Shab e Meraj (The Night of Ascend)

Shab e Meraj means the night of Ascend. All the Muslim believers celebrate this as a grand day of Meraj as “Grand Eid”. It is the blessed night when the holy prophet was spiritually transported to heaven and he reached a high stage of nearness to god almighty which is beyond ordinary human comprehension. The purpose of the Ascent was to confirm the high status of the prophet of Islam, a position which all Muslim believe, is impossible to attain by any other human being. The Prophet was given the five daily prayers and the last verses of Surat al-Baqara, and (for his sake) whoever of his Community does not associate anything with Allah is forgiven even the sins that destroy. 


On the night of Ascend Archangel Gabriel along with two other angels visited the holy Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), while he was asleep in the Hateem part of Ka’abah. There Gabriel purified Muhammad’s (Pbuh) heart and filled him with knowledge and faith in preparation to enter the seven levels of heaven. After the transformation of the body, Archangel Gabriel (pbuh) said to him: “This night you have to perform a very unique journey and I have been ordered to remain with you. You will have to traverse different parts of the world mounted on an animal named al-Buraq.” Holy Prophet Muhammad, began his historical night journey, along with the trusted protector of the revelation, the Angel Gabriel (pbuh) from the house of “Umm-e-Hani”, with the aide of his steed al-Buraq. “After some time, Angel Gabriel (pbuh) stopped Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and said to perform the Salat. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) dismounted from al-Buraq and performed Salat. Gabriel (pbuh) said, ‘Do you know where you just prayed?’ Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied to him in negative. Gabriel (pbuh) said, ‘In Taibah (Madinah), that place where your travelers will go.’ After this, Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) got back onto al-Buraq and continued the journey.””Once again, Angel Gabriel (pbuh) stopped Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and said, ‘Perform the Salat.’ Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny once again dismounted al-Buraq, and performed Salat there. Gabriel (pbuh) asked Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), ‘Do you know where you just prayed?’ It is the Mountain of Sinai – the place where Prophet Musa (pbuh) spoke to Allah (swt).””Once again, Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him and his progeny ascended al-Buraq and continued. Shortly afterwords, Angel Gabriel (pbuh) said, ‘Get down and perform the Salat.’ Then again Gabriel (pbuh) questioned, ‘Do you know where you just prayed?’ Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied in negative, to which he answered, In Bait al-Laham (Bethlehem) – the place which is near to Baitul Maqdis and this is the place where Prophet Isa al-Masih (pbuh) was born.”Then they reached Baitul Maqdis, which is located in today’s Zionist occupied Jerusalem and is also known as Masjid al-Aqsa (the Furthest Mosque) . Prophet Muhammad, (pbuh) entered the Masjid and it was here that he met Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and the rest of the Prophets (pbut). They all gathered around him and they all proceeded to get ready for Salat. Holy Prophet Muhammad, (pbuh) had no doubt that the Salat would be lead by Angel Gabriel (pbuh), however when the lines for the Salat were being formed, Angel Gabriel (pbuh) placed his hand on the shoulder of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and pushed forward. Angel Gabriel (pbuh) also took part in the Salat behind him along with the various Prophets (pbut).On the night of Miraj ,two cups, were presented to him at Jerusalem,one containing wine and the other milk. He looked at it and took the cup of milk. Gabriel said, “Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your nation would have gone astray.”

On the second part of his journey, he proceeded from this spot to the skies (heavens). Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), then observed the stars and the systems of the world and conversed with the souls of the previous prophets, and also with the angels of the heavens, peace and blessing be upon them all. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) saw the centre of the tortures and the blessings (hell and heaven) and became fully aware of the secrets of creation, the extent of the universe and the signs of the Omnipotent Allah (swt).Then Holy Prophet Muhammad, (pbuh) continued his journey and reached Sidrat ul Muntaha (Beyond this point nobody has access including Angel Gabriel (pbuh).There he found it fully covered with splendour, magnificence and grandeur and come to know Haqeeqat-e-Ahmadi, of whom Muhammad (pbuh) was a part and material manifestation. The Prophet (Pbuh) was informed and shown his own spiritual reality at Sidrat-ul-Muntaha. The Qur’an briefly mentions only the following; “So He (Allah) revealed to his bondsman (Muhammad) whatever he revealed… Indeed he (Muhammad) did see of the greatest signs of his Lord (Allah)”. It should be mentioned that on the night of Meraj, among the things which Allah revealed to him then, was: “Fifty prayers were enjoined on his followers in a day and a night.” Then the Prophet descended till he met Moses, and then Moses stopped him and asked, “O Muhammad ! What did your Lord en join upon you?” The Prophet replied,” He enjoined upon me to perform fifty prayers in a day and a night.” Moses said, “Your followers cannot do that; Go back so that your Lord may reduce it for you and for them.” So the Prophet turned to Gabriel as if he wanted to consult him about that issue. Gabriel told him of his opinion, saying, “Yes, if you wish.” So Gabriel ascended with him to the Irresistible and said while he was in his place, “O Lord, please lighten our burden as my followers cannot do that.” So Allah deducted for him ten prayers where upon he returned to Moses who stopped him again and kept on sending him back to his Lord till the enjoined prayers were reduced to only five prayers.

Then Moses stopped him when the prayers had been reduced to five and said, “O Muhammad! By Allah, I tried to persuade my nation, Bani Israel to do less than this, but they could not do it and gave it up. However, your followers are weaker in body, heart, sight and hearing, so return to your Lord so that He may lighten your burden.”The Prophet turned towards Gabriel for advice and Gabriel did not disapprove of that. So he ascended with him for the fifth time. The Prophet said, “O Lord, my followers are weak in their bodies, hearts, hearing and constitution, so lighten our burden.” On that the Irresistible said, “O Muhammad!” the Prophet replied, “Labbaik and Sa’daik.” Allah said, “The Word that comes from Me does not change, so it will be as I enjoined on you in the Mother of the Book.” Allah added, “Every good deed will be rewarded as ten times so it is fifty (prayers) in the Mother of the Book (in reward) but you are to perform only five (in practice).”

The Prophet returned to Moses who asked, “What have you done?” He said, “He has lightened our burden: He has given us for every good deed a tenfold reward.” Moses said, “By Allah! I tried to make Bani Israel observe less than that, but they gave it up. So go back to your Lord that He may lighten your burden further.” Allah’s Apostle said, “O Moses! By Allah, I feel shy of returning too many times to my Lord.” On that Gabriel said, “Descend in Allah’s Name.”

After the great event he was again taken back to Ka’abah. The whole journey was completed within the night. It was daybreak when he dismounted at the house of Umm-e-Hani from al-Buraq which had taken him into space. Holy Prophet Muhammad, (Pbuh) related this matter to Umm-e-Hani and the following night, he made it known to the assemblies of Quraysh as well. The word of his travels spread from mouth to mouth amongst all the groups, and now more than ever, the Quraysh were upset (with him) and they disbelieved.

Then the  Apostle of Allah said “When the people of Quraish did not believe me (i.e. the story of my Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it.” ( Narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah)Glory to Allah Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts 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). Qur’an, Sura 17 (Al-Isra) 


On the night journey (Miraj) two cups, one containing wine and the other milk, were presented to him at Jerusalem. He looked at it and took the cup of milk. Gabriel said, “Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your nation would have gone astray.”

N.B : Some people claims that there The Prophet saw Allah.Well, primarily the holy Prophet (Pbuh) himself never claimed seeing Allah, while narrating the events of Me’raj. If he had, it would have been the most important part worth description. The description in Qur’an, of the person, whom the Prophet (Pbuh) met in Me’raj seems too materialistic to fit the conception of Allah. “.. Then he approached and came closer and was at a distance of two bows length or (even) closer..” And lastly, the Prophet himself denied that he saw Allah in Me’raj; “Narrated Abuzar that he asked the Prophet (Pbuh); Did you see your Lord? He replied; He is Noor. How can I see Him.” (Muslim)