Isra and Mi'raj

Ibn ʿAsākir recounts the hadiths concerning the Isrāʾ at the beginning of the prophetic mission, while Ibn Isḥāq, on the other hand, mentions the Isrāʾ among the events that occurred about ten years after the beginning …

Al-Bayhaqī, through the transmission of Mūsā b. ʿUqba, reports that al-Zuhrī said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken by night from Mecca to Jerusalem one year before the Hijra to Medina.

Al-Ḥākim, through al-Aṣamm, reports that Ismāʿīl al-Suddī said: On the night of the Isrāʾ, the five daily prayers were made obligatory for the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in Jerusalem. This event took place sixteen months before the Hijra.

According to al-Suddī, the Isrāʾ occurred in the month of Dhū al-Qaʿda, while according to al-Zuhrī and ʿUrwa, it occurred in Rabīʿ al-Awwal.

Abū Bakr b. Abī Shayba reports from Jābir and Ibn ʿAbbās that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was born on a Monday, the twelfth day of Rabīʿ al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant. On such a day, he was also commissioned with prophethood, ascended to the heavens (Miʿrāj), migrated, and passed away.

There is a break in the chain of transmission of this hadith. Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbd al-Ghanī b. Surūr al-Maqdisī states in his work "al-Sīra" that he adopts this view. He also transmits there a hadith whose chain is not authentic.

We have discussed that hadith in the section on the virtues of the month of Rajab. According to that report, the Isrāʾ occurred on the night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab. God knows best. Some have claimed that the Isrāʾ took place on the first Friday night of Rajab. In fact, the first Friday night of Rajab is the night of Raghaʾib, for which the well-known Raghaʾib prayer was innovated. This has no basis. God knows best. Some have cited the following poem as evidence:

"The Friday night when the Prophet ascended to the Miʿrāj was the first Friday night of Rajab."

This poem is irregular. We have cited it here only as evidence for those who hold this view.

We have transmitted most of the hadiths concerning this topic when discussing the following noble verse:

"Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing." (al-Isrāʾ 17:1)

Yes, by referring to the statements we have cited in the tafsīr (Qur'anic exegesis) of this verse, sufficient chains and explanations can be written. There are convincing proofs there. Praise and gratitude are due to Allah.

We will summarize here the statements of Ibn Isḥāq on this subject. After narrating the previous chapters, he says:

"Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. Al-Masjid al-Aqṣā is in Jerusalem. Islam had spread in Mecca among the Quraysh and other tribes. There was a test in the Messenger of God being taken by night from Mecca to Jerusalem and in the account of his situation reaching me. Moreover, this was an affair manifesting from the command, power, and sovereignty of Allah, in which there was a lesson for those of intellect, and for those who believed and affirmed, there was hudā (guidance), mercy, and steadfastness. This was a decisive command of Allah. Allah took him by night as He willed, so that He might show him the signs and proofs He wished. Thus, he saw with his own eyes that Allah had the power to do what He willed, possessing supreme might and dominion. According to the narration that has reached me, ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd said:

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was brought a Burāq (a heavenly mount). The Burāq was a mount that had also been ridden by previous prophets. It could place its hoof at the farthest distance its eye could see. The Prophet mounted it. Then he was taken to see the divine signs between the heavens and the earth. Finally, he arrived at Jerusalem, where he met Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. They had all gathered for him. They formed a congregation, and the Prophet led them in prayer. Then three cups were brought: one filled with milk, one with wine, and one with water. He took the one with milk and drank it. Gabriel said to him: 'You have found hudā. Your community has also attained hudā.'"

Ibn Isḥāq reports that al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said in a mursal (uninterrupted) narration: Gabriel came and woke the Prophet from sleep. Then he took him to the door of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām and mounted him on the Burāq. The Burāq was a white mount of intermediate size between a mule and a donkey. It had two wings on its legs and could place its hoof at the farthest point its eye could see. The Prophet said: "Gabriel mounted me on the Burāq. He set out with me. Neither could I surpass it, nor could it surpass me."

I say: According to Ibn Isḥāq, in a hadith narrated from Qatāda, the following is stated: When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to mount the Burāq, it acted restively. Gabriel placed his hand on its mane and said:

– O Burāq, are you not ashamed of what you are doing?

By Allah, no servant of Allah more honored by divine favor than Muhammad has ever ridden you!

Upon Gabriel saying this, the Burāq was ashamed and sweated profusely. Then it calmed down, and finally the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) mounted it.

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī continues in his narration:

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) and Gabriel continued on their way and arrived at al-Masjid al-Aqṣā in Jerusalem. There he saw the congregation of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. The Messenger of God led them in prayer.

After the prayer, he was offered cups of milk and wine. He took the cup of milk and drank it. Gabriel said to him: "You have attained hudā, and your community has been granted hudā. And wine has been made forbidden for you." After this, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) returned to Mecca. He informed the Quraysh of this event. Most people denied him. Some, who had been Muslims, apostatized. But as soon as Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq heard of the event, he affirmed the Messenger of God and said:

– I affirm him morning and evening regarding the news that comes to him from the heavens. Shall I not affirm his report of going to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā!

According to al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq asked the Prophet about al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, and the Prophet described its features to him. On that day, Abū Bakr was given the title al-Ṣiddīq. Allah the Exalted revealed the following verse regarding this:

"And We did not make the vision which We showed you except as a trial for the people, as was the accursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur'an. And We threaten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression." (al-Isrāʾ 17:60)

Ibn Isḥāq reports from Umm Hānīʾ: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) went on the Isrāʾ while he was in my house. That night, after performing the night prayer at its last time, he slept. Shortly before dawn, he woke us up. When the time for morning prayer entered, we prayed together. He said to me:

"O Umm Hānīʾ! Tonight, I performed the night prayer with you in this valley (Mecca) for the last time. Then I went to Jerusalem and prayed there. As you see, I have now performed the morning prayer with you."

After saying this, he stood up to leave the house. I held the edge of his cloak and said:

– O Prophet of Allah! Do not tell this to the people. Otherwise, they will deny you and harm you!

– By Allah, I will tell them!

The Prophet related the event of the Isrāʾ to them. They denied him.

He said: As proof of my journey to Jerusalem: I passed by the caravan of such-and-such sons in such-and-such a valley. My mount startled them, and one of their camels ran away. I showed it to them. I was heading towards Syria. Then, when I reached the slopes of the Dajnan mountains, I encountered the caravan of such-and-such sons. I found them sleeping. They had a vessel full of water, covered. I uncovered it, drank the water, and then covered it again as before. The proof of this is that their caravan is now descending from the hill of Tanʿīm al-Bayḍāʾ. In front of them is a gray camel with two sacks, one black and one white.

Umm Hānīʾ said: Those who heard him ran quickly towards the caravan. First, they saw the gray camel as the Messenger of God had described. Then they inquired about the water vessel and the runaway camel. The people of the caravan recounted the event just as the Messenger of God had described.

Yūnus b. Bukayr, through Asbaṭ, reports from Ismāʿīl al-Suddī that before the arrival of the mentioned caravan, the sun was about to set. The Messenger of God prayed to Allah that the sun would not set. The sun did not set until the caravan arrived. When the caravan came, it was exactly as the Messenger of God had described. The sun does not delay its setting for anyone except for the sake of the Messenger of God and, previously, for Yūshaʿ b. Nūn (peace be upon him). Al-Bayhaqī reports this.

Ibn Isḥāq said: Those whom I cannot accuse of lying report from Abū Saʿīd that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"After completing my business in al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, the ladder of the Miʿrāj was brought. I had never seen anything more beautiful. When your patient is about to die, he fixes his gaze upon it. My companion Gabriel took me up that ladder. I reached the gate of the heavens called Ḥafaza. At the gate was an angel named Ismāʿīl, under whose command were 12,000 angels. Each of those angels commanded another 12,000 angels."

The narrator says: When this was mentioned, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would recite the verse:

"And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him." (al-Muddaththir 74:31)

What is certain is that the Isrāʾ occurred after the beginning of revelation to the Prophet. According to some, this could have been a short period, while others claim it was as long as ten years. The stronger view is the latter.

That night, before the Isrāʾ, his chest was opened and his heart was removed and washed for the second time—according to one view, for the third time—because he was being invited to the highest realms and the presence of Allah.

He mounted the Burāq, which was brought as an honor and favor for him. When he arrived at al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, he tied the Burāq to the ring where previous prophets had tied their mounts, then entered the mosque and prayed the Tahiyyat al-Masjid prayer facing its qibla.

Ḥudhayfa (may Allah be pleased with him) does not accept the statements that he entered al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, prayed there, and tied the Burāq to the ring.

This is strange, for an affirming text is preferred over a rejecting one.

Scholars have differed regarding whether the Prophet led the other prophets in prayer after descending from the heavens or before ascending. Some reports indicate the former, which is more appropriate. We will explain this based on two views. God knows best. Some say he led them in prayer while in the heavens.

Scholars have also differed regarding the incident of choosing the cup of milk over wine and water. Some say this happened in al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, as previously mentioned, while others, based on authentic hadith, say it happened in the heavens.

In summary, after completing his business in al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was presented with the ladder of the Miʿrāj, by which he ascended to the heavens. Contrary to what some people think, he did not ascend to the heavens on the Burāq. Rather, the Burāq was tied to the ring at the gate of al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. After descending from the heavens, he mounted it to return to Mecca. He ascended from heaven to heaven, passing the seventh heaven. At each gate, he was met by the appointed angels and great prophets.

The Prophet named the principal prophets he saw in the heavens: Adam in the lowest heaven, John and Jesus in the second, Idris in the fourth, Moses in the sixth, and Abraham, leaning against al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr, in the seventh. Al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr is a place of worship where, every day, seventy thousand angels enter to pray and circumambulate, and once they leave, they never return until the Day of Resurrection.

Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed beyond the stations of all other prophets, reaching a level where the creaking of the divine decree's pens was heard. The station of Sidrat al-Muntahā was raised for him. He saw that the leaves of the Sidra tree were as large as elephant ears and its fruits as big as jars. At that moment, he witnessed great and marvelous phenomena. Numerous angels, like crows, gathered at Sidrat al-Muntahā, and golden butterflies assembled. The light of the Exalted Lord enveloped him.

There, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Gabriel, who had six hundred wings. The distance between each pair of wings was like that between the heavens and the earth. Allah the Exalted said about him: "And he certainly saw him in another descent, at Sidrat al-Muntahā. Near it is the Garden of Refuge. When there covered the Sidra that which covered [it]. The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit]." (al-Najm 53:13–17) That is, the Prophet's gaze did not turn right or left, nor did it rise above the appointed place. This is great steadfastness and sublime etiquette. As related by Ibn Masʿūd, Abū Hurayra, Abū Dharr, and ʿĀʾisha, this was the Prophet's second time seeing Gabriel in his true form. Regarding the first vision, it is said:

"[The Qur'an] was taught to him by one intense in strength—one of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form while he was in the higher part of the horizon. Then he approached and descended and was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer. And He revealed to His Servant what He revealed." (al-Najm 53:5–10)

Yes, while in Mecca, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Gabriel in his true form. Gabriel descended from the sky to the earth, and his immense form filled the space between heaven and earth. The distance between the Prophet and Gabriel was like two bow lengths or even closer.

As indicated by the major Companions mentioned earlier, this is the correct and true way in tafsīr. As for what Shurayk narrated from Anas regarding the Isrāʾ: "Then the Mighty and Majestic, the Possessor of Strength, drew near and inclined towards him. The distance between them was two bow lengths or less."—this is the narrator's personal understanding and an addition to the report. God knows best.

Even if this were transmitted from the Messenger of God, it is not the tafsīr of the verse. Rather, it is something other than what the verse indicates. God knows best.

Glorified is Allah, who, on the night of the Miʿrāj, made the prayer obligatory for His servant Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his community—fifty times each day and night. Then Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) went back and forth between Moses and his Lord, until Allah reduced the fifty prayers to five. Praise and gratitude are due to Him. When reducing the prayers to five, He said:

"These are five prayers, but their reward is equal to fifty. For each, tenfold is given."

On that night, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke with his Exalted Lord. The imams of the Sunnah are nearly unanimous on this. The only disagreement is whether he saw Him or not. Some say that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saw his Lord twice with his heart.

Ibn ʿAbbās and a group have said this. When speaking of seeing, Ibn ʿAbbās and others refer to an unqualified vision. This is interpreted as a vision of the heart. Others, however, have explicitly stated that the vision was with the eyes. Ibn Jarīr adopted and insisted on this view, and some later scholars have followed him. Among those who explicitly stated that the Prophet saw his Lord with his eyes is Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī, as transmitted by Suhaylī, and Nawawī also adopted this view in his fatwas.

Another group of scholars has said that such a thing did not occur. They cite as evidence the hadith of Abū Dharr in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Abū Dharr said:

"O Messenger of God, did you see your Lord?"

The Messenger of God replied: "He is a light; how could I see Him?" In another narration, the Prophet said: "I saw a light."

They said: The Eternal Essence cannot be seen with mortal eyes. For this reason, Allah said to Moses: "O Moses, no living being can see Me until it dies. No dry thing can see Me as long as it rolls." There is a well-known disagreement on this matter between the early and later generations. God knows best.

Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) descended from the heavens to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. According to strong reports, the prophets descended with him to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā to honor and show respect to him as he descended from the Exalted Station of Allah. They saw him off as one sees off a guest. Thus, they had not gathered with him before.

For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended to the heavens, Gabriel would greet each prophet before him and then say to the Prophet: "This is so-and-so; greet him." If he had met and gathered with the prophets before ascending, Gabriel would not have needed to introduce them to him a second time. His statement: "When the time for prayer came, I led them in prayer" also proves this. At that time, it was the time for the morning prayer. At Gabriel's suggestion, he led them as imam. In fact, Gabriel, by the command of his Exalted Lord, made this suggestion to him. Some have said, based on this, that the great imam has the right to lead the prayer even in the presence of the host. For although al-Masjid al-Aqṣā was the place and residence of those prophets, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in prayer. Then he left, mounted the Burāq, and returned to Mecca, spending the morning in great composure, tranquility, and dignity.

The Prophet saw such important events that night that if another person had seen all or some of them, he would have been terrified or lost his mind. But he remained calm. He only feared that if he related what he saw to his people, they would immediately deny him. He considered telling them gradually, in a way they could digest. That night, he thought of telling them only that he had gone to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. For the accursed Abū Jahl, seeing the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) sitting calmly in al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, asked him:

– Any news?

– Yes...

– What is it?

– I was taken to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā last night.

– To al-Masjid al-Aqṣā?

– Yes.

– Would you tell your people what you told me if I gathered them?

– Yes.

Abū Jahl wanted to gather the Quraysh so they could hear these words from the Prophet. The Messenger of God also wanted to inform and convey this news to them. Abū Jahl said:

– O people of Quraysh, come here. (They gathered in groups.) Abū Jahl said to the Prophet:

– Tell your people what you told me. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) related what he had seen, saying that he had gone to Jerusalem, to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, and prayed there. Some clapped, some whistled, expressing their disbelief and the impossibility of what he described. This news spread in Mecca. Some went to Abū Bakr and told him. He replied:

– You are slandering Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

– By Allah, he himself says so.

– If he says so, he is certainly telling the truth. Then he went to the Prophet, who was among the polytheists, and asked him about the event. The Messenger of God related it to him as it happened. He then asked the Prophet about the features of al-Masjid al-Aqṣā so that the polytheists could hear and realize the truth of his account.

According to an authentic hadith, it was the polytheists who asked the Prophet this question. The Messenger of God said: "I informed them of the features of al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. I only confused some of its features. Then Allah showed me al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, as if I were looking at it next to the house of Uqayl, and I described its features to them accurately and correctly."

Ibn Isḥāq reports that the Prophet informed the Meccans that he had passed by the Quraysh caravan and drunk from their water. Thus, Allah had established proof against them and clarified the right path. Some believed with certainty, while others persisted in kufr (disbelief) even after this proof. As Allah the Exalted said:

Ibn ʿAbbās said: The Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj were a vision shown to the Messenger of God.

According to the majority of the early and later scholars, the Isrāʾ occurred both bodily and spiritually. The apparent meaning of the reports supports this. Furthermore, his ascent to the heavens via the Miʿrāj ladder also proves this. For this, Allah the Exalted said:

"Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs." (al-Isrāʾ 17:1)

The tasbīḥ (declaration of Allah's transcendence) in the verse, which expresses Allah's freedom from imperfection, is made at the moment of witnessing wondrous and tremendous miracles. This shows that the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj occurred both bodily and spiritually. After all, a servant consists of both body and spirit. If this event had occurred in a dream, the Quraysh disbelievers would not have considered it impossible and would not have denied the Prophet at first. For seeing such an event in a dream is not a great matter to be denied. This shows that the Prophet was taken from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā while awake, not in a dream. As for the narration of Shurayk from Anas: "Then I woke up and found myself in the Ḥatīm," this is either Shurayk's error or refers to a transition from one state to another, which is also called yaqẓa (wakefulness). As in a hadith narrated by ʿĀʾisha, such an expression will appear. When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) went to Ṭāʾif and was denied by the Thaqīf, he said:

"I returned from Ṭāʾif in sorrow. When I reached the place called Qarn al-Thaʿālib, I regained consciousness." When Abū Usayd brought his child to the Prophet to have him anoint the child's mouth with almond oil, he found the Prophet busy talking to people, so he took the child away. When the Prophet regained consciousness, he asked where the child had gone, and those present told him that his father had taken him away. The Prophet then named the child Munḏir. The phrase "regained consciousness" in this narration is similar to awakening. God knows best.

Ibn Isḥāq reports from the Mother of the Believers, ʿĀʾisha, that she said: "On the night of the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj, the body of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave Mecca. But Allah sent him spiritually."

Ibn Isḥāq also reports that, when asked how the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj occurred, Muʿāwiya replied:

"It was a true vision that Allah showed him."

Ibn Isḥāq said: Their statement is not objectionable, for al-Ḥasan said that the following verses were revealed concerning this matter:

Likewise, the Prophet Abraham said:

"O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you." (al-Ṣāffāt 37:102)

In a hadith, the Prophet also said:

"My eyes sleep, but my heart is awake."

Ibn Isḥāq said: Allah knows best which of these occurred. The Prophet witnessed some of the commands of Allah during the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj. Whether in sleep or wakefulness, all of this is true and correct.

I say: Ibn Isḥāq did not express a firm opinion on this matter and said that both possibilities are valid. But the undeniable and indisputable truth is that the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj definitely occurred while awake. The previous reports confirm this.

ʿĀʾisha's statement: "The body of the Messenger of God did not leave its place. The Isrāʾ occurred spiritually," does not necessarily mean, as Ibn Isḥāq understood, that it happened in sleep. Rather, this statement indicates that the Isrāʾ truly occurred with the Prophet's spirit while awake, that he mounted the Burāq, reached al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, ascended to the heavens, and witnessed certain events while awake, not asleep. Perhaps this is what the Mother of the Believers, ʿĀʾisha, and those who follow her meant. Otherwise, she did not intend, as Ibn Isḥāq understood, to say that the Isrāʾ occurred in sleep. God knows best.

Note: Just as we do not deny that the Prophet saw dreams before the Isrāʾ, we do not deny that he saw dreams after it. The dreams seen by the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would certainly come true like the light of dawn. A similar report is narrated in the section on the beginning of revelation. Before revelation, he saw some events while awake and also saw them in sleep. This was to prepare him for prophethood and accustom him to such events. God knows best.

Scholars have differed as to whether the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj occurred on the same night or separately. Some say the Isrāʾ occurred while awake, and the Miʿrāj while asleep. Muhellab b. Abī Ṣufra, in his commentary on Bukhārī, reports that some scholars believe the Isrāʾ occurred twice: once spiritually in sleep, and once both bodily and spiritually while awake.

Suhaylī said: This statement reconciles the various hadiths on this subject. In the hadith he narrates from Anas, it is said: The Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj occurred at a time when the Prophet's eyes slept but his heart saw. This happened while he was seeing it. At the end of this hadith, the Prophet said:

"Then I woke up and found myself in the Ḥatīm." This is an event that occurred in sleep. Other hadiths indicate that this event took place while awake. Some scholars have even claimed that the Isrāʾ occurred several times while awake. Some have said it occurred four times. Others claim that Isrāʾ events also occurred in Medina.

Shaykh Shihāb al-Dīn Abū Shāma attempted to reconcile the hadiths concerning the Isrāʾ and said that it occurred three times: once from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis on the Burāq, once from Mecca to the heavens on the Burāq, and a third time from Mecca to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā and then to the heavens.

We say: Shaykh Shihāb al-Dīn adopted the view of three occurrences of the Isrāʾ due to conflicting reports. However, it is known that the wording of the hadiths on this subject encompasses more than these three types of Isrāʾ. Whoever wishes for more information should refer to our tafsīr on the first verse of Sūrat al-Isrāʾ.

As for classifying the Isrāʾ according to the journey to Jerusalem and the ascent to the heavens, it is not correct to impose such a limitation based solely on reason without evidence. The reality is known only to Allah.

It is astonishing that Bukhārī narrates the Isrāʾ after mentioning the death of Abū Ṭālib. In the end, he narrates the Miʿrāj, and Ibn Isḥāq agrees with narrating the Miʿrāj at the end but disagrees with placing it after the death of Abū Ṭālib. Ibn Isḥāq, however, narrates the death of Abū Ṭālib after the Isrāʾ. Only Allah knows which occurred first.

In summary, Bukhārī separated the Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj, making a distinct chapter for each, titling one "Chapter on the Hadith of the Isrāʾ." After this, he reports from Jābir b. ʿAbdullāh that he heard the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) say:

"When the Quraysh denied me, I was in the Ḥatīm. Allah showed me al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. I looked at its features and described them to the Quraysh."

Then, under the title "Chapter on the Hadith of the Miʿrāj," Bukhārī narrates from Mālik b. Saʿsaʿa that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), while recounting the night he was taken on the Isrāʾ, said:

"At one point, I was lying in the Ḥatīm (between sleep and wakefulness). Gabriel came and split open my chest. The narrator Qatāda heard Anas b. Mālik say: 'From here to here,' indicating from the throat to the place where hair grows, i.e., the front part. He took out my heart, brought a vessel filled with iman (faith) and wisdom, washed my heart (with Zamzam water), filled it with iman and wisdom, and returned it to its place. Then a white mount, smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, was brought. Anas b. Mālik said: 'Its name is Burāq, and it could place its hoof at the farthest point its eye could see.' I mounted the Burāq, and Gabriel accompanied me. We reached the lowest heaven. Gabriel knocked on the gate. The angel in charge asked:

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel. The angel asked:

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad. The angel asked:

– Has he been sent for with revelation and the invitation to the Miʿrāj? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful visitor! The gate was opened. When I entered the first heaven, I met Adam. Gabriel said:

– This is your father Adam; greet him. I greeted him, and Adam returned my greeting, saying:

– Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet.

Gabriel then ascended with me to the second heaven and knocked on its gate:

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful visitor! The gate was opened. When I entered the second heaven, I met John and Jesus, who are maternal cousins. Gabriel said:

– These are John and Jesus; greet them. I greeted them, and they returned my greeting, saying:

– Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet. Gabriel then ascended with me to the third heaven and knocked on its gate.

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful visitor! The gate was opened. When I entered the third heaven, I met Joseph. Gabriel said:

– This is Joseph; greet him. I greeted him, and he returned my greeting, saying:

– Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet. Gabriel then ascended with me to the fourth heaven and knocked on its gate.

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful visitor! The gate was opened. When I entered the fourth heaven, I met Idris. Gabriel said:

– This is Idris; greet him. I greeted him, and he returned my greeting, saying:

– Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet.

Gabriel then ascended with me to the fifth heaven and knocked on its gate.

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Joy and relief to him. What a wonderful visitor! The gate was opened.

When I entered the fifth heaven, I met Aaron. Gabriel said:

– This is Aaron; greet him. I greeted him, and he returned my greeting, saying:

– Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet.

Gabriel then ascended with me to the sixth heaven and knocked on its gate.

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful visitor! When I entered the sixth heaven, I met Moses. Gabriel said:

– This is Moses; greet him. I greeted him, and he returned my greeting, saying: – Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet. When I passed Moses, he began to weep. He was asked:

– Why are you weeping? He replied:

– A young prophet was sent after me, and more of his community will enter Paradise than from my community. That is why I weep.

Gabriel then ascended with me to the seventh heaven and knocked on its gate.

– Who is it? Gabriel replied:

– Gabriel.

– Who is with you? Gabriel replied:

– Muhammad.

– Has he been sent for? Gabriel replied:

– Yes, he has. The angel said:

– Welcome to him. What a wonderful guest! In the seventh heaven was Abraham. Gabriel said:

– This is your father Abraham; greet him. I greeted him, and he returned my greeting, saying: – Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet. (The Messenger of God said:)

– Then I was raised to Sidrat al-Muntahā. I saw there four rivers: two apparent and two hidden. I asked:

– O Gabriel, what are these four rivers? Gabriel replied:

– The hidden rivers are two rivers in Paradise. The apparent rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.

Then al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr was shown to me. I saw that every day seventy thousand angels visit it. Then three cups were brought to me: one filled with wine, one with milk, and one with honey. I took the cup of milk and drank it. Gabriel said: The milk you drank is the fitra (natural disposition) of you and your community, that is, the Islamic nature.

Then fifty prayers were made obligatory for me (and my community) each day. When I returned and passed by Moses, he asked:

– What have you been commanded? I replied:

– I have been commanded to perform fifty prayers each day. Moses said:

– Your community will not be able to bear fifty prayers each day. By Allah, I have tested people before you and tried the Children of Israel severely. So return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it for your community. I did so, and ten prayers were reduced. I returned to Moses, and he gave the same advice. I prayed to my Lord again, and ten more prayers were reduced. I returned to Moses, and he repeated his advice. I prayed to my Lord again, and ten more prayers were reduced. I returned to Moses, and he repeated his advice. I prayed to my Lord again, and ten more prayers were reduced, so I was commanded to perform ten prayers each day. I returned to Moses, and he gave the same advice. I prayed to my Lord again, and this time I was commanded to perform five prayers each day. I returned to Moses, who asked:

– What have you been commanded? I replied:

– I have been commanded to perform five prayers each day. Moses said:

– Your community will not be able to bear five prayers each day. I have tested people before you and tried the Children of Israel severely. Now return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it for your community. I replied:

– I have prayed to my Lord so much that I am now ashamed to ask again. I will accept and submit to five prayers. As I passed by Moses, a caller proclaimed:

– I have decreed My obligation of five prayers and have reduced the burden for My servants."

Bukhārī narrates this hadith in this manner here and elsewhere in his Ṣaḥīḥ. Muslim, Tirmidhī, and Nasāʾī also narrate it through several chains from Qatāda, Anas, and Mālik b. Saʿsaʿa. In this narration, al-Masjid al-Aqṣā is not mentioned. Perhaps some narrators omitted or forgot certain details, or only narrated the useful and necessary parts, omitting others. Anyone who considers all the reports about the Isrāʾ separately and claims that each refers to a different Isrāʾ is far from the truth. For in all these reports, the Messenger of God is described as greeting the prophets and the obligation of prayer is mentioned. How, then, can it be claimed that there were multiple Isrāʾ events? This is an impossible and unfounded claim. God knows best.

Bukhārī then narrates from Ibn ʿAbbās regarding the following verse:

The vision mentioned in this verse refers to the vision shown to the Messenger of God on the night he was taken from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā. The accursed tree mentioned in the Qur'an is the tree of Zaqqūm.