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WEEK 04
DAY 03
Isra wa Miraj
(Night Journey and Ascension)
Isra and Miraj (Night Journey and Ascension) took place on 27 Rajab, 11thyear of prophethood. The
Prophet (pbuh) sleeping in the house of Abu Talib’s daughter Umm Hani. At midnight , he woke up and
went to the Kaabah and slept at Hijr, a semi circle also known as Hateem.
According to a hadith, Prophet (pbuh) said, “while I was lying in al-Hateem, suddenly someone came to
me and cut my body open. Then he took out my heart. Then a gold tray full of beliefs was brought to me
and my heart was washed and was filled and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal
which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me( It was Burraq). I was carried
on it and Jibrael set out with me”.
Isra :
• By Allah’s will, Holy Prophet (pbuh) was taken from the Sacred mosque, Masjid al Haraam in Mecca
to the Farthest mosque, Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem in one night. On his way, he was shown some
signs of Allah and he also performed prayer at some important places. The first part of the journey
is referred as “Isra,” or the “Nightly Journey.” The Quran describes this event in these words,
“Glory to Him who took his servant for a journey by night from the sacred mosque to the farthest
mosque whose precincts We blessed. In order that We might show him some of our signs; for He
is the one who hears and sees.” [17:1]
• Prophet (pbuh) tied the animal to the same ring on the door of Masjid Aqsa used by the other
Prophets for their animals. The Prophet (pbuh) offered two Rakk’ahs prayer over there and led all
the Prophets .Gabriel then brought two vessels; one was filled with wine and the other with milk.
The Prophet (pbuh) chose the vessel filled with milk, and drank from it. Gabriel said, “Praise be to
Allah who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path).
Miraj:
• The Prophet (pbuh) again rode the Buraq till he reached the lowest heaven. Where Jibrael asked
for the gate to be opened, and after a dialogue with the guardian angel, the gate was opened.
• on the first heaven Prophet(pbuh) saw prophet Adam sitting with a large group of people. On his
right were the souls of his descendants who were inhabitants of Paradise, while those on his left
were the inhabitants of Hell. So when he looked at right side, he smiled and when he looked at his
left side, he wept. The Prophet greeted Hazrat Adam. On second heaven he met prophet Yahya
and prophet Isa. On third heaven Prophet Yusuf. On the fourth Prophet Idrees. On the fifth
prophet Haroon. On the sixth prophet Musa and on the seventh he met prophet Ibrahim.
Then came a point where angel Jibrael left the Prophet (pbuh), as he was not allowed to go beyond
for his wings would burn. This point is a mystical lote tree known as Sidra-tul-Muntaha.
• The Prophet(pbuh) went ahead alone and finally, he entered the presence of Allah himself. Here
the last two verses(285-286) of surah Baqarah were directly revealed, and Allah promised that the
major sins of his followers would be forgiven, if they did not commit shirk. He was given the
command of fifty prayers a day which were reduced to five on his request after prophet Musa(A.S)
suggested. When he was suggested for more reduction in number , the Prophet pbuh said, “I have
asked my Lord till I am ashamed to face him”.
• It is narrated that during Mairaj the Prophet (P.B.U.H) had the opportunity to see Malik the keeper
of Hell. He saw Paradise and Hell, and the two rivers of Paradise, Kauthar being one of them. Fifty
prayers a day were made obligatory for the Muslims.
Return:
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• When Prophet(pbuh) returned, the lock on his door was still moving as it was when he left his
house. When Prophet (pbuh) narrated this event to Quraish, they made fun of him but when
Prophet told them of trade caravan that he had seen on his way, his truthfulness was proved. When
Makkans asked Hazrat Abu Bakr about his opinion on this miraculous experience, he believed and
testified this experience by saying, “If he said so, then it is true.” and was given the title of
Siddiquei.e “testifier to the truth.”

(b) What was the significance of this journey to the Prophet? [4]
• The Prophet (pbuh) had been through a period of difficulty and this event made him realise that
God had not left him.
• It allowed him to see what he, and all Muslims, should be striving for which gave him renewed
strength.
• He realised his status amongst prophets (as seal of the prophets), he led them in prayer), and
realised the blessings God had given his community (by giving the five prayers), which gave him
renewed hope in his message and he began to work towards better prospects for him and his
community.
• It was one of the main miracles other than the Qur’an.

Pledges of Aqabah and surrounding events

• Soon after Abu Talib’s death conditions became unfavorable for the Prophet in Makkah because
his worst enemy Abu Lahab became the chief of Quraish, which meant that the prophet had no clan
protection. He decided to go to Taif to invite the people of Banu Saqeef tribe to Islam. He was accompanied
by his freed slave and adopted son,Zaid bin Harith. He invited the 3 chiefs of the local tribes to Islam. They
rejected his message and asked him to leave the town. He started preaching to the common people of the
town. The chiefs became furious and asked their slaves and mischievous boys to drive him out of the town.
They abused him and hurled stones at him. He was so severely injured that the blood trickled down his
body and filled his shoes. He took refuge in an orchard . Angel Jibrail appeared with the angel of mountains
and offered him to destroy the town but he forgave them and prayed for their guidance.

• The Holy Prophet returned from Taif to Makkah and resumed his preaching. He had started preaching to the
pilgrims who came to Makkah each year. In the eleventh year of prophethood (620A.D) six pilgrims from the tribe
of khazraj in Yasrib Came to Makkah. They embraced the faith after hearing the teachings of Islam by the prophet.
They promised to spread the message of Islam in Yasrib to their friends and relatives.

• Later in 12th year of prophet hood/ 621 AD, twelve persons met the Prophet pbuh. Two of them belonged to
the Aws tribe, and 05 of them had already accepted Islam last year. They accepted the faith and pledged to abstain
from all the un-Islamic practices i.e stealing, adultery, killing their children, slandering or disobeying the prophet etc and
to lead a righteous life believing in one Allah. In this first Pledge of Aqabah they vowed: “We pledge our allegiance to
the Messenger of Allah that we would associate nothing with Allah, that we would neither steal, nor commit
fornication, nor slay our offspring, not utters slanders; and that we would not disobey him in that which is
right.”
These people promised to spread Islam in Yasrib and the Holy Prophet sent Musab bin Umair with them to recite the
Quran and to preach Islam to the residents of the city. This pledge is also known as “Pledge of women”(Bayyat e
Nisa) because fighting was not mentioned in it.

• In 13th year of prophet hood (622A.D) a deputation consisting of 73 men and 2 women came from Yasrib to
take the same Pledge. This is called the second Pledge of Aqabah. The Prophet’s uncle Abbas, who at that time was
a non muslim, accompanied the Prophet pbuh and asked the people of Madina to support him through thick and thin.
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They promised to listen and obey the Prophet, to spend in plenty as well as in scarcity for the cause of Islam, to enjoin
upon good and forbid evil, fear no one but Allah and to defend the Prophet against his enemies if he needed and to lay
down their lives for the cause of Islam. They also invited the Prophet to Yasrib and pledged full support for him. Here,
Bara, a chieftain of Yathrib, took the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and swore: “By Him who sent you with the truth, we will
protect you as we protect them (our wives and children). So accept the pledge of our allegiance, O Messenger
of Allah, for we are men of war, possessed arms that have been handed down from father to son.” The Holy
Prophet (P.B.U.H) replied: “I am yours and you are mine. Whom you war against, him I war against. Whom you
make peace with, him I make peace with.” This pledge came to be known as Bayyat e Harb i.e the pledge of
war.
• When the unbelievers came to know of these developments they redoubled their persecution, so
the Prophet allowed his companions to secretly migrate to Yasrib and family after family left in this
manner.
• Mut’im, the chief of Nawfal tribe, passed away soon after the second pledge of Aqabah; with his
death, the Prophet (P.U.H.H) was once more vulnerable to the violence of the Quraish. Abu Jahal now
perfected a plot to murder him. The Quraish held a meeting in the council hall,“Dar-un-Nadwa” where it
was decided that one person from each tribe should be selected who would simultaneously attack the
Prophet and kill him.
The prophet was informed of this plan of his enemies by Allah and was told to leave Makkah that same
night. The Holy Prophet asked Ali to sleep in his bed, and then he quietly left the house unnoticed.
Accompanied by Abu Bakr, he made his way to Yasrib.

3(b) In your view, why should Muslims provide a safe haven for others? Give reasons for
your answer. [4]
• They should provide a safe haven for people who are fleeing persecution, such as those fleeing the
war in Afghanistan / Syria etc. and their governments should provide shelter and basic facilities for
them.
• It is from the teachings of Islam to care for others and to provide the basic needs of fellow human
beings.
• Muslims could also provide a safe haven for those who have lost their families, especially children
who are now orphaned, whether it be due to war or famine or natural disasters.
• Providing homes and shelter for them would allow them to start a new life much like Muslims of
Makka started a new life due to the invitation of the Madinans.
• Also, the Prophet said that the person who looks after an orphan will be with him in paradise.

Migration to Madina
• Mut’im, the chief of Banu Nawfal who had become Hazrat Muhammad’s(P.B.U.H) protector from the
time of the Taif incident, passed away soon after the second pledge of Aqabah; with his death, the
Prophet (P.B.U.H) was once more vulnerable to the violence of the Quraish. Abu Jahal now perfected a
plot to murder him. The Quraish held a meeting in the council hall, “Dar-un-Nadwa” where it was
decided that one person from each tribe should be selected who would simultaneously attack the
Prophet(P.B.U.H) and kill him. Abu Lahab, now the chief of the Banu Hashim, was not informed of this
plan, but the understanding was that he, being a strong opponent of Islam and the Holy Prophet
(P.B.U.H), would accept the blood money and settle the issue.
The prophet was informed of this plan of his enemies by Allah and was told to leave Makkah that same
night: “Remember how the unbelievers plotted against you, to keep you in bonds or slay thee, or get
you out (of your home).They plot and plan, and Allah too plans, But the best of planners is Allah.” (Al-
Anfal 8:30)
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• The Prophet (P.B.U.H) escaped secretly at night leaving behind Ali to sleep in his bed and to return the
valuables entrusted to him by people. the Prophet(P.B.U.H) came out of his house and threw dust at
the assassins, and they could not see him as he recited the following verse. “And We have put before
them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see”. [36:9]
• Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Abu Bakr left Makkah during the night on a pair of camels and made their
way to a cave in Mount Thaur. Hazrat Abu Bakr’s R.A son Abdullah and his freed slave Amr ibn Fuhayrah,
followed behind with a flock of sheep to cover up their tracks. Abu Bakr went with him; they took refuge
in Cave Thawr; Abu Bakr went in to make sure it was clean and safe; At that time Abu Bakr was bitten
by a scorpion or a snake as he had put his foot on one of the holes that was left unfilled, but he did not
cry out as the prophet was sleeping in his lap.
• Next morning, when the chiefs of Makka found Ali in Hazrat Muhammad‘s (P.B.U.H)bed they were
furious. Determined more than ever to find him, they offered a huge reward of one hundred red camels
for his capture, dead or alive. On the afternoon of the third day, Some members of the quraish party
climbed upto the cave and the foremost of them turned around as he saw the cave entrance. His
companion asked him why he did not go into the cave. He answered, “Its entrance is covered with
cobwebs and there is a pair of wild pigeons on the threshold. Obviously, no one could have gone in
without disturbing the pigeons and destroying the cobwebs”. The Quraish were further convinced that
the cave was empty when they saw its entrance covered with branches growing from a nearby tree.
They agreed to leave and called one another to return to Makkah
• Hazrat Abu Bakr trembled with fear and expected them to break in the cave. He said to the holy Prophet
(P.B.U.H), if any one of them looks down he will find us. To this the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) answered, “
O Abu Bakr, how can you fear for two men whose constant companion is Allah Himself”
This incident mentioned in Quran in the following words, “For Allah did indeed help him, when the
unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion the two were in the cave and he
said to his companion, have no fear, for Allah is with us” (9:40).
During their brief stay at the cave, Abdullah son of Abu bakr brought the news of Quraish, while Asma
daughter of Abu Bakr, brought them food, and Amr Bin Fuhaira, the freed slave of Abu Bakr, used to
bring the milk sheep to provide them with fresh milk. After spending three days in the cave, they set
out for Madinah. Abdullah bin Araqueet (a non muslim at that time) was appointed as a guide to travel
on an unconventional route.
• Prophet (pbuh) also stopped at the tents of Aatikah bint Khalf also known as Umm e Mu’abd and drank
milk there after the Prophet pbuh milked and old weak goat with his blessed hands.
• One of the Makkans, Suraqa bin Malik almost caught up with them but could not get near because his
horse kept stumbling and he finally abandoned his desire of capturing Muhammad(P.B.U.H). He also
got a pledge of forgiveness in written form.
• Buraidah Aslami and seventy people from Banu Aslam also accepted Islam.
• After under taking six days of journey the Prophet (P.B.U.H) arrived at Quba, a place near Yathrib on
23rd September 622 A.D. He stayed at the place of fourteen days during which he built a mosque. That
was the first mosque of Islam; the Prophet (P.B.U.H) himself participated in the building of the mosque
at Quba. Ali R.A joined him in Quba. On his way from Quba to Madinah, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) offered
his first Friday congregational prayers at the quarters of Banu Saleem, and delivered his first Friday
sermon.
• Meanwhile the people of Madinah waited for the Prophet (P.B.U.H) eagerly. In their delight, the girls of
the Ansar sang to greet the Prophet. On the day the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) arrived, the people
had just gone back into their houses. The first person to see him was a Jew, thus fulfilling the prophecy
contained in the Torah. In Madinah, the people greeted the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H)
enthusiastically. Children were singing as he arrived.

5. (b) What was the significance of this journey for the Muslims? [4]
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• The importance of migration can be judged from the fact that the Muslim calendar starts from this
event and not from any other incident in the life of the Prophet (P.B.U.H).
• The migration completely altered the prevailing conditions of Arabia, it reshaped the Arab peninsula
socially and politically.
• Muslims before migration used to pray secretly for fear of the unbelievers. As they were weak and
in minority. They became strong enough to stand against injustice and persecutions.
• Prophet also got the chance to organize his followers into a disciplined community.
• As a result of this event, the first Islamic state was established and the Prophet pbuh became the
head of the state where Prophet’s call received response and continued to grow and expand.