In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Allah the Exalted says in His Book:

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Glory be to Him who made His servant go on a night journey from the Sacred Mosque to the remote mosque of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing. (al-Isrā’: 1)

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I swear by the star when it goes down. Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed, the Lord of Mighty Power has taught, the Lord of Strength; so he attained completion, and he is in the highest part of the horizon. Then he drew near, then he bowed, so he was the measure of two bows or closer still. And He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw. What! Do you then dispute with him as to what he saw? And certainly he saw Him in another descent, at the farthest lote-tree; near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to. When that which covers covered the lote-tree; the eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit. Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord. (al-Najm:1–18)

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The Poem of the Night Journey

In a night beautifying itself

         With light and illumination

Came Jibrīl on the Buraq

         To call upon a prophet.

He was the Prophet, the Amīn (Honest)

         Whose prayer is continuous

Whose word is true

         Whose action is trusted

And who responds to the call of the needy.

         O Master of the Prophets

May the Lord of Creation take care of you

         In the night journey –

You came with the farđ

         The required five prayers;

You provided the earth with

         Overflowing goodness and blessings –

O you who believe, on the Buraq he came

         Above the seven high heavens

Strengthening those who believed him

         With goodness on the day of the Meeting (Judgment).

Send blessings upon the Chosen

         Surrounded by lights;

Surely, the one in whom we place our hopes

         Has won all the secrets.

O Allah, bless our master Muhammad, his family and companions, and grant them abundant peace.

The night ascent is the Messenger’s ascent,

      About which the minds and intelligents were bewildered,

To the Aqsa Mosque from the Bayt al-Haram

      Traveling secretly by night like the moon in darkness.

Spreading illumination and light throughout the horizons

      He filled the six directions with joy,

For he saw what no other eye had seen

      Or what no other mind had comprehended.

The best of all mankind rode on the back of the Buraq

      Ascending upward to the seven heavens

To the paradise of Fardous and the place of rest

      To the throne and the angels in heaven.

The Guide (Muhammad) met the souls of the prophets

      And the purified in the high heavens,

Each soul greeted him

      And he was followed by noble angels.

In the exalted place he prayed with them as imam

      All of them following him when he recited;

When he stood up, the angels stood

      In line after line behind Taha, Mustafa.

Then the Chosen One traveled beyond the veil

      Like the new moon traveling through clouds,

And at the farthest limit Jibril said:

      “Surely, here my place ends.

“Here I have never gone beyond in my night travels

      In awe of Allah, O you, the best of mankind.

“If I go beyond this place I will be burned

      From the brilliance of the lights. Can that be endured?

“O my beloved, go beyond the veils of beauty

      Step by step in the stages of perfection,

“For you are appointed to obtain the secrets of the unseen

      Unknown to all except the Beloved One.

“You alone are invited to go to the highest station

      Where no one keeps watch or others compete.”

So the Prophet continued his travel in tranquility

      By night intending to see the Lord of mankind.

The Amīn went through the veils when he returned

      Returning from it, increased in certainty

From being close to the station of the highest cushion (arsh)

      Where he found nothing except the word “I”.

When he came from his Lord, it was with the goodness of generosity.

      “Walk upon the carpet of light. You have won generosity.

“Walk with your shoes upon this carpet

      And enjoy and find pleasure.

“Look at the angels and the high throne

      Look at the Qursi and its excellent workmanship

“From you I have brought forth the creation of all things

      From you all possibilities befall.

“Come near Me, O My Messenger, O beloved

      Ask me whatever you want and find out the unknown;

“O Muhammad, be hopeful of whatever you wish from Me

      Then ask, for My giving ever increases.”

The Prophet said: “I want nothing except for my ummah

      My ummah, O Lord, I only hope for my ummah.”

Allah said: “O Taha, you call for your ummah

      While I have always been asked for My mercy.

“You are the best of all messengers of all nations

      My mercy and My blessings embrace all of you.”

So the Guide was guided and his sight never deviated,

      Rather, he saw the Creator with certainty through vision.

After the Chosen One had derived all knowledges

      From Him in completeness, universally,

The Messenger, the Chosen, returned

      Relating all the hidden secrets.

Then the Saddīq became recognized as the Truthful

      Seeing the Prophet had returned with knowledge;

And when the Prophet called him the Truthful

      He had selected him above all others of mankind to follow him –

After him came Farūq with the clear justice

      Then Uthmān followed by Ali –

Finally the story became known throughout mankind

      That it was truth unfabricated.

Always pray for the best of mankind,

      For injustice is never suffered by whoever prays for him,

And, O my Lord, always grant blessings, continuously,

      Upon the Prophet, his family, and his noble companions.