The Night Journey and Ascension: Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj

The Night Journey and Ascension, known as Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj, took place during one of the most painful periods in the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It came after years of rejection in Makkah, the loss of his closest supporters, and continued hostility from Quraysh. At a time when the Prophet ﷺ was emotionally burdened and outwardly unsupported, this extraordinary event served as divine reassurance, honour, and preparation for what lay ahead.

For Muslims, Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj is not a distant miracle to admire from afar. It is a deeply meaningful event that connects belief, worship, patience, and divine support. It affirms that hardship does not mean abandonment, and that unseen help often arrives when human strength is exhausted. This journey reshaped the spiritual foundation of the Muslim community and introduced practices that continue to define Islamic life today.

A Journey Born from Hardship, Not Ease

Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj did not occur during a moment of worldly success. It followed what historians describe as one of the lowest points in the Prophet’s ﷺ life. Khadijah رضي الله عنها, his wife and emotional anchor, had passed away. Abu Talib, his protector in Makkah, was also gone. Without tribal protection, the Prophet ﷺ faced increasing hostility, mockery, and physical danger.

The rejection at Ta’if had been particularly painful. He ﷺ was driven out of the city, injured, and humiliated by its people. This was not simply social rejection; it was the collapse of a hopeful attempt to find safety and support for the message of Islam. When he returned to Makkah, he did so quietly, under the protection of a non-Muslim ally, a clear sign of how vulnerable his position had become.

It was in this context that Allah honoured His Messenger ﷺ with a journey unlike any other. According to the Qur’an, Allah says:

“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs.”
(Qur’an 17:1)

The verse itself sets the tone. The Prophet ﷺ is described first and foremost as “His servant”. This reminds the reader that honour comes through servitude to Allah, not worldly power or recognition.

The Night Journey began in Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ was taken from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem in a single night. This part of the journey is known as Al-Isrāʾ. From there, the Ascension (Al-Miʿrāj) took place, during which he ﷺ was raised through the heavens.

Classical scholars agree that this journey was both physical and spiritual. It was not a dream or vision alone. The shock and ridicule of Quraysh when the Prophet ﷺ later described the journey confirms this. If it had been a dream, it would not have provoked such intense reaction or disbelief.

What is striking is when this journey occurred. Allah did not remove hardship immediately. Instead, He strengthened His Messenger ﷺ internally before external change arrived. This teaches an important principle: spiritual reinforcement often precedes visible relief.

Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj also restored the Prophet’s ﷺ connection to the wider legacy of prophethood. At al-Masjid al-Aqsa, he ﷺ led earlier prophets in prayer. This was not symbolic theatre. It was a declaration that the message of Islam was a continuation of the same monotheistic tradition brought by Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa عليهم السلام.

For the early Muslims, many of whom were suffering quietly, this event was a source of reassurance. Their Prophet ﷺ was not forgotten. Their sacrifices were known. And their path, though difficult, was divinely guided.

This section sets the foundation for understanding Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj not as an isolated miracle, but as a response to prolonged struggle, grief, and endurance. It was not escape from hardship—it was preparation for perseverance.

From Makkah to Jerusalem – The Meaning of Al-Isrāʾ

The first stage of the Night Journey took Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. This journey, known as Al-Isrāʾ, happened in a single night, at a time when such travel would normally take weeks. The Qur’an states this movement plainly and without exaggeration, grounding the miracle in calm certainty rather than spectacle.

Jerusalem was not an unfamiliar place in the religious imagination of Arabia. It was known as a land of prophets, a centre of earlier revelation, and a place tied deeply to the history of monotheism. By taking His Messenger ﷺ to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, Allah was connecting Islam directly to that long prophetic chain. The message of Muhammad ﷺ was not new in essence; it was a continuation and completion of what had come before.

Reports describe the Prophet ﷺ travelling on al-Buraq, a creature described as swift and luminous, created for this journey. While the exact nature of al-Buraq is not something Islam requires believers to analyse in detail, the emphasis of the narration is clear: the journey occurred by Allah’s command and power alone. It was not achieved through human means or effort.

When the Prophet ﷺ reached al-Masjid al-Aqsa, he did something deeply significant. He led the previous prophets in prayer. This act was not about superiority in status but responsibility. It symbolised that the final message had now been entrusted to him, and that the spiritual leadership of monotheism had reached its final stage.

This moment also elevated the status of al-Masjid al-Aqsa for Muslims. It became the third holiest site in Islam, not because of politics or geography, but because it was honoured by Allah and visited by His Messenger ﷺ. The early Muslims, many of whom had never travelled beyond Arabia, now understood that Islam was not confined to Makkah or tribal identity. It was a universal message.

There is also a practical lesson here. The Prophet ﷺ did not bypass Jerusalem and go straight to the heavens. The journey followed a meaningful order: earth to earth first, then earth to heaven. This reinforces the Islamic understanding that spirituality is grounded in real places, real history, and real communities. Faith is not detached from the world; it operates within it.

For the believers in Makkah, hearing of this journey strengthened their understanding of Islam’s wider mission. Their struggle was not small or local. It was connected to something far greater than their immediate circumstances.

The Ascension Through the Heavens – Honour, Dialogue, and Divine Nearness

From al-Masjid al-Aqsa, the second and more extraordinary phase of the journey began: Al-Miʿrāj. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was raised through the heavens, passing through realms unseen by human beings. At each level, he encountered earlier prophets, each welcoming him and affirming his mission.

These meetings were not incidental. Adam, Isa, Yahya, Yusuf, Idris, Harun, Musa, and Ibrahim عليهم السلام each represented different phases of struggle, leadership, patience, and sacrifice. Their presence reinforced that the path of prophethood had always been demanding, and that hardship was not a sign of failure but of responsibility.

One of the most striking moments occurred during the encounter with Musa عليه السلام. When the obligation of prayer was first prescribed as fifty daily prayers, it was Musa who advised the Prophet ﷺ to ask for a reduction, knowing the limitations of human endurance. This exchange shows that divine mercy and human experience are not in opposition. Islam recognises human capacity and does not demand what cannot be sustained.

Eventually, the daily prayers were reduced to five, while retaining the reward of fifty. This was not merely a legal ruling; it was a gift rooted in compassion. Salah became the direct outcome of Al-Miʿrāj, the one act of worship that links the believer directly to what the Prophet ﷺ experienced beyond the heavens.

The Prophet ﷺ was then brought to a level beyond which no creation had gone before. The details of this moment are described with restraint in Islamic sources. There is no attempt to visualise Allah or define the unseen. The focus remains on closeness, honour, and communication, not imagery.

This restraint itself is instructive. Islam does not turn sacred moments into mythology. It preserves their dignity by acknowledging limits of human understanding.

For the early Muslims, the Ascension explained something essential: despite rejection on earth, their Prophet ﷺ was honoured in the heavens. Worldly judgement did not reflect divine worth. This lesson remains relevant in every age.

Quraysh’s Reaction and the Test of Faith

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ shared the account of the Night Journey and Ascension with the people of Makkah, the reaction was immediate and harsh. Quraysh did not approach the story with curiosity or reflection. They saw it as an opportunity to mock, discredit, and isolate him further. To them, travelling from Makkah to Jerusalem and back in a single night was beyond reason, and they used this claim to intensify their opposition.

What is important to understand is that Quraysh were not confused by the idea of miracles. Arabian culture already accepted the supernatural. Their real discomfort came from what the journey represented. Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj affirmed that the Prophet ﷺ was supported by Allah, connected to earlier prophets, and entrusted with a universal mission. Accepting this would have meant surrendering their social authority and religious control.

Quraysh began to publicly challenge the Prophet ﷺ, demanding detailed descriptions of Jerusalem, assuming he would fail. Allah assisted His Messenger ﷺ in that moment. He was able to describe al-Masjid al-Aqsa and its surroundings with clarity, silencing those who hoped to trap him in contradiction. Yet even then, disbelief remained, because rejection was rooted in arrogance rather than lack of evidence.

This episode also became a dividing line among people. For some, it became a reason to doubt. For others, it strengthened faith beyond measure. The journey was not meant to convince everyone; it was meant to reveal hearts.

The response of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه stands out sharply. When he was told of the Prophet’s ﷺ account, his reply was simple and firm. He did not ask for proof or detail. He said that if the Prophet ﷺ had said it, then it must be true. It was from this moment that he became known as As-Siddiq, the one who affirms truth without hesitation.

This reaction highlights an essential aspect of belief in Islam. Faith is not blind acceptance, but it is rooted in trust built over time. Abu Bakr knew the character, honesty, and integrity of the Prophet ﷺ long before Islam. His belief was a reasoned commitment, not emotional impulse.

For the early Muslims, this period was another test layered onto years of hardship. Supporting the Prophet ﷺ publicly after such a claim exposed them to further ridicule and danger. Yet many stood firm, understanding that faith would never be free of challenge.

Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj therefore became a moment of separation. Those who measured truth only by worldly logic stepped back. Those who trusted Allah and His Messenger ﷺ stepped forward, even if it cost them comfort or safety.

Enduring Lessons and the Living Legacy of Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj

The Night Journey and Ascension left a permanent imprint on Islamic belief and practice. Its most enduring outcome was the obligation of Salah. Unlike other commands that came through revelation on earth, prayer was gifted during a meeting beyond the heavens. This alone explains its central place in a Muslim’s life.

Salah became a daily reminder that no matter how heavy life becomes, connection with Allah remains open. Just as the Prophet ﷺ was lifted beyond hardship, believers are lifted spiritually through prayer, five times a day, in ordinary spaces and moments.

Another lasting lesson is that divine support does not always appear as immediate relief. The Night Journey did not end persecution in Makkah. It did not soften Quraysh’s hearts. What it did was strengthen the Prophet ﷺ internally and prepare the community for future stages, including migration and eventual success.

Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj also teaches restraint in belief. Islam does not encourage unnecessary speculation about the unseen. The focus remains on meaning, purpose, and action. This balanced approach preserves faith without turning it into mythology or philosophical abstraction.

Perhaps most importantly, this event affirms that honour comes through patience and obedience, not recognition or ease. The Prophet ﷺ was honoured in the heavens while being rejected on earth. This contrast reshaped how Muslims understand success and failure.

For generations of believers, Al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj continues to offer reassurance. It reminds them that Allah sees struggle, hears supplication, and responds in ways that may not be immediately visible. It teaches that when the road becomes narrow and support seems distant, divine help may be closer than imagined.

References

1. The Qur’an, Surah Al-Isrāʾ (17:1).
2. Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah (as preserved by Ibn Hisham), translated by A. Guillaume.
3. Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Salat and Kitab al-Manāqib.
4. Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman.
5. Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk.
6. W. Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Mecca, Oxford University Press.
7. Muhammad Hamidullah, Introduction to Islam.
8. Karen Armstrong, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time.