Al-Isra' & Mikraj (The Night Journey & Ascension to Heaven)

11th April 2019, 5th Syaaban 1440H

Al-Isra' & Mikraj (The Night Journey & Ascension to Heaven)  

Masjidil Aqsa in Palestine

Al-Isra' (الإسراء) means 'the night journey' from Masjidil Haram in Mecca to Masjidil Aqsa in Palestine within one night only by Al-Buraq. 

Mikraj (معراج) means 'ascension to the Heaven'. From Masjidil Aqsa, Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven with Angel Gabriel. 

Surat Al-'Isrā' (The Night Journey), Surah 17, Verse 1:

"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." (Quran 17:1)

Narrated Anas:

that Al-Buraq was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) on the Night of Isra, saddled and reined, but he shied from him. So Jibra'il said to him: "is it from Muhammad that you do this? By your Lord! There is no one more honorable to your Lord than him." He said: "Then he started sweating profusely." (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3131)

Surat Al-'Isrā' (The Night Journey), Surah 17, Verse 60:

"And (remember) when We told you: "Verily! Your Lord has encompassed mankind (i.e. they are in His Grip)." And We made not the vision which we showed you (O Muhammad as an actual eye-witness and not as a dream on the night of Al-Isra') but a trial for mankind, and likewise the accursed tree (Zaqqum, mentioned) in the Quran. We warn and make them afraid but it only increases them in naught save great disbelief, oppression and disobedience to Allah." (Quran 17:60)

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

Regarding the Statement of Allah" "And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people." (17.60) Ibn `Abbas added: The sights which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was shown on the Night Journey when he was taken to Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Qur'an is the tree of Zaqqum (itself). (Sahih Bukhari 3888)

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported in the course of his famous Hadith pertaining to Al-Isra' (the Ascension) that Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Then Jibril (Gabriel) ascended along with me to the nearest heaven and requested for the gate to be opened. He was asked:

`Who is there?' He replied: `Jibril.' He was asked: `Who is with you?' He said: `Muhammad.' Then he ascended to the second heaven and requested for the opening of the gate. He was asked: `Who is there?' He said: `Jibril.' He was asked: `Who is with you?' He replied: `Muhammad.' In the same way he ascended to the third, fourth and all the heavens (i.e., until the seventh). At all of the gates he was asked: `Who is there?' He replied: Jibril.''' [Hadith: Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Narrated Malik bin Sasaa:

That the Prophet (ﷺ) talked to them about the night of his Ascension to the Heavens. He said, "(Then Gabriel took me) and ascended up till he reached the second heaven where he asked for the gate to be opened, but it was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'I am Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' He replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' He said, 'Yes.' When we reached over the second heaven, I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and Jesus who were cousins. Gabriel said, 'These are John (Yahya) and Jesus, so greet them.' I greeted them and they returned the greeting saying, 'Welcome, O Pious Brother and Pious Prophet!;' " (Sahih Bukhari 3430)

Surat Maryam (Mary), Surah 19, Verse 56-58:

"And mention in the Book, Idris (Enoch). Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.

And We raised him high in Heaven.

Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping." (Quran 19:56-58)

Narrated Hisham:

From Ma`mar as below.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I met Moses on the night of my Ascension to heaven." The Prophet (ﷺ) then described him saying, as I think, "He was a tall person with lank hair as if he belonged to the people of the tribe of Shanu's.' The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, "I met Jesus." The Prophet (ﷺ) described him saying, "He was one of moderate height and was red-faced as if he had just come out of a bathroom. I saw Abraham whom I resembled more than any of his children did." The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, "(That night) I was given two cups; one full of milk and the other full of wine. I was asked to take either of them which I liked, and I took the milk and drank it. On that it was said to me, 'You have taken the right path (religion). If you had taken the wine, your (Muslim) nation would have gone astray." (Sahih Bukhari 3437)

Narrated Shaiban:

from Qatadah, that regarding Allah's saying: And we raised him to a high station (19:57). He said: "Anas bin Malik narrated that Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When I was brought up, I saw Idris in the Fourth Heaven." (Hadith:  Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3157)

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One should not say that I am better than Jonah (i.e. Yunus) bin Matta." So, he mentioned his father Matta. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the night of his Ascension and said, "The prophet Moses was brown, a tall person as if from the people of the tribe of Shanu'a. Jesus was a curly-haired man of moderate height." He also mentioned Malik, the gate-keeper of the (Hell) Fire, and Ad-Dajjal. (Sahih Bukhari 3395)

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I saw Moses, Jesus and Abraham (on the night of my Ascension to the heavens). Jesus was of red complexion, curly hair and a broad chest. Moses was of brown complexion, straight hair and tall stature as if he was from the people of Az-Zutt." (Sahih Bukhari 3438)

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I met Ibrahim (ﷺ) on the Night of Ascension (Al-Asra), and he said to me: 'O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Jannah has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain levelled land. The plants grow there by uttering: Subhan-Allah, Al-hamdu lillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar (Allah is free from imperfection; praise be to Allah; there is no true god except Allah; and Allah is Greatest)." [At- Tirmidhi].

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud said:

"On the night on which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was taken on the Night Journey (Isra'), he met Ibrahim, Musa and 'Eisa, and they discussed the Hour. They started with Ibrahim, and asked him about it, but he did not have any knowledge of it. Then they asked Musa, and he did not have any knowledge of it. Then they asked 'Eisa bin Maryam, and he said: 'I have been assigned to some tasks before it happens.' As for as when it will take place, no one knows that except Allah. Then he mentioned Dajjal and said: 'I will descend and kill him, then the people will return to their own lands and will be confronted with Gog and Magog people, who will: "swoop down from every mound."[21:96] They will not pass by any water but they will drink it, (and they will not pass) by anything but they will spoil it. They (the people) will beseech Allah, and I will pray to Allah to kill them. The earth will be filled with their stench and (the people) will beseech Allah and I will pray to Allah, then the sky will send down rain that will carry them and throw them in the sea. Then the mountains will turn to dust and the earth will be stretched out like a hide. I have been promised that when that happens, the Hour will come upon the people, like a pregnant woman whose family does not know when she will suddenly give birth.'" (One of the narrators) 'Awwam said: "Confirmation of that is found in the Book of Allah, where Allah says: "Until, when Gog and Magog people are let loose (from their barrier), and they swoop down from every mound (21:96)." (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O women folk! You should give charity and be diligent in seeking Allah's forgiveness because I have seen (i.e., on the Night of the Ascension to the highest heavens) that dwellers of the Hell are women." A woman amongst them said: "Why is it that the majority of the dwellers of Hell are women?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. In spite of your lacking in wisdom and failing in religion, you are depriving the wisest of men of their intelligence." Upon this the woman asked: "What is the deficiency in our wisdom and in our religion?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Your lack of wisdom can be well judged from the fact that the evidence of two women is equal to that one man. You do not offer Salat (prayer) for some days and you do not fast (the whole of) Ramadan sometimes, it is a deficiency in religion." [Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "During the Mi'raj (the Night of Ascension), I saw a group of people who were scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. I asked, 'Who are these people, O Jibril?' Jibril replied: 'These are the people who ate flesh of others (by backbiting) and trampled people's honour."' [Abu Dawud]

It was narrated from Ubayy bin Ka’b that on the night when he (ﷺ) was taken on the Night Journey (Isra’), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) noticed a good fragrance and said:

“O Jibril, what is this good fragrance?” He said: “This is the fragrance of the grave of the hairdresser and her two sons and her husband.” He said: “That began when Khadir, who was one of the nobles of the Children of Israel, used to pass by a monk in his cell. The monk used to meet him and he taught him Islam. When Khadir reached adolescence, his father married him to a woman. He taught her and made her promise not to teach it to anyone. He used not to touch women, so he divorced her, then his father married him to another woman, and he taught her and made her promise not to teach it to anyone. One of them kept the secret but the other disclosed it, so he fled until he came to an island in the sea. Two men came, gathering firewood, and saw him. One of them kept the secret but the other disclosed it and said: ‘I have seen Khadir.’ It was said: ‘Who else saw him besides you?’ He said: ‘So-and-so.’ (The other man) was questioned but he kept silent. According to their religion, the liar was to be killed. The woman who had kept the secret got married, and while she was combing the hair of Pharoah’s daughter, she dropped the comb and said: ‘May Pharoah perish!’ (The daughter) told her father about that. The woman had two sons and a husband. (Pharoah) sent for them, and tried to make the woman and her husband give up their religion, but they refused. He said: ‘I am going to kill you.’ They said: ‘It would be an act of kindness on your part, if you kill us, to put us in one grave.’ So he did that.” When the Prophet (ﷺ) was taken on the Night Journey (Isra’), he noticed a good fragrance and asked Jibril about it and he told him.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 4030)

Anas bin Malik narrated:

"On the Night of Isra, fifty prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet. Then it was decreased until it was made five. Then it was called out: 'O Muhammad! Indeed My Word does not change; these five prayers will be recorded for you as fifty.'" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 213) 

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra') I came to Musa, peace be upon him, at the red dune, and he was standing, praying in his grave." (Sunan an-Nasa'i 1631)

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

' "'On the night in which I was taken on the Night Journey (Al-Isra'), I came to people whose stomachs were like houses, in which there were snakes that could be seen from outside their stomachs. I said: 'Who are these, O Jibra’il?’ He said: 'They are the ones who consumed usury."' (Sunan Ibn Majah 2273)

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey (Isra), I saw written at the gate of Paradise: 'Charity brings a tenfold reward and a loan brings an eighteen fold reward.' I said: 'O Jibril! Why is a loan better than charity?' He said: 'Because the beggar asks when he has something, but the one who asks for loan does so only because he is in need.' ” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2431)

References:

1. Surat Al-'Isrā' (The Night Journey) (سورة الإسراء) in Quran, https://quran.com/17, viewed 11th April 2019.
2. Night of Isra' in Hadith, https://sunnah.com/search/?q=night+of+isra%27, viewed 11th April 2019.
3. Miraj in Hadith, https://sunnah.com/search/?q=miraj, viewed 11th April 2019.