Isra And Miraj; A Quranic Look

While the Isra did happen (17:1, 53:1-18), fairytales associated with it do not make any sense when
scrutinized under Quran's light. I sum up this story first, and then I take a look at it Quranicly.

This story is usually called in Muslim literature the story of al-isra'a and al-mi'raj or the prophet
Muhammad quit night journey (al-isra'a) from Mecca to al-masjid al-aqsa (the farthest mosque) in
Jerusalem, then his ascension to heaven (al-mi'raj) and his return in few minutes back to Mecca.
They said it happened on 27th night of Rajab (the 7th lunar month) in 621 AD (Muhammad was then
50-year old). When he met the Lord, he received at first fifty salats.

Following Moses' advises who was in the 7th heaven; Muhammad was going back and forth to the
Lord in debating in behalf of believers down in earth to lighten the number of salats for them. He
could not do it anymore, out of shyness, when the Lord lowered this number fifty many times until it
was only five salats.

They said that since every good deed is rewarded tenfold, therefore whoever prays five times, is
rewarded fifty fold. So the original ordinance and decision of GOD remained unchanged!!!

Let's look now at this story under Quran's light.

1) First of all, Muhammad was summoned during the Night of Destiny in Ramadan (the 9th lunar
month) to the ultimate place and he only received the Quran (2:97, 2:185, 17:1, 44:3, 53:1-18, 97:1-
5). This flight could not happen then in Rajab (the 7th lunar month) as this story states.

2:185, "Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the
people, clear teachings..."

17:1 "Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the
Sacred Mosque to the farthest place of prostration, whose surrounding we have blessed, in order to
show him from our signs. He is the Hearer, the Seer."

44:3, "We have sent it down in a blessed night, in order to warn."

53:1-18, "By the stars as they fell away. Your friend (Muhammad) was not astray, nor was he
deceived. Nor is he speaking out of a personal desire. It is divine inspiration. Dictated by the Most
Powerful. Possessor of all authority. From His highest height. At the highest horizon. He drew nearer
by moving down. Until He became as close as possible. He then revealed to His servant what was to
be revealed. The heart (al-fuad) never made up what it saw. Are you doubting what he saw? He saw
him in another descent. At the ultimate point. Where the eternal Paradise is located. The whole place
was overwhelmed. The eyes did not waver, nor go blind. He saw great signs of his Lord."

2) Muhammad did not receive anything else, especially salat. Salat was given to Abraham (21:73,
22:78), and Muhammad was merely his follower in that (16:123).

3) There are similarities between the debating part of this story and the story of Abraham in the Bible
(Genesis 18:17-33). Abraham was debating with the Lord in behalf of the people of Sodom (Lot’s
people) to not destroy them if there were fifty righteous people among them, until this figure became
only ten.
However, here is what Quran says about this event.

29:31-32, "When our messengers went to Abraham with good news (about his son's birth), they also
said, "We are on our way to annihilate the people of that town, for its people have been wicked." He
said, "But Lot is in it." They said, "WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF EVERYONE IN IT. WE WILL
OF COURSE SAVE HIM AND HIS FAMILY, BUT NOT HIS WIFE; SHE IS DOOMED."

11:74-76, "When Abraham's fear subsided, and the good news was delivered to him, he proceeded to
argue with us on behalf of Lot's people. Indeed, Abraham was clement, extremely kind, and
repenting. "O Abraham, REFRAIN FROM THIS. Your Lord's judgment has been issued; they have
incurred unavoidable retribution."

Abraham's intentions and God answering prayers are not the issues here. The issue here is,
"Does God change His commands once they are issued? Could someone with prayers make
God do so?" The answer to both questions, as shown from the two ayat above, is NO.

Therefore, if a part in the Bible, or in any other book (scripture, philosophy...) for that matter, says
otherwise about this event and this issue, then this part is false. Quran came to AUTHENTICATE
previous scriptures and to GUARD them, and not to confirm them.

4) During this flight, Muhammad received Quran. He must be then at most 40-year old (the age he
declared his prophethood), not 50 as this story states.

5) The natural question here is this. Does it mean that Muhammad, Moses, or Abraham is more
merciful toward the people and more knowing about what they could do than GOD? I seek GOD for
His forgiveness.

6) Muhammad is described here as visiting al-aqsa mosque (the farthest mosque) in Jerusalem.
But this mosque was only built 65 years after Muhammad's death! Even its Arabic name al-
aqsa was taken from Quran (17:1), not the other way around.

7) There is another interesting version of the same story by Ibn Ishak, the first recorder of
Muhammad's biography. He lived much earlier than any other recorder of this story; which makes
his version trustworthier historically. In his version, he said that Muhammad informs his wife about
his flight when he woke up for Fajr salat. He told her the flight happened while he was sleeping after
Esha salat. His narration talks about Esha and Fajr salats. Therefore, Muhammad could not receive
salat in his flight!

From the seven points above, we could conclude easily that the story of Isra and Miraj does not hold
water under Quran's light. Therefore, it is only a fairytale.

God knows best,