Sunday, August 2, 2026

The Start of Miraj: Divine Choice, Prophetic Sermons, and the First Heaven

Vessels of Milk and Wine

According to the narrations of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, two vessels, one of milk and one of wine, were presented to the Prophet here. The Prophet observed them both and accepted the vessel of milk. Upon this, Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام said,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ هَدَاکَ لِلْفِطْرَةِ وَلَوْ اَخَذْتَ الْخَمْرَ غَوٰتْ اُمَّتُك

"Praise be to Allah Almighty who guided you towards fitra (natural disposition). If you had taken the wine, your Ummah would have strayed."²

¹ Hada'iq-e-Bakhshish, vol. 1, p. 232
² Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4809

The Sermons of the Prophets عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَام

In these illuminated and blessed surroundings of Bayt Al-Muqaddas, some of the Prophets عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَام also delivered sermons in which they extolled the praise of Allah Almighty and mentioned the endless bounties and mercies of Allah Almighty upon them. Thus, first of all, Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام said:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ اتَّخَذَنِیْ اِبْرَاهِیْمَ خَلِیْلًا وَّاَعْطَانِیْ مُلْکًا عَظِیْمًا وَّجَعَلَنِیْ اُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلّٰه وَّاُنَحِّیْ بِیْ وَاَنْقَذَنِیْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَجَعَلَهَا عَلَیَّ بَرْدًا وَّسَلَامًا

"All praise belongs to Allah Who has taken Ibrāhīm as His Khalīl, has given me an immense kingdom, made me a devoutly obedient community and one who leads and is followed and rescued me from the fire and made it cool and safe upon me."

Then Sayyidunā Mūsā عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام proclaimed,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ کَلَّمَنِیْ تَکْلِیْمًا وَّاصْطَفَانِیْ بِرِسَالَاتِهٖ وَکَلِمَاتِهٖ وَقَرَّبَنِیْ اِلَیْهِ نَجِیًّا وَّاَنْزَلَ عَلَیَّ التَّوْرَاةَ وَجَعَلَ هَلَاکَ اٰلِ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلٰی یَدَیَّ وَنَجٰی بَنِیْ اِسْرَائِیْلَ عَلٰی یَدَیَّ

"All praise belongs to Allah Who has spoken to me directly, chosen me for His Message and His Words, drawn me near in conversing, revealed upon me the Torah and has brought to pass the destruction of Pharoah and the salvation of Bani Isrā'īl at my hands."

Then Sayyidunā Dawūd عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام pronounced,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ خَوَّلَنِیْ فِیْ مُلْکًا وَّاَنْزَلَ عَلَیَّ الزَّبُوْرَ وَاٰلَ الْحَدِیْدَ وَسَخَّرَ لِیَ الطَّیْرَ وَالْجِبَالَ وَاٰتَانِیَ الْحِکْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ

"All praise belongs to Allah Who has conferred upon me an immense kingdom, revealed the Zabūr upon me, softened iron for me, subjugated for me the mountains and the birds, and has given me wisdom and faṣl al-khitāb (the knowledge of deciding between truth and falsehood)."

Then Sayyidunā Sulaymān عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام declared,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ سَخَّرَ لِیَ الرِّیَاحَ وَالْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ وَسَخَّرَ لِیَ الشَّیٰطِیْنَ یَعْمَلُوْنَ مَا اَشِیْتُ مِنَ الْمَحَارِیْبِ وَالتَّمَاثِیْلِ وَعَلَّمَنِیْ مَنْطِقَ الطَّیْرِ وَاَسَالَ لِیْ کُلَّ شَیْءٍ وَّاَتَانِیْ مُلْکًا عَظِیْمًا لَّا یَنْۢبَغِیْ لِاَحَدٍ مِّنْ بَعْدِیْ

"All praise belongs to Allah Who has subjected the winds to my command as well as the jinn and humans, subjugated for me the devils so that they construct what I wish from elevated structures and images, Who has taught me the language of birds and of everything, made a spring of molten copper gush forth for me and granted me an immense kingdom which is not for any one after me."

Then Sayyidunā ʿĪsā عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام stated,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ عَلَّمَنِیْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْاِنْجِیْلَ وَجَعَلَنِیْ اُبْرِیُٔ الْاَکْمَهَ وَالْاَبْرَصَ وَاُحْیِ الْمَوْتٰی بِاِذْنِهٖ وَرَفَعَنِیْ وَطَهَّرَنِیْ مِنَ الَّذِیْنَ کَفَرُوْا وَاَعَاذَنِیْ وَاُمِّیْ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ فَلَمْ یَکُنْ لِلشَّیْطٰنِ عَلَیْهَا سَبِیْلٌ

"All praise belongs to Allah Who has taught me the Torah and the Injīl, caused me to heal those born blind and the lepers and raise the dead by Allah's permission, Who has raised me up, purified me from those that disbelieve and granted me and my mother protection against the cursed devil, so that the devil had no path by which to harm her."

After all these Prophets عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَام had glorified Allah Almighty and mentioned the endless favours and mercies of Allah Almighty upon them, the Final Prophet delivered a sermon. Before doing so, he said that all of you have glorified your Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ and now I am going to glorify my Lord عَزَّوَجَلَّ also. Then he proclaimed,

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ اَرْسَلَنِیْ رَحْمَةً لِّلْعٰلَمِیْنَ وَکَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِیْرًا وَّنَذِیْرًا وَّاَنْزَلَ عَلَیَّ الْفُرْقَانَ فِیْهِ تِبْیَانٌ کُلُّ شَیْءٍ وَّجَعَلَ اُمَّتِیْ خَیْرَ اُمَّةٍ اُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ وَجَعَلَ اُمَّتِیْ اُمَّةً وَّسَطًا وَّجَعَلَ اُمَّتِیْ هُمُ الْاَوَّلُوْنَ وَالْاٰخِرُوْنَ وَشَرَحَ صَدْرِیْ وَوَضَعَ عَنِّیْ وِزْرِیْ وَرَفَعَ لِیْ ذِکْرِیْ وَجَعَلَنِیْ فَاتِحًا وَّخَاتِمًا

"All praise belongs to Allah, Who has sent me as a mercy to all the worlds, to all without exception, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. Who has revealed upon me the Criterion (al-Quran), in which there is a perfect exposition of all things.Who has made my Ummah the best community brought forth for the benefit of humankind, made my Ummah an upright middle community and made my Ummah the first and the last. Who has expanded my chest, relieved me of my burden, made me exalted my mention, and made me the Opener and the Sealer."

Upon hearing this, Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام said,

بِهٰذَا فَضَّلَکُمْ مُحَمَّد "With this, Muhammadhas surpassed you!"¹

سُبْحَٰنَ اللّٰہ Glory be to Allah Almighty! How lofty and elevated the status of our beloved Prophetthat even Prophet Ibrāhīm عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام mentions his glory and announces his superiority over all the noble Prophets عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَام. Then why should we not proclaim:

Sab say Awla-o-A'la hamara Nabi,
Sab say Baala-o-A'la hamara Nabi,

Khalq say Awliya, Awliya say Rusul,
Aur Rasoolon say A'la hamara Nabi

Mulk-e-Kawnain mayn Ambiya Taajdaar
Taajdaaron ka Aaqa hamara Nabi²

Most sublime and most exalted is our Nabi
Most elevated and most lofty is our Nabi

Above people are the Awliya, the Prophets are beyond every Wali
Superior to all the Prophets is our Nabi

The kings in both worlds are every Nabi
Leader of all these kings is our Nabi

¹ Dala'il Al-Nubuwwah Li Al-Bayhaqi, vol. 2, p. 400
² Hada'iq-e-Bakhshish, vol. 1, p. 138

Ascension to the skies The first sky

After the events of Bayt Al-Muqaddas, the beloved Prophet began his journey towards the heavens. Traversing all heights, the Prophet quickly moved towards the skies. In no time, the Prophet reached the first sky.

It is mentioned in narrations that the Prophet arrived at one of its gates called Bāb al-Ḥafaẓah. There, an Angel named Ismā'īl عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام stands guard.¹ Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, "Who is this?" Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام replied, "I am Jibrīl." It was then asked, "Who is with you?" He replied, "The chosen one, Muhammad ." It was asked, "Has he been sent for?" He replied, "Yes." Upon this it was said, مَرْحَبًۢا بِهٖ وَقُعْمَ الْمَجِیْءُ جَاءَ "Welcome to him! What an excellent visitor has arrived!" Then the gate was opened.

When the Prophet entered through the gate and went upwards in this sky, he saw that Prophet Ādam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام was present. Sayyidunā Jibrīl عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام said, "This is your father Prophet Ādam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, greet him." The Prophet greeted him and he replied. Welcoming the Prophet , he said, مَرْحَبًۢا بِالْاِبْنِ الصَّالِحِ وَالنَّبِیِّ الصَّالِحِ "Welcome to the righteous son and the righteous Prophet!"²

¹ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3887
² Umdah Al-Qaari, vol. 11, p. 603, Hadith 3887; Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3887

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