The Night Journey and Ascension

It began when the Angel Jibreel descended and woke Muhammad (pbuh) from sleep with a Buraq, an animal larger than an ass and smaller than a donkey, which could reach the farthest horizon in just one stride. They travelled to the Sacred Mosque of Worship in Jerusalem and Muhammad (pbuh) tethered the animal outside the mosque, as all former Prophets had tethered theirs before him. Muhammad then entered the mosque to find assembled there all the former Prophets who had ever lived, and he led them in prayer. What a moment of special honour, that Muhammad should stand in front of such an assembly and lead them.

Jibreel then led him from the place we now call the Dome of the Rock and they began to ascend through the seven heavens, encountering former Prophets along the way. In the first level of heaven, Muhammad met Prophet Adam (pbuh), who greeted him with Asalaamu alaykum. Muhammad replied Wa alaykum salaam and Adam confirmed that Muhammad was indeed the Messenger of Allah. He also looked to his right and smiled and then looked to his left and wept. Those on his right were the believers and those who caused him to weep were the unbelievers.

They then moved on to the second level of heaven, where Jibreel asked for the door to be opened and they were greeted with Asalaamu alaykum by the Prophets Yehya (John the Baptist) and his cousin Isa (Jesus). Muhammad once again returned their greeting and they confirmed that he was the Messenger of Allah.

On the third level Muhammad was greeted by Prophet Yusef, on the fourth level he was greeted by Prophet Idris, and on the fifth level of heaven he was greeted by Haroon (Aaron), the brother of Musa. He returned their greetings and all three Prophets confirmed that Muhammad was the Messenger of Allah.

On the sixth level of heaven Muhammad was met by Prophet Musa (Moses) who greeted him with a sign of peace and testified that he was the Messenger of Allah. After this, Musa began to weep. He said that he was sad because a younger man had been commissioned as a Prophet after him and that man’s followers would enter heaven in greater numbers than his own.

When Muhammad reached the seventh heaven he was met and greeted by Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who declared that Muhammad was the Messenger of Allah. Ibrahim (pbuh) was resting against Beit Al-Ma’mur, a House of Worship around which circumambulate seventy thousand different angels every day. After this, Muhammad (pbuh) was led to a most beautiful tree in heaven known as Sidrat Al-Muntaha, whose leaves were the size of elephants’ ears and which was covered by golden moths.

The final part of this extraordinary revelation was to be the greatest of all. No man can look upon the face of Allah Almighty, since He is so great and beyond our comprehension, but Muhammad was taken to within a very close distance to the throne of Allah Himself. Allah Almighty informed His servant that it was now obligatory on all Muslims to perform prayers fifty times a day. After this, Muhammad was led away by Jibreel, no doubt staggered by all that had been revealed to him.

As he was being led away, the Prophet was stopped by Moses, who asked what he had been told by Allah. When Moses was told about the obligation to perform fifty prayers, he said that this was too much and was beyond the capacity of any man, so Muhammad should go back and ask that the number of prayers be made less. Muhammad (pbuh) returned to the throne of Allah and asked if the number of prayers could be made less. Allah granted his request and said that the number of prayers obligatory each day should be ten. Moses again said that this was too many and urged Muhammad to return and ask that the obligation be made less. This time, Allah Almighty reduced the number of obligatory prayers to five each day. Upon seeing Moses again, Moses urged him to ask that the obligation be lightened even more, since the Children of Israel had been asked to do less than this but were unable to fulfil their obligations.

Muhammad (pbuh) declared that he felt ashamed to ask more from Allah. At that moment, he heard a voice declare, "I have enforced My obligation and made it light for My servants. He who prays these five prayers will be rewarded as if he had prayed fifty. What I decree cannot be changed."

With this the Night Journey and Ascension were over. Muhammad (pbuh) returned to Makkah the next morning and narrated all that had happened to him. When some of the Quraysh heard what he said they laughed out loud, calling him a madman. Those who had visited Jerusalem asked him to describe it, trying to catch him out, but he was able to describe the place perfectly. He was also able to tell them of a caravan which he had seen travelling from Jerusalem to Makkah, with exact details of the number of camels and what they were carrying. The very same caravan arrived in Makkah when he said it would, but even this was not enough to persuade those who refused to believe.

For ourselves, we can take the words of Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s closest companion and the one who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim faithful, as an explanation of what had happened. "If he said so, it must be true." These words of total trust in Muhammad (pbuh) earned Abu Bakr the title Siddeeq, one who believes. It I enough for us, too, to accept from our Prophet what he tells us to be true. If only we were as prompt in listening to what he tells us.

As we try our best each day to live as good Muslims, let us rejoice that our beloved Prophet was confirmed as Allah’s Messenger by all previous Prophets. Let us rejoice that we have been given the gift of five prayers each day, and that we receive the reward of praying fifty prayers if we perform them well. Let us use those prayers to pray for the captive Mosque of Al Aqsa and our beloved brothers and sisters in Palestine.

And let us resolve to listen attentively to whatever our Prophet says. If he said so, it must be true.