Al-Isra’wal-Mi’raj
The Story of the Ascension to the Heavens
What is the Mi’raj?
Miraj-un-Nabi, also referred to as Al-Isra’ wal-Mi‘raj and commonly known as the blessed night of Shab-e-Miraj, describes one of the most extraordinary miracles granted upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by Allah. The term Israa comes from Arabic and signifies the miraculous night journey during which the Prophet ﷺ was taken from Makkah to Jerusalem, reaching the sacred site of Masjid al-Aqsa. This remarkable event is mentioned in the Holy Quran inSurah Al-Israa.
The First Heaven
Allah raised the Prophet ﷺ from the Dome of the Rock through the heavens. During this extraordinary journey, he witnessed many remarkable signs, encountered countless angels, and met the prophets عليہم السلام who came before him . As he travelled upward, he was welcomed with joy and honor, for his arrival was eagerly awaited.
One can only imagine how the Prophet ﷺ felt when meeting his fellow prophets—brothers who had all endured hardship and trials. Despite the pain and isolation they experienced from their own people, they greeted him with warmth, love, and respect. He was welcomed with the words, “Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous brother” (Bukhari). Adam عليہ السلام and Ibrahim عليہ السلام, however, accepted him as a “righteous son.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Jibril عليہ السلام accompanied him to the first heaven, which marks the outer boundary of the known
universe. Jibril عليہ السلام then requested that the gate of heaven be opened by knocking on it (Bukhari).
The gatekeeper asked, “Who is there?”
He replied, “Jibril.”
It was then asked, “Who is with you?”
He answered, “Muhammad ﷺ.“
The gatekeeper asked, “Has he been sent?”
Jibril replied, “Yes, he has indeed been sent.”
The gate was then opened, and the Prophet ﷺ found himself with Adam عليہ السلام, who warmly welcomed him and prayed for goodness for him (Muslim).
In other narrations, it is mentioned that the angels guarding the heavens rejoiced at the arrival of the beloved Prophet ﷺ, announcing, “Welcome to him! What a magnificent arrival!” (Muslim), and “He is most welcome and among family”(Bukhari).
Further narrations provide more detail about the meeting between the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and Adam. عليہ السلام The Prophet ﷺ described seeing a
man seated with people to his right and others to his left. When the man looked to his right, he smiled, and when he looked to his left, he wept.
Adam عليہ السلام greeted him by saying, “Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous son,” and in another narration, “Welcome, you are among family, my son. What a wonderful son you are!”(Bukhari)
The Second Through the Sixth Heaven
The Prophet ﷺ continued his heavenly ascent in the company of Jibril عليہ السلام , moving upward through the successive layers of heaven. At each level, permission was requested before entry, and the angels guarding the heavens received the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with joy and honor.
In the second heaven, the Prophet ﷺ encountered his maternal relatives, the prophets Isa عليہ السلام and Yahya عليہ السلام.
In the third heaven, he met the Prophet Yusuf عليہ السلام, whom he described as being granted exceptional beauty—half of the beauty bestowed upon creation (Muslim). Allah had blessed him with remarkable grace and appearance.
Allah granted Prophet Yusuf عليہ السلام special knowledge of dreams and their interpretation. It is for this reason that dreams experienced by human beings are said to come from the third heaven, the same level at which Prophet Yusuf عليہ السلام was encountered during the heavenly journey.
At the fourth heaven, the Prophet ﷺ met Idris عليہ السلام, whose soul had been elevated to that station. Allah praises him in the Qur’an, saying: “And We raised him to a high rank” (Qur’an 19:57).
In the fifth heaven, the Prophet ﷺ met Harun عليہ السلام. Continuing onward to the sixth heaven, he then met Harun’s younger brother,
the Prophet Musa عليہ السلام.
Some narrations mention that Musa عليہ السلام was seen weeping, and he was asked why he was crying. He replied, “My Lord, this is a young man whom You sent after me as a Prophet, yet his followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my own Ummah” (Muslim).
At every level of the heavens, the prophets (peace be upon them all) welcomed the Prophet ﷺ warmly and prayed for his well-being, greeting him with the words: “Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous brother” (Bukhari).
The Seventh Heaven
Upon reaching the seventh heaven, the Prophet ﷺ met his noble forefather, the Prophet Ibrahim عليہ السلام. He was resting against al-Bait al-Ma‘mur, the Sacred House of the heavens. Each day, seventy thousand angels enter this blessed place, and once they leave, they never return again.
Al-Bait al-Ma‘mur, which literally means “the much-frequented House,” is the heavenly counterpart of the Ka‘bah and is located directly above it in the heavens.
Just as Adam عليہ السلام had done earlier, Ibrahim عليہ السلام warmly welcomed the Prophet ﷺ with the words, “Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous son” (Bukhari).
In another narration, Ibrahim عليہ السلام sent his greetings to the Ummah of the Prophet ﷺ and offered valuable advice. He described Paradise as having pure earth and sweet water, explaining that it is a wide, open plain without trees. He further taught that the seeds of Paradise are planted through remembrance of Allah.
The Lote Tree (Sidrat al-Muntaha)
During his blessed journey, the Prophet ﷺ was taken to the Furthest Lote Tree, known in Arabic as Sidrat al-Muntaha. The Prophet ﷺ gave a vivid description of this immense and extraordinary tree.
He ﷺ explained that its leaves were as large as elephant ears, and its fruits resembled huge earthen containers. When Allah commanded it, the tree underwent a transformation so magnificent that no created being could fully describe or praise its beauty.
The Prophet ﷺ also said that a rider could travel under the shade of just one of its branches for a hundred years. Another narration mentions that even a hundred riders would seek shade beneath it.
The tree is said to be surrounded by golden butterflies, adding to its awe-inspiring appearance. He ﷺ further described that it was covered in countless colors—so many and so unique that he could not identify or describe them. Additionally, he stated that Sidrat al-Muntaha is the point where everything that rises from the earth ends, and where everythingthat descends from above comes to a stop.
The Divine Meeting
At the conclusion of this remarkable journey, the Prophet ﷺ was brought into the Divine Presence—the ultimate source of comfort, strength, and mercy. The beauty and majesty of that moment are beyond human imagination, and it is impossible to fully grasp how deeply honoured, loved, and humbled the Prophet ﷺ must have felt.
Very little is known about what was privately conveyed between Allah and His beloved Messenger ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ later explained that during this encounter, Allah revealed matters to him and bestowed upon the Ummah the great gift of obligatory Salah. This daily act of worship became a continuous source of spiritual strength for believers, allowing them to connect directly with Allah and draw closer to Him. Indeed, Salah is described as the ascension of the believer.
Through the advice and intervention of Prophet Musa عليہ السلام, the original command of fifty daily prayers was reduced to five, yet Allah, in His mercy, granted the reward of fifty prayers for observing them.What an immense blessing.
Observance of Shab-e-Miraj
Shab-e-Meraj is observed every year on the 27th of Rajab. On this sacred night, Muslims engage in special prayers, and in many countries with significant Muslim populations, various events and gatherings are organized to honor the occasion. The history of Shab-e-Meraj holds deep importance in Islamic tradition, as it commemorates the miraculous Night Journey (Isra) and Ascension (Mi‘raj) of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ These. Events are not only key historical moments but also carry profound symbolic meaning, highlighting the spiritual mission of the Prophet as Allah’s chosen Messenger on Earth.
