Allah, the Almighty, has
said in His Noble book :
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ
الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ
مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
"Glorified be He who carried His servant from Masjid al‑Haram to Masjid al‑Aqsa, the precincts of
which We have blessed, so that We may show him of Our Signs. Verily He is the
All‑Hearing, the All‑Seeing. " [1]
One of the most amazing
events that took place during the lifetime of our beloved Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) was the event of Me’raj.
This event is considered
as one of the indisputable events of history and is a part of our religious
beliefs. Every Muslim, in accordance with the clear verses of the Holy Qu’ran,
in addition to the reliable chain of narrators, believe in Me’raj.
All the Muslims
commemorate 27th of Rajab as the day of Meraj of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.)
The event
of Meraj has
its root in the Holy Quran and traditions. The importance of the belief in
Meraj in Shia’ism in particular can be gauged from the below tradition of Imam
Ali Reza (a.s.)
من أنكر ثلاثة أشياء فليس من شيعتنا – المعراج – المسئلة في القبر والشفاعة.
"One who denies (any of these) three things is not among our Shi`a (followers): the Meraj, the questioning in the grave and ash Shafa`ah (intercession).”
)Behar
al Anwaar, Vol. 6, Pg 223)
Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.) travelled with his physical body
through the worlds of ascension. Further, by the greatness of the Hidden Power, he
was able to complete this journey in a very short span of time.
Below are few traditions
from Ahle Bait (as) on Meraj and the events which occurred in Meraj.
Tradition
1: Popularity of Hazrat Ameerul Momineen (as) in the skies.
It is narrated from Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said, on the night of Meraj, every time I passed by a
group of angels, they asked me about Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) so often that I
started to believe that Ali (as) was more famous in the skies than I was.
When I
reached the fourth sky, I saw the angel of death.
The angel of
death asked me, “O Mohammed (s.a.w.a.), how is Ali (a.s.)?
I said, “O my
friend, how do you know Ali (a.s.)?
He said, “O
Mohammed (s.a.w.a.), I am responsible for taking the life of everyone that
Allah created except for two beings, that is, your life and Ali’s life, because
Allah Himself will take your lives.”
Then I
reached the Arsh (the throne) and when I looked up I saw Ali ibn Abi Talib
(a.s.) standing under the Throne of my Lord.
I said, “O
Ali! Did you race me here?”
Then Jibrael
(a.s.) asked me, “O Mohammed (s.a.w.a.) to whom are you speaking”?
I replied, “I
am talking to my brother, Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).”
Jibraeel
(a.s.) replied, “O Mohammed (s.a.w.a.), this is not Ali (a.s.). This is an
angel that Allah has created in the shape of Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). When we
angels miss Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) we go and look at this angel and seek
forgiveness from Allah for Ali’s (a.s.) Shia.[2]
Tradition 2: People who Lie
While describing the scenes of
Meraj, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) told Janabe Fatema Zahra (s.a.):
“On the night of Meraj I saw a woman whose head resembled a
pig and her body was like that of a donkey. It was due to the fact that she
spread discord and told lies.” [3]
Tradition 3 : Those who disrespect
the purified Ahle Bait (as).
On the night of Meraj the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) saw the following inscriptions on the door of Hell:
“Allah degrades the one who insults Islam, the one who
insults the purified Ahle Bait (a.s.) and the one who helps an oppressor in
oppression.” [4]
Tradition 4: Those who Usurp the
Properties of Orphans
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) says:
“On the night of ascension (Meraj)
when I was taken to the skies I decried a group of people whose bellies were
being stuffed with fire. And the fire was spilling from their anal openings. I
asked Jibraeel, who they are? Jibraeel replied, ‘They are those who used
to usurp the property of the orphans unjustly’.” [5]
Tradition
5: Those who take Usury
The
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has also stated:
“On the night of ascension (Meraj)
I saw some people trying to stand up but did not succeed because of their huge
bellies, I asked, O Jibraeel, who are these people?”
Jibraeel
replied, “They are those who have taken usury. Now they can only stand up like
those who have been possessed by the Devils.”
Tradition
6 : Those who have Love of this World in their Hearts.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “The
Lord Almighty told me on the night of Meraj, ‘O Ahmad, if any of My slaves may
offer prayers and fasts equal to that done by all in the sky and the earth, may
refrain from food like angels, may wear the dress of constant worshippers and
then I see that in his heart was even an iota of love or desire for worldly
fame, position, material desire etc. I will not admit him to Paradise. I will
remove My love from his heart. I will make his heart dark, so that he may
forget Me and I will not allow him to taste the sweetness of My love.”
Tradition 7: The Voice of Imam Ali (as) During the Meraj.
Abdullah ibn `Umar that:
"I heard someone ask the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.a.) - `with what voice
did Allah, the Glorified and High, speak to you on the night of the Meraj
?" The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) replied, "My Lord spoke to me with the
voice of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) and said, `O' Ahmad (s.a.w.a.)! I am an
Entity that is not like anything else. I cannot be compared to anything else
and I know all the secrets of your heart. With the exception of 'Ali ibn Abi
Talib (a.s.), you have no other close friend. Thus, I speak to you with the
voice of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) so that your heart will be at
ease."[6]
Excerpts from the Book -
Irshad al-Qulub on the event of Meraj.
a. Renouncing
the world.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said,
"Lord! How do I renounce life and seek the
Hereafter?”
The Almighty said, "Take from this life light
food and drink as well as clothing; do not hoard for tomorrow, and keep
remembering Me.”
b. Seeking
nearness to Allah, the Almighty
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said,"Lord! Lead
me to a deed whereby I seek nearness to You.”
The Almighty said,"Make your night a day and
your day a night.” The Prophet (S) said, "How so, Lord?”
The Almighty said,"Turn your sleep into prayer
and your food into hunger.
c.
Seeking proximity to Allah, the Almighty
O Ahmad (s.a.w.a.)! Do you know during what time a
servant becomes close to Allah?”
The Prophet (S) said, "No, Lord, I do not.”
The Almighty said, "He does so when he is either hungry or prostrating.
d. Loving the Poor
O Ahmad (s.a.w.a.)!
Love for My sake is love for the poor; so, get close to the poor and let
them get close to you, and keep away from the rich and keep them away from you,
for the poor are the ones that I love.
e. Characteristics of seekers of Duniya & Aakherat.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) asked :"Lord ! Who
are the seekers of life and who seek the Hereafter?”
The Almighty said,"One who seeks this world
eats a lot, laughs a lot, and sleeps a lot, and his anger is a lot, too. He is
pleased only a little. He does not apologize to those to whom he misbehaves,
nor does he accept the excuse of those who apologize to him. He is lazy when
being obedient [to Me] and courageous when disobedient. His hopes are high and
destination is near. He does not hold himself accountable; he is of little
benefit while being talkative. His fear is little and he is quite happy when it is
time to eat. The seekers of this life do not express thanks at the time of
ease, nor are they patient at the time of affliction.”
O Ahmad (s.a.w.a.)! The countenance of the seekers
of goodness and of the Hereafter is kind; their modesty is a lot and
foolishness is little; their plotting is little. People are at ease on their
account while their own souls are wearisome. Their speech is balanced. They
hold themselves to account, wearing them out; their eyes sleep but not their
hearts. Their eyes are tearful and hearts are in remembrance. When people are
recorded as oblivious, they are written among those who remember. At the
beginning of a bliss they praise [their Lord] and at its end they thank [Him].
Their supplication is raised with Allah, the Almighty, their speech is heard.
The angels are happy on their account. Their supplication runs under the veils.
The Lord loves to hear their speech just as a mother loves her child. Nothing
distracts them from Allah for a twinkling of an eye, nor do they want plenty of
food, or plenty of talk, or plenty of clothing. In their regard, people are
dead while Allah is Living, Subsisting, Great.
If the soul of one of them departs from his body, I
shall not send the angel of death unto him, and none shall seize his soul
except Me.
May
Allah protect us from being among his deviated servants. May Allah give us
taufeeq to obey His Messenger and His message.
