Table of Contents
Initial Shock in Makkah
When the Prophet ﷺ informed the people of Makkah about the Isra and Miʿraj, the immediate reaction of most of Quraysh was disbelief and mockery. They already rejected the message of tawhid, and now the news that he had traveled from Masjid al Haram in Makkah to Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem, then into the heavens and back, all in part of one night, seemed to them impossible.
Allah alluded to this denial in the Quran when He described the journey as a test for people, not only a miracle for the Prophet ﷺ:
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى
الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
“Glorified is He who took His servant by night from al Masjid al Haram to al Masjid al Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, in order to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”
(Quran 17:1)
The disbelievers seized this event as an opportunity. They spread the story quickly, not to convey faith, but to ridicule. They gathered people around the Prophet ﷺ, asking him to repeat what he was claiming, hoping that his description would sound absurd and drive his followers away. They saw the Isra and Miʿraj not as a sign from Allah, but as an argument to attack his credibility.
Questions, Challenges, and Mockery
The Quraysh used two main tactics when they heard of the Isra and Miʿraj. First, they reacted with open disbelief and insults. Second, they tried to catch the Prophet ﷺ in a lie by questioning him about details of Masjid al Aqsa and the journey.
Reports describe that some of them clapped their hands and laughed when they heard him, saying things like, “It takes us a whole month to go to Sham (Greater Syria) and a month to come back, and you claim you went and returned in one night?” Their reaction reflected their limited view of what is possible and their failure to recognize that the One who created time and space is not bound by them.
They then moved to a more calculated test. They knew that some of them had traveled to Bayt al Maqdis and seen it directly. So they asked the Prophet ﷺ to describe it in detail. This challenge is mentioned in hadith, where he ﷺ said:
«فَلَمَّا كَذَّبَنِي قُرَيْشٌ قُمْتُ فِي الْحِجْرِ فَجَلَّى اللَّهُ لِي بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَطَفِقْتُ أُخْبِرُهُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ»
“When Quraysh rejected me, I stood in al Hijr, and Allah brought Bayt al Maqdis before me, so I began describing it to them, sign by sign, while I was looking at it.”
(Muslim)
Although they still did not accept faith, some of those who had visited Bayt al Maqdis admitted among themselves that his detailed description matched what they had seen. This showed that their rejection was not due to lack of evidence, but due to arrogance and stubbornness.
At the same time, they asked about the caravan returning from Sham. The Prophet ﷺ informed them of its location on the road and signs they would see. When the caravan later arrived as he had described, this became another proof for anyone whose heart was still open. Yet many chose mockery over reflection.
The Test of Faith for the Muslims
For the believers, the Isra and Miʿraj became a very sharp test of sincerity, especially because it occurred after an extremely painful period that included the loss of Abu Talib and Khadijah رضي الله عنها. Some people who had believed for worldly expectations or shallow reasons found this event too hard to accept and turned away.
Faith is not just agreement with what seems easy or logical. It is trust in Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, even when the matter goes beyond what the mind is used to. The Isra and Miʿraj drew a clear line between those whose iman was rooted in deep certainty and those whose belief was fragile and conditional.
Some weak-hearted individuals said, “How can this be true?” Their hearts wavered. Whatever doubts they had been hiding came to the surface when they heard the disbelievers repeating and exaggerating the story to mock the Prophet ﷺ.
The Isra and Miʿraj became a dividing test:
those who believed based on trust in revelation grew stronger,
and those who followed Islam for convenience or social reasons fell back.
This event, therefore, purified the community at a critical time and prepared them for the heavy responsibilities that would soon come with the Hijrah and the building of a new society in Madinah.
The Unshakable Faith of Abu Bakr
Among the reactions, the response of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه stands out as one of the clearest examples of absolute trust in the Prophet ﷺ. When the Quraysh heard about the Isra and Miʿraj, they went straight to Abu Bakr, certain that he would deny it. They told him, “Your companion claims he went to Bayt al Maqdis last night and came back!” They thought that if they could turn him away, many others would follow.
Abu Bakr’s answer became a landmark in the history of faith. He did not ask for proof, nor did he hesitate. His heart was already sure of the truthfulness of the Messenger ﷺ. In narrations about this incident, it is reported that he replied:
«إِنْ كَانَ قَالَ فَقَدْ صَدَقَ»
“If he really said it, then he has spoken the truth.”
He then explained his reasoning. He already believed, every day, that revelation would descend upon Muhammad ﷺ from above the heavens, and he had never seen the heavens open with his eyes. If that was true, then a journey to Bayt al Maqdis and to the heavens by Allah’s power was even easier to accept. It is after this event that he became widely known by the title “As Siddiq”, the one who confirms the truth wholeheartedly.
His certainty shows the proper attitude of a believer when faced with something that comes through authentic revelation but seems unusual. The question for a Muslim is not whether something fits ordinary experience, but whether it is truly from Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Once that is established, the heart submits.
The Quiet Strength of the Believing Minority
Beyond Abu Bakr, the majority of sincere Muslims accepted the Isra and Miʿraj with submission and trust. They did not all have the same depth of insight or the same immediate calm as Abu Bakr, but their general reaction was to hold firmly to what they already knew of the Prophet’s character.
They remembered that before Islam he had never been known to lie, cheat, or break a trust. He was called Al Amin, the trustworthy. If he ﷺ did not lie about people’s property, business, or daily matters, how could he suddenly lie about Allah? The logic of faith was simple and powerful.
Some believers may have felt awe and amazement, but they allowed this to increase their respect for the greatness of Allah instead of turning into doubt. They viewed the event as a sign that Allah was honoring His Messenger after years of hardship, loss, and persecution, and as a sign that support from the heavens would continue.
For them, Isra and Miʿraj turned into a source of spiritual energy. They saw that their Prophet had led the previous prophets in prayer at al Aqsa, and then ascended to heights no other human had reached. Their connection to Allah through him ﷺ became more vivid. This inner strengthening of the small community in Makkah was a hidden reaction, not loudly visible to Quraysh, but very real in the hearts of the believers.
The Disbelievers’ Use of Isra and Miʿraj as Propaganda
Quraysh did not treat the Isra and Miʿraj as a simple rumor. They tried to use it as a tool to isolate the Prophet ﷺ further. They spread the story widely, repeating it in exaggerated or distorted ways to make it sound more unbelievable. Their aim was twofold: to prevent new people from considering Islam, and to shake the confidence of those who had already joined.
They gathered people in public spaces and retold the account, laughing and pointing to the Prophet ﷺ as someone who had lost touch with reality. They attempted to label him as a storyteller and to mix the idea of revelation with tales and dreams.
Yet, their plan also had an opposite effect among those who were thoughtful. Some people, when they heard that he had described Masjid al Aqsa correctly, began to question their own rejection. Others saw that the Quraysh were becoming more desperate, relying on ridicule instead of reason or fairness. For these quiet observers, the aggression of the disbelievers only highlighted the sincerity and calm confidence of the Prophet ﷺ.
Allah described this pattern in general terms:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“When Our clear verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve say of the truth when it comes to them, ‘This is clear magic.’”
(Quran 46:7)
Their reaction to Isra and Miʿraj followed this same pattern: dismissing what they could not explain by attacking its source.
A Turning Point in Spiritual Authority
Among the reactions to Isra and Miʿraj there was another, more hidden dimension. With this event, the Prophet ﷺ returned not only with news of a miraculous journey, but also with the confirmed obligation of the five daily prayers. Although the details of salah belong to another discussion, the fact that this central commandment came directly after the ascension shows the unique spiritual rank of the event.
Some of the people in Makkah, including certain Jews and Christians in the region, had knowledge through their earlier scriptures about some signs of the final prophet. Hearing that he had led the other prophets in prayer and ascended to the heavens could have resonated with parts of what they knew. For some, this increased their respect and curiosity, even if they did not accept Islam immediately.
At the same time, the Arabs valued honor and rank. The claim that Muhammad ﷺ had been taken to a place above the reach of all kings and chiefs, and had met earlier prophets, presented a type of authority that challenged the worldly status of Quraysh. Part of their fierce reaction can be understood as fear of losing social and religious leadership if the people accepted his unique nearness to Allah.
Thus, Isra and Miʿraj did not only test personal faith. It also confronted the existing power structures that were built on lineage, idols, and control of the sanctuary, by introducing a higher, heavenly authority.
Lessons from the Different Reactions
The various responses to Isra and Miʿraj present a clear picture of how different hearts meet the same truth. The disbelievers saw in it a reason to mock, even when the Prophet’s detailed descriptions matched reality. The hypocritical or weak-hearted saw in it an excuse to leave. The sincere believers saw in it a deepening of faith and a reason to trust Allah even more.
Allah summarized this pattern in a principle that applies to all signs and miracles:
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِٱلْـَٔايَٰتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا
“We do not send the signs except as a means of fear (and warning).”
(Quran 17:59)
The sign itself does not force a person to believe. It exposes what is already in the heart. If there is humility, the sign brings the person closer to Allah. If there is arrogance, the same sign becomes a reason for more denial.
In the case of Isra and Miʿraj, we see that the believers, especially Abu Bakr As Siddiq رضي الله عنه, gained honor and firm standing through their reaction. The disbelievers hardened their rejection and increased in sin. The event became a clear dividing line that clarified who would be ready to journey with the Prophet ﷺ into the next major phase of the Seerah, including the coming Hijrah and the building of a new community in Madinah.