When is Isra and Mi'raj?
Known as The Prophet's Ascension or the Night Journey, this holiday is observed on the 27th day of Rajab, the seventh month in the Islamic calendar.
What is Isra and Mi'raj
Isra and Mi’raj Night marks the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascent into heaven, sometime around the year 621, according to Islamic belief.
The details come from the Quran and other teachings from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Night Journey starts with the appearance of the angel Gabriel who takes the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to Jerusalem on a winged horse.
In Jerusalem, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) met and prayed with many prophets including Moses, Abraham and Jesus. This part of the journey is known as 'Isra'.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was then carried by Gabriel to heaven, ascending through the seven heavenly realms until he reached paradise where he spoke to god.
The Pragmatism of Praying
God told the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) about the importance of prayers. On the return journey to Mecca, Moses asked Muhammad (PBUH) how many prayers God had commanded to be said daily. Muhammad (PBUH) said fifty. Moses said this was a very high obligation and told him to go back and ask for the number to be reduced. Initially, this was reduced to forty.
Muhammad (PBUH) went back to God several times, with the number of daily prayers eventually settling at five, which remains the duty of a Muslim today.
This second part of the journey is known as the Mi'raj, which means ladder in Arabic.
The celebrations of Isra and Mi'raj include prayers during the night and many Muslim cities will keep their lights on all night.
