The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 541
PT. 15 BANI ISRĀ'ĪL mistakenly thought that they formed the two parts of the same event and thus these reporters were led to believe that while coming back from his Mi'raj the Prophet went to Jerusalem from where he returned to Mecca. In fact, the confusion seems to have arisen from the same word (which means a night journey) having been used for both the Holy Prophet's (Spiritual Night Journey to Jerusalem) and his (Spiritual Ascension to heaven); and the resemblance that existed in some of the details in the description of the (Isra') and the (Mi'raj) heightened and confirmed it. Internal evidence of the traditions also points to the fact that the Isra' and the Mi'raj were two distinct and separate events. The traditions which first give an account of the Prophet's visit to Jerusalem and then of his transportation from Jerusalem to heaven also state that at Jerusalem he met the former Prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, and that in the heavens he met the same Prophets again but could not recognize them. Now how did these Prophets whom he had met at Jerusalem reach the heavens before him and why could he not recognize them while he had seen them only a short while ago in the course of the same journey? If the two meetings had taken place separately and at a distance of long intervals, it was possible that he could not have recognized some of them at the time of the second meeting in a changed atmosphere. But it is inconceivable that he should have failed to CH. 17 recognize them when he had met them only a short while ago in the course of the same journey. It having been established that the Isra' and the Mi'raj were two separate and distinct events, it is necessary to give a somewhat detailed account of Isrā' as given in the traditions as it forms the subject matter of the verse under comment. The most reliable account of it is to be found in the tradition quoted by Ibn Jarīr on the authority of Anas bin Malik. It is briefly as follows: 'When the Archangel Gabriel brought the Buraq to the Holy Prophet, he mounted it, and had gone only a short distance, when he saw an old woman. The Prophet asked Gabriel who she was, but Gabriel gave no answer to his question; on the contrary he told him not to ask questions, just as Moses in his (Spiritual Ascension) was told not to put unnecessary questions (18:71). After the Prophet had gone a little further he saw a man calling him by name from across the road in order to invite his attention to himself. But Gabriel asked him again not to heed his call. When the Prophet had proceeded a little further, he met a party of men who greeted him with the greeting of peace. Gabriel told him to return their greeting. After this, the Prophet reached the Holy House in Jerusalem. There Gabriel presented him with three cups containing water, milk and wine. The Prophet took the cup containing milk and drank it and refused to accept the other two. Upon this Gabriel said to him, "Thou hast, indeed, chosen the 1749