The Night Journey of Muhammad

      For today's blog, we are going to be discussing one of the most frequently portrayed events from Muhammad's life which was the Miraj, or the Prophet's Night Journey. This event was said to have taken place in either 619 or 620 and according to the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, it was God guiding the Prophet "from the sacred place of worship to the far distance place of worship."  This passage from the Quran is the basis for the story which has been incredibly decorated over the centuries, but still contains rich and profound meaning for Muslims across the globe.  As the story goes, one night Muhammad was led by the angel Gabriel from Mecca to Jerusalem on a mythical winged creature that had the body of a mule and the face of a woman. After he arrived in Jerusalem, Muhammad led prayers for a group of earlier prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Afterward, Muhammad, guided by angels, made his way through seven heavens and almost into the presence of God. The Quran said that Muhammad saw some of God's symbols and that Allah told Muhammad about the importance of regular prayer. Regular prayer to Allah meant fifty prayers a day, but Moses later reduced this number to five. This story has been interpreted in different ways from the very beginning. Some Muslims take this story very literally while others view it as a dream or vision. Another interpretation is that Muhammad's soul made the journey, but not his body. This interpretation stems from something his youngest wife is quoted as saying. Aisha, Muhammad's youngest wife, said that "his body did not leave its place." The image you can see above dates back to the early sixteenth century. It is one of many representations of the Night Journey Muhammad took. For those of you who do not know, Muhammad was both a political and religious leader in Mecca. Many saw him as being the prophet of his people, similar to that of Moses, Jesus and Abraham. Well, that is all folks, catch you next blog.