“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”

[Qur’an – Surah Al-Isra: Verse 1]

Before the Night Journey Began

During this time, The Quraysh (the tribe and family of Prophet Muhammad PBUH), constantly ridiculed, humiliated and oppressed Him (PBUH) and followers of Islam. Furthermore, the Prophet PBUH had just faced the Year of Sorrow (’Aam al-Huzn), during which He (PBUH) lost His beloved wife Khadijah RA and His uncle Abu Talib – who was His protector and ally.

When the Prophet PBUH had travelled to Ta’if to spread the Islamic message, the people of Ta’if had rejected him in the most cruel manner by sending their children into the streets to stone Him until He left the city.

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH had experienced great grief and sorrow. Allah SWT granted Him (PBUH) a truly beautiful and comforting gift that changed the course of Islamic History. Prophet Muhammad was transported to the Sacred Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem and ultimately into the Divine Presence of Allah SWT!

The First Phase of the Journey: Hadith Narrations

It is mentioned in the Hadith that, when the Prophet PBUH was sleeping in the house of

Umm Hani RA in Makkah. He said, “The roof of my house was opened and the Angel Jibril AS descended.” [Bukhari]

Prophet Muhammad PBUH was then taken to the Hijr, the semi-circular wall of the Ka‘ba, where the Prophet PBUH said that Angel Jibril AS, “opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith, and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it.” [Bukhari]

The Prophet PBUH continued, “I was then brought a white beast which is called al-Buraq [from the Arabic word barq, meaning lightning], bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach.” [Muslim]

Upon mounting al-Buraq, Angel Jibril AS stopped al-Buraq and told the Prophet PBUH,

‘Dismount and pray’. These are the place in which Prophet Muhammad PBUH prayed:

1. Praying at the place of migration – Madinah.
2. Praying at Mount Sinai, where Allah SWT spoke to Prophet Musa AS.
3. Praying at Bethlehem where Prophet Isa AS was born.
4. Praying by the grave of Prophet Musa AS.
5. Praying at Masjid Al-Aqsa, where Prophet Muhammad PBUH led all 124,000 Prophets in prayer.

Indeed this is a great journey that continues into the heavens. Continue reading the second phase of the journey here.