{"id":14390,"date":"2026-04-15T01:37:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T01:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imuslim.us\/?p=14390"},"modified":"2026-04-15T01:37:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T01:37:27","slug":"maria-zain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imuslim.us\/?p=14390","title":{"rendered":"The Night Journey and Obligation of Prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

A-Israa\u2019 and Al-Mi`raj divided those who believed in the ultimate truth from those who wished to stay in their ways.<\/p><\/div>\n

The <\/span>Night <\/span>Journey <\/span>and <\/span>Ascension: <\/span>Al-<\/span>Israa\u2019 <\/span>and <\/span>Al-<\/span>Mi`<\/span>raj<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

“<\/span>Prophet <\/span>of <\/span>Allah,” <\/span>she <\/span>pleaded, <\/span>clutching <\/span>his <\/span>cloak, “<\/span>Do <\/span>not <\/span>tell <\/span>the <\/span>people <\/span>this\u2014<\/span>they <\/span>will <\/span>deny <\/span>you <\/span>and <\/span>insult <\/span>you!”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

But <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet <\/span>of <\/span>Allah (<\/span>peace <\/span>be <\/span>upon <\/span>him) <\/span>was <\/span>determined <\/span>to <\/span>share <\/span>the <\/span>truth. <\/span>He <\/span>would <\/span>not <\/span>keep <\/span>it <\/span>hidden.<\/span><\/p>\n

He <\/span>stepped <\/span>out <\/span>into <\/span>the <\/span>dimly <\/span>lit <\/span>sky, <\/span>unwavering. <\/span>With <\/span>confidence <\/span>and <\/span>certainty <\/span>of <\/span>faith <\/span>that <\/span>had <\/span>never <\/span>been <\/span>shaken, <\/span>he <\/span>declared <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>people <\/span>of <\/span>Makkah <\/span>that <\/span>he <\/span>had <\/span>traveled <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>Ka\u02bfbah <\/span>in <\/span>Makkah <\/span>to <\/span>Al-<\/span>Masjid <\/span>Al-<\/span>Aqsa <\/span>in <\/span>Jerusalem<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>all <\/span>in <\/span>one <\/span>night\u2014<\/span>and <\/span>returned <\/span>before <\/span>dawn.<\/span><\/p>\n

They <\/span>laughed.<\/span>
They <\/span>called <\/span>him <\/span>mad.<\/span>
They <\/span>rushed <\/span>to <\/span>Abu <\/span>Bakr (<\/span>may <\/span>Allah <\/span>be <\/span>pleased <\/span>with <\/span>him), <\/span>his <\/span>most <\/span>trusted <\/span>friend <\/span>and <\/span>companion, <\/span>hoping <\/span>to <\/span>shake <\/span>his <\/span>faith <\/span>too.<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>He\u2019s <\/span>lost <\/span>his <\/span>mind,” <\/span>they <\/span>told <\/span>Abu <\/span>Bakr. “<\/span>He <\/span>claims <\/span>he <\/span>traveled <\/span>to <\/span>Jerusalem <\/span>and <\/span>back <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>single <\/span>night.”<\/span><\/p>\n

At <\/span>first, <\/span>Abu <\/span>Bakr <\/span>was <\/span>confused, <\/span>suspecting <\/span>a <\/span>trick. <\/span>But <\/span>once <\/span>he <\/span>realized <\/span>that <\/span>it <\/span>was <\/span>truly <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet\u2019s <\/span>own <\/span>claim, <\/span>he <\/span>answered <\/span>with <\/span>calm <\/span>conviction:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“<\/span>If <\/span>he <\/span>said <\/span>so, <\/span>then <\/span>it <\/span>must <\/span>be <\/span>true.”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With <\/span>this <\/span>declaration, <\/span>Abu <\/span>Bakr <\/span>earned <\/span>the <\/span>timeless <\/span>title <\/span>of <\/span>As-<\/span>Siddiq<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>Truthful, <\/span>the <\/span>Affirming <\/span>One\u2014<\/span>an <\/span>emblem <\/span>of <\/span>unwavering <\/span>faith <\/span>that <\/span>believers <\/span>continue <\/span>to <\/span>aspire <\/span>toward.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The <\/span>Night <\/span>Journey (<\/span>Al-<\/span>Israa\u2019) <\/span>to <\/span>Jerusalem<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>full <\/span>story, <\/span>however, <\/span>was <\/span>far <\/span>more <\/span>miraculous.<\/span><\/p>\n

That <\/span>night, <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet (<\/span>peace <\/span>be <\/span>upon <\/span>him) <\/span>was <\/span>resting <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>home <\/span>of <\/span>Umm <\/span>Hani<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>his <\/span>cousin <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>sister <\/span>of `<\/span>Ali <\/span>ibn <\/span>Abi <\/span>Talib. <\/span>This <\/span>visit <\/span>followed <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet\u2019s <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Year <\/span>of <\/span>Sorrow\u201d<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>after <\/span>the <\/span>loss <\/span>of <\/span>his <\/span>beloved <\/span>wife <\/span>Khadijah <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>protector, <\/span>Abu <\/span>Talib. <\/span>He <\/span>had <\/span>also <\/span>suffered <\/span>bitter <\/span>rejection <\/span>in <\/span>At-<\/span>Ta\u2019if<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>making <\/span>it <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>darkest <\/span>times <\/span>in <\/span>his <\/span>mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>the <\/span>stillness <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>night, <\/span>the <\/span>Archangel <\/span>Jibreel<\/span><\/strong> awakened <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>gentle <\/span>touch. <\/span>Outside <\/span>waited <\/span>a <\/span>heavenly <\/span>creature: <\/span>Buraq<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>smaller <\/span>than <\/span>a <\/span>mule <\/span>but <\/span>larger <\/span>than <\/span>a <\/span>donkey, <\/span>with <\/span>wings <\/span>that <\/span>allowed <\/span>it <\/span>to <\/span>leap <\/span>as <\/span>far <\/span>as <\/span>the <\/span>eye <\/span>could <\/span>see. <\/span>The <\/span>Prophet <\/span>mounted <\/span>Buraq, <\/span>and <\/span>with <\/span>Jibreel <\/span>beside <\/span>him, <\/span>they <\/span>traveled <\/span>swiftly <\/span>across <\/span>the <\/span>sands <\/span>to <\/span>Jerusalem<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

At <\/span>Al-<\/span>Masjid <\/span>Al-<\/span>Aqsa<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet <\/span>met <\/span>a <\/span>gathering <\/span>of <\/span>all <\/span>previous <\/span>Prophets<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>Adam, <\/span>Noah, <\/span>Abraham, <\/span>Moses, <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>and <\/span>others (<\/span>peace <\/span>be <\/span>upon <\/span>them <\/span>all). <\/span>He <\/span>led <\/span>them <\/span>in <\/span>prayer, <\/span>signifying <\/span>his <\/span>leadership <\/span>and <\/span>unity <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Prophets <\/span>who <\/span>came <\/span>before <\/span>him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, <\/span>he <\/span>was <\/span>offered <\/span>two <\/span>vessels\u2014<\/span>one <\/span>with <\/span>wine <\/span>and <\/span>one <\/span>with <\/span>milk. <\/span>He <\/span>chose <\/span>the <\/span>milk. <\/span>Jibreel <\/span>said:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201c<\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>chosen <\/span>the <\/span>fitrah (<\/span>natural <\/span>disposition). <\/span>You <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>rightly <\/span>guided, <\/span>and <\/span>so <\/span>will <\/span>your <\/span>followers.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

The <\/span>Ascension (<\/span>Al-<\/span>Mi`<\/span>raj) <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>Heavens<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Then <\/span>began <\/span>Al-<\/span>Mi`<\/span>raj<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>ascension <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>heavens.<\/span><\/p>\n

At <\/span>each <\/span>level <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>seven <\/span>heavens, <\/span>the <\/span>Prophet (<\/span>peace <\/span>be <\/span>upon <\/span>him) <\/span>was <\/span>greeted <\/span>by <\/span>earlier <\/span>Prophets:<\/span><\/p>\n