In The Name Of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful

THE MIRACLE OF ISRAA AND MIARAGE

In the Name of Allah: No Assistance except from Him. Our praise to Allah: No Gratitude except for Him. Glories to you my Lord: You created me and I am in full obedience to your command. I hold my covenant to You by whatever in my power. I bear witness that no Deity except Allah, and I send my prayers and greetings to the best among all creatures Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the Messenger of peace who received the last message of heavens to guide the worlds and delivered Allah's Integrated Legislation and Wisdom in a perfect manner.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, I greet you by the greeting of Islam: Asslamu Alikum Wa Rahmetu Allah Wa Barakath:

This Friday Inshaa Allah, I will interrupt the series of Misconceptions about true religions and reflect on the Miracle of Israa and Miarage.

Today is the 26th of Rajab, one of the four sacred months - and the night of Israa and Miarage falls, most probably, this evening Inshaa Allah. May Allah accept and reward all the Muslims in this occasion for their good deeds and unite them all under the banner of "No Deity except Allah."

The Israa and Miarage are two separate miracles, although they occurred together (most probably) on the night of the 27th of Rajab. They are stated in two separate Suras of the Quraan. Muslims commemorate this occasion not remember it as one of the supernatural events, but to remember it as a miracle and learn the lessons of how Allah Gives Support to the believers at all times in a miraculous way beyond the dreams of humans.

The first miracle of Israa is recorded in Sura # 17, Al-Israa and the second miracle of Miarage is recorded after 35 Suras that is Sura # 53 An-Najm. The order of arrangement and descent of the Suras in the Holy Quraan was explained by the Quraan and the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH). Allah Says in Sura # 17 Al-Israa, Verse # 105 about the descent of the Quraan:

"We Sent down the (Quraan) In Truth, and in Truth Has it descended."

So, the whole Quraan was descended in one night, that is the night of power (in Ramadhan). That was the first descent of the Quraan to the first heaven by the Permission of Allah. The second descent was through 23 years, where Allah Sent the Verses of the Quraan:

  1. To suit the special occasions.
  2. To respond to the inquiries of Muslims.
  3. And to correct the misleading concepts of the nonbelievers as I explained in other Khutbas.

The order of descent of these Verses was not exactly in the same order of the Suras as it is recorded in the Holy Quraan in its final form. The order of these Suras was recommended to the Prophet (PBUH) twice before the Prophet (PBUH) passed away. The arrangement of each Sura following the other has the Wisdom of Allah, Who Ordained the arrangement. You can find that very clear in Sura # 16 An-Nahl, which preceded Surat Al-Israa. The end of Sura # 16 gives you the status of the Prophet (PBUH) in short Verses where Allah Gives the Prophet (PBUH) the immunization to stand against all the events he faced in the year of sorrow. That is the year in which Allah Planned to show the Prophet (PBUH) two miracles, one on earth and the other through the kingdom of the unseen.

The year of sorrow collected three major incidents of direct effect on the Prophet (PBUH):

  • FIRST: His wife Khadija died, so he lost the person very close to him who supported and encouraged him since the first verse of revelation. By this incident he lost the tranquility and relief inside his own household.
  • SECOND: His Uncle Abu Talib died in the same year, so the Prophet (PBUH) lost his support and guardian against the dire situation he faced from his own tribe. Thus he lost his support inside his own community.
  • THIRD: The Prophet (PBUH) approached other tribes to seek the support from an outside community. That is the tribe of another city called Al-Taif. But, this tribe did not only reject him, but also they forced him to leave their city and they instructed their boys to throw stones at him. So, he lost the support of the outside community that was the last resort among mankind.

As a result of this situation, Allah Injected in the Prophet (PBUH) the immunization of the Verses # 125-128 at the end of Sura # 16 An-Nahl as a preliminary action before recording in the following Sura: how Allah Rewards the believers in His Cause. These Verses:

The prayer of the Prophet (PBUH) when he was preaching in Al-Taif was concluded by a statement Directed to Allah saying:
"Oh Allah if what I am facing from the nonbelievers is not a punishment Planned by You Almighty, I will stand firm and preach, and I will not care for their opposition as long as I call for Your Cause."

Then Allah Responded to this prayer:

  • Not only by Revealing to the Prophet (PBUH) Verses of the Quraan as stated before,
  • But Allah Planned to Show him practically:
    1. How the best among creatures - the Angels and all the Prophets - appreciate him personally.
    2. And how he is ranked as "Imam" (Standard) for all Prophets in spite of the oppositions of many human beings.

Following the Verses of immunization that concluded Sura # 16, Allah Says in Sura # 17 Al-Israa, Verse # 1:

"Glory to (Allah) Who Did Take His Servant For a Journey by night From the Sacred Mosque To the Farthest Mosque Whose neighborhood We Did Bless,- in order that We Might Show him some Of Our Signs; for He Is the One Who Heareth And Seeth (all things)."

This Verse is full of wisdom and teaching. It starts by "Glory to Allah". The believers in the one God Glorify Him; so, no act or performance is similar to His and no Attribute of Allah is similar to the attributes of humans. Glory to Allah is used at the beginning of the Verses that draw the attention to the Miraculous Unseen Power of Allah. It is stated here to show that the journey was performed by the Absolute Power and when this power is acting, the journey will be completed in no time.

Then Allah Clears the picture about the use of that power in the event of Israa Saying:
"Took His Servant for a journey by night."

Since the days of the Prophet (PBUH) to these days, there were and will always be people among Muslims and non-Muslims, who tried, without understanding this simple statement, to plant the doubt about the incidence of Israa. The nonbelievers faced the Prophet (PBUH) saying "You presume that you had cut the journey in one night, while we all know that it takes us at least one month to cover that distance". They all missed the comprehension of the Verse either intentionally or through their ignorance. Allah Makes it clear:

  • I Am the Absolute Power behind this journey.
  • My Messenger did not claim that he made the trip by himself.
  • But, My Power Slashed the time and distance for him to make the journey in a small fraction of the time compared to the power of human experience.

Also, Allah Stresses on that the Journey was by night. So, in addition to the Arabic word "Assra" which means travel by night, Allah Adds "Lillan" , during the night; to Show that the journey was planned to occur in the dark to be covered like the unseen. So, when the Prophet comes back and claims the journey, the believers in the unseen will be the only people who will keep the faith and stay ready to carry the banner of Islam with their strong belief in Allah and His Messenger.

When Allah Refers the Prophet who was honored by this journey, and who deserves the Power of Allah to Change for him the traditional system of the Globe, He, Almighty Mentioned one attribute of the Prophet (PBUH) that is:
"The Servant of Allah."

Human beings in their dealing with others, sometimes used to enslave others by any means. That is why we became ashamed of the word servant, because it gives us the meaning of slavery and exploitation of a man to his human servant. On the contrary to that a Servant to Allah is not exploited but is rewarded. If I am a sincere Servant to Allah, working for His Cause, I will get the highest reward in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. The proof is:
The Miracles of Israa and Miarage were offered to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) as a reward for a Servant of the Cause of Allah, when he stood firm in spite of all the heart-breaking incidences of the year of sorrow.

Another lesson is added in this Verse, that is, the journey was "From the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque". Allah Directs the attention of Muslims:

  • FIRST: To be aware that the Farthest Mosque is included in the Muslim Sacred places and that the last Message of Islam is a universal one which accommodates all the preceded religions and places of worship to the Day of Judgment.
  • SECOND: To the Jews, who claim that Prophet Moses (POH) was sent for the Jews and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was sent to the Arabs. Allah Says here that this testimony is false and that the last Messenger Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is sent not only for Arabs and Jews alike but also to all creatures of all worlds.
  • Allah also Directs the attention to Muslims at that time that there will be another Mosque in between Mecca and Jerusalem, by Saying "The Farthest Mosque, which indicates that there will be a Mosque in the middle, that is, the Prophet's Mosque in Al-Madina.

Then Allah Adds one more lesson at the end of the Verse, that is "In order that We Might Show him (the Prophet (PBUH)) some of Our signs." Here, Allah Records that:

  • A Servant of My Cause faced the cruelty of Mankind,
  • My Messenger stood alone with no support what so ever to face all the "Taghouts" of his days and did not hesitate to face all of them,
  • This man, Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), should be honored by showing him how Allah Will Make him pass a miracle that will cheer him up and give him pleasure and comfort.
  • Allah Will Rearrange his body to stand travel at an infinite speed.
  • Allah Will Bring him all the Prophets and the Angels who serve humans on earth, all under Prophet Muhammed's command, to show him the universality of his Message.
  • Allah Will Let him observe the activities of his tribe while they are seeking the Bounties of Allah through their fleets across the desert to Show him how Allah Can Destroy all of those who oppress and transgress against others.
  • Not only that, Allah Will Leave to Prophet Muhammed all these signs to inform his tribe about all these incidences when he returns.
  • Allah Will Make him the only Messenger who got the authority to legislate the details Ordained by Allah.

And the reason for all that is stated at the end of the Verse.
"He Almighty Is the One Who Hears and Sees all things."

  • Allah, Almighty Is the One Who Heard the Prophet (PBUH) praying to Him while the boys of Al-Taif were hurting him by throwing their stones.
  • And Allah, Almighty Is the One Who Saw the Prophet's miserable situation after loosing all his support in the year of the Israa and Miarage, that is the year of sorrow.

Ask Allah forgiveness and be sure that He, Almighty Will Respond and Reward you.

Praise be to Allah:

"Who Forgiveth Sin, Accepteth Repentance, Is Severe in Punishment, and Is All-Bountiful. There is no god But He: to Him Is the Final Goal."(40-3)

I ask Allah to shower His Peace and Prayers on Prophet Muhammed, his family and all his companions.

Dear Muslims:

For those who claim the modern knowledge and say that they do not believe in the Miarage (ascension) of the Prophet (PBUH) to the heavens. And for those who presume experience and say it is unbelievable that the Prophet (PBUH) at that time could make the Miarage.
We Muslims respond:

  • If human beings were able to send a man to the moon, land him on its surface and return him back to Earth under the control of human scientists; so, how about the Creator of the human scientists?
  • If Allah, Almighty, Claims similar situation proportionate to His Power that is, to Make His Messenger (PBUH) Ascend to the heavens and Send him back, why it seems unbelievable to you?
  • Allah Created in you the brains that you used to put a man on the moon, and the Creator of your brains Can definitely perform in a manner your brains may not accommodate except, if you believe in the Absolute Power of the Creator.

I hope that all of us will be among the true believers who:

  • hold strongly to their faith;
  • And who will remember and remind their families and friends by the lessons of Israa and Miarage; and by how Allah Observes and Rewards the Servants of His Cause in the worldly life and in the Hereafter.

I will pray and ask Allah, Please say Amen