The Ascension of the Prophet is observed on the 27th day of the Islamic month of Rajab, also known as “Isra and Miraj“. Isra and Miraj are the two parts of a Night Journey which the Islamic prophet Mohammed, according to Islam, took during a single night in 621. It indicates both a physical and a spiritual path within Islam. Lailat al Miraj is a Muslim holiday commemorating the night journey of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to the ‘ Farthest Mosque ‘ in Jerusalem, during which he went to the heavens, purified himself and told Muslims to pray five times daily(Salat).
Lailat al Miraj is usually observed in the Islamic calendar on the 27th day of Rajab’s month. Lailat al-Miraj 2021 will fall on 11th March, although it will start on sunset on 10 March.
The origin of the ascension in Muslim history was linked to the tale about the night trip of Muhammad (Isrā) from the holy place of worship (Mecca) to the “further place of worship” (Jerusalem). The winged legendary creature Burāq carries Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem in one night, and from Jerusalem he reaches to heaven, probably by ladder (mirāj) accompanied by Jibrīl.Both Muhammad and Jibrīl enter first heaven and go through all seven stages before they encounter God’s throne. Both communicated with the seers who came before him including Isa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), ibbrāhīm (Abraham) and Yaadyā ibn Zakarīyā (Baptist).
Many scholars claim the ascension was actually a vision, and some believe that only the spirit of Muhammad was in heaven while his body was in earth but they don’t mean to say that the Ascension happened in a dream, they just mean that it was his own soul that really went on the Night Journey and ascended to heaven, and that the soul experienced events which otherwise witnessed after death.
The events of Lailat al Miraj are briefly mentioned in chapter 17 of the Qur’an, called “Sura Al-Isra” following the Prophet’s ascension into heaven. Most of the descriptions are packed with hadith, supplementary writings on the Prophet Muhammad’s life.
Prophet Mohammed returned with three gifts to his Ummah from Lailat al-Mi’raj–one of them is five daily prayers that he described as “the light of my eye.” Second one is Surah al-Baqarah’s two last verses, which we known as ‘ Amanar Rasul, ‘ reading each day after the Isha prayer and the third one is sins of those in the ummahs of Muhammad (saw) are forgiven if they have no partner with Allah and are finally rewarded with Jannah.
Muslims around the world honor and celebrate this occurrence through prayers in night for Allah’s Blessings , while in some nations Muslims illuminate cities and mosques with candles and electric lights . The United Arab Emirates usually declares a Holiday to celebrate this event.
Swikriti Dandotia
