According to Muslims, Isra Mi’raj was a very important night for Muhammad. On this night, Muhammad’s life was changed. He was taken on not one, but two journeys. One of the most important aspects of being a Muslim, daily prayer, is a result of this event.
Muhammad’s Ascension (from a Muslim’s Perspective)
According to Muslims, two important events happened on Muhammad’s night journey. First, Muhammad went to Jerusalem and met with many prophets, including Adam, Musa, and Isa Al-Masih. They asked Muhammad to lead them in prayer, and he did.
Muhammad then passed through all seven heavenly realms. In each realm, he saw a specific vision. Through these visions, God told Muhammad about the importance of daily prayers. This is when Allah revealed that Muslims must pray five times a day.
Isa Al-Masih’s Literal Ascension
Hundreds of years before Muhammad claimed to have ascended into heaven, Isa Al-Masih literally (not in a night vision) ascended into heaven. The Injil records this historical event. It says, “He (Isa) was taken up before their (disciples) very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). According to the Gospel, not only was Isa taken into heaven, but his followers (eye witnesses!) watched it happen!
Acts 1:10-11 says, “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”
Both Muslims and Christians believe that Isa Al-Masih is presently in heaven. In other words, this was not a vision, he did not return to earth.
Isa Al-Masih Will Return!
But Isa will return to earth at the end of time! Both Muslims and Christians believe this. One hadith states, “The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (Mariam, i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3:43:656).
Isa will come to judge the world. He will divide the people into two groups: those who believe in Him and those who do not. All who have trusted in Isa as the sacrifice for their sins will live with Allah for all eternity. Those who have not will be separated from Allah forever.
[We invite you to visit us at https://www.isaandislam.com/way-of-salvation to learn more about God’s gift of Salvation. God loves you and waits to hear from you. Isa clearly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Injil, John 14:6) For a deeper understanding of Isa we suggest you subscribe to “Isa, Islam, and Al-Fatiha” at this link.]
Questions to Comment On:
We encourage our readers to comment on the article above. Comments that don’t directly relate to the topic will be removed. Please start a dialogue with us by focusing on one of the following questions:
1. What proof is there that Muhammad ever went to heaven via Jerusalem in a night vision?
2. Why did Isa Al-Masih make sure He ascended to heaven in front of His followers?
3. What is the significance that, unlike Muhammad, Isa Al-Masih is in heaven at this time and that He will return as a just ruler?
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The miraj was not a vision, it was a physical ascension into the heavens. “Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who hears and sees (all things)” (Qs 17:1). As you can see, God literally took the Prophet into the heavens to show him signs. Also there were witnesses to his miraculous journey to Al-masjid Al-aqsa, as attested by the hadith. This hadith appears in Tafsir ibn Kathir reported as a narrative from Muhammad ibn Ka’b al-Qurazi on the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Amr al-Waqidi.
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Muslim,
The only reference in the Quran is Qs 17:1. This verse only refers to a night journey (Isra), from Mecca to Jerusalem, and doesn’t say anything about the ascent through the heavens at all. Therefore, this one reference is too weak to rely on for the Isra Miraj.
Also, Al Hasan reported: “One of Abu Bakr’s family told me that Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, used to say: ‘The apostle’s body remained where it was but God removed his spirit by night'” (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasulullah, p. 183). Thus, the ascent was not physical.
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Qs 53:13-18 says, “For indeed he saw him at a second descent, Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass: Near it is the Garden of Abode. Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!) (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!”
Qs 17:60 says, ‘“And [remember, O Muhammad], when We told you, “Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people.” And We did not make the sight which We showed you except as a trial for the people, as was the accursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur’an. And We threaten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.”‘
As you can see, the Quran is not silent about Muhammad’s(p) ascension to the heavens. So the Quran can be relied on. However, the hadith gives more information. The Quran describes it as a physical and spiritual journey. Your appeal to an isolated narration is quite problematic.
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Muslim,
Then who was the witness of his ascent? Only the angels?
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Aila,
My understanding of Qs 53:13-18 ties with Muslim’s, that Muhammad said he corporately ascended to heaven, where he personally met Allah and argued for the reduction of the daily prayer from the initial 50 to the current 5. But like everything else that Muhammad did or said, this verse contradicts another one which says that nobody can physically see Allah. Aisha would add that nobody could ever see Allah and if anyone claims that Muhammad did see Allah then such a person is a liar.
If Muhammad is understood to mean that he saw Allah, then he had to be regarded as a liar. Muhammad and apologists try to get out of this dilemma by arguing that Muhammad saw Gabriel under the Lote tree but not Allah. My reaction to that is, if the object Muhammad saw was Gabriel, he would not have been so excited because both of them had interacted several times before then.
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Namelee,
The verses don’t tell clearly whether Muhammad met with God. Muhammad saw the angels and in Qs 53:18, Muhammad saw “the greatest signs of his Lord (Allah).” And these signs were not Allah.
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The content is true and portray scholarly work.
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Aliyu,
Thank you for your comment. We study the Bible and Islamic writings. For many years we have had meaningful dialogues with Muslims and Christians. We are grateful and humbled by the wisdom that God has given us to understand and speak about these two great world religions.
Blessings.