Introduction
The incident of Isra and Mi‘raj is seen as an extraordinary miracle of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Exegetes, traditionalists, and biographers base their descriptions of this event on Verses 1 and 60 of Surah Al-Isra, Verses 1 to 18 of Surah Al-Najm, and numerous traditions from the Hadith literature. Surah Al-Isra recounts that the Prophet (PBUH) was transported overnight from the Masjid al-Haram to the Masjid Al-Aqsa, to witness some of Allah’s signs. Surah Al-Najm relates that the Prophet saw the Angel Gabriel in his true form twice, once near the higher horizon and another time by Sidrat al-Muntaha (The Lote Tree at the Farthest Limit). At the higher horizon, there was also an encounter where the proximity was described as Qāba Qawsayn (two bow lengths).
The hadiths recount that one night, Gabriel the Trusted, came to the Prophet (PBUH), split his chest open, filled it with wisdom and faith, and then closed it. Afterward, the lightning-speed steed, Buraq, was brought forth. The Prophet (PBUH) mounted Buraq and journeyed towards Jerusalem. Upon journeying over various terrestrial landmarks and arriving in Jerusalem, he tied the Buraq outside the mosque and entered the temple constructed by Solomon where all the prophets had already gathered for prayer. The Prophet (PBUH) led the prayer, and all prophets prayed in congregation behind him. For hospitality, two bowls, one carrying milk and the other filled with wine were offered to him; he opted for the milk and drank it. Following this, a ladder was erected for his ascension to the heavens, which he then ascended. Gabriel was with him throughout this journey. Sequentially, he traversed the seven heavens, encountering prophets at each level - including Adam, Abraham, Idris, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, John, and Jesus, peace be upon them all. Beyond the seventh heaven, he ascended higher and arrived at the very boundary separating human and divine realms - Sidrat al-Muntaha. There, Gabriel’s journey came to a halt, and the Prophet (PBUH) continued alone. At last, he was in the direct presence of the Divine Court. In this place, he was graced with ultimate closeness to Allah (Qāba Qawsayn). Allah then bestowed upon him the commandment for fifty daily prayers. With this decree, he commenced his return journey. Moses (PBUH), whom he met on the seventh heaven, recommended a reduction in the number of prayers, drawing on his experience with his nation. Heeding this advice, the Prophet (PBUH) returned to the Divine Court and requested a reduction in the allocated number of prayers, which was granted. As he descended again, Moses (PBUH) repeated the advice.
The Prophet (PBUH) returned to the Divine Court again. Moses (PBUH) continued to advise further reductions until the commandment was abated to five daily prayers. Upon Moses’s (PBUH) suggestion for further reductions, the Prophet (PBUH) deemed it inappropriate to seek more leniency. Thus, with this divine gift, the Prophet (PBUH) then headed for the world and traversed down through the heavens, re-entered Jerusalem, led the prophets in prayer once again, mounted Buraq, and returned to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram).
During this miraculous journey, the Prophet (PBUH) was shown the heavenly pond of Kawthar, the Frequented House (Bayt al-Ma’mur), and glimpses of both paradise and hell. Some scholars maintain that at the closeness of ‘two bow lengths,’ he was also blessed with the esteemed vision of beholding Allah Almighty. All these occurrences unfolded while he was fully awake, and the Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH), experienced and witnessed these events in both spiritual and physical forms.
This text summarizes the information that is widely accepted and acknowledged as part of the events known as Isra and Mi‘raj in our scholarly tradition. The details are derived from interpretations of the Qur’an, explanations of hadith, biographical accounts of the Prophet (seerah), and specific works on Dalail al-Nubuwwah (Proofs of Prophethood) and Mu‘jizat al-Nabi (Miracles of the Prophet).
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi regards the events of Isra and Mi‘raj as ayātun min ayāti Allah (a few among the signs of Allah) and acknowledges their miraculous and supernatural nature. Yet, he disagrees with the conventional interpretation. He contends that traditional explanations lack proper understanding, reasoning, and exposition. These interpretations, he argues, often misrepresent the actual meanings intended by the Qur’an and hadith. Consequently, he has undertaken a critical evaluation of this traditional view, scrutinized its premises, and presented a dissenting opinion.
The book details his critique and stance through two main chapters and several appendices. The first chapter is titled ‘Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s Position’ and affirms the scholar’s perspective by interpreting Qur’anic texts and hadith, outlining the events in context, forming coherent arguments, and listing the findings in a structured manner. The second chapter critiques the conventional belief and is called ‘Traditional Position and Its Critical Review’. It starts by positively citing the traditional accounts and their logical consequences, bringing forward the claims of its adherents. Subsequently, in a summarized manner, it elucidates the foundations upon which Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s critical analysis is based. Then, it methodically addresses and identifies the shortcomings in the traditional arguments and conclusions under various headings:
The book concludes with appendices containing vital supplementary discussions and explanations for readers seeking deeper understanding or reference to the sources of the debates.