Beyond the Physical – Lessons from a Transcendental Journey

Mobeen-Kamran

Imagine being forced out of the neighbourhood you grew up in. Imagine being disowned by the closest members of your family. Imagine losing two of your closest relatives in the span of a year. Imagine being pelted with stones. Imagine being called a madman, a lunatic, a delusional poet by the same people who, a few years ago testified to your trustworthiness. This was the situation of the Prophet PBUH right before the Mi’raj.

Al Isra’a Wal Mi’raj which roughly translates to “Night Journey and Ascension”; refers to the two-part journey that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH undertook from Makkah to Jerusalem and then onto the heavens. This journey has tremendous significance to Muslims around the world. On the 27th of Rajab, the night assumed to be the night of the Isra’a, it has become tradition to fast during the day and praying long into the night. However, if we were to take a step back and view this event from the wider context of its symbolic importance in the life of the Prophet PBUH and in the lives of ordinary Muslims in Makkah at the time we can achieve a higher appreciation for the Mi’raj.

The Night Journey happened nearly two years after the Year of Sorrow, when He PBUH had to deal with the grief of losing his beloved wife, supporter and one of the first people to accept Islam; Khadijah (RA). In the same year he also lost his uncle, Abu Talib, who raised Him PBUH after the death of His grandfather. In addition to the personal loss the Prophet felt, the demise of Abu Talib also meant that the tribal protection Abu Talib offered as an elder in Makkah, came to an end. Consequently, the Quraish, the tribe which dominated Makkah’s socio-political landscape and were until that point predominantly opposed to the message of the Prophet PBUH, became more audacious in their persecution of Muslims. They began to openly threaten the life of the Prophet PBUH. Physical attacks and attempts at humiliating Muhammad PBUH and his companions intensified to a degree that would not have been conceivable in the lifetime of the Prophet PBUH.

To make matters worse, the attempts at humiliation were not limited to Makkah either. The Quraish, using the leverage they had as custodians of the Holy Mosque, had spread the word that the Prophet PBUH was a madman. The effect of this propaganda manifested itself in its utmost ugliness in 619 CE, when the Prophet visited the town of Ta’if to seek sanctuary for the Muslims. He PBUH was allowed an audience with the chieftains of Ta’if but when they heard His PBUH’s invitation to Islam, they responded egregiously, dispatching their slaves to harass the Prophet and chase Him PBUH out of the city. They pelted Him with stones to the point that His shoes filled up with blood. The behaviour was so deplorable that Allah (SWT) sent the angel Jibril to offer the Prophet aid by crushing the settlement. The Prophet was in immense grief. He PBUH could have accepted the proposition and the oppressors would have been punished for their misdeeds however, the Prophet restrained. Instead of cursing the people of Ta’if and complaining to Allah (SWT) for the hardship by lamenting over his fate, the Prophet set a spectacular example of the humility expected of a Muslim in times of crisis. He made a du’a, asking Allah for help, reiterating to Himself the belief

that when Allah is with someone there is nothing to grieve about.

From an objective point of view, Ta’if was the worst point in the Prophet’s PBUH life, in terms of public sentiment towards Him PBUH. It was after the incident of Ta’if that the Prophet PBUH was taken on the miraculous Night Journey, transcending space and time to rise up to the heavens and meet His PBUH creator.

Prophet Muhammad PBUH was taken to Jerusalem and then up to the heavens. During this journey, Prophet Mohammad PBUH met his predecessors, the Prophets before Him PBUH and visited a level of the heavens where not even the archangel Jibril, the leader of all angels, is permitted to enter. The fact that Prophet Mohammad PBUH was given the honour to visit places where not only no human being but also no angel has ever been given the permission to visit, right after some of the most testing days of His PBUH’s life, is a powerful reminder that when Allah (SWT) takes something away from us, He SWT replaces it with something better.

In this case Allah (SWT) rewarded the struggles of the Prophet and rewarded him with nearness to Him (SWT). In our lives, when we are struck with any tragedy, it is an opportunity to evaluate our relationship with Allah (SWT). Imam Shafi’i perfectly internalizes this sentiment when he says: “My heart is at ease knowing that what was meant for me will never miss me, and that what misses me was never meant for me.”

It is also important to mention the reaction to the Prophet PBUH’s journey as it was received by the people of Makkah. At the time, the disbelievers reacted with their characteristic ignorance, calling the journey fabricated since in 619AD it was not humanely possible to travel from Makkah and Jerusalem, let alone to the heavens and back, in less than a month.

Here again, we can see the contrast between the reactions of the Muslims, people who believed in Islam, and people who disbelieved. For example, when Abu Bakr (RA) was asked if he believed what the Prophet PBUH narrated, he replied: “If He PBUH said it, then I believe him.” This is insightful because it highlights the cautiousness within Abu Bakr (RA) to accept something so far beyond his imagination, but it also encompasses his unwavering commitment to the Prophet PBUH. As in this statement he reaffirms his belief that the Prophet always tells the truth and that he believes Prophet Mohammad PBUH is the messenger of Allah (SWT). Therefore, accepting the story of Al Isra’a Wal Mi’raj was not difficult for him.

The story of Al Isra’a Wal Mi’raj contains a significant amount lessons about the spiritual transcendence the Prophet PBUH went through. However, its core message of not losing faith in Allah in the face of hardships and staying steadfast to the core beliefs of Islam lies within the context of the life of the Prophet and the state of the Ummah at the time. At its core the story of Al Isra’a wal Mi’raj is about keeping faith in Allah (SWT) in the face of hardships as well, remaining steadfast in the belief of Islam. We understand these messages through the examples from the lives of the Prophet and his companions.