Table of Contents
The Beginning of the Ascension
After the miraculous night journey from Masjid al Haram in Makkah to Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem, the Prophet ﷺ was taken up from the earth to the heavens. This vertical journey is called Al Miʿraj, the Ascension. It is distinct from the earlier part of the night, which is Al Isra, the journey by night from Makkah to Jerusalem.
The Ascension took place in the same extraordinary night, and it was a direct honor from Allah to His final Messenger ﷺ after the heavy trials of the Year of Sorrow. Through this journey, the Prophet ﷺ was shown the unseen world above, the reality of faith and disbelief, and his unique status as Imam of all prophets.
Allah hints at this great event in the Quran when He describes the Prophet ﷺ being shown the greatest signs of His Lord:
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى
الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from al Masjid al Haram to al Masjid al Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He is the All Hearing, the All Seeing.”
(Quran 17:1)
And in another surah:
وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ
مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ
“And indeed he saw him another time, by the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary, near it is the Garden of Refuge, when there covered the Lote Tree that which covered it. The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress. He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.”
(Quran 53:13–18)
These verses refer to the higher part of the journey, the Ascension to the heavens and beyond.
The Mounting on Al‑Buraq and Rising Up
From Masjid al Aqsa, the Prophet ﷺ was mounted on Al Buraq, the same creature that had brought him from Makkah to Jerusalem. Then the true Ascension began, with the angel Jibril عليه السلام leading him upwards.
The authentic hadith in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim describes how the Prophet ﷺ was taken up from one heaven to the next. Jibril would seek permission at each gate, and the gatekeepers would inquire about the visitor.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
ثُمَّ عُرِجَ بِي إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، فَاسْتَفْتَحَ جِبْرِيلُ، فَقِيلَ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: جِبْرِيلُ، قِيلَ: وَمَنْ مَعَكَ؟ قَالَ: مُحَمَّدٌ، قِيلَ: أَوَقَدْ بُعِثَ إِلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ: قَدْ بُعِثَ إِلَيْهِ، فَفُتِحَ لَنَا
“Then I was taken up to the lowest heaven. Jibril sought entrance, and it was said, ‘Who are you?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was said, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘Has he been sent to?’ He said, ‘Yes, he has been sent.’ Then it was opened for us.”
(Sahih al Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
This pattern was repeated at each heaven, showing the ordered and guarded nature of the unseen world and the known status of the Prophet ﷺ among the inhabitants of the heavens.
Meeting the Prophets in the Heavens
During the Ascension, the Prophet ﷺ met different prophets in the different levels of heaven. The main details come from authentic reports in Bukhari and Muslim, where he ﷺ himself described whom he met and what was said.
In the first heaven he met Prophet Adam عليه السلام, the father of humanity. The Prophet ﷺ said:
فَلَقِيتُ آدَمَ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: مَرْحَبًا بِالِابْنِ الصَّالِحِ وَالنَّبِيِّ الصَّالِحِ
“I met Adam and greeted him, and he said, ‘Welcome, O righteous son and righteous Prophet.’”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
In the second heaven he met Prophet Isa عليه السلام and Prophet Yahya عليه السلام. They also welcomed him and acknowledged his prophethood. In the third heaven he met Prophet Yusuf عليه السلام, described in the hadith as having been given half of all beauty. In the fourth heaven he met Prophet Idris عليه السلام. In the fifth heaven he met Prophet Harun عليه السلام. In the sixth heaven he met Prophet Musa عليه السلام, and in the seventh heaven he met Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام.
The hadith mentions how each of them greeted him with peace and honored him as a prophet and brother. When he met Ibrahim عليه السلام, he found him reclining against Al Bayt al Maʿmur, the much visited House in the seventh heaven, which is like a heavenly counterpart to the Kaʿbah.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
ثُمَّ رُفِعَ لِي الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ، فَسَأَلْتُ جِبْرِيلَ، فَقَالَ: هَذَا الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ، يُصَلِّي فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ، إِذَا خَرَجُوا لَمْ يَعُودُوا إِلَيْهِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ
“Then Al Bayt al Maʿmur was raised up for me. I asked Jibril about it, and he said, ‘This is Al Bayt al Maʿmur. Every day seventy thousand angels pray in it, and when they leave, they never return to it again.’”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
This meeting with the prophets shows the Prophet ﷺ as part of one chain of messengers. At the same time, his journey through all the heavens, while the other prophets remain in their respective stations, clearly indicates his unique role as the seal and leader of them all.
The Conversation with Musa عليه السلام
Among the encounters of that night, the meeting with Musa عليه السلام in the sixth heaven is described in particular detail because of what followed regarding the daily prayers. After the gift of Salah was prescribed, Musa عليه السلام played a special role, which will be discussed in full under the specific chapter about “The Gift of Salah.” Here we only note the basic connection.
In the authentic narration, after the Prophet ﷺ was taken beyond the seventh heaven and received the obligation of prayers, he returned and passed by Musa عليه السلام. Musa asked him what his Lord had enjoined. When the Prophet ﷺ told him, Musa responded that his nation would not be able to bear it and advised him to return to ask for a reduction, because Musa had experience with the Children of Israel.
This repeated return and reduction is one of the most personal and intimate parts of the Ascension story and shows the concern of previous prophets for the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. Details of the exact numbers and the final form of Salah are part of the next chapter and will not be expanded here.
Sidrat al‑Muntaha and the Greatest Signs
After passing the seventh heaven, the Prophet ﷺ was taken to Sidrat al Muntaha, the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary. It is described in the Quran in Surah al Najm, quoted earlier. This place marks the furthest boundary of the creation as known to the angels. Beyond it, knowledge is with Allah alone.
The Prophet ﷺ saw Sidrat al Muntaha in a state that words can only hint at. He said, as reported in the hadith:
ثُمَّ انْتُهِيَ بِي إِلَى سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى، وَإِذَا نَبَقُهَا مِثْلُ قِلَالِ هَجَرَ، وَإِذَا وَرَقُهَا مِثْلُ آذَانِ الْفِيَلَةِ
“Then I was taken to Sidrat al Muntaha. Its fruits were like the jars of Hajar, and its leaves were like the ears of elephants.”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
He ﷺ then described how it was covered by something indescribable:
فَغَشِيَهَا مَا يَغْشَاهَا
“Then there covered it that which covered it.”
(Quran 53:16)
The Quran states:
مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ
“The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress. He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.”
(Quran 53:17–18)
At Sidrat al Muntaha, the Prophet ﷺ remained perfectly composed. His vision did not deviate or overreach. This shows his complete spiritual firmness and readiness to witness truths that no other human had ever seen.
The hadith in Bukhari and Muslim also indicate that near Sidrat al Muntaha is Jannat al Maʿwa, the Garden of Refuge. How exactly this relates to the final abode of the believers is part of the knowledge of the unseen that Allah has only partially informed us about. What matters for the Seerah is that the Prophet ﷺ reached the highest created point and was honored as no other human has been.
Debates about What He Saw
Muslim scholars have discussed a detailed question: did the Prophet ﷺ see his Lord with his physical eyes during the Ascension, or did he see only the greatest signs of Allah? This is a theological issue that belongs to specialized study, not to a beginner’s Seerah course, but it is important to know at least that this discussion exists and that it occurred among the earliest companions.
We have a clear hadith from Aishah رضي الله عنها:
مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَأَى رَبَّهُ فَقَدْ أَعْظَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْفِرْيَةَ
“Whoever claims that Muhammad saw his Lord has indeed fabricated a great lie against Allah.”
(Sahih Muslim)
On the other hand, Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما interpreted the verses in Surah al Najm to mean that the Prophet ﷺ saw his Lord with his heart. Many scholars reconciled between these texts by saying he did not see Allah with his physical eyes, but he did experience a vision of the greatest signs and of Jibril عليه السلام in his true form again.
The exact nature of what he saw belongs to the unseen. What is certain, and what the Quran confirms, is that he saw “the greatest signs of his Lord” at Sidrat al Muntaha and that his journey was a real, physical, and spiritual event, not just a dream.
The Ascension (Miʿraj) took place with the Prophet’s body and soul while he was awake, in a single night, as a true miracle from Allah, and during it he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord at Sidrat al Muntaha.
Witnessing Paradise and Hellfire
During the Ascension, the Prophet ﷺ was shown glimpses of Paradise and Hellfire. These were not full and final views, but they were enough to give him a direct, personal knowledge of the realities he was calling his people to believe in.
Among the authentic narrations are those in which he saw people being punished for specific sins, such as backbiting, fornication, and consuming riba, and others being rewarded for faith and obedience. These individual punishments and rewards will be studied in more detail in other sciences such as hadith and creed. Here, in the context of Seerah, the key point is that the Prophet ﷺ came back from that night with a vivid and unshakeable awareness of the hereafter, which strengthened his resolve in his mission after the Year of Sorrow.
He ﷺ also saw rivers of Paradise, domes of pearls, and the palaces prepared for the believers. In one authentic report, he mentioned entering Paradise and seeing a palace. When he asked for whom it was, he was told it was for Umar ibn al Khattab رضي الله عنه. This shows how specific and real these visions were.
The Prophet ﷺ later said:
لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ، فَلَمْ أَرَ كَالْيَوْمِ فِي الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ
“I have indeed seen Paradise and Hell, and I have never seen anything like today in terms of good and evil.”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
His mission in Makkah from that point on carried the weight of someone who had personally seen the ultimate outcome of belief and disbelief.
The Honor of Being Imam of the Prophets
Although the actual prayer with the prophets took place in Masjid al Aqsa during the Isra part of the journey, the Ascension to the heavens confirms and completes this honor. The Prophet ﷺ was not only honored on earth by leading the prophets in prayer, he was then taken above all the heavens, in a way that no other prophet experienced.
The meeting with each prophet in a different heaven, and the warm welcome he received, show that they recognized him as both “brother” and “prophet.” Yet none of them was taken further up on that night. Only Muhammad ﷺ was invited to Sidrat al Muntaha and shown the greatest signs.
Allah says:
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا
“Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His servant so that he may be a warner to all the worlds.”
(Quran 25:1)
The Ascension displays this universal role. He did not belong only to Quraysh or even to Arabia. His message, and the honor given to him on that night, was connected to the entire chain of prophethood and to all the worlds above and below.
Return to Earth and Certainty of the Journey
After the Prophet ﷺ had reached Sidrat al Muntaha, witnessed the greatest signs, met the prophets, and received the obligations that were given to him, he was returned to Masjid al Aqsa and then back to Makkah. The journey up and down took place in a single portion of the night.
When he woke the next morning, his heart was full of what he had seen. The events after his return, including how Quraysh reacted and how Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه responded with unshakable faith, are covered in the chapter “Reactions of the People.” Here we focus only on the certainty of the Prophet ﷺ himself.
He ﷺ described the journey in exact detail, including the caravans he had seen on the way and the features of Masjid al Aqsa. When the disbelievers tried to test him by asking about its details, Allah brought it before his eyes so that he could describe it without hesitation.
This is reported in authentic narrations. He ﷺ said:
فَلَمَّا كَذَّبَنِي قُرَيْشٌ قُمْتُ فِي الْحِجْرِ، فَجَلَّى اللَّهُ لِي بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَطَفِقْتُ أُخْبِرُهُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ
“When Quraysh belied me, I stood in al Hijr, and Allah brought Bayt al Maqdis before me, so I began to inform them about its signs while I was looking at it.”
(Sahih al Bukhari)
This certainty in his description of the Ascension and all that surrounded it, together with the Quranic testimony, shows that Al Miʿraj was a real event, not a symbolic story.
Belief in the Ascension (Al Miʿraj) as a true, physical and spiritual journey of the Prophet ﷺ in one night is part of the belief of Ahl al Sunnah, based on clear Quranic verses and authentic hadith.
Support and Consolation after the Year of Sorrow
The Ascension to the heavens took place in the context of extreme hardship, coming after the loss of Abu Talib, the loss of Khadijah رضي الله عنها, and the painful rejection at Taʿif. Islam was still outwardly weak in Makkah, but on that night Allah showed His Messenger ﷺ the reality behind events on earth.
By seeing the prophets, Paradise, Hellfire, Sidrat al Muntaha, and Al Bayt al Maʿmur, the Prophet ﷺ was given a level of certainty and comfort that no persecution could shake. The Ascension reminded him that his mission was not measured by the temporary power of Quraysh, but by the eternal truth of revelation and the pleasure of Allah.
From the perspective of Seerah, the Ascension marks a turning point in his inner strength. Outwardly, the trials in Makkah continued, but inwardly he had witnessed the greatest signs of His Lord. His resolve to carry the message to its completion was now supported by a direct experience of the unseen world that awaited him and his followers.
In this way, the Ascension to the heavens connects the sorrow of Makkah to the hope of Madinah. It stands between the deep pain of the Year of Sorrow and the new chapter of support and expansion that was about to begin.