Today Muslims remember the ascension of Mohammed into heaven
On 27 Rajab (coinciding with September 1) Muslims world wide remember Israa' and Mi'raj, the miraculous Night Journey and Ascension of Prophet Muhammad, to heaven.
By Twaha Kasule
On 27 Rajab (coinciding with September 1) Muslims world wide remember Israa' and Mi'raj, the miraculous Night Journey and Ascension of Prophet Muhammad, to heaven.
On this night Muhammad was sleeping near the Ka`bah in Makkah, when the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) woke him up and led him to Al-Buraq, a beast resembling a horse with two huge wings springing from its back. From Makkah, Al-Buraq took off toward Jerusalem. There, the Prophet was met by all the other prophets. He dismounted, tethered Al-Buraq to a ring in the gate of Jerusalem, and led fellow prophets including Ibrahim, Musa and Jesus in prayers.
This journey demonstrates God's might and ability to make possible the impossible. The concepts of time and space as we understand them could not apply in the face of this great order of Allah and what applied cannot be perceived by our limited faculties.
Led by Jibreel, the Prophet began his ascent through the seven heavens, where he saw the other prophets till he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha, the remotest lote tree, symbolising the end of worldly knowledge. He was then taken before Allah. Allah enjoined the Muslims to perform salah (ritual prayers) 50 times a day.
On his way down, Muhammad met Musa, who asked him how many prayers were laid upon his followers. When Muhammad replied 50, Musa told him that the congregational prayer is heavy and the people are weak. Musa advised the Prophet to go back and ask Allah to reduce them. Muhammad made several trips back and forth and each time Allah reduced the number, till finally He reduced it to five. If the Muslim worshipper performs them properly, he/she will be given credit for 50.
The Prophet continued his descent till he arrived back in Makkah, where he narrated the story to the people. This miracle was the first serious trial for the Companions' faith when they were confronted with an issue that cannot be measured empirically. After seeing Allah’s signs, the Prophet’s faith was established on certainty.
The trip from Makkah to Jerusalem was not haphazard. This area is known as the cradle of all religions and Muhammad’s message encompasses all the preceding ones.
This miraculous journey establishes several facts. First, the status of the Prophet Muhammad as he was chosen to lead all the prophets in prayer and to go where no one else, not even Jibreel, was allowed.
The journey also establishes the sanctity of Jerusalem because it is the point where the earth and sky meet and from there the Prophet ascended to heaven. Therefore, the whole of Jerusalem and not only the mosque is considered in the eyes of Muslims, a sacred place after Makkah and Madinah.
The writer is an administrator at the Islamic University in Uganda
Ends
On 27 Rajab (coinciding with September 1) Muslims world wide remember Israa' and Mi'raj, the miraculous Night Journey and Ascension of Prophet Muhammad, to heaven.
On this night Muhammad was sleeping near the Ka`bah in Makkah, when the angel Jibreel (Gabriel) woke him up and led him to Al-Buraq, a beast resembling a horse with two huge wings springing from its back. From Makkah, Al-Buraq took off toward Jerusalem. There, the Prophet was met by all the other prophets. He dismounted, tethered Al-Buraq to a ring in the gate of Jerusalem, and led fellow prophets including Ibrahim, Musa and Jesus in prayers.
This journey demonstrates God's might and ability to make possible the impossible. The concepts of time and space as we understand them could not apply in the face of this great order of Allah and what applied cannot be perceived by our limited faculties.
Led by Jibreel, the Prophet began his ascent through the seven heavens, where he saw the other prophets till he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha, the remotest lote tree, symbolising the end of worldly knowledge. He was then taken before Allah. Allah enjoined the Muslims to perform salah (ritual prayers) 50 times a day.
On his way down, Muhammad met Musa, who asked him how many prayers were laid upon his followers. When Muhammad replied 50, Musa told him that the congregational prayer is heavy and the people are weak. Musa advised the Prophet to go back and ask Allah to reduce them. Muhammad made several trips back and forth and each time Allah reduced the number, till finally He reduced it to five. If the Muslim worshipper performs them properly, he/she will be given credit for 50.
The Prophet continued his descent till he arrived back in Makkah, where he narrated the story to the people. This miracle was the first serious trial for the Companions' faith when they were confronted with an issue that cannot be measured empirically. After seeing Allah’s signs, the Prophet’s faith was established on certainty.
The trip from Makkah to Jerusalem was not haphazard. This area is known as the cradle of all religions and Muhammad’s message encompasses all the preceding ones.
This miraculous journey establishes several facts. First, the status of the Prophet Muhammad as he was chosen to lead all the prophets in prayer and to go where no one else, not even Jibreel, was allowed.
The journey also establishes the sanctity of Jerusalem because it is the point where the earth and sky meet and from there the Prophet ascended to heaven. Therefore, the whole of Jerusalem and not only the mosque is considered in the eyes of Muslims, a sacred place after Makkah and Madinah.
The writer is an administrator at the Islamic University in Uganda
Ends