The Event of Miraj: Proximity to Allah and an Faith-Inspiring Journey
✍🏻 By the Pen of Muhammad Aadil Arariavi
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Respected Sir, in Islamic history, there are some events that ignite faith, illuminate hearts, and allow humans to witness the power and greatness of the Lord of the Universe. Among these great and unparalleled events, the event of Miraj holds a unique place. It is a soul-stirring journey in which Allah Almighty not only took His beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on a tour from Earth to the heavens but also bestowed upon him His special closeness and countless blessings. This event is not just a historical event but also a timeless message of faith, worship, obedience, and proximity to Allah for the Muslim Ummah. Glory be to Him Who took His servant Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs. The event of Miraj occurred when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned from the journey of Taif, disheartened and seemingly unsuccessful. Approximately thirty Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) have narrated the traditions of this great event. The summary of these narrations is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was resting in the house of Hazrat Umm Hani (may Allah be pleased with her) when Hazrat Jibril (peace be upon him) appeared and took the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to the place of Hateem. There, the blessed chest of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was opened, and the pure heart was washed with the water of Zamzam. Then, a golden tray was brought, filled with faith and wisdom, and those luminous qualities were filled in the chest of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
After that, Buraq was presented, which was a white, luminous animal. Its speed was so great that its foot would fall wherever the eye could see. Through this Buraq, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was taken to Masjid al-Aqsa. There, all the prophets (peace be upon them) followed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in offering two rak'ats of prayer. After the prayer, Hazrat Jibril (peace be upon him) brought two cups, one with milk and the other with wine. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) chose the cup of milk. Upon this, Hazrat Jibril (peace be upon him) said, "O Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), you have chosen the pure nature." Then, Hazrat Jibril (peace be upon him) took the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) towards the heavens. He first reached the first heaven. Hazrat Jibril wanted to open the door of the heaven. The gatekeeper angel asked, "Who is it?" The answer was given, "Jibril." Then he asked, "Who is with you?" He said, "Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." Again, the question was asked, "Has he been called?" The answer was, "Yes, he has been called." Then the door was opened, and he was welcomed and greeted.
Similarly, on each heaven, he met with one or another prophet, mutual conversations took place, and a series of questions and answers continued. During this journey, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was also shown Paradise and Hell, and countless amazing signs of Allah Almighty were shown. According to a narration in Sahih Muslim, Allah Almighty bestowed three great gifts upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the occasion of Miraj. In the hadith, Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was taken to Miraj, he was taken to Sidrat al-Muntaha, which is located in the sixth heaven. All things going up from the earth and coming down from the sky stop here. Allah Almighty said (اِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى) meaning that the tree was covered with things that cannot be encompassed in description. Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that they were like golden moths.
The narrator narrates that three gifts were given to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
(1) Five daily prayers
(2) The last verses of Surah Al-Baqarah
(3) And the good news that those individuals of your Ummah who do not associate anyone with Allah and abstain from major sins will be forgiven. (Sahih Muslim, Bab Sidrat al-Muntaha Kabayan (431)
In the end, I will only say that the event of Miraj gives us a message of hope, certainty, and action, and it teaches us that if a believer remains attached to Allah even in difficulties, the day will surely come when Allah will reward him with His special blessings.
O Allah, Lord of the Universe, grant us the ability to observe prayer, illuminate our hearts with the light of faith.
Grant us the ability to follow the path of Your beloved (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and grant us Your closeness and pleasure. Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.