What Is Isra and Miraj? The Night Journey Explained Clearly
Islam teaches us that ease follows hardship, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ endured many severe trials. Quraysh blocked the path of the message in Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ lost his caring uncle who had supported him, and the polytheists grew bold in harming him. He also lost his beloved wife Khadijah, who used to comfort and support him. After that, he was besieged for three years in the valley of Abu Talib, suffering hunger and deprivation, and later endured the wounds and pain inflicted upon him in Ta’if.
Despite all of this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued steadfastly on the path of his faith and mission, patient and obedient to the command of his Lord. Thus came the journey of Isra and Miraj as a divine reward and a gracious gift, in recognition of the pain, sorrow, exhaustion, and hardship that the Prophet ﷺ endured in conveying the message of Islam and spreading its call.
We will know what is Isra and Miraj in a clear, structured way, addressing its meaning, historical background, spiritual lessons, and common misunderstandings.
What Is Isra and Miraj and Why It Is Significant in Islam
To understand what is Isra and Miraj, it is important to know that the event consists of two connected miracles that occurred in a single night by the will of Allah.
Among Islamic scholars, Isra is defined as the journey from Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, while Miraj refers to the ascension to the seven heavens and beyond. Allah the Exalted says:
“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (Surah Al-Isra, 1)
The significance of this event lies not only in its miraculous nature but also in its timing and purpose. Isra and Miraj occurred during a period of immense hardship for the Prophet ﷺ, following the Year of Sorrow, when he lost his wife Khadijah (رضي الله عنها) and his uncle Abu Talib.
After his return to Makkah, all distress, sorrow, worry, and grief were lifted from him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed his people of what had occurred; the true believers believed him, while many others denied it. This journey has been passed down to us through the years as a clear distinction between those firm in faith and those who were not.
Thus, what is Isra and Miraj is not merely a historical question, but a reminder of divine support during moments of deep trial.
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The Journey of the Prophet During Isra and Miraj
When exploring what is Isra and Miraj, It arouses our curiosity to know exactly what happened during this journey, so let us delve deeper into its details.
In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated by Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to them about the night in which he was taken on the Night Journey, and the events occurred as follows:
– On that night, the Prophet ﷺ was lying down when Jibreel (Gabriel) عليه السلام came to him in makkah and took him to the area near the Ka‘bah. Jibreel then opened the Prophet’s chest, removed his heart, and washed it in a vessel of gold filled with faith and wisdom.
– Then a white mount was brought to him, smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey. It was called Al-Buraq. The Prophet ﷺ mounted it, and Jibreel set off with him until they reached Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). There, the Prophet tied the mount, entered the mosque, and prayed two rak‘ahs, leading all the prophets in prayer as their imam.
– After that, he mounted Al-Buraq again and ascended with Jibreel to the lowest heaven. The Prophet ﷺ narrated:
“Jibreel asked for the gate to be opened. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was said, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was then said, ‘Welcome to him—what a blessed arrival!’ And the gate was opened.”
– There, the Prophet ﷺ saw Adam عليه السلام, and Jibreel said, “This is your father Adam; greet him.” So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting and said, “Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet.”
Then Jibreel ascended with him to the second heaven, where the Prophet ﷺ met Yahya (John) and ‘Isa (Jesus) عليهما السلام, who were maternal cousins. Jibreel said, “These are Yahya and ‘Isa; greet them.” The Prophet ﷺ greeted them, and they replied, saying, “Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet.”
– Then he ascended to the third heaven, where he met Yusuf (Joseph) عليه السلام. Jibreel said, “This is your brother Yusuf; greet him.” He greeted him, and Yusuf replied, saying, “Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet.”
– In the fourth heaven, he met Idris عليه السلام
In the fifth heaven, he met Harun (Aaron) عليه السلام
In the sixth heaven, he met Musa (Moses) عليه السلام
– In the seventh heaven, he met Ibrahim (Abraham) عليه السلام whom he saw leaning against Al-Bayt Al-Ma‘mur, the House frequented by the angels, the Ka‘bah of the inhabitants of the heavens. The Prophet ﷺ greeted all of them just as he had done in the previous heavens.
– Then the Prophet ﷺ was raised to Sidrat al-Muntaha, a great lote tree near the Garden of the Righteous. Its roots are in the sixth heaven and its branches extend into the seventh heaven. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Its fruits were like large clay vessels, and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. There were four rivers: two hidden and two visible. I said, ‘What are these, O Jibreel?’ He said, ‘As for the hidden ones, they are rivers in Paradise, and as for the visible ones, they are the Nile and the Euphrates.’”
(The word qilāl refers to large jars that can hold about one hundred liters of water, and Hajar refers to a village in present-day Al-Ahsa near Madinah.)
There, the Prophet ﷺ saw Jibreel عليه السلام in his true angelic form, with six hundred wings, from which pearls and rubies were falling.
– Then the Prophet ﷺ was presented with three vessels: one containing wine, one containing milk, and one containing honey. He chose the milk, and it was said to him, “You have chosen the natural disposition (fitrah), upon which you and your nation are.”
Allah the Exalted says:
“And indeed he saw him another time,
At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary,
Near it is the Garden of Refuge,
When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered it.
The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress.
Indeed, he saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord.”
(Surah An-Najm 53:13–18)
– During this journey, the Prophet ﷺ was shown Paradise and its bliss, and Jibreel عليه السلام showed him Al-Kawthar, a river that Allah granted to His Prophet as an honor. Its banks and the pebbles at its bottom are made of pearls, and its soil is musk.
– On the other hand, the Prophet ﷺ was also shown the state of those being punished in Hellfire. He saw people with fingernails of copper scratching their faces and chests. He asked Jibreel about them, and he said:
“These are those who consume the flesh of people and violate their honor.”
– During the journey, the Prophet ﷺ also saw the Dajjal in his form: curly-haired, one-eyed, of large build, reddish in complexion, with the word “disbeliever” written between his eyes.
– Then came the happiest moment for the heart of the Prophet ﷺ: he was commanded to advance alone, without Jibreel. At that moment, he was honored with meeting Allah, standing before Him, and conversing with Him.
– After that, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Then fifty prayers were prescribed for me each day. I returned and passed by Musa, who said, ‘What were you commanded?’ I said, ‘I was commanded with fifty prayers each day.’ He said, ‘Your nation will not be able to bear fifty prayers each day, so return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it for your nation.’ So I returned, and ten prayers were reduced.”
This continued repeatedly until the prayers were reduced to five daily prayers.
Spiritual Lessons Muslims Learn from Isra and Miraj
A key reason Muslims continue to ask what is Isra and Miraj is because of the profound spiritual lessons embedded in the event:
– Islam is the religion of natural disposition (fitrah), and this was clearly manifested in the Prophet’s ﷺ choice of milk over wine.
– During Isra and Miraj, the courage of the Prophet ﷺ in proclaiming the truth became evident. This is shown in his open declaration of an event that the minds of the disbelievers could not accept, yet that did not prevent him from announcing it openly and without hesitation.
– Isra and Miraj also highlighted the great significance of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa for Muslims, as it was the place to which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was taken on the Night Journey and from which he ascended to the highest heavens. It was also the first direction of prayer (qiblah) toward which Muslims prayed during the Makkan period.
Through this lens, what is Isra and Miraj becomes a source of hope, resilience, and spiritual clarity for believers across generations.
Common Questions and Misunderstandings About Isra and Miraj
Many people ask what is Isra and Miraj because of some misconceptions:
Was the journey physical or spiritual?
The correct understanding is that the journey occurred both physically and spiritually, by the power of Allah. The Qur’an refers to the Prophet ﷺ as “His servant,” indicating the presence of both body and soul.
Also, In the authentic hadiths, it is affirmed that his noble chest was opened, that he rode Al-Buraq, was taken up to the heavens, met the prophets, and that the five daily prayers were prescribed for him. It is also affirmed that Allah spoke to him, and that he went back and forth between Musa عليه السلام and his Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He. All of this confirms that the journey took place with his noble body and soul together, and negates any other interpretation.
Did it happen in a dream?
While some suggest it was a vision, The scholars unanimously agreed that Isra and Miraj were real events, not mere dreams, as the reaction of the Quraysh would not have been so intense otherwise.
In addition, Modern science now presents us with new discoveries: jet aircraft travel faster than the speed of sound, and many other inventions have been achieved. If human beings, despite their weakness, have been able to accomplish such inventions that have made vast distances seem close through precise laws, then is not the Creator of humanity and the universe capable of transporting His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ to wherever He willed, with supreme power and extraordinary speed? Indeed, He is capable of all things.
Clarifying these points helps deepen understanding of what is Isra and Miraj and protects the event from misinterpretation or oversimplification.
How Isra and Miraj Strengthened Faith and Prayer
what is Isra and Miraj cannot be separated from the foundation of Muslim worship and devotion.
– The journey of Isra and Miraj records the strength of Iman in the situation of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه regarding this great event, and how he was given the title As-Siddiq. When the polytheists said to him, “Will you go to your companion? He claims that he was taken on a night journey to Bayt al-Maqdis last night,” Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهreplied, “Did he really say that?” They said, “Yes.” Abu Bakr then said, “If he said it, then he has spoken the truth. Indeed, I believe him in matters far greater than that.”
– Through this journey, the importance of prayer was firmly established. Prayer holds a lofty status in Islam, and what further increased its honor and virtue is that it was made obligatory on the night of Isra and Miraj, reflecting special divine care for it and an elevation of its rank.
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Conclusion
So, what is Isra and Miraj? It is one of the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ that left some minds perplexed, leading them to claim that it occurred only spiritually or that it was merely a dream. Imam Ibn Hajar, in his commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, stated that Isra and Miraj occurred in a single night, while the Prophet ﷺ was fully awake, with both his body and soul.
It is a divine journey that combines miracle, mercy, and meaning. It is a moment when heaven and earth were connected, when prayer was gifted, and when faith was tested and strengthened.
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FAQs
What is Isra and Miraj in simple terms?
What is Isra and Miraj is the miraculous night journey of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Jerusalem and then his ascension through the heavens.
Why did Allah choose this journey for the Prophet?
It was a form of comfort, honor, and divine support during a period of great hardship.
What gift did Muslims receive from Isra and Miraj?
The greatest gift was the obligation of five daily prayers, along with immense spiritual lessons.
Why is belief in Isra and Miraj important?
Belief in Isra and Miraj reflects trust in Allah’s power and acceptance of the unseen, which are core aspects of Islamic faith.
