Celebrating the night of the Isra’ and Mi’raaj

[islamerica]

Question # 60288:Celebrating the night of the Isra’ and Mi’raaj​

Question:

What is the ruling on Celebrating the night of the Isra’ and Mi’raaj, which is the twenty-seventh night of Rajab?.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

There is no doubt that the Isra’ and Mi’raaj (the Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascent into heaven) are two great signs of Allaah which point to the truthfulness of the His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the greatness of his status before Allaah. They are also signs of the great power of Allaah, and of His exalted position above His creation. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allaah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al‑Masjid Al‑Haraam (at Makkah) to Al‑Masjid Al‑Aqsa (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Seer” [al-Isra’ 17:1]

There are mutawaatir reports from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that he was taken up into the heavens, and their gates were opened for him, until he passed beyond the seventh heaven, where his Lord spoke to him as He willed, and enjoined the five daily prayers upon him. At first Allaah, may He be exalted, enjoined fifty prayers, but our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kept going back and asking Him to reduce it, until He made them five, so they are five obligatory prayers but fifty in reward, because each good deed is rewarded tenfold. To Allaah be praise and thanks for all His blessings.

With regard to this night on which the Isra’ and Mi’raaj took place, there is nothing in the saheeh ahaadeeth to indicate that it is in Rajab or in any other month. Everything that has been narrated concerning a specific date for these events cannot be proven to have come from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) according to the scholars of hadeeth. Allaah has wise reasons for causing the people to forget it. Even if the date were proven, it would not be permissible for the Muslims to single it out for particular acts of worship, and it is not permissible for them to celebrate it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) did not celebrate it and they did not single it out in any way. If celebrating it was something that is prescribed in Islam, the Messenger would have told his ummah about that, either in word or in deed. If any such thing had happened, it would have been well known, and his companions would have transmitted the information to us. They narrated from their Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) everything that his ummah needs to know, and they did not neglect any aspect of the religion, rather they were the first ones to do anything good. If celebrating this night had been prescribed in Islam, they would have been the first people to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most sincere of people, and he conveyed the message to the people in full, and he fulfilled the trust. If venerating and celebrating this night were part of the religion of Allaah, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have done that and would not have concealed it. Since no such thing happened, it is known that celebrating it and venerating it is not part of Islam at all. Allaah has perfected this ummah’s religion for it and has completed His favour upon them, and He condemns those who introduce things into the religion which Allaah has not ordained. Allaah says in His holy Book, in Soorat al-Maa’idah (interpretation of the meaning):

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]

And Allaah says in Soorat al-Shoora (interpretation of the meaning):

“Or have they partners with Allaah (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not ordained?” [al-Shoora 42:21]

In the saheeh ahaadeeth it is proven that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against bid’ah (innovation) and stated clearly that it is misguidance, so as to show the ummah how serious the matter is and put them off it.

For example, it is narrated in al-Saheehayn from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected.” In a report narrated by Muslim it says: “Whoever does any action that is not part of this matter of ours will have it rejected.”

In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say in his khutbah on Friday: “The best of speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The worst of matters are those which are newly-invented, and every innovation is a going astray.” Al-Nasaa’i added with a jayyid isnaad: “and every going astray will be in the Fire.”

In al-Sunan it is narrated that al-‘Irbaad ibn Saariyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) delivered an eloquent speech to us which melted our hearts and caused our eyes to flow with tears. We said: O Messenger of Allaah, it is as if it is a farewell address, so advise us. He said: “I advise you to fear Allaah, and to listen and obey, even if a slave is appointed over you. Whoever among you lives will see many differences, so I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the rightly-guided caliphs who will come after me, and cling firmly to it. Beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray. And there are many ahaadeeth with a similar meaning.

Warnings against bid’ah (innovation) have been narrated from the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and from the righteous salaf after them, because this is no more than adding things to the religion and instituting a religion that Allaah has not ordained, and it is an imitation of the enemies of Allaah, the Jews and the Christians, in their additions to their religions and introducing into them things that Allaah had not ordained. It also implies that there is something lacking in Islam, and that it is not complete, and it is well known that this leads to great mischief and evil, and goes against the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]

It also goes against the ahaadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which warn against innovation (bid’ah).

I hope that the evidence we have quoted will be sufficient to convince the seeker of truth that this bid’ah is wrong, i.e., the innovation of celebrating the night of the Isra’ and Mi’raaj, and that it is not part of the religion of Islam at all.

Because Allaah has enjoined being sincere towards the Muslims and explaining what Allaah has prescribed for them in their religion, and because it is haraam to conceal knowledge, I thought that I should point out this innovation, which is so widespread in many regions that people think it is part of the religion, to my Muslim brothers. Allaah is the One Whom we ask to set the affairs of all the Muslims straight, and to bless them with knowledge of Islam, and to help us and them to adhere steadfastly to the truth, and to forsake everything that goes against it, for He is able to do that. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon His slave and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and companions.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him).

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/60288​

 

[Janaan]

As-salaamu `alaikum warahmatullaah!

There are actually people out there who celebrate it...?! Subhaanallaah!

 

[islamerica]

Isra and Miraj:

what are they and why are they important to Muslims


He was depressed and dejected.

His beloved wife Khadija, a source of comfort and support, was dead.

His uncle Abu Talib, his "second father", a pillar of strength who defended him against the vicious attacks of his enemies, was also gone.

His mission to Taif had been unsuccessful. He had tried to invite the people to Islam, but in hateful and humiliating retaliation, they had sent their children after him, throwing rocks on him until he bled.

It was truly a Year of Sorrow.

It was in this context that the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken up to the heavens in a miraculous and profound journey Muslims know as Isra and Miraj. This took place on the 27th day of the month of Rajab.

Isra and Miraj in the Quran and Hadith

"Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo! He is the Hearer, the Seer" (Quran 17:1).

This is how Allah describes this journey. It is also referred to in chapter 53 of the Quran, verses 1 to 18.

Its mention is not just relevant to the specific journey but also for its description of Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem and its "neighborhood" as blessed. Masjid Al-Aqsa is Islam's third holiest mosque in Islam.

In one Hadith, the Prophet said: "Journeys should not be undertaken except to three mosques: this my mosque (in Madinah), the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah), and Al-Aqsa mosque" (Bukhari)

These facts clearly indicate with the sacredness and holiness of this area for Muslims.

Isra and Miraj can be divided into two parts.

Isra

Isra refers to the Prophet's journey from his home in Makkah to Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem and back in one night, something that was considered unthinkable in a time and place where the only means of long-distance transportation was the camel and it took months to make this journey.

Here's what happened: the Prophet rose in the middle of the night to visit the Kaba in Makkah. After worshipping for a period of time, he fell asleep near the Kaba.

The Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and woke him up, taking the Prophet to the edge of the Kaba, where a white beast with wings, called al-Buraq, was waiting.

The Prophet mounted al-Buraq and traveled with amazing speed northwards with Gabriel, towards Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

When they reached Jerusalem the Prophet prayed in the area of Masjid Al-Aqsa with Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets, peace be upon them all. The Prophet Mohammed led this prayer.

It was from the rock inside what is known as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem today, that the Prophet began the next stage of his journey: Miraj.

Miraj

Miraj refers to the ascension of the Prophet from this rock to the Upper Heavens and his return to his home in Makkah in the same night.

The Miraj took place on the same night as the Isra.

It was during this second part of the journey that the Prophet directly spoke with Allah, Who instructed the Prophet that Muslims must pray five times daily.

The Prophet was taken by angel Gabriel up through the heavens, where he witnessed a number of scenes (see belove) from Paradise and Hell. These are documented in a number of the Prophet's traditions.

Back from the journey, people could not believe it

The Makkans had a hard time believing the Prophet about the journey. Even a number of Muslims had their faith shaken, as they could not understand how he could have completed this journey in one night.

For the disbelievers, it only made them more stubborn in their disbelief. But for the true believers, it only strengthened their faith.

For example, the Prophet's trusted Companion, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) didn't flinch when confronted with this miracle. He firmly believed in it. It was because of this conviction that he was given the title "as-Siddiq" (the truthful one).

Given today's advances in technology, where jumbo jets can send us across the ocean in a span of mere hours, how can we deny this miracle of travel, especially from the Being Who has no limits, whether those are of time or distance?

As well, those who object to the possibility of such a journey taking place are forgetting the story of Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him), who lived several centuries prior to Prophet Mohammed. It was during his lifetime that the throne of the Queen of Sheba was transported about 1500 miles to his kingdom.

This blessed journey is definitely one of great significance for Muslims for its miraculous nature and, among other things, for its establishment of the second crucial pillar in Islam: prayer five times a day.

It is also important because it clearly shows Islam's connection to and importance for Jerusalem and Palestine, in an era where terrorists, zealots and fanatics are bent on and have succeeded in wresting control of the blessed land from the Muslims.

-Samana Siddiqui

________________________________________

What Happened in Miraj? Was it Real or a Dream?

The Miraj took place on the same night as the Isra on the 27th day of the Islamic month of Rajab about one year before the Prophet's migration to Madinah from Makkah.

Anas bin Malik, one of the Prophet's Companions narrated a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari which details what the Prophet encountered during the Miraj.

With Gabriel, the Prophet traveled from the nearest heaven, where he met Prophet Adam, then to the second one, where he met Prophets John and Jesus.

From there, he preceded to the third heaven, where he met Joseph, then the fourth heaven, where he met Prophet Idris.

In the fifth heaven, he met Prophet Harun (Aaron), in the sixth heaven, Moses, and in the seventh heaven, Ibrahim. Peace be upon on all of these Prophets.

Past the seventh heaven, he stood in the presence of Allah, who ordered the obligatory prayers Muslims are required to perform daily. Initially, 50 prayers were ordered. However, upon the persistent insistence of Prophet Moses, who met with the Prophet when he was returning down through the heavens, the number was reduced to five prayers every day.
During the Miraj, the Prophet also saw visions of beauty, as well as of horror. For example, according to another Hadith, narrated by Abu Huraira, the Prophet came upon a group of people whose bellies were like houses. They were full of snakes which could be seen from outside their bellies. The Prophet asked Gabriel who they were, and he told the Prophet that they were the people who had practiced Riba (Interest). This Hadith has been narrated in Ahmad and Ibn Maja.

While some scholars are of the opinion that Isra and Miraj were a dream, the majority do not agree.

As scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi notes, in his Tafseer (exegesis) of verse 1 of Surah 17 of the Quran, that "The Quran tells us, in clear terms, that the Prophet (peace be upon him), went from Makkah to Jerusalem and then returned to Makkah during the night (obviously, without the use of anything resembling an aircraft), owing to God's power. Now, if we believe this to be possible, what justification can there be to reject as inherently impossible the additional details of the event mentioned in the traditional source?"

Maududi also adds, quoting this verse, that "For quite obviously, to be able to perceive the kind of things mentioned in connection with the event, either in a dream or by means of intuition, is not so wondrous that it should be prefaced by the statement: 'Holy is He Who carried His servant by night...'; a statement which amounts to proclaiming that God was free from every imperfection and flaw. Such a statement would make absolutely no sense if the purpose of it was merely to affirm that God had the power to enable man to have either visions in the course of a dream, or to receive intuitively."

 

[az101]

Indeed the Celebration of this day is INNOVATION (Bidda) !!

Jazzakallahu khairan

 

[strive-may-i]

:salam2:
Fair enough. now can we examine closely and list acts that fall into the 'Celebrating night of Isra and Mi'raaj' category?