CHAPTER 24: THE JOURNEY BY NIGHT OF ALLAH’S MESSENGER
The journey by night of Allah’s messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, from Makkah to Jerusalem and then his ascension there from to the heavens
Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaibah related from ‘Uthman from Sa‘eed Ibn Meena from Jabir and Ibn ‘Abbas both of whom said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was born in the year of the elephant on Tuesday, 12th day of Rabee‘ ul- Awwal. He was raised a Prophet in Rabee‘ ul-Awwal, in the same month, he was taken to the heaven same month, he died in the same month, migrated same month, died same month and in the same revelation ceased. This is the preference of Al-Hafiz Abdul-Ghani Ibn Suroor Al-Maqdisi in his Seerah. He cited a Hadith with inauthentic chain of narrations which we mentioned in “the virtues of the month of Rabee‘ ul-Awwal” that Al-Isra Wal-Mi‘raj occurred in the 27th night of Rajab. And Allah knows best. There are those who claim that Al-Isra occurred in the first night of Jumu‘ah in the month of Rajab. It is the night of Ragha’ib in which the popular Salat is established;
however, there is no basis for that. And Allah knows best.
We have mentioned the Ahadeeth cited concerning that during the study of the statement of Allah: Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]. Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (Soorah Al-Isra 17:1)
We shall mention briefly what Ibn Ishaq said, Allah have Mercy on him. He said, after all he mentioned in the previous sections: “Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was taken by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to the Masjid Al-Aqsa at Bait Al-Maqdis in Jeruasalem. The news of Islam had spread among the Quraish in Makkah and all the tribes. (He continued), from what has reached me about his journey was related from Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Sa‘eed, ‘A’ishah, Mu‘awiyyah, Umm Hani Bint Abu Talib, Allah be pleased with them all; and Al-Hasan Ibn Abul-Hasan, Ibn Shihab Az-Zuhri, Qatadah and others from among the people of knowledge all of them narrating from him some of what I have been informed of about him.
His journey and what has been related to me about it, of some tests and tribulations, some of the commands of Allah, (the Greatness of His) Power and His Authority and a lesson for the men of understanding. He was taken by night in manner that Allah wished and in a manner that He chose to let him see what He wished from some of His Signs in such a way that he made him view some of the ordainments of Allah, His Magnificent Authority and His Power with which He does whatever He wills. Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ood, from what reached me, said: “Al-Buraq, was brought for Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him. Al-Buraq is an animal on which the Messengers of Allah rode. Each stride of the animal reaches the furthest point of its sight. The Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was carried on it and set out along with his companion to see some of the signs between the heaven and the Earth until they got to Bait Al-Maqdis. There, he found Ibrahim, Moosa and ‘Eesa among a group of Prophets that have gathered to welcome him. He led them in Salat and then he was brought three vessels each containing milk, an intoxicant and water. It was mentioned that the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, drank from the vessel of water and Jibraeel said to him: “You were guided and your nation will also be guided.”
Ibn Ishaq related, from the information that reached him from Umm Hani that she said: “The Messenger of Allah was not taken by night (Isra) from anywhere other than my house. He slept in my house that night after he had offered the late night prayer (Isha’). When it neared the time of Fajr (daybreak), he woke us. When he rose, he offered the morning (Subh) prayers and we offered it with him then he said: “O Umm Hani’! I had prayed the late night prayer (Isha’) with you in this valley then I was taken to Bait Al-Maqdis and I prayed there and now I just offered the morning prayer with you as you have observed.” Then he stood up to leave, I held the edge of his cloth and I said: “O Prophet of Allah, do not narrate this to people so that they may not believe you and insult you.” He said: “By Allah, I am going to narrate it to them.” So he informed them and they belied him. He said to them: “The proof of that is that I met the caravan of such-and- such clan in such-and-such valley. I startled them and a camel bolted away and I directed them to it while I was on my way to Ash-Sham. Then I retuned until I reached Dajnan (a mountain located in the direction of Tihamah), I met the caravan of such- and-such clan and I found the people in it asleep. There was a vessel containing water which they covered with something. I lifted the lid of the container and drank its
content and I replaced the cover as it was. The evidence of that is that their caravan is desceding right now from the mountain path of Tan‘eem at its vanguard is an ash-colored camel. On its back are two wooden containers, one of them black in color and the other a mixture of white and black color.” The people hastened toward the mountain pass and the camel that they first met was not the one described to them. They asked them about the water container and the camel and they were informed about them just as Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, had told them.
Ibn Ishaq said: It is narrated to me that Abu Sa‘eed Al-Khudri said: I heard Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, say: “When I finished with what transpired at Bait Al-Maqdis, I was taken on Mi‘raj (ascension to the heaven) and I did not see anything more beautiful. This is the same place to which your dead soar at the point of death. My companion raised me onto it until we ended up at one of the gates of heaven called ‘Bab ul-Hafazah’ under the charge of an angel called Isma’eel. Under him are twelve thousand angels and under each of those twelve thousand angels were another twelve thousand angels.
He continued: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, would say when he narrates this Hadith: “And none can know the hosts of your Lord but He.” (Surah Al-Muddaththir 74:31) Then he related the remainder of the Hadith completely which is an extremely long one with his chain of narrations and wordings in his Tafseer. We discussed it at length for it is one of the ghareeb (strange) Ahadeeth and there is a weakness in its chain of narrations. This is also same in the Hadith of Umm Hani. The well-established version is the one in the Saheehain from the narration of Shareek Ibn ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi Namir from Anas that the Night Journey was from the Masjid Al-Haram at the Hijr (Isma‘eel). There are some oddities in its wordings from some angles. From the strangeness in this report is his statement: “That (the journey) took place before revelation was sent to him.” The response is that the first time they came was before revelation was sent to him and in that night nothing really happened. Then the angels came once again on another night and he said nothing concerning that. That was prior to the revelation (of the Qur’an) to him. Rather, he came to him after revelation had commenced. The Isra occurred either a little after (the commencement of) Inspiration as claimed by some or much after with about ten years as claimed by others and this is the most popular view. The washing of his chest that night before the Isra was the second or third, according to an opinion. This is because his attention is required at the sublime company and the presence of Allah. Then he rode Al-Buraq as a measure of elevation, esteem and honor for him. When he got to Bait Al-Maqdis he tethered it to a loop which previous Prophets had also tethered it.
Then he entered the Bait Al-Maqdis and offered Salat in its Qiblah as (tahiyyah) greeting for mosque. Hudhaifah, Allah be pleased with him, objects to (the report) that he entered Bait Al-Maqdis and the tethering of the animal and his Salat therein, saying that this is odd and an affirming evidence is preferred over a negating one.
They also disagree on the timing of his congregating with the Prophets and his leading them in prayer whether that occurred before his ascension to the heaven as pointed out by all that came before or after his descension from the heaven as indicated by some of the versions which appears to be a more logical transition as we shall mention shortly. Two opinions can be gleaned on this. And Allah knows best.
When he concluded the affairs of the Bait Al-Maqdis, a stairway was set up for him. He climbed it till he reached the heavens. The ascension was not on the Buraq as mistakenly supposed by some people. Rather, Al-Buraq had been tethered at the entrance of the Mosque of Bait Al-Maqdis so that he may ride it on his return journey
back to Makkah.
He climbed from one heaven to another in his ascension until he passed the fourth. Each time he got to a heaven, he met its companions and those residing there among the senior angels and Prophets. He mentioned the specific Prophets he met such as Adam
in the heaven closest to the Earth; Yahya and ‘Eesa in the second heaven; Idrees in the fourth; Moosa in the sixth based on what is more authentic; he met Ibrahim in the seventh heaven reclining his back against Bait Al-Ma‘mur in which 70,000 angels enter everyday to offer Salat and circumambulate in the worship (of Allah). Each 70,000 will not return to it until the Day of Resurrection. He passed by the rank-and-file of the angels until he got to a level where he heard the sound of pens, writing. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was raised to the Sidrat Al-Muntaha which is a tree, the size of its leave measuring the ear of an elephant and the dimension of its Nabk fruit is like that of the clay jugs of Hajar (i.e. a town in Arabia). It is shrouded in resplendent and magnificent colors. The angels climb it like crows owing to their numbers. Its floor is of gold and it is enveloped in the radiance of Allah’s Light. He saw there Jibraeel, peace be upon him, with 600 wings and the distance between two of his wings is like the distance between the heaven and the Earth.
This is what Allah mentioned (in the Qur’an): “And indeed he (Muhammad) saw him (Jibraeel) at a second descent (i.e. another time). Near Sidrat ul-Muntaha [lote-tree of the utmost boundary (beyond which none can pass)]. Near it is the Paradise of Abode. When that covered the lote-tree which did cover it! The sight (of Prophet Muhammad) turned not aside (right or left), nor it transgressed beyond (the) limit (ordained for it). Indeed he (Muhammad) did see, of the Greatest Signs, of his Lord (Allah).” (Surah An-Najm 53:13-17)
That is, he neither turned right nor left and he did not raise his gaze beyond the limit set for him. This is a great approval for him and a noble manner. This marks the second time he would see Jibraeel in the actual form in which Allah has created him as reported by Ibn Mas‘ood, Abu Hurairah, Abu Dharr and ‘A’ishah. Allah be pleased with them all.
The first time is indicated by the statement of Allah: “He has been taught (this Qur’an) by one mighty in power (Jibraeel). Dhu Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), Fastawa [then he (Jibraeel) rose and became stable]. While he (Jibraeel) was in the highest part of the horizon, Then he (Jibraeel) approached and came closer, And was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) nearer, So did (Allah) convey the Inspiration to His slave (Muhammad through Jibraeel).” (Soorah An-Najm [53]:5-10)
That was when he saw him on the horizon when Jibraeel approached Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, in his gargantuan creation spanning the space between the heaven and the Earth. He came close to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, till the distance between them was no more than the span of two bows or even closer. This is the more authentic tafseer as indicated by the words of senior Companions whose names had been mentioned previously. May Allah be pleased with them all.
However, concerning the statement of Shareek reported from Anas on the Hadith of Al-Isra: “then the Omnipotent Lord of Honor came close and was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) nearer,” it is possible that this is the understanding of the narrator and he interpolated it into the Hadith. And Allah knows best. Even though it is preserved yet it is not the tafseer of the Verse; rather it is something else not indicated by the Verse. And Allah (SWT) knows best.
That night, Allah (SWT) made obligatory on His servant, Muhammad, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, and on his Ummah, Salawat (prayers) to be offered 50 times every day and night. Then he did not cease going back and forth between Moosa and Allah, the Lord Almighty, until Allah reduced them to five; to Him belong gratitude and grace. And He (Allah) said: “It is five (but they shall equal) fifty (in reward). Good deeds are multiplied ten fold.”
That night, he also obtained the honor of being spoken to directly by Allah Almighty. The Imams of Sunnah are categorical concerning that. However, they disagree on the sighting (of Allah). Did Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, see his Lord on the night of ascension? Some of them said he saw Him with his heart twice. This is the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbas and a group (of scholars). Ibn ‘Abbas and others were categorical about the seeing of the Almighty. Among those who were also categorical about the Prophet’s seeing of Allah were Abu Hurairah, Ahmad Ibn Hambal, may Allah be pleased with both of them. There are those who declare that the seeing was with the two eyes. This is the preferred opinion of Ibn Jareer and he went to the extreme in it. Others also followed him among the later scholars. From those recorded to hold the opinion of seeing with the physical eyes was Sheikh Abul-Hasan Al-Ash‘ari from what was related from him by As-Suhaili. This is also the preferred opinion of Shaikh Abu Zakariyya An-Nawawi in his fatawa.
Another group argues that that (i.e. the physical seeing) did not happen based on the Hadith of Abu Dharr in Saheeh Muslim: “I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him: ‘Did you see your Lord?’ He said: ‘He is a Light, how could I see Him’?” In yet another version: “I saw Light.”
They argued further: It is not a seeing with the mortal eyes. This is why Allah said to Moosa, according to what is related in some Divine books: “O Moosa, no living person shall see Me except that he dies and no dry thing except that it is pulverized.” The divergence (of opinion) on this matter is well-known among the predecessors and the successors. And Allah knows best.
Thereafter, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, descended to Bait Al-Maqdis. A popular view is that the Prophets descended with him on his return from the presence of Allah as a mark of honor and esteem as is customary of delegates. He did not meet any one of them before his invitation to the heaven. That is why whenever he met any one of the Prophets, Jibraeel would say to him when that person approached to offer Salam (greeting): “This is so-and-so, say Salam to him.” If he had met them prior to his ascension, there would have been no need for introducing them to him the second time. From what is indicative of that is his statement that: “When it was time for prayers, I led them.”
He witnessed that night, scenes from the Signs of Allah, that if someone other than him were to see a part of it, he would wake up dazed or in a giddy mental state. However, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, woke up in a calm state fearful that if he informed his people about what he saw, they would hasten to call him a liar. Cautiously, he first told them that he went to Bait Al-Maqdis same night. It is related that Abu Jahl, may Allah’s curse be upon him, saw Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the Masjid Al-Haram sitting quietly. He said to him: “Do you have any news?” The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, of Allah replied: “Yes.” “What is the news?” Abu Jahl asked. “I was taken by night to Bait Al-Maqdis,” Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, told him. “Bait Al-Maqdis?!” Abu Jahl asked in astonishment. “Yes,” the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied calmly. Abu Jahl asked him, “If I gather your people so that you may inform them, would you repeat what you have just told me?” Again, the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, answered: “Yes.” Abu Jahl intended to gather the Quraish so that they may hear that from him and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, also wanted them to gather so as to inform them of same and to deliver the message to them. So Abu Jahl said loudly: “Come around, O men of Quraish!” When they gathered into an assembly, he said to the Prophet, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him: “Tell them what you have just told me.” Then Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, narrated to them the story of what he saw and that he went to Bait Al-Maqdis that night and prayed therein. Some of them clapped in bewilderment and others hissed indicating the remoteness of the truth of what he said.
The news of the story went round Makkah and some people came to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and informed him that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said such-and-such. He said, “You are telling lie against him.” They said: “By Allah, he actually said so.” Then Abu Bakr said: “If he really said that, then he has told the truth.”
Then he came to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while the pagans of Quraish were surrounding him. He asked him about the story and he informed him. He sought from him the description of Bait Al-Maqdis so that the pagans may hear it and thereby see the truth of his claim. However, it is recorded in the Saheeh that it is the pagans who asked Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I kept informing them of the description and certain things became unclear to me and then Allah showed me the picture of Bait Al-Maqdis till I was looking at it as if it was just less farther than the house of ‘Aqeel. So I described it to them.” They said: “As for the description, it is correct.”
Ibn ‘Abbas said: It is a physical seeing which Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, was made to see. This is the opinion of the majority among the predecessors and the successors that the Isra was in body and soul as pointed out by the literal narration of his riding and climbing in his ascension. Thus, Allah says: “Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him]. Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-Al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem).” (Soorah Al-Isra 17:1)
Glorification is done at the occurrence of a great supernatural sign. That is an indication that the journey occurred in body and soul and the “slave” is an expression of both. Also, if it had been in dream, the pagans of Quraish would not have hastened to deny and reject it since there is nothing really spectacular about it i.e. traveling in dream. This indicates that it was in a wakeful state and not in his sleep.
Ibn Ishaq narrated: Some of the family of Abu Bakr narrated to me from ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, that she used to say: “The body of Allah’s Messenger was not missed but Allah took him by the soul (on the journey).”
In the morning of the night of Isra, Jibraeel came to him at the time of the declension of the midday sun and explained to him the manner of prayer and its timing. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commanded that his Companions should gather and Jibraeel led him (in the prayers of) that day till the next and the Companions follow the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, while he in turn followed Jibraeel as cited in the Hadith narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas and Jabir: “Jibraeel led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka‘bah) twice.” He also explained to him the two timings (of each Salat) the beginning and the end times. Both times and the time in between are the timing of each Salat but he did not mention any intervening timing for the Maghreb prayer. This has been established in the Hadith of Abu Moosa, Buraidah and ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr, all which is related in Saheeh Muslim.
As regards what is recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhari from ‘A’ishah that she said: “The prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak‘ahs, (both) when one was resident and when traveling. The prayer while traveling was left according to the original prescription and the prayer of the one who was resident was increased.”
Awza’i also narrated a similar thing from Az-Zuhri and Ash-Sha‘bi from Masrooq.
There is somewhat ambiguity for the fact that ‘A’ishah used to offer her prayer in full while on a journey; same goes for ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan. We have spoken on that when discussing the statement of Allah:
“And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salat (prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you, verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.” (Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:101)
Imam Al-Baihaqi said: Al-Hasan Al-Basri holds the opinion that in the prayer of a resident the first to be made obligatory was four rak‘ahs as mentioned in mursal form concerning his prayer the morning of the night of ascension. Zuhr was ordained four (rak‘ahs); so also was ‘Asr. As for Maghreb, three rak‘ahs were ordained with a loud
recitation in the first two. Isha’ is four with a loud recitation in the first two rak‘ahs and two rak‘ahs were ordained for Subh and recitation in both is loud.
I say: Perhaps ‘A’ishah intended that the prayer used to be offered in two rak‘ahs before the ascension. Thereafter, when the five daily prayers were ordained, the prayer of a resident was left according to the original prescription while a concession was given that the prayer on a journey be offered in two rak‘ahs as it were in the early time. Against the backdrop of this, all ambiguities are dispelled. And Allah knows best.
Ibn Katheer
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.