The Isra, The Miraculous Night Journey, A Sacred Night Journey

2. 
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid
al-haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings We
have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the
Hearing, the Seeing.[17:1]
Al-Isra

3. 
The heart did not lie [about] what it saw. So will you dispute with him
over what he saw? And he certainly saw him in another descent, At the
Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary - Near it is the Garden of Refuge,
When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it]. The sight [of
the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit]. He certainly
saw of the greatest signs of his Lord. [53:11-18]
Al-Mi'raj

4. 
The Prophet ( ‫ﷺ‬
) said, "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 Jibril.
In another version: I was brought al-Buraq Who is an animal white and
long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place
his hoof a distance equal to the range of version. I mounted it and
came to the Temple (Bait Maqdis in Jerusalem), then tethered it to the
ring used by the prophets….
Opening Chest and
Al Buraq

5. 
Al-Isra: Milk VS Wine
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
On the Night of Al-Isra (the Night of Ascension) the
Prophet ( ‫ﷺ‬
) was presented with two drinking vessels: one
full of wine and the other one full of milk. He looked at
them. Then he took the vessel which was full of milk.
Thereupon Jibril (Gabriel) said: "Al-hamdu lillah (praise be
to Allah) Who has guided you to that, which is in accord
with Fitrah (i.e., Islamic Monotheism; pure nature of Islam).
Had you selected wine, your people would have gone
astray."

6. 
Al-Mi'raj: Greeting the Prophets
What happened at each level of the heavens as the Prophet PBUH ascends:
The 1st heaven - There was a man standing. The Prophet PBUH described him as being tall and huge.
Jibril(as) said, "This is your father, Adam(as), so say salam to him." So the Prophet(saw) did so and
Adam(saw) responded, "Welcome, O noble son, and O noble prophet." In one narration, it's said the
Prophet(saw) saw many people surrounding Adam(as) . On the right side was one group; on the left
side another group. And when Adam saw the people to the right, he was happy, and when he saw
those on the left, he began to cry. The Prophet(saw) asked Jibril about this. Jibril said, "These are all of
the children of Adam; the people on the right are the people of Jannah, and the people on the left are
the people of Jahannam."
The 2nd heaven - There was Yahya(as) and Isa(as). And he was told, "This is Yahya and Isa, say salam
to them." So the Prophet(saw) did so and they said, "Welcome, O noble brother, and O noble
prophet."
The 3rd heaven - There was Yusuf(as), and it was the same dialogue. And here is where the
Prophet(saw) said the famous statement, "I saw Yusuf, and lo and behold, it was as if he had been
given half of all beauty."
The 4th heaven - There was Idris(as) who also said, "Welcome, O noble brother, and O noble
prophet."

7. 
Al-Mi'raj: Greeting the Prophets
The 5th heaven - There was Harun(as), and the same things are said.
The 6th heaven - There was Musa(as), and the same things are said. (And in other
narration, the Prophet(saw) described Musa as being stout, tall, muscular, and brownish.)
In the narration of al-Bukhari, the following addition can be found: ‘When I proceeded on,
he [Musa] started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said: ‘O Lord!
Followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than
my followers
The 7th heaven - The Prophet(saw) said, "I saw Ibrahim(saw) and he was sitting with his
back leaning on al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the Frequented House)." Jibril(saw) said to me, "This is
your father, Ibrahim(saw), say salam to him." So the Prophet(saw) did so and Ibrahim
responded, "Welcome, O noble son, and O noble prophet." Note only Adam and Ibrahim
responded in this way; the rest said "brother."

8. 
Messenger of Allah ( ‫ﷺ‬
) said, "I met Ibrahim ( ‫ﷺ‬
) on the
Night of Ascension (Al-Asra), and he said to me: 'O
Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah,
and tell them that Jannah has a vast plain of pure soil
and sweet water. It is a plain levelled land. The plants
grow there by uttering: Subhan-Allah, Al-hamdu lillah,
La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar (Allah is free from
imperfection; praise be to Allah; there is no true god
except Allah; and Allah is Greatest)."
Plant Your Tree in Jannah

9. 
1. Sidrat al-Muntaha
2. Bayt al-Ma'mur
3. Jibril's original form
He(saw) was given three things:
1. The five salah (will be discussed later)
2. The ending of Surah al-Baqarah
3. Promise from Allah (gift from Allah): Whoever worship
Allah from his ummah without doing shirk will be forgiven
and caused to enter Jannah
Al-Mi'raj: The Major Signs of
Allah and Gift from Allah..

10. 
.. I descended till I met Moses who asked me, 'What have you done?' I
said, 'Fifty prayers have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the
people better than you, because I had the hardest experience to bring
Bani Israel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such
obligation. So, return to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the
number of prayers.' I returned and requested Allah (for reduction) and
He made it forty. I returned and (met Moses) and had a similar
discussion, and then returned again to Allah for reduction and He
made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Moses who
repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allah reduced it to five. When I
came to Moses again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allah has
made it five only.' He repeated the same advice but I said that I
surrendered (to Allah's Final Order)'" Allah's Messenger ( ‫ﷺ‬
) was
addressed by Allah, "I have decreed My Obligation and have reduced
the burden on My slaves, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it
were ten good deeds….
Salah

11. 
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“I saw some men on the night of my ascension, whose lips were
being sheared by scissors of fire. I said: O Gabriel, who are these
people? Gabriel said: Preachers from your nation who
commanded people to be righteous and they forgot it
themselves, yet they recited the Book. Will they not reason?”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“When I was taken on my night journey, I passed by people who
had metal hooks in their hands and they were clawing at their
faces and necks. I said: Who are these, O Gabriel? Gabriel said:
These are the ones who ‘eat the flesh of people’ (49:12) and
attack their honor.”
Visit to Jannah and Jahannam

12. 
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“I saw some men on the night of my ascension, whose lips were
being sheared by scissors of fire. I said: O Gabriel, who are these
people? Gabriel said: Preachers from your nation who
commanded people to be righteous and they forgot it
themselves, yet they recited the Book. Will they not reason?”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“When I was taken on my night journey, I passed by people who
had metal hooks in their hands and they were clawing at their
faces and necks. I said: Who are these, O Gabriel? Gabriel said:
These are the ones who ‘eat the flesh of people’ )49:12) and
attack their honor.”
Return to Makkah

13. 
1. The primary wisdom of al-Isra wal-Mi'raj is to show the
Prophet PBUH his own status and console him after all of the
hardships he went through…
2. To further the point, the entire al-Isra wal-Mi'raj is a personal
gift from Allah to Prophet Muhammad (saw)..
3. This miracle and gift occurs at a time of great sadness, and
was completely unexpected..
4. Honor: Prophet lead the Salah for all the prophets…
5. Benefits of Zikr of Allah
6. Theological Benefits of al-Isra wal-Mi'raj
The Benefits of al-Isra wal-
Mi'raj