One night, two journeys
Most biographers place it after one of the hardest stretches of his life. In Makkah the hostility was growing, and he had recently lost his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib. Then, one night, he was taken on a journey no one else has made.
The Isra is the first part: from the Sacred Mosque in Makkah to al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, in one night, carried on al-Buraq, a white mount a little larger than a donkey. There he led the earlier prophets in prayer (Muslim). The Mi'raj is the second: the ascent through the seven heavens, where he met prophets including Adam, Isa, Yusuf, Musa and Ibrahim (Bukhari and Muslim), until he reached the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary (An-Najm 53:14).
Most scholars hold that it happened in body and soul, while he was awake. That is why it was such a test for the people who heard about it in Makkah the next morning. When the Quraysh challenged him to describe Jerusalem, Allah showed the city to him, and he described it to them while looking at it (Bukhari and Muslim).
From the Quran
سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسۡرَىٰ بِعَبۡدِهِۦ لَيۡلٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡأَقۡصَا ٱلَّذِي بَٰرَكۡنَا حَوۡلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَآۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
The gift of that night
At the height of the journey, the prayer was made obligatory. It was first fifty prayers a day. At Musa's urging, the Prophet ﷺ went back again and again to ask for it to be lightened, until it became five, with the reward of fifty (Bukhari 349).
Along the way he was offered a cup of milk and a cup of wine. He chose the milk, and Jibril told him he had chosen the fitra, the natural way (Bukhari and Muslim).
He was also given the closing verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, and the forgiveness of grave sins for those of his community who associate nothing with Allah (Muslim 173).
That's worth sitting with for a moment. Every salah you pray is something he brought back from that night.
When it happened, and how to mark it
The date most widely observed is the 27th of Rajab, which is when Turkey marks Miraç Kandili, along with many other countries. No authentic narration fixes the date, though, and early historians gave different months for it.
Scholars also differ on marking the night with special acts of worship. Many communities gather for talks, recitation and dua; others hold that since the date is uncertain and the Companions did not mark it, it should not be singled out. No one disputes that worship on any night is good. A few things that fit the meaning of this one:
- Pray Isha with full attention, the way you would hold a gift.
- Read Surah Al-Isra (17), or the opening of Surah An-Najm (53), with their meaning.
- Recite the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah before you sleep, as many people do every night.
- Tell your children the story. It's one of the most vivid in his life.
- Make dua for al-Aqsa, the blessed place the journey passed through, and the people around it.
Questions people ask
When is Isra and Mi'raj?
It is commonly observed on the 27th of Rajab, beginning the evening before. Historians differ on the actual date. The date at the top of this page follows Diyanet's calendar, the same one the Sereni app uses.
Was the Isra and Mi'raj a dream?
Most scholars hold that it happened in body and soul, while the Prophet ﷺ was awake. The Quran speaks of Allah taking “His Servant by night” (Al-Isra 17:1), and the uproar it caused in Makkah only makes sense if he described a real journey. A minority of early scholars held it was a vision.
Is there a special prayer for the night of Isra and Mi'raj?
No prayer specific to this night is authentically reported. Some circulate with a set number of rak'ahs, and scholars say they have no basis. The voluntary prayer, Quran and dua you would do on any other night are good on this one too.