Isra & Miraj
By Brother Joe (e-mail: Joe28@iname.com)

While the Isra did happen (17:1, 53:1-18), fairytales associated with it do not make any sense when scrutinized under Quran's light. First I will sum up this story, and then I will take a look at it Quranicly.

This story is usually called in Muslim literature the story of al-isra'a and al-mi'raj or the prophet Muhammad quit night journey (al-isra'a) from Mecca to al-masjid al-aqsa (the farthest mosque) in Jerusalem, then his ascension to heaven (al-mi'raj) and his return in few minutes back to Mecca. They said it happened on 27th night of Rajab (the 7th lunar month) in 621 AD (Muhammad was then 50-year old).

When he met the Lord, he received at first fifty daily salats (the contact prayers ritual). Following Moses' advises who was in the 7th heaven, Muhammad was going back and forth to the Lord debating in behalf of believers, who were down in earth, to lighten the number of salats for them. He could not do it anymore, out of shyness, when the Lord lowered many times this number fifty down to only five.

They said that since every good deed is rewarded tenfold, therefore whoever upholds salat five times daily, is rewarded fifty fold. The original ordinance and decision of God remained then unchanged!!!

Let's look now at this story under Quran's light, which I sum up in the following seven points:

1. First of all, Muhammad was summoned during the Night of Destiny in Ramadan (the 9th lunar month) to the ultimate place and he only received the Quran (2:97, 2:185, 17:1, 44:3, 53:1-18, 97:1-5). This flight could not happen then in Rajab (the 7th lunar month) as this story states.

2:185, "Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was sent down, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings..."

17:1 "Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest place of prostration, whose surrounding we have blessed, in order to show him from our signs <ayat>. He is the Hearer, the Seer."

44:3, "We have sent it (Quran) down in a blessed night, in order to warn."

53:1-18, "By the stars as they fell away. Your friend (Muhammad) was not astray, nor was he deceived. Nor is he speaking out of a personal desire. It is divine inspiration. Instructed by the Most Powerful. Possessor of all authority. From His highest height. As He was at the highest horizon. He drew nearer by moving down. Until He became as close as possible. He then inspired His servant what was to be inspired. The heart <al-fuad> never made up what it saw. Do you doubt what he saw? He saw him in another descent. At the ultimate point. Where the eternal Paradise is located. The whole place was overwhelmed. The sight did not waver, nor exceed the limit. He saw great signs <ayat> of his Lord."

2. Muhammad did not receive anything else, especially salat. Salat was given to Abraham (21:73, 22:78), and Muhammad was merely his follower in that (16:123).

3. There are similarities between the debating part of this story and the story of Abraham in the Bible (Genesis 18:17-33). Abraham was debating with the Lord in behalf of the people of Sodom (Lot’s people) to not destroy them if there were fifty righteous people among them, until this figure became only ten.

However, here is what Quran says about this event.

29:31-32, "When our messengers went to Abraham with good news (about his son's birth), they also said, "We are on our way to annihilate the people of that town, for its people have been wicked." He said, "But Lot is in it." They said, "WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF EVERYONE IN IT. WE WILL OF COURSE SAVE HIM AND HIS FAMILY, BUT NOT HIS WIFE; SHE IS DOOMED."

11:74-76, "When Abraham's fear subsided, and the good news (about his future progeny) was delivered to him, he proceeded to argue with us on behalf of Lot's people. Indeed, Abraham was clement, extremely kind, and repenting. "O Abraham, REFRAIN FROM THIS. Your Lord's judgment has been issued; they have incurred unavoidable retribution."

Abraham's intentions and God answering prayers are not the issues here. The issue here is, "Does God change His commands once they are issued? Could someone with prayers make God do so?" The answer to both questions, as shown from the two ayat above, is NO.

Therefore, if a part in the Bible, or in any other book (scripture, philosophy...) for that matter, says otherwise about this event and this issue, then this part is false. Quran came to AUTHENTICATE previous scriptures and to GUARD them, not to confirm their falsehood.

4. During this flight, Muhammad received Quran. He must be then at most 40-year old (the age he declared his prophethood), not 50 as this story states.

5. The natural question here is this. Does it mean that Muhammad, Moses, or Abraham is more merciful toward the people and more knowing about what they could do than God? I seek God for His forgiveness.

6. Muhammad is described here as visiting al-aqsa mosque (the farthest mosque) in Jerusalem. But this mosque was only built 65 years after Muhammad's death! Even its Arabic name al-aqsa was taken from Quran (17:1), not the other way around.

7. There is another interesting version of the same story by Ibn Ishak, the first recorder of Muhammad's biography. He lived much earlier than any other recorder of this story; which makes his version trustworthier historically. In his version, he said that Muhammad informs his wife about his flight when he woke up for Fajr salat. He told her the flight happened while he was sleeping after Esha salat. His narration talks about Esha (evening) and Fajr (dawn) salats. Therefore, Muhammad could not possibly receive salat in his flight!

From the seven points above, we conclude easily that the story of Isra and Miraj as known in most Muslim literature does not hold water when scrutinized under Quran's light. Isra or Muhammad’s ascent to heaven to the farthest place of prostration, however, did happen where he received Quran.

God knows best,

Joe.