Yes. Indeed, he visited the heavens. By the permission of the Almighty, he traversed the luminous spaces of the celestial where angels and the chosen ones among the servants of the Almighty peregrinate and celebrate His blessed names.
Yes. It was while he was in Makkah, the then landscape of unbelief, oppression and sexual exploitation of women, that he received the summon. The divine summon consisted of a combination of the physical and the metaphysical. Situated as he was in Makkah, he was commanded to embark on a miraculous journey, on that wonderful night, from Makkah to Bayt Al-Maqdis in Jerusalem. Angel Jibril descended to the earth, and together they began the all-important trip to the heavens.
To prevent this event from slipping into the controversial remit where truth becomes contaminated with falsehood, the Almighty says: Exalted is He who took His Servant (Prophet Muhammad (Upon him be peace and benedictions of our Creator) by night from al-Masjid al-Haram (in Makkah) to al-Masjid al-Aqsa (Jerusalem), whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing. (Quran17:1). This became known as Al Isra wal Miraj. The night is commemorated on the 27th of Rajab.
It is believed that the event marked a watershed in Islamic annals. It was during this occasion that the five daily prayers were prescribed and made obligatory on Muslims. It is held that the Prophet led the other Prophets in prayer after having met with them in the spiritually shimmering space of the celestial. It is believed that he was shown insights into paradise and hell, the characteristics of inmates of the two abodes and other data about the eschatological that are beyond the ken of the ordinary.
The Prophet’s return to Makkah eventually became a test of faith for the Muslims at the time and an opportunity for the true believers to shine. In other words, after the Prophet was taken by night to the furthest mosque in Jerusalem, news of the event quickly spread. Some Makkans renounced their idol worship and expressed their belief in him. They looked for Abu Bakr, and they said, “Have you heard that your friend imagined he was taken by night to the sacred house?” Abu Bakr said, “Did he say that?” They said “Yes.” Abu Bakr said, “If he said it, then it is the truth.” They said, “Do you believe he went by night to the sacred house and returned before morning?” Abu Bakr said, “Yes. Verily, I believe something even more astonishing than that. I believe he has received revelations from heaven for everything he does.” For this reason, Abu Bakr was named the Truthful, al-Siddiq.”
It is instructive that this event took place during one of the most difficult periods in the Prophet’s life. He was facing rejection of his clan, he lost one of his strongest supporters, Abu Talib, even as his followers were increasingly being oppressed, tortured and tormented. What then are the lessons that the ascension of the Prophet to the heavens in this month (Rajab) teach us?
The month of Rajab provides opportunities for believers to increase their spiritual capital. Only yesterday, I felt as if I should experience my own Al-Miraj such that I could find myself in the midst of millions of believers circumambulating the Kaaba in Makkah. I craved to be tested anew so that I could become the new Al-Siddiq who chose to believe what the rest of the world disbelieved. Among others, the following constitute some of the lessons to learn.
One, faith grows during hardship: relief follows pain. What an irony! In other words, as far as our life here on earth is concerned, there can be no pleasure without pain; there can be no treasures without torture.
Two, prayer (Salat) is central and the anchorage of our faith. This explains why it was given out there, in the celestial, in the heavens.
Three, the union between Prophet Muhammad and others before him that was occasioned by Al-Miraj was instructive of the unity of the divine messages brought by messengers of the Almighty to guide humanity.
Four, the circumstance of the Prophet before and after the ascension to the heavens teaches that the exercise of patience in times of rejection and adversity builds stronger faith.
