The Israʾ and Miʿraj (Arabic: الإسراء والمعراج, al-’Isrā’ wal-Miʿrāj) are the names given to the stories about the Islamic prophet Muhammad’s journey to the sky during a night, his vision of the afterlife, and his return. Some people believe that parts of the Quran, specifically verses 1-18 of Surah an-Najm and some verses in Surah al-’Isrā’, hint at this event.
According to Ibn Sa'd, the earliest written stories describe how the angels Gabriel and Michael accompanied Muhammad to a place near the Kaaba, between the well of Zamzam and Maqam Ibrahim. There, Muhammad and Gabriel are said to have built a ladder (miʿrāj) and used it to ascend to heaven. When he reached the top, Muhammad is said to have met earlier prophets. In one version, Gabriel held Muhammad’s hand and helped him reach heaven. When Muhammad saw the Sidrat al-Muntaha, a place mentioned in Surah 53, verse 14, he saw heaven and hell. He was then asked to perform fifty prayers, but he negotiated with God to reduce them to five. This change is connected to the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, which are sometimes called a gift from God.
Over time, different stories and accounts expanded on these events. Some stories are based on hadith, which are reports about Muhammad’s teachings, actions, and sayings, written many years after his lifetime. In mystical traditions, the journey is sometimes seen as a personal spiritual experience.
Hans Wehr notes that the choice of the 27th night of the month of Rajab for the Miraj is not supported by any reports and is considered arbitrary. Ibn Sa'd recorded that Muhammad’s Mi'raj took place on the 27th night of Ramadan, 18 months before the Hijrah, while the Isra’ from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis happened on the 17th night of Rabi' al-Awwal before the Hijrah. These are described as two separate events. Ibn Hisham’s account places the Isra’ first, followed by the Mi'raj, and says these stories occurred before the deaths of Khadija and Abu Talib. In contrast, Al-Tabari placed the story at the start of Muhammad’s public ministry, between his account of Khadija becoming the first to believe in him and the first male to believe in him.
The 27th night of the month of Rajab is one of the most important and celebrated holy nights in the Islamic calendar.
Terminology
The word Al-’Isrā’ means "to make someone walk" and is often translated as walking or traveling at night. The word Miʿrāj means "a device or place used for climbing" and comes from the Arabic word uruju, which means "to rise" or "to go up to a high place." The use of miʿrāj instead of uʿruj as the name for these stories may be connected to the idea of a ladder in early descriptions of the event.
The Bait al-Maqdis (the Holy House), located in the ancient city of Aelia, is mentioned in religious stories about the Miraj. This place is believed to be where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven. The name Bait al-Maqdis is the Arabic way of saying the Hebrew name for the Temple of Solomon. Later, Muslims named the city Al-Quds, which comes from the same word root.
The Dome of the Rock was built on a stone called Muallak (meaning "lifted"). The Al-Aqsa Mosque (sometimes called "Masjid Al-Aqsa") is located on the southern side of the same area. These structures were likely built by the fifth Umayyad caliph, Abd al-Malik (r. 685–705), or his successor, al-Walid I (r. 705–715), or both. The construction may have been influenced by political reasons. (See also: Dome of the Ascension.)
Another name used today for Masjid al-Aqsa is Haram al-Sharif. This term is believed to refer to the entire area of the Temple Mount, as there were no buildings there during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. The word Haram al-Sharif highlights the site's great importance and became widely used during the Mamluk (1250–1517) and Ottoman periods.
Islamic tradition
The 17th chapter of the Quran is named after a word in its first verse. Originally called Surah Banī Isrāʾīl (Arabic: بني إسرائيل, meaning "Children of Israel"), it later became known as Surat Al-Isra. During this time, stories and explanations about Isra, which means "to make someone walk," began to appear in Islamic writings. Many believe the verse refers to the night journey of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem on a creature called Buraq. Another interpretation suggests that the term Al-Aqsa in the verse does not refer to Jerusalem but to Al-Ji'rana, a place near Mecca. This is hinted at by the mention in Surah Al-Isra 17:1 that Masjid al-Haram is a night’s journey away from Masjid al-Aqsa.
A poetic passage in Surah An-Najm 53:13-18 connects to the ascension part of the story. However, no other Quranic verses directly mention the Miraj (ascension). Unlike verses about miracles performed by other prophets, some Quranic verses deny miracles for Muhammad outside the Quran, which has drawn attention from scholars.
Details about the Miraj come from stories written centuries after Muhammad’s lifetime, found in biographies and hadith collections. These stories changed over time, even in the earliest records.
Before the Miraj, some accounts describe a purification process, such as opening Muhammad’s chest and pouring zamzam water on his heart to grant him wisdom. Others say these events are unrelated. This purification is also linked to a trial involving drinks, though it is unclear whether it happened before or after the ascension. Reliable hadiths from Anas ibn Malik and ibn ʿAbbas, who were children at the time, support these accounts.
Al-Tabari’s summary describes Muhammad traveling with Gabriel through seven levels of heaven, meeting Adam, John the Baptist, Jesus, Joseph, Idris, Aaron, Moses, and Abraham. After meeting God, Muhammad was told to pray 50 times daily. On returning to Earth, he met Moses, who advised him to reduce the number of prayers. After nine trips between Moses and God, the prayers were cut to five daily.
Ibn Abbas’s early accounts describe Muhammad’s journey through heaven, where he saw angels, seas of light, darkness, and fire. He met four important angels: the Rooster angel (whose call affects earthly roosters), the Half Fire Half Snow angel, the Angel of Death, and the Guardian of Hellfire. These angels are introduced early in Ibn Abbas’s story, focusing on them rather than prophets. He also mentions cherubim, special angels that instill fear in Muhammad but are later seen as harmless creations of God.
Other details in Ibn Abbas’s accounts include the Heavenly host, the final verses of the Cow Chapter, and blessings from prophets. Some later versions add stories about Muhammad meeting prophets and reducing daily prayers, which are not in Ibn Abbas’s original version. Whether these additions were made by Ibn Abbas or later storytellers is debated.
Other reports describe the Isra, Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to "the farthest place of worship" (Al-Aqsa), though the city is not named. He traveled on Buraq, a winged horse-like creature, guided by Gabriel. After praying, Gabriel tested Muhammad with wine, water, and milk, and Muhammad chose milk, showing he followed his natural instincts. During the Miraj, Gabriel took Muhammad to heaven, where he met Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus. He also saw paradise and hell before returning to Earth.
The most widely accepted version includes Muhammad’s heart being purified, traveling to Al-Aqsa on Buraq, praying with prophets like Abraham and Moses, ascending to heaven from a suspended stone, speaking with God, meeting other prophets, seeing paradise and hell, and returning home.
In Alevism and Bektashism
The Assembly of the Forty, also called the council of forty (in Turkish "Kırklar meclisi"), is a group prayer ceremony in Alevism and Bektashism. This ceremony is based on the belief that Muhammad participated in it after returning from the Mi'raj, a spiritual journey. Alevi stories are passed down through spoken words and have changed over time as they were shared by people for many years.
In Alevi traditions, the story of Muhammad's Ascension describes his journey to the Mi'raj on his mount Buraq. During this journey, he was offered honey, milk, wine, or apples. Unlike stories from Sunni Islam, this version includes a scene where Muhammad gives his ring, which holds the mark of his prophethood, to a lion. This act symbolizes Muhammad's transition from being a messenger of Allah to being in the presence of Allah. Muhammad spoke 90,000 words to Allah from behind a veil. The voice he heard was familiar and was identified as Ali's voice. When Muhammad asked who was speaking, he was told, "I am Allah, but I chose to speak to you with Ali's voice." In another version, the veil is removed, and Muhammad sees Ali's face. These details challenge some traditional Islamic practices, such as rules about prayer, alcohol, and separating men and women, by suggesting different interpretations of religious teachings.
Belief that Muhammad traveled to heaven physically was used to show his unique position among prophets. Some Sufis, or Islamic mystics, thought Muhammad's body could reach God in a way no other saint could. They debated whether Muhammad saw God with his eyes or his heart. It was said that Muhammad remained focused on God even when very close to Him, unlike Moses, who fainted when God appeared to him. This showed Muhammad's strength and spiritual power.
A book called "The Subtleties of the Ascension" by Abu ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Sulami includes quotes from other mystics who also talk about Muhammad's importance. Many Sufis used the story of the Mi'raj to ask questions about its events and to support the idea that Muhammad was greater than other prophets.
Muhammad Iqbal, a poet and thinker who followed in the footsteps of Rumi, used the Mi'raj event to explain the difference between a prophet and a Sufi. He wrote that Muhammad visited heaven during his journey and then returned to the world. Iqbal quoted another Muslim saint, Abdul Quddus Gangohi, who said that if he had experienced the Mi'raj, he would never have returned to Earth. Iqbal used this to show that prophets return to the world with a powerful message that changes history, while Sufis might stay in spiritual realms.
In Islam, whether the Mi'raj was a physical or spiritual event is debated. Some believe it was physical, but this could suggest God has a physical form, which contradicts the idea that God is beyond human understanding. Many Islamic mystics think Muhammad's journey was a spiritual experience, with his body staying in one place while his spirit traveled. Most Islamic scholars, however, say the journey was both physical and spiritual.
In Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock marks the spot where Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. This building was made many years after Muhammad's death. The exact date of the journey is not certain, but it is celebrated as happening before the Hijrah (the migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina) and after his visit to Ta'if. Most Sunni Muslims believe the event occurred on the 27th day of the month Rajab, which would be February 26, 621, in the Western calendar. In Iran, this day is called the day of Muhammad's first calling or Mab'as. The Al-Aqsa Mosque and its area are the third holiest place for Muslims.
The Lailat al-Mi'raj, also called Shab-e-Mi'raj in some countries and Miraç Kandili in Turkey, is a Muslim holiday celebrated on the 27th day of Rajab. It honors the Isra and Mi'raj, Muhammad's journey. Some Muslims pray during this night, and in some places, cities are lit with lights and candles. People gather in mosques to pray and share stories about Muhammad's spiritual journey. One story says the angel Gabriel purified Muhammad's heart and filled him with knowledge before his journey to heaven. After prayers, food and treats are shared.
Discussions on history and geography
According to Islamic tradition, a small prayer hall called a musalla, which later became the Al-Aqsa Mosque, was built by Umar, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. A hadith describes Muhammad's account of the experience:
Some hadiths mention the Miraj story separately from Al-Aqsa. The city of Jerusalem is not named in Surah Al-Isra 17:1, but Islamic scholars agree that the Quran's reference to masjid al-aqṣā in this verse refers to Jerusalem. Later Islamic writings and hadiths describe Jerusalem as the location of the Isra and Mi'raj events.
Some scholars disagree about whether Al-masjid al-aqṣā was located in Jerusalem. They argue there is no evidence of a mosque on the Temple Mount before the Islamic conquest of the Levant and Umar's arrival. The first and second Jewish temples were destroyed by the Babylonians and Romans, respectively, more than five centuries before Muhammad's time. After a Jewish revolt against Heraclius, Jewish people briefly returned to Jerusalem between AD 614 and 630, rebuilding the temple and synagogues. When they were expelled again, a small synagogue was already present on the Temple Mount before Heraclius reclaimed the city in AD 630. This synagogue was reportedly destroyed after Heraclius took control. During the reign of Umayyad Caliph Mu'awiyah I (founded in AD 661), a square-shaped mosque for 3,000 worshippers was built on the Haram ash-Sharif. This was later rebuilt and expanded by Caliph Abd al-Malik in AD 690, along with the Dome of the Rock.
French-American academic Oleg Grabar suggested that the Quranic reference to Al-masjid al-aqṣā might refer to one of two sanctuaries in a village near Mecca called al-Ju'ranah. This idea is based on the writings of two medieval Muslim travelers, Al-Waqidi and Al-Azraqi, who used the terms "Al-masjid al-aqṣā" and "Al-masjid al-Adna."
Israeli political scientist Yitzhak Reiter notes that some Muslim groups in the 21st century have alternative views. Some believe the night journey did not occur in Jerusalem but instead took place in the Heavens or in Medina and its surrounding areas, according to Jaf'ari Shi'ites. Reiter also states that the belief that the journey occurred in Jerusalem may have been a tradition created after Muhammad's death by the Umayyad Caliphate to redirect pilgrimage to Shi'ite sites like Al-Kufa or to Mecca during the Second Muslim Civil War when it was controlled by Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr.
European reception
In the 13th century AD, a story about the Isra' and Mi'raj was translated into Latin, Spanish, and French. This story, called the Book of Muhammad's Ladder, claims to be the words of Muhammad as recorded by Ibn Abbas. The translations were done by Abraham of Toledo and Bonaventure of Siena. This text may have affected Dante Alighieri's description of a journey to heaven and a trip to hell in the Divine Comedy.
Parallels in other traditions
In early Jewish and Christian writings, there are stories about living people going to heaven. The Book of Enoch, a Jewish text from the late Second Temple period that is not part of the main religious writings, tells the story of an angel showing the important ancestor Enoch, who was Noah's great-grandfather, a tour of heaven. Brooke Vuckovic suggests that early Muslims might have thought of this journey when they interpreted Muhammad's night journey.
Many details in the Miraj stories are very similar to those in Zoroastrian writings. Some people say these stories were copied from Zoroastrian texts, but others believe the Zoroastrian writings were created after Islam began.