The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 261
VIII - Expansion of Preaching 261 migration, only then shall I leave, and wherever he instructs, it is there that I must go. ” Mi‘rāj and Isrā’ 1 The significance of the M‘iraj and Isrā’ in Islāmic literature and the elaborate discussions which have been conducted pertinent to them, are not hidden from anyone. These discussions can be found in literature ranging shortly after the demise of the Hoy Prophet sa until now. However, as a historian, we need not involve ourselves in such debates. For us, it is sufficient, that in a brief manner, we put before our readers, the substantiated historical account pertinent to the M‘iraj and Isrā’ alone. However, prior to the presentation of actual occurrences, it is necessary to elucidate certain principle misunderstandings, which have generally been committed in this discussion, to which unfortunately, a class of the Muslims have also fallen victim. The first error is that a portion of the Muslims, and following them, a majority of the non-Muslim historians have thought that the M‘iraj and Isrā’ are two words to describe the same instance. Or at least that they are names to describe two different portions of the same occurrence. However, by study of the Holy Qur’ān, authentic Aḥādīth , and reliable historical narrations, the established fact of the matter is that in actuality, the M‘iraj and Isrā’ are two separate occurrences. Although they may have occurred closely to one another, and whether or not they possess a connection and relation to one another in the spiritual sense, in actuality, they are separate and different from one another. The Mi‘rāj is the name of that spiritual journey of the Holy Prophet sa in which he was taken from Makkah to the heavens, and then eventually was presented in the royal court of the Lord of all the Worlds. The Isrā’ is another journey, in which the Holy Prophet sa was taken from Makkah to Jerusalem, under various wisdoms. The Holy Qur’ān has separately mentioned these two journeys in different chapters, each with their different conditions and details. As such, insinuation towards the spiritual flight of the Holy Prophet sa , as mentioned in Sūrah Najm 2 is the Mi‘rāj. Similarly, in Bukhārī, the verses of Sūrah Najm have also been attributed to the occurrence of the 1 Journey of the Holy Prophet Muḥammad sa by Night (Publishers) 2 An-Najm (53:9-19)