Al-’Isrā’ wal-Miʿrāj: Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Night Journey and Ascension to the Heavens Dear Email, Commemorating one of the most seminal events in the life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), I would like to share with you my latest article offering a concise theological and historical overview of al-Isrāʾ wa-al-Miʿrāj, describing the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ miraculous Night Journey from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem/al-Quds) and his subsequent Ascension to the heavens. It shows that this event forms a foundational basis for Muslim attachment to al-Quds (Jerusalem) and clarifies key Qur’anic and hadith references, beginning with Qur’an 17:1 and supported by passages such as Qur’an 53:5–18.  The piece explains the meanings of Isrāʾ (night journey) and Miʿrāj (ascension), highlights scholarly debates over whether the experience occurred in body and spirit or as a vision, and discusses differing interpretations on whether the Prophet ﷺ “saw” Allah—either with physical sight or the heart’s inner vision. The article addresses the question of timing: scholars agree the event occurred in the Meccan period, but disagree on the exact date and year, with multiple narrations placing it near the end of the Meccan phase, likely after the death of Khadīja (رضي الله عنها) and close to the Hijrah, though no single date commands full consensus. Also, the article traces the stages of the al-Isrāʾ wa-al-Miʿrāj, the specific Hadiths and debates on when and whether the Prophet ﷺ prayed in Al-Aqsa before or after the ascension to the heavens. |
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American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging & educating Americans on Palestinian rights and the Israeli occupation. AMP is a premier national organization in the Palestine solidarity movement. |
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