Dr. Hüseyin Kâmi BÜYÜKÖZER
One of our holy nights filled with blessings and abundance is the Night of Ascension. Miraj is an ascension, a progression from all inferior emotions and human feelings to a pure servitude, to the highest level. It is an unlimited horizon of progress opened to humanity in the person of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
This sublime journey is the greatest of miracles. The miracle of Miraj is described in verses in the Holy Quran and its existence is revealed in a way that cannot be denied. The first stage of this divine journey, the stage up to Masjid al-Aqsa, is described in the Qur’an as follows:
“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs.1 Indeed, He2 alone is the All-Hearing , All-Seeing.” (Surah Al-Isra, Ayat 1)
The second stage of the Miraj is starting from Masjid al-Aqsa, passing through all layers of the sky and reaching the Divine presence. This stage is explained in the Surah An-Najm:
“While on the highest point above the horizon, then he approached ˹the Prophet˺, coming so close that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less. Then Allah revealed to His servant what He revealed ˹through Gabriel˺. The ˹ Prophet’s heart did not doubt what he saw. How can you ˹O pagans˺ then dispute with him regarding what he saw? And he certainly saw that ˹angel descend˺ a second time at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit ˹in the seventh heaven˺ near which is the Garden of ˹Eternal˺ Residence while the Lote Tree was overwhelmed with ˹heavenly˺ splendours!
The Prophet’s sight never wandered, nor did it overreach. He certainly saw some of his Lord’s greatest signs.“(Surah An-Najm – Ayat 7-18)
“In which their prayer will be, “Glory be to You, O Allah!” and their greeting will be, “Peace!” and their closing prayer will be, “All praise is for Allah—Lord of all worlds!” (Surah Yunus- Ayat 10)
“˹They say,˺ “Our Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after you have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran – Ayat 8)
“My Lord! Make me and those ˹believers˺ of my descendants keep up prayer. Our Lord! Accept my prayers. Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day when the judgment will come to pass.” (Surah Ibrahim – Ayat 40-41)
“O Allah, grant mercy and peace to our Master Muhammad (pbuh), his family, Companions and his brothers, which will be pleasing to You and rightful for him. Make us and our religion safe. Accept our prayer, O Lord of the worlds!”
“O Allah! We ask You to love You, to love those who love You, and to love the deeds that will lead to Your love.
For the sake of our Prophet Muhammad; Forgive our sins..!
Accept our prayers and accept our repentance..!
Moralize us with the morals of our Prophet..!
