Episode 7: A Spotlight on the Journey of Israa and Miraj

Sheikh Ali Paqees:Israa and Miraj is the great journey of faith and the divine guidance granted by Allah (Glory be to Him) to his slave Mohammed صلى الله عليه وسلم to relieve his  sorrow after being accused of lying by his people, and dismissed by people of Altaef. Even his companions have been depressed and hurt for the sake of Allah (Glory be to him)

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: signs of relief from Allah to his prophet started to follow one another. Jinn listened to him, believed in him and went to their people warning them. Now the journey of Israa and Miraj comes. This great, serious interesting journey of the prophet peace be upon him. It seems as if the journey says to the prophet have you  been forsaken by your people in earth, Allah is pleased with you in heaven; have the earth, vast as  it is, was restrained for you, then come to the wide heaven.

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi:he was prevented by people of earth and welcomed by angels of heaven

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: Gabriel عليه السلام and angels welcome you in every heaven. Moreover, you will be welcomed by Allah (Glory be to him ) and you talk to him without mediator:

{سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}  [الإسراء: 1]

Interpretation of the meaning: "Glorified and Exalted is He who took his slave for a journey by night from Almasjid Alharam to Almasjid Alaqsa in neighborhood whereof we have blessed in order that we might show him of proofs. verily ,he is the All-Hearer the All-seer." [Al-Israa: 1]

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a great need  to be relieved as Allah's enemies arranged their plan together plotting against him. They hurt his body, his relatives, his companions, his followers and himself and his great personality (peace and blessings be upon him)

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: the journey of Israa and Miraj begins when the  prophet was laying down in a rocky tract. After finishing night prayer, he (peace and blessings be upon him) lay down

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi:suddenly, good comes to him by being chosen by his Lord

Sheikh Ali Paqees:Gabriel then takes the prophet, peace be upon him, and split his chest and  takes it out for the second time 

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon:he then brought a golden wash bowl full of faith. He  washed the prophet's heart from this wash bowl  and  gave it  back. It was the second time for his  chest to be split after the first one in Bani Saad desert

Sheikh Ali Paqees:for this heart to be prepared to the divine journey in earth and heaven

Sheikh Ali Paqees:then the prophet comes with (Alburaq).

Sheikh Ali Paqees: a beast ridden by prophets

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon:white and long bigger than donkey and younger than mule

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy : the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says describing Alburaq which he saw that its step end at its sight

Sheikh Ali Paqees:Gabriel asked the prophet to get on  Alburaq

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: the prophet get on it

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: after few moments, they arrive all to (Bait Almaqdis)

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: the prophet tied Alburaq in the circle of the mosque's door

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: the prophet get in. He finds prophets and messengers waiting him in lines. (peace and blessings be upon him. He is the leader of messengers and the lord of pious

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: some narrations mentioned that he prayed  as  Imam with the other prophets where Allah embodied them in a way that He only Knows. the prophet was their Imam in the prayer as he will be their Imam at the day of  Judgment. He is the one who says :I am the Lord of  Humanity

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: because he is the best, the most honorable and the finest to their lord .

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: among them were Ibraham, Moses and Jesus (may peace and blesings of Allah be upon them all)

Sheikh Ali Paqees: Allah took you in a night journey while his angels and messengers in Alaqsa mosque are waiting for you. When you passed by the mosque, they  were gathered around their lord as the stars around the moon or the soldiers around the flag and behind you prayed those of hearts. He who accompany Allah's messenger

Heaven gates were opened as a sign of prophet's arriving  (the messenger of the  lord of mankind and the lord of messengers) heavens were opened celebrating the guide to the straight  path, the revealed by straight message. They were opened celebrating the  coming of the messenger revealed by Allah mercy for all mankind 

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy:after the prophet's prayer in Alaqsa Mosque he (peace and blessings be upon him ) brought two bowls, one that contains wine and the other that contains milk. The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was to choose. He chose milk so Gabriel said: you were guided to the inborn choice. Had you chosen the wine, you would led your people astray

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: the prophet then get in Alburaq and ascend to heavens

Sheikh Ali Paqees: in this great journey, he covers the distance between heaven and earth. It takes five hundred years between each two heavens  covered by the prophet in few moments

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: with  the prophet,Gabriel ascends until they reached the near heaven. Gabriel sought to open the heaven for the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

Sheikh Ali Paqees: the near heaven angels ask :Who? Gabriel replied: who comes with you? Gabriel says: (Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him) They say has he revealed? Gabriel says: yes 

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: they say  you are welcome! How excellent this coming is

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: It was opened for them. They went on. They found Adam, peace be upon him, in the near heaven whom the prophet greeted and received his greeting. He says welcome righteous son, righteous prophet

Sheikh Ali Paqees: the prophet looked at his right hand to see darkness and his left hand to see darkness. He looks at right  hand and smile then looks at left hand to weep. He then knows the reason: the first group are people of hell   and  the second are of paradise, at right people of paradise  from his descendants and at left people of hell

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: our messenger and beloved chosen prophet continues his journey. How excellent is  this company, the lord  of angels with the lord of messengers

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: We went on until we reached the  second heaven Gabriel sought to open the heaven. The angels said:Who? Gabrield replied: who comes with you? Gabriel says: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

Has he been sent for? Gabriel says yes how excellent this coming is

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: it is the place  where the prophet met his two cousins Jesus and John (peace be upon them). They welcome him saying: welcome righteous son, righteous prophet

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet then ascends to the third heaven where he meets the finest prophets and chosen people, Joseph peace be upon him. He greets him: welcome righteous son, righteous prophet

Sheikh Ali Paqees: They ascend to the fourth heaven where  he finds Enoch peace be upon him (we raised him to a high station).

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: Then ascend to the fifth heaven where he meet Aaron.

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: then to  the sixth heaven where he seeks to open it and meets Moses who greets him: welcome righteous son, righteous prophet

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: from the sixth heaven, he ascends to the 7th one where Moses weep. Then the prophet asks him why do you weep? He replies: for there will be a prophet with followers more than me at the day of Judgment 

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: it is a glad-tiding

Sheikh Ali Paqees: How honorable we are to  be of his Omma the great blessed Omma in this life and the Hereafter.

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: He then heads for the 7th heaven where Gabriel seeks opening. The angels say who? He says Gabriel. They say: who comes with you. He says, Mohammed.

They ask has he been sent for? Gabriel says, yes. They say, how excellent this coming is

Sheikh Ali Paqees: They found Abraham leaning on Al-Bait-ulmamur (the house over the heavens circumambulated by more than seventy thousand angels who do not return till the Hour is established

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: He says how excellent righteous son, righteous prophet

Sheikh Ali Paqees: The prophet, peace and blessings  be  upon him, then  exceeds  the  rank of  Abraham and other prophets and  messengers at Sidrat-ul-muntaha  (a lote-tree  of the utmost boundary over the 7th heaven beyond which none can pass).Gabriel stays stand still while prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, ascends higher at Sidrat-ul-muntaha where he did see the greatest signs of his Lord when that covered a lote tree which did cover it. Its leaves i.e. (Sidrat-ul-muntaha) are like elephants' ears with the angels queued  and covered them that which did covered. No one can describe its beauty and magnificence. At  Sidrat-ul-muntaha, the prophet saw the paradise of Abode and rivers gushed forth, two open and two secret rivers .

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: The prophets' of Muhammad, peace be upon, him is an honor testimony granted from the noblest creation to the noblest man (peace and blessings be upon them. How a noble testimony from noble people in the kingdom of the Bountiful (Glory  be to him )

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: He (peace and blessings be upon him) ascends to where Allah (Glory  be to him ) wanted

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: Then the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reaches to Allah (Glory be to Him) talking to Him without mediator. He hears Allah actually talking to Him. How happy the prophet is and how great what he got when he talked to his Lord Who is pleased with him 

Sheikh Ali Paqees:O Allah how great is it to talk to the Lord of heavens and earth

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: How a great bless! He was forsaken by the slaves and welcomed by the Lord of slaves. He was not Chosen by people but chosen by the Lord of Mankind. How a Divine bless!

{ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى (8) فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى (9) فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى (10) مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى (11) أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى (12) وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى (13) عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى (14)} [ النجم: 8-14]

Interpretation of the meaining: "Then Gabriel approached and came closer (8) and was at a distance of two Bows' length or even nearer (9) so Allah revealed to his slave whatever he revealed (10) the prophet's heart lied not in what he saw (11) will you then dispute with him about what he saw (12) and indeed he saw him at a second descent (13) near Sidratu-lmantaha (14)" [An-Najm: 8-14]

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi:there Allah (glory be to Him) had ordained prayer

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: to be an ordinance for him and his Umma by 50 prayers. The prophet surrendered to his Lord

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamd he صلى الله عليه وسلم was brought down by praye. He was glad as prayer is a comfort of eye for him (peace and blessing be upon him ). When he descended to the sixth heaven, he met Allah's prophet Moses

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy :Moses (peace be upon  him) asked prophet Mohammed: what did Allah ordained for you? He said: 50 prayers. Moses then said: go  to your Lord, ask him for alleviation. I have suffered and treated sons of Israel but they cannot bear it 

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: He (peace and blessings be upon him) ascends to his Lord to ask him for alleviation. Allah has alleviated ten raka's then he descended to Moses .

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: Then the  prophet came back to his Lord asking him for alleviation and again Allah has alleviated ten rak'as after which the prophet descended to Moses who said to him: Go back to your lord and ask him for alleviation as your umma (nation) cannot bear that .

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet ascended to Allah Who alleviated tem more rakas until they reached five

Sheikh Ali Paqees: When he passed by Moses for the last time and he asked him to go back to his lord to ask him for alleviation, he said I am ashamed of my Lord. I only Believe and surrender .

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: When the prophet, peace be upon him, passed, a caller said: Ihave implemented my ordinance and alleviated it for my slaves. How great are five prayers. Their honor synchronizes with their ordain, the place of ordaining  and the honor of its reward so remember O Wiseman the great honor and do not meet your Lord without good deeds of this great honor    

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: Thus, O my beloved friends the greatness of prayer appears. It is for high rank and grace of prayer that Allah glory be to him made his prophet to ascend to him and oradained it. How loss it be for he who forsakes prayer

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: the prophet came back from his journey and went to his bed before dawn prayer .

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet (peace be upon him ) ascended with this glad-tiding telling his companion who passed the news. This is the bringer of gald-tidings and the Warner who has ascended to the heaven and then descended .

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: The prophet went to Mecca's disbelievers and leaders to inform them that he has prayed night and dawn prayer with them and between the two prayers he was ascended to (Baitu-lMaqdis) and the heavens. However, they belied him .

Sheikh Ali Paqees: They said we send our cattle for about a month while you claim to be ascended to the heaven in one night

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy : They faced him with  elying, mocking and more stubbornness

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet then told  the news  to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: had he said such, he would have been truthful. They said: it is about a month between Mecca and BaitulMaqdis) then Abu-Bakr said: I have believed him in greater news; I believed that revelation comes from heaven dawn and night; haven't I believe him in this

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: It was for this reason that Abu bakr was known as (Alseddiq) not Alsadeq because of his great belief and assurance of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him who proclaims of Allah) nor does he speaks of his own desire. It is only a revelation revealed

Sheikh Alsharawy : Allah does made this as a test for the truthfulness of belief to keep only those who have a strong belief to carry the responsibility of Dawa. They should be men with strong belief so consider  the belief of Abu bakr when he said have he said these words he would have been truthfu. Abu Bakr's main source is to hear the prophet. When he  was asked he said: I believe him in revelation; have I belied him in others thus, Allah glory be to him says:

     {...وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ ...} [الإسراء : 60]

Interpretation of the meaining: "We made not the vision which we showed you as an actual eye witness and not as dream)but a trial for mankind and likewise the accursed tree in the Quran" [Al-IsraaL 60]

 (from Mecca, his lord took him to a journey to heavens  where it was his dwelling. The angels of heaven welcomed him in groups of twos and threes. The Imam of prophets prayed  in Alesraa, how great it be!

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet, peace be upon him, told them the news and what happened to him after which they said: describe (bait-ulMaqdis)

Sheikh Ali Paqees: Allah glory be to Him has  proved his prophet's authenticity,  peace and blessings be upon him, as long as there is an alternation of night and day and chanting of nightingale 

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: They know that the prophet, peace be upon him, had ever gone to bait –ulMaqdis

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi:the prophet said: I ascended to heavens and descended at night. Allah glory be to Him wanted to prove his apostle's truthfulness

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: Then Gabriel, peace be upon him, came with bait-ulMaqdis on his wing before the prophet in which the prophet started to describe it accurately as it is with its doors and pillars to the extent that those who went there wondered that the prophet came with such an accurate description of the place

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: They continued their belying saying: O Muhhamed, you must have been passed by our cattle  which are in Levant so tell us about them. The prophet said : I went to the cattle in Alrawhaa in which they were seeking a she-camel they missed. I reached to find a pot of water from which I drank; ask them; they will  tell you. He then said: I went to the cattle of some people which bolted and out of them  a camel with white strips lie down. It has (Jawareq) used to be put on camels to carry objects. He went on saying ask them they will tell you

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The prophet also told them about another  camels which are about to come from Altaneem preceded by a camel with color between white and black

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: They wondered. Knowing this, Alwaleed said: by Allah Mohammed is not but a sorcerer. They continued their belying despite of seeing the camels coming out of the mountain preceded by a camel between black and white

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: Thus, we have traveled with the prophet, peace be  upon him, in his israa and miraaj as Allah has granted it for his apostle to relieve his sadness. It is a preparation for him to be adopted to what he will suffer in his coming days of patience, effort and sacrifice.

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: This journey was to prove Allah's support to his prophet. He wanted to show his prophet signs by which he becomes full of trust in his lord. Allah, glory be to Him, referred to that saying (what means) we might show him our evidences, and in Surat Alnajm saying (what means) he did see of the greatest signs of his Lord. That is Allah's way with his prophets 

Sheikh Abdulateaf Alghamdi: The bless of this journey was a reason of more belief  for  more believers and more astray for disbelievers

Sheikh Zaid AlQoroon: Then comes Allah's  showing for his prophet the  unseen matters to which prophets were summoned:angels, the seven heavens, paradise, the hell, sorts of delights and torments. All these signs were showed by Allah to his prophet to firm his heart and relieve him so Allah has wisdom with his prophet which no one knows but Him

 He get in (Alburaq), passed the heavens, sky and stars. He saw Allah's  grants in the universe. How great are  Allah's blesses. He prayed as Imam of prophets and granted a rank from Allah in which he arrived to Sidrat-ulmutaha  while Muslims became noble.