Dr. Hüseyin Kâmi BÜYÜKÖZER
According to the calendar published by the Presidency of Religious Affairs, we will observe the Miraj Night, the first holy night of 2026, on Thursday, January 15, 2026. This blessed night, which falls within the month of Recep, will be spent by Muslims in prayer, worship, recitation of the Holy Quran, and other acts of devotion.
One of our blessed nights overflowing with grace and blessings is the Night of Miraj. Miraj is an ascension, a progression from all base feelings and human emotions to a pure servitude, to the highest rank. It is an unlimited horizon of progress opened before humanity in the person of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
This sublime journey is the greatest of miracles. The miracle of the Ascension (Miraj) is described in verses of the Holy Quran and its existence is undeniably established. The first stage of this divine journey, the phase up to the Masjid al-Aqsa, is described in the Quran as follows:
“Glorious is He Who made his servant travel by night from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām to Al-Masjid-ul-AqSā whose environs We have blessed, so that We let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, the All- Seeing.” (Surah Al-Isra, 1)
The second stage of the Ascension is the passage from Masjid al-Aqsa through all the layers of heaven until reaching the Divine Presence. This stage is described in Surah An-Najm as follows:
“While he [Jibrîl (Gabriel)] was in the highest part of the horizon, Then he drew near, and came down, so as he was at a distance like that of two bows (joined together), rather even nearer. Thus He (Allah) revealed to His slave what He revealed. The heart did not err in what he saw. Do you quarrel with him in what he sees? Indeed he saw him another time by Sidrat-ul-Muntahā (the lote-tree in the upper realm),near which there is Jannat-ul-Ma’wā (the Paradise of Abode), when the lote-tree was covered by that which covered it. The eye neither went wrong, nor did exceed the limit. He has indeed seen a part of the biggest signs of your Lord.” (Surah An-Najm, Ayat 7-18)
“Their call therein will be, “Pure are You, O Allah” and their greeting therein will be Salām . And the end of their call will be, “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” (Surah Yunus, Ayat 10)
“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate from the right path after You have given us guidance, and bestow upon us mercy from Your own. Surely, You, and You alone, are the One who bestows in abundance.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran, Ayat 8)
“My Lord, make me steadfast in Salāh, and my offspring as well. And, Our Lord, grant my prayer. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and all believers on the day when reckoning shall take place.” (Surah Ibrahim, Ayat 40-41)
