine, or God was about to act. As a child and young man Mohammed showed few signs of his prophetic destiny. He was well known for his moral integrity and good character but it was not until his forties that he became aware of his true purpose. Through a series of transformative experiences Mohammed was prepared for his divine role. These experiences culminated in the amazing Meraj (or Ascent). The experience of the Meraj, like the rising kundalini that Abdula had seen, would not only revolutionise Mohammeds awareness but send out shock waves which resonated in the unconscious of all Arabians and later, all the world. Through the Meraj Mohammed realized the need for the establishment of a new culture. He was to establish a creed that went beyond the petty tribal boundaries, blood feuds and violent practices prevalent at the time. To go beyond such ingrained behaviour patterns Mohammed drew upon an awareness of superhuman proportions. He transcended the limitations of the human mind and tapped into the universal intelligence. His vision then became universal: to unite the peoples of Arabia under a system of morality, justice and compassion. A system that would serve as the foundation for one of the greatest civilisations in recorded history. The Meraj gave Mohammed the confidence, wisdom and superhuman energy to attempt such a revolution. In this visionary experience the angel Gabriel escorted Mohammed from his humble quarters to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. There the Buraq, a fantastic steed with the body of a horse, the head of a woman and the wings of a bird, greeted him. She shone with dazzling white brightness and her tremendous strength bore Mohammed up into the cosmos through the various divine dimensions. Gabriel escorted Mohammed on the Buraq through the seven heavens. Each heaven had its own guardian angel and resident prophet who ruled the dimension in accordance with Gods laws. Mohammed bowed to guardian angels who determined his readiness to enter into their heaven, and then Mohammed respectfully paid homage to the reigning prophet. The prophet in turn blessed Mohammed and ushered him on to the next heaven and so on. At the sixth heaven Gabriel brought Mohammed to the verge of the seventh. The archangel said that he himself could go no further. This, the seventh heaven, was the last frontier between god and man and Mohammed was ushered into the place described as the abode of God almighty. Their Mohammed saw a beautiful, radiant tree with wondrous multicolored leaves. It was here that he communed with God and learned of his true purpose. This beautiful and inspiring vision has motivated millions of Muslims for more than a thousand years. Its significance becomes even more universal when we examine it from the perspective of kundalini awakening, using the symbolic language of the universal unconscious. The seven heavens through which Mohammed passed must of course correspond to the seven chakras that exist within the human body. Each chakra, say the yogis, is the abode of a special deity whose character embodies the chakras innate spiritual qualities. The human chakra system is a microcosm for the entire Eastern pantheon of gods, goddesses and heavenly beings. The prophets and angels that Mohammed encountered in each heaven could well have been these same inner deities that the yogis personally discovered through intense meditation.

The seventh heaven or chakra is the Crown Chakra also termed Sahasrara. Yogis have described it as the most important of all the chakras for it represents the ultimate level of mystic awareness. Like all the chakras it has a specific number of petals (in this case more than a thousand)|. Each chakra not only has a specific number of petals but also a specific radiant colour. The sahasraras appearance however is said to contain all the colours of the rainbow for it contains within it all the aspects (and hence the colours) of the six other chakras below it. Such ancient yogic descriptions of the sahasrara could logically correspond to the resplendent and multicoloured sidrat which Mohammed encountered in the 7th heaven. The kundalini is a feminine energy often described as an inner goddess or mother energy. Her ascent from the sacrum, through the chakras located in the spinal cord, is the process of selfrealisation. When the kundalini arrives in the crown chakra (sahasrara) the seeker experiences the complete transformation of awareness. One is taken beyond the limits of the human mind into the mystical states of meditation described by sufis and yogis alike. In fact C.G. Jung described the kundalini as the divine feminine or God the mother. Notably, Mohammeds vehicle for his own ascent through the heavenly dimensions was the lady-faced, dazzling buraq. The buraq could well be a feminine, Arabic synonym for kundalini. In conclusion Mohammeds ascent through the seven heavens was, in fact, the ascent of the kundalini, taking his consciousness with it, to divine union with the god almighty. It is no coincidence that the entire Meraj is described to have started and finished in an incredibly short period of time: While sitting in his room Mohammad heard someone grasp the door handle and the sound of the latch clicking was the last thing he heard before Gabriels appearance and the duos departure on their spiritual journey. Mohammeds return to mundane experience restarts with the next few clicks of the same latch movement. In other words the entire experience occurred in a sort of no time. This is not an unusual proposition since meditation is a state of awareness created by the ascent of the kundalini through the chakras. As it pierces the sixth chakra (third eye or Agnya) and seventh, it takes the meditator into the state of thoughtless awareness (Nirvichara Samadhi) and beyond. This is a simple state where one experiences true mental silence, beyond the normal mental awareness of past/future, cause/effect. The mind, as this editorial column has often discussed before, can only deal with the dimension of past and future, cause and effect, thought and memory. However, the state of meditation begins in the spaces between the thoughts. This is the numinous dimension where there is no passage of time but only a singular, silent, eternal, thought-free and joyful experience. It was from this dimension of awareness that Mohammed perceived the divine vision of a universal culture and spirituality. Through his meditative vision he learned of humanitys higher potential thus his mystic perception of the universal spirit and its presence within each of us became the template upon which he sought to fashion a new society whose foundations lay not in issues of common material interest but in the unique awareness of Self-Realization. Mohammed was, in fact, laying the first building blocks for the emergence of a spiritual civilization that may only now come into fruition. [1] Prophet Muhammad was at all times besides His wife when He experienced this mystical journey (Meraj) to heaven. Kash made about 1300 such journeys to heaven. Prophet Muhammad made the journey within. Kash also made these journeys within. Both reached the mystical heaven within, the Sahasrara or Kingdom of God. However, in no way is Kash compared or elevated to Prophet Muhammad. Far from it. But there is a reason he met Prophet Muhammad, a reason absolutely necessary to confirm what the Qur'an reveals about His Ruh (Spirit) and the announcement of Al-Qiyamah. These exacting pre-ordained conditions beyond human manipulation form the phalanx of Sure Signs that commences Al-Qiyamah.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

"Experience of the universal The nature of the goal, however, introduces a paradox. Like every other aim and activity, mysticism operates in a historical context. Yet, sooner or later, it also tends to reveal a timeless stance. The mystic is both in and out of time. The eternal now is a kind of release from the temporal order. Such a release may lead to a shift from the local to the universal, to a growing sense of unity of all experience. Though not a declared or conscious aim, this result could be looked upon as a not unworthy goal as well as a pragmatic standard. To cure man of a provincialism of the spirit, from which more people suffer than either know or admit it, is one of the goals of a mysticism that has come of age. The true mystic is a cosmopolitan. In man's many-sided growth toward the real, a sane and mature mysticism leads to an ecumenical insight and obligation. Local colour, particulars, and uniqueness will not cease, but, in the perspective of the future and of wholeness, the universal alone will have survival value." Britannica Online (1994-1998 Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.)

"He was one of those happy few who have attained the supreme joy of making one great truth their very life spring. He was the messenger of One God, and never to his life's end did he forget who he was or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings to his people with a grand dignity sprung from the consciousness of his high office, together with a most sweet humility." Stanley Lane-Poole, Studies in a Mosque

"Experience of oneness with people The apotheosized (divinized) field of consciousness is mysticism's ultimate goal and gift to the life of an evolving humanity. It alone is fitted to mediate between the anguish of existence and the serenity of essence, between samsara ("cycle of birth and rebirth") and Nirvana (the State of Bliss). According to an American Roman Catholic mystic, Thomas Merton, "The spiritual anguish of man has no cure but mysticism." Though the mystic goal may seem to be tied to a transcendent reality, this does not mean a sundering of all relations and responsibilities. On the contrary, it is the guarantee of a set of altered relationships and a rehabilitation of what may be called the higher reason. Intuitions that sink into private fancy and morbidity have a short life to live. As for the mystic's "yonder," it is not spatially or posthumously remote but rather refers to a different order of reality and consciousness. The healthier forms of mysticism do not abjure action or the claims of love. It is an ancient maxim that one becomes what one loves. This is how the psychic birth repeats itself in the mystic soul, as stated, for example, by Meister Eckehart, a medieval German mystic: "It is more worthy of God that he should be born spiritually of every virgin, or of every good soul, than that he should have been born physically of Mary." The mystic is not always amorous of the beyond, leaving an unredeemed world to its own ways. Not escape but, rather, victory is mysticism's inner urge and promise. The more sober among the mystics do not merely withdraw; they also return to the base and attempt the ancient alchemy, the transformation of men. A solitary salvation does not satisfy either head or heart."

Britannica Online, (1994-1998 Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.)

"My problem to write this monograph is easier, because we are not generally fed now on that (distorted) kind of history and much time need not be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations of Islam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth the name. The principle of Islam that "there is no compulsion in religion" is well known. K. S. Ramakrishna Rao, Mohammed: The Prophet of Islam

"Mystical relationship between man and the sacred Nature of the relationship Within man is the soul of the holy, said Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 19th century. This is true of society, too. As the French sociologist mile Durkheim saw it, the sacred is but a personified society. Mysticism, one might say, is the art and science of the holy. Theologically, it is but "the experience of the Holy Ghost, . . . the realization of the Spirit of Holiness." As the opposite of the profane and as a distinct and irreducible quality of the religious and mystical life, the sacred has always existed. It is indeed a mark of the real, and, when the German theologian Rudolf Otto isolated the sacred as a "quite distinctive category" of mystical apprehension, he had no lack of evidence. The emphasis, however, was not unanimously accepted. Some, like Inge, thought the sacred might as well be elicited from such ultimate values as "truth, goodness, and beauty." According to the respective world view, the interpretation or emphasis varies, but the universal core remains unaffected. The sacred is in its own way a coherent system, though not rational. The dualists no less than the theists insist on the unqualified and irreducible "otherness," the unbridgeable gulf, even when one speaks of union or communion. It is the distance that preserves the sacred. Christian mystics, who often speak of "union with God," generally do not imply identity with the divine, since this might lead to heresy. The 16th-century Spanish mystic St. Teresa of Avila could write with impunity: "It is plain enough what unity is two distinct things becoming one." But most others could not be so plain and had to use special strategy to cover up traces of possible deviation from what was permissible. Even if there had been a semblance of interpenetration between man and the divine, there could be no substantial identity. "Each of these," wrote the medieval Dutch mystic Jan van Ruysbroeck, "keeps its own nature. There is here a great distinction, for the creature never becomes God, nor does God ever become the creature." The same doctrine is preached in the Middle Ages by the mystic Heinrich Suso: In this merging of itself in God the spirit passes away and yet not wholly; for it receives indeed some attribute of God, but it does not become God by nature. It is still something that has been created out of nothing, and continues to be this everlastingly." Britannica Online, (1994-1998 Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.)

NOTES
Knowledge of Reality, Yogic Insights into Islam (Issue 15)

[ HYPERLINK "http://www.mailarchive.com/search?l=islamcity@yahoogroup s.com&q=subject:%22%5BIslamCity%5D+ The+Miraculous+%26amp%3B+Profound+J ourney+of+MIRAJ++The+Greatest+night+in+the+History%22"I slamCity HYPERLINK "http://www.mailarchive.com/search?l=islamcity@yahoogroup s.com&q=subject:%22%5BIslamCity%5D+ The+Miraculous+%26amp%3B+Profound+J ourney+of+MIRAJ++The+Greatest+night+in+the+History%22"] The Miraculous HYPERLINK "http://www.mailarchive.com/search?l=islamcity@yahoogroup s.com&q=subject:%22%5BIslamCity%5D+ The+Miraculous+%26amp%3B+Profound+J ourney+of+MIRAJ++The+Greatest+night+in+the+History%22" & HYPERLINK "http://www.mailarchive.com/search?l=islamcity@yahoogroup s.com&q=subject:%22%5BIslamCity%5D+ The+Miraculous+%26amp%3B+Profound+J

ourney+of+MIRAJ++The+Greatest+night+in+the+History%22" Profound Journey of MIRAJ - The Greatest night in the History

Asifa HYPERLINK "http://www.mailarchive.com/search?l=islamcity@yahoogroups.com&q=from:%22Asifa+AM%22" AM Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:22:02 -0700 "Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo! He is the Hearer, the Seer" (Quran 17:1).

What are they and why are they important to Muslims? He was depressed and dejected. His beloved wife Khadija, a source of comfort and support, was dead. His uncle Abu Talib, a pillar of strength who defended him against the
vicious attacks of his enemies, was also gone.

Isra and Miraj:

His mission to Taif had been unsuccessful. He had tried to invite the people
to ISLAM, but in hateful and humiliating retaliation, they had sent their children after him, throwing rocks on him until he bled.

It was truly a Year of Sorrow.

It was in this context that the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken up to the heavens in a miraculous and profound journey Muslims know as Isra and Miraj. This took place on the 27th day of the month of Rajab. It was the climax of the spiritual progress, which is not attained by anybody except Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). No doubt the night in which he was

blessed with this unparalleled honor was one of the greatest night in the history of this WORLD. For the disbelievers, it only made them more stubborn in their disbelief. But for the true believers, it only strengthened their faith. For example, the Prophet's trusted Companion, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) didn't flinch when confronted with this miracle. He firmly believed in it. It was because of this conviction that he was given the title "as-Siddiq" (the truthful one). Given today's advances in technology, where jumbo jets can send us across the ocean in a span of mere hours, how can we deny this miracle of travel, especially from the Being Who has no limits, whether those are of time or distance? As well, those who object to the possibility of such a journey-taking place are forgetting the story of Prophet Sulayman (pbuh), who lived several centuries prior to Prophet Mohammed pbuh. It was during his lifetime that the throne of the Queen of Sheba was transported about 1500 miles to his kingdom.

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Story of Isra/Miraj Adopted from Mariful Qur'aan by Mufti Mohammed Shafi (RA)

Pure is He Who made his servant travel at night from al-Masjid al-Har am to al-Masjid al-Aqsa the environs of which We have blessed, so that We let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All Hearing, All Seeing. [1] Commentary Described in this ver (asra) is a derivation fr (lailan) also makes this sense very clear. Then, by placing this word as a common noun, the indication released was that during t - Isra' and the name of the journey from here to the seven heavens is al-Mi'raj. Isra' stands proved under the definitive textual authority of this verse and the Mi'raj finds mention in the verses of Surah an-Najm and is proved by AHadith appearing in an uninterrupted succession. The word: (His servant) used here for the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) is special. It shows that, in this magnificent setting of honor and welcome, when Allah Ta'ala, on His own, elects to call someone 'His servant', a unique bond of love lies embedded therein and that this is the highest honor any man could ever have. (and the servants of Ar-Rahman [the Most Merciful] are those who walk on the Earth gently - al-Furqan, 25:63) where the objective is to increase the prestige of those who are acceptable with Him. From here, we also learn that the highest achievement man is capable of is to become a perfect servant of Allah - for, on this eve of special honor, the quality of ideal servitude, out of his many attributes of perfection, was chosen. Then, the presence of this expression yields yet another beneficial outcome in that no one gets the wrong impression of divinity from this wonderful journey by night which, ('abd: servant), it was declared that, despite all those attributes, achievements and miracles, the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was still a servant of Allah, not god. The Qur'an, Sunnah and 'Ijma' prove that the Mi'raj was physical: It is proved from the text of the Holy Qur'an, and from Ahadith coming in uninterrupted succession mentioned later that the entire journey of the Isra' and Mi'raj was not simply spiritual, instead, it was physical like the journey of anyone else. The very first word of t (Subhan: Pure is He!) carries a hint in this direction because this word is used to register wonder or introduce a great marvel. Had the Mi'raj been merely spiritual, just a matter of dream, what was there so unusual about it? As for a dream, every Muslim, even every human being, can see it and report that he or she went to the heavens, did this and did that. ('abd: servant) also points out in the same direction because 'abd is no spirit all by itself, instead, it is the name of the combination of body and spirit. In addition to that, when the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) related the event of Mi'raj to Sayyidah Umm Hanl (RA), she advised him not to mention it before anyone otherwise people would falsify it even more. Had this been the matter of a dream, what was there in it that needed to be falsified? After that, when he did tell people about it, the disbelievers of Makkah called it a lie and made fun of him, so much so that some neo-Muslims became apostates (murtadd) after hearing the news. If this would have been the matter of a dream, the likelihood of such reactions was least warranted. And that he had experienced s (ru'ya, which is frequently used in the sense of seeing a dream). The reason for this expression could be that this thing has been called ru'ya in the sense of a simile. This is like someone seeing a dream. And if, ru'yii is taken to mean dream itself, then, it is also not too far out to say that the event of Mi'raj, in addition to its being physical, also transpired, before or after it, in the form of a spiritual Mi'raj as a dream as well. Therefore, the saying, that it was a dream, reported from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (RA) and Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah 'Aishah (RA) is also correct in its place - but, it does not necessarily imply that physical Mi'raj did not take place. It appears in Tafsir al-Qurtubi that the Ahadith relating to the event of al-Isra' are recurrent and uninterrupted. Naqqash has reported related narratives from twenty Sahabah of the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam). Then, Qadi 'Iyad has given additional details in Al-Shifa' (Qurtubi). Imam Ibn Kathir has, in his Tafsir, reported all these narratives and after applying the standard rules of scrutiny has mentioned the names of twenty-five Sahabah from whom these reports come. Their names are: Sayyidna 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, Sayyidna 'Ali al-Murtaza, Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Sayyidna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Sayyidna Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah,

Sayyidna Abu Hurairah, Sayyidna Abu Sa'ld al-Khudri, Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, Sayyidna Shaddad ibn Aws, Sayyidna Ubaiyy ibn Ka'b, Sayyidna 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Quraz, Sayyidna Abu Hayyah , Sayyidna Abu Laila, Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Sayyidna Jablr ibn 'Abdullah, Sayyidna Hudhayfah ibn Yaman, Sayyidna Buraidah, Sayyidna Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Sayyidna Abu 'Umamah, Sayyidna Samurah ibn Jundub, Sayyidna Abu al-Hamra', Sayyidna Suhayb al-Rumi, Sayyidah Umm Hani', Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah 'A'ishah, Sayyidah Asma' bint Abi Bakr, After that, Ibn Kathir said: As for the Hadith of al-Isra', there is a consensus of all Muslim on it. Only heretics and atheists have denied it. (Ibn Kathir) A brief account of Mi'raj as reported by Ibn Kathir After having explained the present verse in his Tafsir along with a detailed background of relevant Ahadith, Imam Ibn Kathir has said: The truth of the matter is that the journey of Isra' came to pass when the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) was awake, not dreaming. From Makkah al-Mukarramah to Baitulmaqdis, the journey was covered on buraq (a special heavenly horse to ride). When he reached the gate of Baitulmaqdis, he tied the buraq close to the gate, entered the Masjid of Baitulmaqdis and offered two rakaat of Tahiyyatul-masjid (prayer in honor of the Mosque) facing its orientation. After that, a staircase was brought which had steps to go up from below. Through this staircase, he went to the first heaven. After that, he went to the rest of the heavens. [Only Allah knows the reality of this staircase - what it was and how did it work and things like that. In our day too, many kinds of stairs are in use. There are stairs that escalate automatically and there are elevators that take one up. Therefore, falling into any doubt or suspicion about this miraculous staircase is not right.] On every heaven, the resident angels greeted him and on every heaven, he met blessed prophets who were stationed on a particular heaven, such as, Sayyidna Musa (AS) on the sixth heaven, and Sayyidna Ibraheem Khalillullah (AS) on the seventh heaven. After that, he went beyond the stations of all these blessed prophets and reached a plain where he could hear the sound of the pen writing destinies. And he saw the Sidratul-muntaha, the Far Tree in Jannah, on which moths in gold and variegated colors were falling from above by the command of Allah and which was surrounded by angels of Allah. And it was at this place that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) saw Sayyidna Jibra'il al-Amin in his real form with six hundred wings. And right there, he saw a flag in green that had the horizon all covered up. And he also saw al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the well-attended House believed to be located in Jannah exactly above the Baytullah in Makkah) sitting by which was the founder of the Ka'bah, Sayyidna Ibrahim (AS) with his back reclining against its wall. Seventy thousand angels enter this Bayt al-Ma'mur every day who shall be waiting for their turn to re-enter there right through the day of Qiyamah. And the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) saw the Jannah and the Jahannam with his own blessed eyes. At that time, first came the command that his people were being obligated with fifty prayers, then, these were reduced to five. This shows the importance and merit of Salah as being the foremost out of all acts of Ibadah. After that, he alighted back into Baytul-maqdis and, with him, so did the blessed prophets he had met on different heavens (as if) they had come to see him off as far as Baytul-maqdis. At that time, as it was time for Salah, he offered the prayer with all prophets. It is also probable that this Salah was the Salah of Fajr the same day. Ibn Kathir says that this event concerning the prayer with prophets led by the Holy Prophet ~ has come to pass, as held by some, before he went to the heavens. But, as obvious, this event took place after the return because it has been reported in the incident relating to his meeting with blessed prophets at different heavens that it was Sayyidna -Jibra'il (AS)who introduced him to all prophets. Had this event relating to his leading the prayer passed earlier, no introduction was needed there - and, for that matter, it is obvious enough that the real purpose ofthis journey was to visit with the heavenly hosts. Doing that first appears to be more likely. Once he was done with the real mission, all prophets came to say good bye to him up to Baytul-maqdis and by making him the Imam of the prayer through a signal from Sayyidna -Jibra'il, his precedence over others was demonstrated practically. After that, he departed from Baytul-maqdis riding buraq and reached Makkah al-Mu'azzamah while it was still dark. (And Allah, the Pure and the High, knows best). The testimony of a non-Muslims about the event of Mi'raj It appears in Tafsir ibn Kathir that Hafiz Abu Nu'aym al-Isbahani, in his book, Da la'il al-Nubuwwah , has reported a narrative from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi on the authority of Muhammad ibn 'Amr al-Waqidi *(RA) giving details of the event as follows:

The Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) sent Sayyidna Dihyah ibn Khallfah (RA) with a blessed letter from him to the Roman Emperor, Caesar. After that, he has given a detailed account of how Sayyidna Dihyah reached the Emperor, delivered the letter, and how intelligent he was in his mission (an event present in the Sahih of al-B'ukhari as well as in all trustworthy books of Ahadith). Towards the end of it, it has been reported that Hiraql, the Roman Emperor, once he had read the blessed letter, ordered that all Arab traders who were visiting the country at that time should be assembled together. He wanted to investigate into the background of the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam). The royal order was carried out. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and those with him visiting Syria at that time with their famous trade caravan were presented before the Emperor. Details of the questions asked by the Emperor are present in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim, as well as elsewhere. Abu Sufyan was really eager to use this occasion to say things about the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) which show his insignificance. But, says Abu Sufyan : Nothing stopped me from doing that except that I may slip and say something which turns out to be a lie and I stand disgraced in the eyes of the Emperor and my own comrades keep taunting me for being a liar. Certainly, then it occurred to me that I should relate the event of Mi'raj before him. The Emperor would himself conclude from it that it was a lie. So, I said: I shall describe before you what he claims to have happened to him regarding which you will yourself realize that it was a lie. Hiraql asked: What event is that? Abu Sufyan said: This claimant of prophet-hood says that, one night, he left Makkah al-Mukarramah, reached this Masjid Baytul-maqdis of yours and, then, within that night, before dawn, he returned to us in Makkah al-Mukarramah! At that time, the leading scholar of Elia' (Baytul-maqdis) was standing close to Hiraql, the Roman Emperor. He disclosed that he knew that night. The Emperor turned to him and inquired as to how did he come to know about it. He submitted that, as a matter of habit, he would not sleep at night until he had closed all gates of Baytul-maqdis. That night he habitually closed all gates but one which would not close despite his effort. He summoned his staff. They all tried but they too failed to close it. The panels of the gate remained simply unmoved from their place. It seemed as if they were trying to move some mountain. Rendered helpless, he called technicians and carpenters. They looked at the gate and decided that the weight of the building has come to rest on the panels of the gate. There was no way it could be closed before morning. When morning comes, they said, they will see how this could be fixed. Nonplussed, he returned leaving both panels of the gate ajar. As soon as it was morning, he came back to the gate where he noticed that someone had made a hole in the rock close to the gate of the Masjid which gave the impression that some animal was tied down there. At that time he had told his colleagues: Perhaps, Allah Ta'ala has caused this gate not to close today because some prophet was to come here. And then, he also stated that this blessed prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) has also offered his prayer in this Masjid of ours. Thereafter, he has described further details. (Ibn Kathir, p. 24, v.3) The date of the event of al-Isra' and Mi'raj Imam al-Qurtubi has said in his Tafsir that the narratives of Hadlth regarding the date of Mi'raj are quite different. According to Musa ibn 'Uqbah, this event came to pass six month before the Hijrah to Madinah. Sayyidah 'A'ishah (RA) says that Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Khadijah (RA) had passed away before the injunction making Salah a Fard (obligation) was revealed. Imam Zuhri says that the event of the sad demise of Sayyidah Khadijah (RA) took place seven years after the call to the mission of prophet-hood. According to some Hadith narratives, the event of Mi'raj happened five years after the call to prophet-hood. Ibn Ishaq says that the event of Mi'raj took place at a time when Islam had spread throughout the tribes of Arabia generally. The outcome of all these narratives is that the event of Mi'raj dates back to several years before the Hijrah to Madinah. Al-Harbi says that the event of al-Isra' and Mi'raj has happened during the night of the 27th of Rabi'ath-Thani, one year before Hijrah and Ibn alQasim adh-Dhahabi says that it took place eighteen months after the call to prophet-hood. Esteemed Muhaddithin (Hadith scholars) who have mentioned these different narratives have not followed it up with any decisive statement. And as commonly known, the 27th night of the month of Rajab is the Night of Mi'raj. (And Allah, the Pure and the High, knows best). Al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Aqsa Sayyidna AbU: Dharr al-Ghifari (RA) says that he asked the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) 'Which Masjid of this world comes first?' He said, 'Al-Masjid al-Hariim.' Then he inquired, 'Which one after that?' He said, 'AI-Masjid al-Aqsa.' Then he tried to find out the intervening time difference between the two whereupon he said, 'Forty years.' After that, he added, '(as for the order of these masajid, this is it) but, Allah Ta'ala has made the entire Earth a masjid for us. Wherever comes the time of Salah, offer it right there.' (Reported by Muslim) Early Tafsir authority, Mujahid says that Allah Ta'aIa has made the site of Baytullah two thousand years before He made the entire Earth and that its foundations reach as far down as the seventh (strata of) Earth and that al-Masjid al-Aqsa was made by Sayyidna Sulayman (AS). (Reported by an-Nasa'i with sound chains of authority from Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar) (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, p. 137, v. 4) And al-Masjid al-Haram is the name of the Mosque that stands around the Baytullah ash-Sharif while, on occasions, the entire Haram is also identified as al-Masjid al-Haram. In terms of this second sense, the dichotomy of those two reports - some hold that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) left for the nocturnal journey, al-Isra', from the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani (RA)while others say that he departed from the section of Baytullah known as Hatim - stands removed. If we were to take al-Masjid al-Haram in its general sense, it is not far out to believe that he may have been there in the home of Sayyidah Umm Hani (RA) first, then he walked over to the Hatim of Ka'bah and then began the journey of al-Isra' from there. Allah knows best. Al-Masjid al-Aqsa and blessings of the Syrian environs (the environs of which We have blessed) means the entire land of Syria. It appears in a Hadlth that Allah Ta'ala has made the land from the 'Arsh (Divine Throne) to the river, Euphrates and, out of this, He has bestowed particular holiness on the land of Palestine. (Ruh al-Ma'ani) The blessings it has are both religious and worldly. As for religious blessings, it has been the Qiblah of all past prophets, and their home, and the last resting place. And that its land is green, lush and verdant with streams, rivers and fruit farms etc. shows its worldly blessings. Sayyidna Mu'adh ibn Jabal (RA) reports that the Holy Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said: Allah Ta'ala says: 0 land of Syria, thou art My region chosen from many and I shall make My chosen servants reach thee. (Qurtubi) And it appears in a Hadith of the Musnad of Ahmad that the Imposter will traverse the whole Earth but he will not be granted access to four Mosques: Masjid of Madinah,

Masjid of Makkah al-Mukarramah, Al-Masjid al-Aqsa and Masjid Tur. *The Scholars of Hadlth say that Al-Waqidi is weak in Hadith narrations but a cautious Muhaddith like Imam Ibn Kathir has reported his narration for the reason that this matter is not connected with 'Aqa'id or Halal and Haram and in such historical matters his narration is trustworthy - Muhammad Shafi'