Isra and Mi'raj

After enduring great personal losses, including the deaths of Khadijah and Abu Talib, and the painful experience at Taif, Allah granted the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the miraculous journey of Isra and Mi'raj. This event provided him with profound spiritual and emotional comfort.

Isra - The Night Journey

Opening of the Chest

In the Hatim of the Ka‘bah, Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ opened the Prophet’s ﷺ chest, brought a golden bowl filled with either zamzam or iman, washed his heart, and replaced it. This was the second cleansing — the first occurred when he was a child, where a black spot was removed. This time, the cleansing was to prepare him for what no other human could bear to witness. As Allah describes in Surah al-Najm [53:17], the Prophet ﷺ remained steadfast even while entering another dimension.

Riding al-Buraq

Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ then brought al-Buraq, a dazzling white creature larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, capable of leaping as far as the eye could see. Unlike the mythical depictions, it was a real animal with a saddle and reins. When it hesitated, Jibril scolded it, reminding it that no rider was more honored than Muhammad ﷺ. This confirmed that others had ridden Buraq before, though its reality belongs to the unseen realm.

The Prophet ﷺ rode Buraq until he reached Bayt al-Maqdis. Though Jerusalem at the time was a Roman garbage dump, Allah showed him the sacred Temple as it had once been. The Prophet ﷺ tied Buraq to the post used by the prophets, indicating that he was witnessing a divinely restored vision of the site.

Praying with the Prophets

Inside, the Prophet ﷺ prayed two rak‘at. Two authentic narrations differ: one suggests he discovered the prophets behind him after finishing, the other describes him seeing and recognizing them beforehand. He noted Musa’s عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ tall, strong build, Isa’s عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ lighter complexion and glistening hair, and Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, who resembled him most closely — almost like a mirror image.

The salah concluded with the Prophet ﷺ leading all the prophets in prayer, a supreme honor declaring him Sayyid al-Anbiya (Leader of Prophets) and Imam al-Mursalin (Imam of Messengers). The fact that the prophets were praying even after death highlights the eternal importance of salah.

Milk vs. Wine

After the prayer, Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ presented two vessels — one with milk, the other with wine. The Prophet ﷺ chose milk, and Jibril declared, “You have chosen the fitrah for your ummah.”

Milk, pure and nourishing, represents natural goodness, while wine, corrupted and fermenting, symbolizes moral decay. The choice signified that the Prophet’s ﷺ ummah would be blessed to remain upon the pure fitrah — uncorrupted and wholesome.

Mi'raj - The Ascension

Ascending Through the Heavens

The Prophet ﷺ described how Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ sought permission at each gate of the seven heavens. Every gatekeeper asked, “Who is it? Do you have anyone with you? Has he been sent for?” And upon Jibril’s affirmation, the doors opened. This repeated at every level, showing that the heavens are guarded by locked gates, each watched by angels who admit none without Allah’s permission.

Greeting the Prophets

At each heaven, the Prophet ﷺ was introduced to a prophet and exchanged salam:

1. First heaven: He met Adam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, who welcomed him as a “righteous son and prophet.” Adam had groups of souls on his right and left—those destined for Jannah made him smile, those for Jahannam made him weep.

2. Second heaven: He met Yahya عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ and ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, cousins, who greeted him as a righteous brother and prophet.

3. Third heaven: He met Yusuf عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, whose beauty was so radiant it seemed as if he had been given half of all beauty.

4. Fourth heaven: He met Idris عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, who welcomed him warmly.

5. Fifth heaven: He met Harun عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, likewise greeting him as a righteous brother and prophet.

6. Sixth heaven: He met Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, described as tall, strong, and brown-skinned. After greeting him, Musa wept. When asked why, he replied, “This young man who came after me will have a larger following entering Jannah than my ummah.”

7. Seventh heaven: He met Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, seated with his back against al-Bayt al-Ma‘mur (the heavenly Ka‘bah visited daily by 70,000 angels). Ibrahim welcomed him as a righteous son and prophet—just as Adam had done.

Notably, Adam and Ibrahim greeted him as son, while the others called him brother.

Conversations with the Prophets

The Prophet ﷺ spoke with the prophets about the Day of Judgment. Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ and Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ said they had no knowledge of it. ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ said he knew some signs: his return to earth, the slaying of Dajjal, the emergence of Ya’juj and Ma’juj who would devastate the world’s resources, their destruction by Allah after his du‘a, and the cleansing rain that would wash away their corpses. After this, the Day of Judgment would be as imminent as a mother about to give birth.

Another conversation: Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ sent his salam to the ummah of Muhammad ﷺ and gave advice about Jannah. He described it as lush but barren of trees, and said the saplings are planted by dhikr: “SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar.”

Malik, the Gatekeeper of Hell

At one point, the Prophet ﷺ was introduced to Malik, the angel in charge of Hell. The Qur’an mentions him in [43:77]: “They will call, ‘O Malik, let your Lord end us!’ He will say, ‘Indeed, you will remain.’”

Before the Prophet ﷺ could greet him, Malik himself offered salam first. Jibril explained: “He has never smiled since he was created. Were he ever to smile for anyone, it would have been you.”

This encounter symbolized the distance of the Prophet ﷺ from Hellfire. Even its gatekeeper initiated the salam, highlighting that the Messenger ﷺ is far above any connection with Jahannam.

Sidrat al-Muntaha

After passing the prophets in the heavens, the Prophet ﷺ reached the Sidrat al-Muntaha, the “Lote Tree at the Furthest Boundary.” Described as vast, fragrant, and fruit-bearing, its fruits were like large jars and its leaves like elephant ears. When he saw it, the Tree became covered in indescribable colors and lights, as Allah mentions in the Quran [53:16–18].

Some narrations place it in the 6th heaven, others in the 7th. Scholars reconciled this by explaining that its trunk begins in the 6th but its branches extend beyond the 7th, marking the end of creation — beyond which lies only the Throne of Allah.

The Sidrat al-Muntaha symbolizes the limit of the created world: everything rising from the earth stops there (du‘a, deeds, words), and from it descends what Allah sends down (mercy, rain).

The Four Rivers

At the base of the Sidrah, the Prophet ﷺ saw four rivers flowing: two hidden (of Jannah) and two visible (on earth). Jibril explained:

• The hidden: al-Kawthar and Salsabil.

• The visible: the Nile and the Euphrates.

These two earthly rivers, cradle of human civilization, were declared among Allah’s special blessings.

Al-Bayt al-Ma‘mur

The Prophet ﷺ then saw the Bayt al-Ma‘mur, a heavenly counterpart to the Ka‘bah, directly above it. Every day, 70,000 angels enter it never to return, highlighting the unimaginable number of angels Allah has created. Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ was seen leaning against it, linking him to both the earthly and heavenly Houses of Allah.

Jibril in His Original Form

At this stage, the Prophet ﷺ saw Jibril عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ in his true form: 600 wings filling the horizon, with pearls and corals dripping from them. Unlike other angels who have 2, 3, or 4 wings Quran [35:1], Jibril was granted the greatest form, befitting his status as the chief of angels.

The Major Signs of Allah

The Quran describes this moment: “He saw of the Greatest Signs of his Lord” [53:18]. Scholars explain that these three signs were:

1. The Sidrat al-Muntaha (end of the universe).

2. The Bayt al-Ma‘mur (house of worship for angels).

3. Jibril in his original form.

The Three Great Gifts

During this sacred ascent, the Prophet ﷺ received three divine gifts:

1. The five daily prayers .

2. The last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah Quran [2:285–286] — revealed directly to him from Allah, unlike the rest of the Quran brought down by Jibril. These verses carry immense virtues: protection, sufficiency, and special connection to Allah’s Throne.

3. The glad tidings that any believer who avoids shirk will ultimately be forgiven and admitted to Jannah.

The Divine Appointment with Allah

At the peak of the Mi‘raj, the Prophet ﷺ was granted a private audience with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ — an honor no other human has received.

• Details of the meeting: We have very limited authentic detail about this encounter. Some fabricated reports claim, for example, that the tashahhud was a direct dialogue between Allah and the Prophet ﷺ, but reliable narrations remain silent on the exact nature of their exchange.

• Beyond Sidrat al-Muntaha: Based on the hadith in which the wording changes to the singular form “Then I was caused to ascend forth,” it appears that the Prophet ﷺ ascended beyond that point alone.

• The Pen: He ascended to a realm where he could hear the Pen writing — the very first of Allah’s creations — which records all that will occur until the Day of Judgment.

The only detail we know for sure from this Divine meeting is the command of 50 daily prayers.

The farida: 50 reduced to 5

From that Divine meeting the Prophet ﷺ returned with a command: 50 salawat daily. On his descent he met Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ, who advised going back to ask for a reduction — Musa had experience of his own nation’s limits. The Prophet ﷺ returned repeatedly (narrations say multiple times, at least five), each time requesting mercy for his ummah. The number decreased stepwise (accounts vary whether by 5 or 10 each time), until it reached 5 daily prayers. Still Musa suggested further lowering, but the Prophet ﷺ, feeling embarrassed to press again, stayed with the reduction. Then Allah’s voice proclaimed: “My farida has been established; it is 5, but it shall be rewarded as 50.”

This story yields core lessons: salah’s supreme status (it was conveyed directly from the Divine), and Allah’s mercy and justice in making the burden manageable while preserving the enormous spiritual reward. Did the Prophet ﷺ see Allah? Scholars differ on this matter. The stronger and more widely accepted view is that he did not see Allah directly, but rather beheld the Veil of Allah. After the Divine meeting, the Prophet ﷺ was shown Jannah, Jahannam, and other signs. 

The return to Makkah and the test of evidence

The Prophet ﷺ re-rode al-Buraq from Jerusalem and returned to the Haram in Makkah. On the way he passed three Qurayshi caravans (one with a lost camel, one whose urn he drank from, etc.)—details he later used as signs.

When he awoke the next morning he was trembling with anxiety about telling the people. Abu Jahal saw his state and taunted him to announce what happened. The Quraysh gathered, some mocked, some asked precise questions about Bayt al-Maqdis. The Prophet ﷺ initially faltered — human memory has limits — but then Allah caused Bayt al-Maqdis to appear in front of him, towering over his childhood house so he could answer each question accurately. He also gave three signs (the three caravans). One caravan arrived exactly as he described; Abu Jahal called it sorcery but the events convinced some and confirmed the truth for Abu Bakr.

Abu Bakr: al-Siddiq

When news reached Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ someone asked, “Do you believe this?” Abu Bakr replied, “If he said that, then it is true.” He added he believed even greater truth: that revelation comes to the Prophet from above the seven heavens. From that moment Abu Bakr was known as al-Siddiq — the sincere confirmer.

Quranic Reference

The two cosmic halves of the story have Quranic references: the Isra is referenced in surah al-isra (17:1) — the physical night journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa — and the Mi‘raj is reflected in surah al-najm (53:13–18), which alludes to the ascent and the Greatest Signs the Prophet ﷺ witnessed.