Detailed Account

In a profound spiritual experience during a period of intense hardship, the Prophet ﷺ was taken by night from the Sacred Mosque in Makkah to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (Isra'), then ascended through the seven heavens (Mi'raj). The journey began when Angel Jibreel woke him while sleeping near the Ka'bah (or at his cousin Umm Hani's house). The Prophet ﷺ mounted Buraq—a white animal smaller than a mule but larger than a donkey—that moved at incredible speed. Arriving at Jerusalem, he led previous prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus in prayer. From there, he ascended through the heavens with Jibreel, meeting different prophets at each level: Adam in the first heaven, Jesus and John in the second, Joseph in the third, Idris in the fourth, Aaron in the fifth, Moses in the sixth, and Abraham in the seventh. He then reached Sidrat al-Muntaha (the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary) where he witnessed Paradise and was given three gifts: the five daily prayers, the concluding verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, and forgiveness for serious sins for those who did not associate partners with Allah. The prayers were initially prescribed as fifty daily, but on Moses' advice, the Prophet ﷺ repeatedly requested reductions until they became five in number but with the reward of fifty. Upon returning to Makkah by morning, he informed Quraysh of this journey. Many ridiculed him and some apostates renounced Islam, but Abu Bakr immediately affirmed his belief, earning the title 'As-Siddiq' (The Truthful). When skeptics tested him by asking to describe Jerusalem, Allah showed it to him so he could accurately detail its features. This event strengthened believers, tested doubters, and established the five daily prayers as the cornerstone of Islamic practice.