In body and soul, Almighty Allah carried his servant Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) from Makkah to Al-Aqsa Mosque and then to the highest heaven in the company of Angel Jibreel (Gabriel). The most eloquent, most concise justification of this Journey is expressed in Allah's words:

[…In order that We might show him [Muhammad] some of Our ayahs [i.e. proofs, evidences, signs, etc.]...] (Al-Israa' 17:1)

The divine rule as regards the Prophets goes as follows:

[And thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he might be one of those who have faith with certainty.] (Al-An`am 6:75)

To Moses, the Lord said,

[That We may show you of Our greater signs.] (Ta-Ha 20:23)

Why? Also, in order that [He might be one of those who have faith with certaint].

After seeing Allah's signs, the Prophets established their faith on a solid certainty too immune to be relinquished. In fact, the Prophets were eligible for this divine privilege because they were the ones who would bear burdens too heavy for ordinary people to carry, and in the process of their mission, they should regard all worldly ordeals and agonies as too small to care about.

Al-Israa' and Al-Mi`raj (Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet) was one blessed event. However, the reactions to it were different. Each reaction gave an indication of what was in the hearts of people and clearly told whether they were good, bad, pious, or doubtful.

This, in fact, was another reason behind such an unprecedented journey: revealing the metals of men and the nature of the surrounding environment, within which the Islamic call would proceed. This helped Muslims discern enemies from friends and take the appropriate precautions as to who was with the body of Muslims and who was against it.

First Reaction: A Loving Heart

It is reported that Prophet Muhammad was sleeping in the house of his cousin Umm Hani' when this miraculous event occurred. He related what he experienced to his cousin and told her that he saw the Prophets and led them in Prayer. That was when her heartbeats accelerated!

Yes, he was telling her the truth and she believed him, but this was not her prime concern. Actually, she was concerned about his safety: What if he told the unbelievers? They would either harm him or at least mock him.

This does not mean that the message of Islam did not concern her. In fact, she was so worried about his personal safety. So, as he was about to leave to go to the mosque, she stopped him and said, "I fear that people will not believe you if you tell them what you have just told me." The Prophet made clear his intention to tell them: "[I will speak] even though they would not believe me."

His prime concern was not himself; he insisted to relate the miracle that Almighty Allah had gifted him with, as part of conveying the message of Islam.

Second Reaction: Hatred and Disbelief

When the Prophet sat in the mosque, Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam, went to him and asked him whether he had any news, hoping to find a material for mockery. The Prophet told him that he went to Jerusalem, ascended to heavens, and came back on the same night.

As if the man had found his long-pursued chance, he immediately called on people to gather and listen to the strange news the Prophet had to tell. As the Prophet did so, some people started to clap as a gesture of rejecting what they heard. Others put their hands on their heads in disbelief. All kinds of mockery were available, yet the Prophet sat firm, confident, and strong — a real role model for all those who are sincere about their goals and messages in life.

Third Reaction: Doubt

More than often, one might hear that the timing of the Night Journey and Ascension was a bit strange; it was in the beginning of the Islamic call, and such an event in such time would jeopardize the body of this nascent Ummah, making it lose some of its followers. However, a deeper look reveals that the timing was as miraculous as the event.

The core of belief is not just a claim that one is a believer. Words, though important, are not enough with regard to such crucial matters. One should wait until he or she successfully passes the trials of faith.

Moreover, the strength of Islam is not measured by the large number of believers; rather, it is measured by those believers' firmness and stability in facing tests and trials. Quality rather than quantity is what really matters.

Almighty Allah regularly refines the Ummah through different challenges and tests, so that only true believers would stay and others would fall. This saves the Ummah from the harm of those who bear doubts in their bosoms.

This is what actually happened. After that blessed journey, some of those who had earlier accepted Islam turned away, declaring that they were no longer Muslims. This made the body of the Ummah formed of only truthful, confident, and sincere Muslims.

Fourth Reaction: Truth and Sincerity

Some people went to Abu Bakr, the Prophet's Companion, to know his reaction to what the Prophet had declared. When they assured him that the Prophet had claimed to have made a journey to and back from Jerusalem overnight, Abu Bakr said the following famous words of his: "If he is saying this, then he is surely telling the truth."

When the people expressed their amazement at his acceptance of the truth of such a singular story, Abu Bakr said, "What is so surprising? I do believe him regarding something that is even more difficult to believe: He says he is a Prophet receiving revelations from on high, and I believe him."

That is why the Prophet gave Abu Bakr the title as-siddiq, which means the true and firm believer or the verifier of truth.

For true Muslims, such as Abu Bakr and other Companions, there was nothing unusual about the Night Journey and Ascension. Almighty Allah, Who could create the heavens and the earth by an act of His will, is surely able to take His Messenger beyond the heavens and show him those signs of His, which are otherwise inaccessible.

Among the people were some who had been to Jerusalem, and so they asked the Prophet to describe it to them. From where he was standing, the Prophet was made to see Jerusalem so clearly that he described it to them in detail. They, themselves, attested to the accuracy of his description.

Then, they asked him to tell them about their trade caravan and the time of its arrival. He told them the number of its camels and described its condition at the time. He further told them that it would arrive at the sunrise of a particular day, headed by a white camel.

On the day appointed by the Prophet, the people went out to make sure the caravan arrived. When the sun began to rise, they said, "Here is the sun rising." Then, they looked and said, "And here is the caravan headed by the white camel, just as Muhammad said." Yet, they still refused to believe, as it is not a matter of listing evidences; rather, it is a matter of faith, with which souls are enlightened.

 To Allah's power and ability, all matters (which we may view as easy or difficult according to our human standards) are the same. What is familiar to us in our world is not to be taken as the criterion for making a judgment in relation to the infinite power of our Creator.

Prophethood is a link with Almighty Allah; it is a superior position that cannot be compared to any other position in human life. Therefore, the fact that a remote place or world was shown to the Prophet by whatever means is not more miraculous than prophethood. Such a journey was not more miraculous than receiving Allah's revelation and message, just as made clear in Abu Bakr's reply to the suspicious people.

The disbelievers were always asking Prophet Muhammad for a miracle as a proof of his Prophethood. After they had the miracle and received a definite proof of its truth, they still opted for disbelief. Almighty Allah says,

[For indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the bosoms, that grow blind.] (Al-Hajj 22:46)

Indeed, Islam does not rely on miraculous events in presenting itself to people. Instead, it relies only on the nature of its message and its direct appeal for the uncorrupted human nature.

When the Prophet spoke up about his journey, he did not seek to present it as a proof of the truthfulness of his Prophethood — he was only stating facts about an event that was purely and simply true. Almighty Allah says,

[Say, "Behold all that is in the heavens and on earth!" But, neither signs nor warnings avail those who believe not.] (Yunus 10:101)

Sources:

• Qutb, Sayed. In the Shade of the Qur'an. Translated by Adil Salahi.

• Al-Mubarakfuri, Safiur Rahman. The Sealed Nectar. Translated by Issam Diab

* Mona Salama is a Medical Nutrition Specialist. Parenting Counselor and hold   Ijaza in Da`wah. She is one of Islamonline.net Living Shari`ah staff.