Isra and Mi'raj

The Isra and Mi'raj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج‎, al-’Isrā’ wal-Mi‘rāj) are the two parts of a Night Journey (Arabic: Lailat al-Mi‘rāj, Persian: Shab-e-Me`raj, Turkish: Miraç Gecesi) that, according to Islamic tradition, the prophet of Islam, Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey. A brief sketch of the story is in sura 17 Al-Isra of the Quran, and other details come from the Hadith, collections of the reports of the teachings, deeds and sayings of Muhammad. In the Isra part of the journey, Muhammad travels on the steed Buraq to "the farthest mosque" where he leads other prophets in prayer. He then ascends to heaven in the Mi'raj journey where he speaks to Allah, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer.

According to traditions, the journey is associated with the Lailat al Mi'raj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.

Islamic sources

Al-Isra

Sūrat al-Isrāʼ (Arabic: سورة الإسراء‎) or Sūrat Banī Isrāʼīl (سورة بني إسرائيل) is the 17th surah of the Qur'an, with 111 verses. It is about Isra and Mi'raj and the Children of Israel.

Content

This Surah takes its name from the first verse, which tells the story of the Isra and Mi'raj, the transportation of Muhammad during the night to what is referred to as "the farthest Mosque". The exact location is not specified, although in Islamic Hadith this is commonly taken to be the Noble Sanctuary (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem. Some scholars disagree about this (see Isra and Mi'raj). While the city of Jerusalem (or al Quds) is not mentioned by name anywhere in the Qur'an, it is identified in various Hadith. The first verse refers to Mohammed being taken from the 'Sacred Mosque' to the 'Furthest Mosque':

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).

Al-Isra, 26

Qur'an 17:26 (also notated Al-Isra, 26) is the twenty-sixth verse of Al-Isra, the seventeenth chapter of the Qur'an, which relates to the controversies of the land of Fadak in modern-day Saudi Arabia.

The verse is also known as the verse of Dhul Qurba

Overview

The Quran, chapter 17 (Al-Isra), verse 26:

Transliteration: waati tha alqurba haqqahu waalmiskeena waibna alssabeeli wala tubaththir tabtheeran

Arabic: وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرً

Exegis

Sunni view

Suyuti, a 16th century Sunni Islamic scholar writes:

A narration attributed to Abu-Sa'id al-Khudri and `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas reports:

This hadith is also included by:

Shi'a view

Mahdi Puya, a 20th century Shi'a twelver Islamic scholar writes regarding this verse:

A narration attributed to Abu Hatim Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Razi on the authority of Abu-Sa'id al-Khudri reports: