Jamiatul Ulama KZN Council of Muslim Theologians
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“Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship, the surroundings of which We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs. Surely He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”
(Surah Bani Israel)
This verse opens Surah Bani Israel, which appears at the beginning of the fifteenth part of the Qur’an. It describes the event of Isra in a concise yet profound manner. What is commonly referred to as Mi‘raj, as found in books and oral tradition, is mentioned briefly in the Qur’an but explained in greater detail in the Hadith. According to tradition, this event occurred in Makkah about a year before the Prophet’s migration to Madinah.
To understand the nature and reality of Mi‘raj, one may compare it to the descent of angels to earth by Allah’s command and their return to the heavens. Just as angels traverse vast distances instantaneously, Allah transported the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Makkah to Bayt al-Maqdis, and from there to the heavens—indeed, beyond them to Sidrat al-Muntaha, the Lote Tree of the Furthest Boundary—all within a portion of the night, by His special command.
During this journey, the Prophet ﷺ was shown extraordinary signs and hidden realities, for the very purpose of this journey, as stated in the verse, was “that We might show him some of Our signs.” The journey consisted of two distinct stages:
Isra – the night journey from the Ka‘bah in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.
Mi‘raj – the ascension from there through the heavens to Sidrat al-Muntaha.
While people commonly refer to the entire journey as Mi‘raj, scholars distinguish between the two stages. Notably, the Qur’anic verse explicitly mentions only the first stage. Since the journey defies ordinary human comprehension—particularly the covering of such vast distances in a short time—Allah begins the verse by glorifying Himself. This makes clear that the journey was not accomplished by the Prophet’s own power, but by Allah, whose might is limitless and who does whatever He wills.
Had this act been attributed to the Prophet ﷺ himself, doubts would naturally arise, since he was human, albeit a Messenger of Allah. By attributing the act to Allah—“Glorified be He Who carried His servant”—the Qur’an removes all grounds for objection and disbelief.
In doing so, the Qur’an also safeguards Muslims from falling into beliefs similar to those held by other religious communities who ascribed divine power to their prophets. The Christians, for example, misunderstood the nature of miracles and attributed divinity to Jesus عليه السلام. Had they recognized miracles as acts of Allah alone, they would not have fallen into such error.
The verse also states that Allah has blessed the surroundings of Masjid al-Aqsa. Situated in Bayt al-Maqdis, it was the center of many prophets of Bani Israel and their direction of prayer. Numerous messengers of Allah lived and are buried there. The region has been blessed with both spiritual and material abundance—fertile land, pleasant climate, and immense religious significance.
The verse then clarifies the purpose of the journey: “that We might show him some of Our signs.” This indicates that Allah wished to reveal to the Prophet ﷺ certain profound realities that lie beyond human perception. The verse concludes with: “He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing,” emphasizing that nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge or awareness.
Scholars have long discussed questions regarding Isra and Mi‘raj. Chief among them is whether the journey occurred while the Prophet ﷺ was awake, and whether it was undertaken physically with both body and soul, or was merely a spiritual vision.
The overwhelming majority of Muslims—from the Companions to the scholars of later generations—hold that the journey was physical and conscious, involving both body and soul. This understanding is supported by the Qur’anic wording “His servant,” which would be inappropriate for a mere dream or vision. Had Mi‘raj been only a dream, it would not have been extraordinary, nor worthy of such emphasis in the Qur’an.
The Qur’anic style—beginning with “Glorified be He”—is used only for events of immense magnitude, beyond normal human experience. This clearly indicates that Isra and Mi‘raj were not dreams or ordinary spiritual experiences, but unique, miraculous events.
Indeed, these events are unlike any journey known in human history, which is why their full nature lies beyond our comprehension. Just as we believe in prophethood and revelation without fully grasping their reality, so too do we believe in Isra and Mi‘raj.
When the Prophet ﷺ informed the unbelievers of his journey, figures like Abu Jahl mocked him. This reaction itself proves that the Prophet ﷺ presented the journey as a literal event, not a dream. Had it been described as a vision, it would not have provoked such ridicule.
Every miracle brought by a Messenger of Allah has been denied by skeptics for defying reason. Yet miracles are, by definition, acts of Allah that transcend human understanding. Even when some Companions referred to Mi‘raj as a “vision,” they did not mean a dream. Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه clarified that it was a vision witnessed with physical sight.
Another common question concerns how such a vast journey could occur in one night, especially in an age without modern transportation. The answer is simple: the Prophet ﷺ did not undertake the journey by his own means. He was carried by Allah, for whom nothing is impossible. Just as angels traverse between heaven and earth instantly, Allah carried His Messenger in the blink of an eye.
Thus, Isra and Mi‘raj were miracles—acts of Allah alone. Prophets do not perform miracles by their own power; they occur solely by Allah’s command. This applies equally to the extraordinary acts attributed to saints (karamat), which are also manifestations of Allah’s power, not the individuals themselves.
Whenever prophets were asked to produce miracles, they declared that such signs lie only with Allah. Mi‘raj, therefore, stands as a supreme miracle, affirming the absolute power and will of the Almighty.
History shows that when people misunderstand this principle and attribute divine power to prophets or saints, they fall into polytheism. While Christians erred in deifying Christ due to his miracles, it is regrettable that some Muslims have adopted similar misconceptions. We must remain grateful to Allah for guiding us away from such errors.
By: Maulana Muhammad Manzoor Nomani (RA)
