The Sultanate of Oman is observing the holy ‘Al Isra and Mi’raj’, which falls on the 27th day of the month of Rajab, the seventh month in the Islamic calendar.

“According to Islamic belief, the relevance of the day is that it is the night that Allah Almighty took his Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on a journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then to heaven during AD 570–632,” Ali al Ghafry, Head of Religious Preaching at the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, said.

Holy Quran says: “He who brought down the tranquility in the hearts of the believers to increase faith with their faith and God the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (Al-Fath: 4).

It is the night journey and ascent of the Prophet, and the revelation of Salat that are coinciding with the night and within Islam, it signifies both a physical and spiritual journey. During this day and night, households commemorate this major incident in Islamic history by telling the story of how the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was visited by two archangels while he was asleep, who purified his heart and filled him with knowledge and faith.

The holy Quran says Al Isra and Al Miraj is an eternal lesson and a divine test in which those who succeed will succeed in the test of soul and material world.

It urges the followers of the religion to engage themselves more in prayers and prostration, saying ‘prostrate and come closer.’

“Isra denotes prophet’s journey from Masjid ul Haram to Masjid ul Aqsa while Mi’raj is the ascension along the seven skies till the limit stipulated by the Almighty and history has it that he spoke to Allah Almighty at the end of the journey. The five times mandatory prayers, one of the pillars of the mono ethic belief that every believer is following today is the result of the meeting,” says Rafeeq Saqafi Kuppadithara, adding that the message of Isra wal Mi’raj is the five-times compulsory prayers.

The miraculous journey took place during a time when the Prophet (saw) was facing intense hardship and pain. The Quraysh, who were his tribe and his family, constantly ridiculed, humiliated and oppressed the Prophet (saw) and his followers. Moreover, the Prophet (saw) had just faced the Year of Sorrow (‘Aam al-Huzn), during which he (saw) lost his beloved wife Khadijah (ra), and his uncle Abu Talib, who was his protector and ally.

In addition to all these burdens, when the Prophet (saw) had travelled to Ta’if to spread the Islamic message, the people of Ta’if had rejected him in the most cruel way, sending their children into the streets to stone him until he left the city.

Having gone through so much grief and suffering, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was given a truly beautiful and comforting gift. He was transported not only to the Sacred Sanctuary and through the skies, but ultimately into the Divine Presence, the source of all comfort and hope.

“Additionally, one of the most important lessons of Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj, therefore, is that ‘with every hardship, there will be ease’ as is said in the fifth Aayay in Sura 94 which is all the more important in today’s world,” adds Ali al Ghafry.

@kabeeryousef