Ascension and Mab’ath of Chief of Prophets (p)

By: Zaynab Abbas

Highlighting the significance of 27 Rajab, history recounts two very important events that took place on this date. The first event was Mab’ath (Holy Prophet Muhammad’s, peace be upon him and his progeny, official appointment to the Prophetic Mission), while the second one is that of the Me'raj (The Night Ascension).

Mab’ath (Holy Prophet Muhammad’s, peace be upon him and his progeny, official appointment to the Prophetic Mission) signals the turning point in the history of the world as the Seal of Messengers with the final revelation was finally brought into this material world.

Prophet Muhammad b. Abdellah Al-Mustafa, peace be upon him and his progeny, says: “Kuntu Nabiyan Wa Adam Bain Al-Maa’ Wat Teen” (I was Prophet even when (Prophet) Adam was in between Water and Clay). However, the time and day when Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his progeny, was ordered by Allah to declare his Prophethood to the world was 27 Rajab, 40th year of elephant (610 C.E.). At that time he was 40 years old.

On that day he was in the cave of Hira, and the Angel Gabriel came to him conveying to him the following message of Allah: “Read in the name of thy Lord Who created, Created man from a clot (of congealed blood): Read and thy Lord is most Bountiful, He Who taught with the pen, taught man that which he knew not.” (The Holy Qur'an, 96:1-5).

These were the first verses to be revealed. The flow of the Divine message which continued for the next 23 years had begun, and the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, had arisen to proclaim the Unity of God and the Unity of Mankind, to demolish the edifice of superstition, ignorance, and disbelief, to set up a noble conception of life, and to lead mankind to the light of faith and celestial bliss.

Event of Me'raj is discussed by the Quran in two separate Chapters, Al-Isra (17) and An-Najm (53).

“HE IS THE EXALTED ONE WHO TOOK HIS SERVANT ONE NIGHT FOR A VISIT FROM THE SACRED MOSQUE (IN MECCA) TO THE REMOTE AQSA MOSQUE (IN JERUSALEM), WHICH SURROUNDINGS WE HAVE BLESSED, (WE TOOK HIM ON THIS VISIT) TO SHOW HIM SOME OF OUR SIGNS."

By this verse we came to know that the Prophet made a special trip (through extraordinary means) from Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque and then from there into the heavens.

What was the purpose of this great trip? Allah Himself tells us in the Quran that one of the purposes was to show the Prophet, “…some of Our signs…”, however, it goes deeper than this…

This journey in which the Prophet went up in both soul and body, took the Prophet, along with the Angel Gabriel, to many locations in which he met many individuals – the past Prophets such as Moses, Jesus, Abraham, Noah and Abul Bashar (the father of humanity) Prophet Adam.

Passing all the seven steps of the skies and reaching the place called "SID`RA`TUL-MUNTAHA", Angel Gabriel told the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, that he could not accompany him any further as if he took even a step forward his wings would burn. The Prophet traveled alone until the Buraq (the quadruped on whose back the holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, journeyed during Ascension) reached the destination and stopped.

Then an enlightened platform "RAF RAF" came, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, sat thereon and reached a place called "QAABA-QAUSAIN".

It was on also this night journey that the five daily prayers were given to the 'Ummah' as a blessing from Allah as a means to worship and thank him for the bounties and gifts showered upon us.

Concerning Me’raj Al-Imam Ja’fer As-Sadiq, peace be upon him, has said:

"HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THE EVENT OF ME’RAJ IS NOT AMONGST US."