What is the Israa and Miraaj?

Introduction

Al Israa and Miraaj are two profound but separate spiritual experiences and personal miracles of the Holy Prophet SAW. Al Israa means night journey, while Miraaj means a mechanism to ascend. In popular culture, these 2 events have been linked together and called Al Israa wal Miraaj. However, this is an impossibility as the dates for the events do not line up and it would imply that 5 daily prayers were put into place right before hijrah which contradicts sahih ahadith. Furthermore, the place where the Prophet SAW was sleeping is also different; during the Miraaj he was at the Kaaba while during the Israa he was at Umm Hani (R.A)’s house. Another reason is that the narrations pertaining to Umm Hani (R.A)’s house mention the night journey to Jerusalem and No ascension. For these and many other reasons, these events are put into separate chapters by Imam Bukhari (RH).

Since the Israa is intertwined with Surah Al Najm and we know that it was this surah’s verse 52 which cause the Quraish to the prostate with the Muslims causing a rumor to spread that they had become Muslim, we can say the Israa occurred in the 5th year of the Prophetic Mission. While Allah gave the Miraaj after the Prophet SAW this experience as a personal miracle after the loss of his beloved wife Khadija (R.A) and his uncle Abu Talib who raised him. 

These events are so significant that there are more hadith about them than the entire rest of the Meccan period. However at the same time, one of the biggest problems is the vast and numerous inauthentic narrations surrounding this event due to the Israa and miraaj becoming a subject of folklore.

What happened?

Here is a short summary list of events that happened during the Israa and Miraaj:

MIRAAJ

• The Holy Prophet SAW is sleeping at the Kaaba when 3 figures approach, One of whom is Gabriel they purify his heart and give him wisdom they had brought in a tray.
• Ascension into the heavens entering via the gate into the 1st heaven. 
• The Prophet SAW meets and talks to many previous Prophets (A.S) starting with Adam (A.S) on the first heaven, Yahya (A.S) and Isa (A.S) in the second heaven, Yusuf (A.S) in the third heaven, Idris (A.S) in fourth heaven, Harun (A.S) in fifth heaven, Musa (A.S) in sixty heavens, and Ibrahim (A.S) in the seventh heaven. 
• The Prophet SAW also received the physical appearances of the previous Prophets (A.S) when they were alive manifested. Isa (A.S) is for example described with a whitish red skin tone. 
• The Prophet SAW was in Jannah and saw its rivers and smelled its fragrance. 
• The Prophet SAW reached the Sidratul Muntaha past the seventh heaven (the tree of the farthest boundary). He then crossed it with something not done before by any creation. Here the Prophet SAW speaks to his lord. 
• After the Prophet SAW asked Allah on the insistence of Musa (A.S) to create ease for his Ummah and hence Allah reduced the daily prayers from 50 to 5 while promising the reward of 50 for the 5 prayers. 
• The Prophet SAW returns to Mecca and throws out all the allegations given by the Meccans that he had not seen Jerusalem by describing it to them.

ISRAA

• He was sleeping at his cousin, Umm Hani (R.A)’s house after leading Isha’a prayers.
• Gabriel breaks open the roof of Umm Hani (R.A)’s house creating a hole and the Prophet SAW sees Buraaq. 
• Travel on Buraaq to Baitul Maqdis in Jerusalem and pray there and the Prophets pray behind him. 
• The Prophet SAW returns to Mecca and throws out all the allegations given by the Meccans that he had not seen Jerusalem by describing it to them.

Proofs it was a spiritual Journey

Quran on the subject

Miraaj

In Surah Bani Israel also known as Surah Al Israa, the Quraish ask the Messenger SAW to ascend to the heavens but Allah tells the Prophet SAW to say he is just a man and cannot ascend:

أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَؤُهُ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولً. وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولً

“Or thou have a house [made] of gold, or thou ascend to heaven – but nay, we would not [even] believe in thy ascension unless thou bring down to us [from heaven] a writing which we [ourselves] could read! Say thou, [O Prophet:] “Limitless in His glory is my Sustainer! Am I, then, aught but a mortal man, an apostle?” Yet whenever [God’s] guidance came to them [through a prophet,] nothing has ever kept people from believing [in him] save this their objection: “Would God have sent a [mere] mortal man as His apostle?“

[Quran 17:93-94]

In reference to the Miraaj where Muhammad saw’s heart did not lie about what it saw since it was spiritual. If it was physical and literal, he would’ve seen everything with his eyes, and the verse would’ve stated “his eyes did not lie of what it saw”:

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى

 مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَى وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَى

“Appearing in the horizon’s loftiest part and then drew near, and came close until he was but two bow-lengths away, or even nearer And thus did [God] reveal unto His servant whatever He deemed right to reveal The [servant’s] heart did not give the lie to what he saw will you, then, by the lote-tree of the farthest limit.”

[Quran 53:7-14]

Furthermore, no one who enters Jannah will ever be made to leave it. The Miraaj narrations explicitly state the Prophet SAW entered Jannah:

لَا يَمَسُّهُمْ فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَمَا هُم مِّنْهَا بِمُخْرَجِين

“No weariness shall ever touch them in this [state of bliss], and never shall they have to forgo[leave] it.”

[Quran 15:48]

Lastly, Allah clarifies that physical ascension to him is fallacious as he is not bound by time, position, or place:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيد

“NOW, VERILY, it is We who have created man, and We know what his innermost self whispers within him: for We are closer to him than his neck-vein.”

[Quran 50:16]

Israa

The Israa has been literally called a Ruyah which means vision. This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Israa was only spiritual in nature:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرً

And lo! We said unto thee, [O Prophet:] “Behold, thy Sustainer encompasses all mankind [within His knowledge and might]: and so We have ordained that the vision which We have shown thee -as also the tree [of hell,] cursed in this Qur’an – shall be but a trial for men. Now [by Our mentioning hell] We convey a warning to them: but [if they are bent on denying the truth,] this [warning] only increases their gross, overweening arrogance.”

[Quran 17:60]

Ahadith: Showing prophet SAW was in a state of sleep.

Miraaj

Hadith 1:

Narrated Sharik bin `Abdullah bin Abi Namr:

“I heard Anas bin Malik telling us about the night when the Prophet (ﷺ) was made to travel from the Ka`ba Mosque. Three persons (i.e. angels) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) before he was divinely inspired was an Aspostle), while he was sleeping in Al Masjid-ul-Haram.”

[Sahih Al Bukhari 3570]

Hadith 2:

Another hadith of him SAW being in a state of sleep and wakefulness. This state is known as Hypnagogia and is known for Lucid dreams and vision. This hadith indicates he had a Kashf similar to the one in his childhood. The Sufis when writing about Kashf have described a similar state as well. It is more prone to twisting but the fact that his companions who were laying beside him did not see his heart being ripped and cleaned. Nor did they see buraq or him flying away on it indicates a vision and not a Physical experience. Another clear proof of clear symbolism and spirituality is that the hadith says a golden tray of Wisdom was brought but wisdom is not physical:

Narrated Malik bin Sasaa:

“While I was at the House in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the `Abdomen and then my `Abdomen was washed with Zamzam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al- Buraq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Gabriel….”

[Sahih Bukhari 3207]

Hadith 3:

Another clear hadith showing he was asleep during the Miraaj and helps contextualize previous hadith is as follows:

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

“The night Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was taken for a journey from the sacred mosque (of Mecca) Al-Ka`ba: Three persons came to him (in a dreamy while he was sleeping in the Sacred Mosque before the Divine Inspiration was revealed to Him….. he saw them, his eyes were asleep but his heart was not—-and so is the case with the prophets: their eyes sleep while their hearts do not sleep……On that Gabriel said, “Descend in Allah’s Name.” The Prophet (ﷺ) then woke while he was in the Sacred Mosque (at Mecca).”

[Sahih Al Bukhari 3570]

Hadith 4:

The last example is from Sahih Muslim where the Prophet SAW is again sleeping:

Narrated Anas b. Malik:

“Three beings (angels) came to him in the mosque of the Ka’bah, while he was sleeping in the sacred mosque before it (the Command of Night Journey and Accension) was revealed to him…”

[Sahih Muslim 162]

Israa

The Israa journey happened at Umm Hani (R.A)’s house. There are many narrations that show this also was a dream. This is due to them mentioning that he was asleep. Furthermore, the narrations say that Gabriel opened up the roof of Umm Hani (R.A)’s house, something that no one seemed to notice. This is particularly problematic as houses at the time were not large or with numerous bedrooms furthermore, the roof hole was never seen by anyone afterward:

“Umm Hani said: He was taken on this journey from our house. He slept that night with us; he offered al-`Isha prayers, and then he slept. When it was pre-dawn we awoke him (to offer) morning (prayers). He got up and when he offered morning prayers he said: 0 Umm Hàni! I offered al-Ishá prayers with you as you witnessed, then I reached Bayt al-Muqaddas and offered prayers there; then I offered morning prayers before you…..”

1) Ibn Sa’d Volume 1, Parts 1.56.1 (p241 of eng pdf)
2) Ibn Ishaq(eng) translated by Gulliame p184
3) The Life of Prophet Muhammad Volume two by Ibn Kathir (eng) p63-64

Ahadith: Showing prophet SAW saw Allah with his heart.

Here are some ahadith commenting on 53:7-14. These ahadith show that the Holy Prophet SAW did not see Allah SWT with his eyes as that would be impossible and only a liar would make such a claim. Some Salafis claim this does not refer to Allah but Gabriel which is an impossibility as Sahih AL Bukhari 7517 says: “till he reached the Lote Tree (beyond which none may pass) and then the Irresistible, the Lord of Honor and Majesty approached and came closer till he was about two bow lengths or (even) nearer.” Salafis insert in brackets on their websites with Gabriel but Gabriel cannot cross the Sidratul Muntaha only the Prophet SAW did. Regardless, in either case, the Prophet SAW still did not see Gabriel or Allah with his eyes but rather with his heart.

Hadith 1:

“It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that he (the Holy Prophet) saw (Allah) with, his heart.”

[Sahih Al Muslim 176a]
[Jamia At Tirmidhi 3281]

Hadith 2:

“‘The heart belied not what he saw” (al-Qur’an, Iiii. 11) and’ Certainly he saw Him in another descent” (al-Qur’an, Iiii. 13) imply that he saw him twice with his heart.”

[Sahih Al Muslim 176b]

Hadith 3:

`Aisha said, “If anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord, he is a liar, for Allah says: ‘No vision can grasp Him.’ (6.103) And if anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen the Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: “None has the knowledge of the Unseen but Allah.”

[Sahih Al Bukhari 7380]
[Sahih Al Bukhari 4855]
[Jamia At Tirmidhi 3068]

Ahadith: Showing prophet SAW only saw souls of the Prophets.

During the Miraaj the Holy Prophet SAW only saw the souls of the previous Prophets (A.S). Souls are not physical or visible to the naked eye. As confirmed earlier the Prophet SAW was able to describe the physical appearance of the Prophet SAW when they were alive this again points to a dream or vision/Kashf:

قال : ثم لقي أرواح الأنبياء

“He saw the souls of the Prophets…”

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir Volume 5, p7]
[Scan link]

Ahadith: Showing only souls can enter Jannah.

Another crucial reason why a physical ascension during Miraaj is impossible is that only Muslim or Mumin SOULS can enter Jannah. Hence the Prophet SAW bodily entrance into Jannah is impossible. Even though the Miraaj has explicitly mentioned him entering Jannah and seeing its rivers like Sahih Muslim 164a. These hadith about only Muslim souls entering Jannah are incredibly numerous and found in all reputable hadith collections, one example is:

Narrated `Abdullah:

While we were in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) in a tent he said, ”Would it please you to be one fourth of the people of Paradise?” We said, “Yes.” He said, “Would It please you to be one-third of the people of Paradise?” We said, “Yes.” He said, “Would it please you to be half of the people of Paradise?” We said, “Yes.” Thereupon he said, “I hope that you will be one half of the people of Paradise, for none will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and you people, in comparison to the people who associate others in worship with Allah, are like a white hair on the skin of a black ox, or a black hair on the skin of a red ox.”

[Sahih Al Bukhari 6528]

Ahadith: Showing jannah is something no eye has seen.

A near Mutawatir if not Mutawatir tradition of the Holy Prophet SAW is that no eye has seen Jannah. Something the Miraaj hadith claim that the Prophet SAW did like Sahih Al Muslim 164a. This means that the Prophet SAW did not experience the Miraaj with his eyes or any other sensory organs rather it must have been a spiritual experience. This hadith is narrated by countless sahabi one example is as follows:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet, said, “Allah said, ‘I have prepared for My pious worshipers such things as no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and nobody has ever thought of. All that is reserved, besides which, all that you have seen, is nothing.” Then he recited:– ‘No soul knows what is kept hidden (in reserve) for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.’ (32.17)

[Sahih Al Bukhari 4780]

Riwayah of the Sahabah (R.A)

As it has already been proven Anas bin Malik (R.A), Malik bin Sasa (R.A), Umm Hani (R.A), etc all believed the Prophet SAW was asleep during these spiritual journeys. Other Sahabh like Ibn Abbas (ra0 have said that Prophet SAW witnessed the events with his heart which is also indicative of a spiritual Journey. Here are a few more Sahabah who held a similar view.

Aisha (R.A): Body did not move

On the Miraaj, Aisha (R.A) comments are very famous and are found in various branches likes Seerah like Ibn Ishaaq and Tafasir like Al-Kashshaf, Tafsir Al Razi, Tafsir Al Mahari, etc. Aswell as Za’ad Al Ma’ad by Ibn Qayyim:

“The Apostle SAW body remained where it was but God removed his SAW spirit by Night.”

[Ibn Ishaq(eng) translated by Guillaume p183]
[Za’ad Al Ma’ad by Ibn Qayyim Vol. 3, p36]

Mauwiyah (R.A): Prophet SAW said it was a true vision

Mauwiyah (R.A) narrates:

“The Prophet SAW said: It was a true vision from God.”

[Ibn Ishaq(eng) translated by Guillaume p183]