The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 281
VIII - Expansion of Preaching 281 His Omnipotence, God the Almighty physically took the Holy Prophet sa , from Makkah to Jerusalem miraculously, or that he lifted him from this world and gave him a tour of the heavens. No doubt, this can be thought of as a very fine and powerful experience, but it has no value before the glorious truths hidden beneath these spiritual sights, the span of which are virtually spread between the migration to Yathrib and the end of time. However, it is unfortunate that a class of the so-called Muslims does not wish to give this occurrence greater significance than that of a mere spectacle, even though God the Almighty indicates that great Signs are hidden within these spiritual visions. It should also be remembered that more or less, such visions were shown to all the prophets. Moreover, all the prophets were made to witness the general future of their respective communities. Similarly, various mystics have written that every prophet has received a Mi‘rāj. The spiritual vision of Moses as has actually been recorded in the Holy Qur’ān as well, 1 but: 2 - The sight which was shown to the Holy Prophet sa and the Mi‘rāj which he received, possesses such astronomical grandeur in its superiority, breadth, and diversified states, which no other individual has attained: 3 اللّٰھُم َّ صَل ِّ عَلی ٰ مُحَمَّد ٍ و َّ اٰل ِ مُحَمَّد ٍ و َ بَارِك ْ وَسَلِّم ْ. Historians are at a disaccord in the date of the Mi‘rāj and Isrā’. However, a better part of these narrations state that these visions were shown to the Holy Prophet sa some time prior to his migration to Yathrib. In the least, the explanation of the vision of the Isrā’ , which is substantiated, supports the ideology that the vision of the Isrā’ occurred near the migration. Imām Bukhārī, whose level of narration has been accepted as very authentic, has recorded the occurrences of the Isrā’ and Mi‘rāj just before the migration. 4 Therefore, the notion of most historians seems to be correct, that the Isrā’ and Mi‘rāj took 1 Al-Kahf (18:61-83) 2 A poetic verse by Akbar Ilāh Ābādī - i. e. , ‘The thoughts of every man accord to his capabilities. ’ (Publishers) 3 O Allāh, bless Muḥammad sa and the progeny of Muḥammad sa , and grant peace and prosperity’ (Publishers) 4 * Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Manāqibil-Anṣār, Bāb 41/101, Ḥadīthul-Isrā’ * Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Manāqibil-Anṣār, Bāb 42/102, Ḥadīthul-Mi‘rāj