An explanation of the verse of Meraj

 

An explanation of the verse of Meraj

 

Almighty Allah says about the Meraj in the following verse:

 

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His Servant for Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless― in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the one Who heareth and seeth (all things).  Surah Isra (17:01)

 

The word Subhan means free of all imperfections, and free of all powerlessness.

 

By starting the mention of Meraj with this word, Almighty Allah says that when the ignorant, weak-minded folk and those who are away from spirituality deny the wonderful incident of Meraj and will raise various objections, then these objections are not only about Meraj, they are about Almighty Allah as well.  It is as if the Lord Almighty is not powerful enough to grant Meraj to one of His bondsmen.

 

Then the word Isra shows that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself did not go, but that Almighty Allah took Him.  Others’ Meraj was not going out of their own free will.  The Meraj of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was out of His own free will.  It was an outing.  That’s why for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the word “Isra” is used which means to travel.

 

Why did Almighty Allah use the word “bondsman” when speaking about Meraj?

 

One reason is that “’Abd” is used to show that Meraj was for both the body and the soul, as ‘Abd is used for both the soul and the body.  Only the soul cannot be called ‘Abd.

 

The second reason is that when Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus) (May peace be upon him) was simply raised to the heavens, the Christians declared him the son of Allah Most High. 

 

To ensure that this nation does not declare the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as god or the son of god as He has gone to the heavens and even the ‘Arsh, Almighty Allah used the word “bondsman” and negated that very possibility.

 

The word Isra itself has the sense of traveling in the night, then why is the word Lailan used?  This is to show that this journey of Meraj did not take the whole night to complete, but was completed only in a part of the night.

Excerpted from Merajnama of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan]