Encyclopedia of Islam

Night Journey and Ascent

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to be the heavenly mosque, and then ascends to 

heaven (miraj literally means “ladder”). During 

his ascent through the heavens with Gabriel, 

Muhammad meets former prophets—Adam, John 

the Baptist, J

esUs

,  J

oseph

, Enoch (i

dris

), Aaron, 

m

oses

, and a

braham

—who each acknowledge 

his remarkable status. As his journey continues 

the visions of the punishments suffered by the 

inhabitants of hell and the rewards of the blessed 

in 

paradise

 reflect major eschatological themes in 

the Quran. After being advised by Moses during 

his descent from the highest heaven to ask God 

for a reduction in number of prayers, Muham-

mad eventually returns to his 

umma

 with the five 

daily prayers.

While there is debate in the Muslim world 

as to whether Muhammad’s journey took place 

in body or spirit, it represents a mandate for 

Muhammad’s superiority in status over the former 

prophets as the Seal of the Prophets. Many Mus-

lims celebrate the Night Journey and Ascent every 

year on the 27th of Rajab (the seventh month on 

their 

calendar

). Sufis, in particular, understand 

this story as a model of human devotion to God 

and, conversely, God’s devotion to his creation, 

to be emulated in their own spiritual quests for 

union with the divine. Among the most famous 

Sufis who are said to have undertaken an ascent to 

heaven are a

bU

 y

azid

 b

istami

 (ninth century) and 

r

Uzbihan

 

al

-b

aqli

 (d. 1209).

See also 

angel

;  a

qsa

  m

osqUe

;  d

ome

 

oF

 

the

r

ock

; 

prayer

; s

UFism

.

Margaret Leeming