The correct answer is Miraj (often referred to as Al-Isra wal-Miraj). This monumental event occurred during a period of intense personal grief and external pressure for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Historically, the 10th year of Prophethood is known as Aam-ul-Huzn,... Read More
The correct answer is Miraj (often referred to as Al-Isra wal-Miraj). This monumental event occurred during a period of intense personal grief and external pressure for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Historically, the 10th year of Prophethood is known as Aam-ul-Huzn, or the "Year of Sorrow." Within a short span of time, the Prophet (PBUH) had lost his beloved wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA), who had been his primary emotional and financial support, and his uncle Abu Talib, who had provided the tribal protection necessary to keep the Quraish at bay. Furthermore, his journey to Ta'if to seek a new base for Islam had resulted in rejection and physical injury. It was against this backdrop of earthly hardship that the miraculous journey of Miraj was granted as a divine gift of solace and elevation.
The event is divided into two distinct phases. The first, Al-Isra, refers to the horizontal journey across the earth. According to tradition, the Archangel Jibril (AS) visited the Prophet (PBUH) while he was near the Kaaba in Makkah. He was presented with the Buraq, a celestial creature described as smaller than a mule but larger than a donkey, capable of covering vast distances in a single stride.
In an incredibly short period, the Prophet (PBUH) was transported from Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Upon arriving at the holy site of Al-Aqsa, he led all the previous Prophets in prayer, symbolizing his role as the final messenger and the "Seal of the Prophets." This moment solidified Jerusalem's status as the first Qibla for Muslims and established a permanent link between the Abrahamic faiths.
The second phase, Al-Miraj, describes the vertical journey from Jerusalem through the seven heavens. As the Prophet (PBUH) ascended, he met various Prophets at different levels: Adam (AS) in the first heaven, Isa (AS) and Yahya (AS) in the second, Yusuf (AS) in the third, Idris (AS) in the fourth, Harun (AS) in the fifth, Musa (AS) in the sixth, and Ibrahim (AS) in the seventh heaven. Each meeting reaffirmed the continuity of the divine message throughout human history.
The climax of the journey was the arrival at the Sidrat al-Muntaha (The Lote Tree of the Furthest Boundary), beyond which even Jibril (AS) could not pass. Here, the Prophet (PBUH) experienced a direct communion with Allah (SWT). It was during this divine encounter that the most significant practical gift for the Muslim Ummah was established: the obligation of the five daily prayers (Salah). Initially, fifty prayers were commanded, but through the intercession of the Prophet (PBUH) and the advice of Musa (AS), the number was reduced to five, though the reward remained equivalent to fifty.
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