Brothers and sisters! We are passing through the month of Rajab. In today’s Khutba, I wish to share some thoughts with you on the great event of Isra’ and Mi’raj. Most of the scholars of the Sirah say that the Isra’ and Mi’raj took place a year prior to the Hijrah on the 27th night of the month of Rajab. The incident of al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj refers to an amazing journey undertaken by the best of creation—our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The first leg of this journey called Isra’ refers to the night journey from al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. We find this mentioned in the first ayah of Surat al-Isra’.
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى
“Glory be to Him who took His slave on a journey by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa” (al-Isra’, 17:1). We know about al-Masjid al-Haram. It is the Ka’bah at Makkah. This we know from the Qur’an:
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ
“The first House established for mankind was that at Makkah, a place of blessing and guidance for all beings” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:96).
But what is the origin of al-Masjid al-Aqsa? Ibrahim (AS) had built the Ka’bah in Makkah with his firstborn son Ismail (AS). He had also established a place of worship in Jerusalem. This place would later be known as Bethel, which in the Hebrew language means ‘The House of Allah.’ Forty years after the construction of Ka’bah, Ibrahim (AS) expanded the Bethel and called it al-Masjid al-Aqsa which means ‘the farthest Masjid’ because of its far distance from al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. Both these mosques are considered holy, blessed and interlinked with one another, making it incumbent upon the Muslims to protect their sacredness from any intervention, invasion, destruction, or occupation. This is an amanah or a trust entrusted to the Muslim ummah.
The reference to the second leg of the journey called Mi’raj or the ascension is made in Surat al-Najm,
وَلَقَدْ رَآَهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى () عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى () عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى () إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى () مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى () لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آَيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى
“And, indeed, he (Muhammad) saw him (Jibril) a second time; by the lote-tree of the farthest limit, near which is the Garden of Abode; when the lote tree was covered in mystic splendor. His (Muhammad) eye did not waver nor did he look away. He saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord” (al-Najm, 13-18.)
Some people claim that all the events of the Isra’ and Mi’raj took place in a state of dream but this is not the case. The Prophet (SAW) experienced them with his body and soul. Had this been merely something the Prophet (SAW) experienced in his dream, the disbelievers of Quraysh would not have had difficulty accepting it. They would not have asked: “How could you have traveled to Jerusalem last night and be with us in Makkah this morning?”
What is the background of al-Isra wal-Mi’raj? During the ten long years of preaching in Makkah, the Prophet (SAW), his companions, and the small community of believers were subjected to all kinds of humiliation, abuses, imposition of economic sanctions, and boycott by the larger community of Makkah. As if this was not enough, following the deaths of his uncle Abu Talib and his beloved wife, Khadijah, both of whom had been supportive of him to the utmost; plots were hatched to eliminate the Prophet (SAW).
Prior to the occurrence of al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj, the Prophet (SAW) had displayed great patience in the face of hardship and it is one of Allah’s wisdom that He bestows His gifts accompanied with hardships. Allah says:
مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
“They encountered suffering and adversity and were shaken such that the Messenger and those of faith who were with him said: “When will Allah’s assistance come?” Truly Allah’s assistance is always near.” (al-Baqarah, 2:214)
At the end of his life, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said that the worst treatment that he received from the disbelievers was his violent rejection at the hands of the people of al-Ta’if. The cruel inhabitants of al-Ta’if not only rejected the Prophet’s call but also drove him out, throwing stones at him to the point that he left al-Ta’if with his feet bleeding and his heart broken. This was one of the most difficult periods he had faced in his missionary work. Disappointed and saddened, and no one to turn to for help, he turned to his Lord for help and support.
A most powerful and touching prayer emerged from the lips of the Prophet (SAW) expressing his weakness and helplessness before his Lord. He cried out: “O Allah! To You I complain of my weakness, of my helplessness and of my lowliness before people.” O Most Merciful of the Merciful. You are the Most Merciful of the Merciful. You are the Lord of the weak and You are my Lord. “Under whose care have you placed me? Under an enemy who oppresses me or under some far off stranger who has been empowered over me? If you are not displeased with me, then I care not. However, your ease is better for me. I seek refuge with the glory of your light, which the heavens and earth are lit from that your anger does not befall on me, nor your displeasure descends on me. To you is the supplication until you are pleased, and there is no control or power except by you.”
To pacify the Prophet (SAW), Allah (SWT) responded to this du’a in an unusual way. He called him to His divine presence. This—brothers and sisters, is the background to the occurrence of the night journey followed by the Prophet’s ascension to the divine presence of the Lord of the worlds.
It was during the period a year prior to the Hijrah, that one night the Angel Jibril asked Muhammad (SAW) to mount a white, winged horse-like creature named Buraq. The Buraq took him to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, where gathered together in one place were the prophets from Adam (AS) to ‘Isa ibn Maryam (AS). Muhammad (SAW) led them all in prayer, as a token of confirmation of being the seal of all prophets and messengers of Allah (SWT).
From al-Masjid al-Aqsa, Muhammad (SAW) and Jibril (AS) began the final leg of their journey, up to the heavens. This is known as the Mi’raj or ascension of the Prophet. While travelling upward toward his destination at Sidrat ul-Muntaha, the Prophet (SAW) met Adam, Yahya, ‘Isa ibn Maryam, Yusuf, Idris, Harun, Musa, and Ibrahim (peace be upon them all) at each of the seven heavenly stations as they affirmed and expressed faith in his Prophethood.
At Sidrat ul-Muntaha, the Prophet (SAW) witnessed the ‘Much Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma’mur), a replica of the Holy Ka’bah on earth. Angels perform Tawaf around Al-Bayt-ul-Ma`mur. Engulfed in the glory and light of the divine presence, Muhammad (SAW) experienced an indescribable ecstasy; an inexpressible joy, bliss, and delight. He fell into prostration before the Lord of the worlds. Allah (SWT) then ordered him to raise his head and the Prophet (SAW) said:
التَّحِيّـاتُ للهِ وَالصَّلَـواتُ والطَّيِّـبات
“Greetings, blessings and the best of prayers to Allah.” Allah (SWT) responded:
السَّلامُ عَلَيـكَ أَيُّهـا النَّبِـيُّ وَرَحْمَـةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـاتُه
“Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.” At this point, the Prophet (SAW) wished to remember the righteous members of his ummah and of the previous nations. He said:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِين
“Peace be upon us and upon Allah’s righteous slaves.” At that point, every angel of the heavens cried out:
أَشْـهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلـهَ إِلاّ الله ، وَأَشْـهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمّـداً عَبْـدُهُ وَرَسـولُه
“I testify that there is no deity other than Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.” This is the tashahhud prayer that we read in our salah. The Prophet (SAW) and his followers were given the gift of fifty daily prayers, which were later reduced to five, but the reward of the reduced five prayers was kept equivalent to that of fifty prayers.
In a hadith in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the Prophet (SAW) said, “When I went up on the journey of al-Isra wal Mi’raj, Allah gave me three things: (1) He commanded me to pray five times a day; (2) He gave me the last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah, and (3) He promised me that anybody from my ummah who didn’t do any major sin would be forgiven and go to Paradise.”
This does not mean that no believers will enter Hell. It means that any sin can be forgiven and that a believer will not stay in Hell forever even if he is a sinner. The believers who have more rewards than sins will go to Paradise directly after going through the various stages of purification of sins both in this world and the hereafter, but those who have more sins than rewards will remain in Hell for a certain period so that they too are purified of their sins, and then they will go to Paradise.
May Allah (SWT) make all of us offer our five daily prayers. May He save us from committing any major sin, and may He forgive us so that He admits us into Jannah with His infinite mercy. Allahumma Ameen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Brothers and sisters! Al-Isra wal-Mi’raj not only signifies the end of the period of persecution and passive resistance through migration to Madinah, but also signifies the role of leadership of the Muslim ummah over Makkah and Jerusalem. It so happened that as a result of Bani Israel’s constant breach of their covenant made with Allah, and their other crimes and transgressions, the two thousand years old leadership role of the ummah of Musa (AS)—the Bani Israel, was transferred to the ummah of Muhammad (SAW). This happened about two years after the hijrah when the Prophet (SAW) and his followers were ordered to change their Qiblah from al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem to al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. The incident of the change of Qiblah (Tahweel al-Qiblah) manifested the creation of a new Muslim ummah and the consequent marginalization of the Bani Israel.
This shift in leadership is very significant to the Muslims because after Muhammad (SAW), it is the Muslims who assume the role of conveying the message of truth. Allah’s Sunnah of preferring one ummah over another is based on how it conducts itself. There was a time when the Bani Israel was given preference over all other nations.
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ
“O Children of Israel, remember how I blessed you and favored you over other people” (al-Baqarah, 2:47). This was followed by a time when the Bani Israel fell into disgrace for rejecting the signs of Allah, for killing the prophets of Allah, and for their constant disobedience and transgressions. Praising the newly installed Muslim ummah, Allah says,
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ
“You are the best nation ever to be produced before mankind. You enjoin the right, forbid the wrong and have iman in Allah” (Aal Imran, 3:110).
The significance of the whole episode of al-Isra wal-Mi’raj can hardly be over emphasized. The incidents that took place during this journey show the significance of the occasion while providing useful lessons at the same time. I will conclude by repeating some of the blessed words that emerged from the lips of the Prophet (SAW) when he invoked Allah (SWT) in al-Ta’if. He said, “O Most Merciful of the Merciful. You are the Most Merciful of the Merciful. You are the Lord of the weak and You are my Lord.”
Brothers and sisters! If we recognize our lowliness, Allah (SWT) will actualize His Majesty and Lordship in our lives. But if on the other hand we boastfully claim independence for ourselves, we will be left to our whims only to make us finally realize that it is He who is in charge and not we. May Allah (SWT) make us live and die in complete submission to Him, for the Qur’an says,
وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ
“And worship your Lord until what is certain (death) comes to you.” (al-Hijr, 15:99)
