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From Power To Ascension ~ Laylatul Qadr & Mi'raaj

 The Prophet arrives

At a chaotic period of history when the murky clouds of infidelity had covered the firmament of the earth; at a time of turmoil, tumult and oppression when instead of Allah - the Supreme Being, idols and power used to be worshiped; when innocent girls had to face the unsightly fact of being entombed alive; when the crevice between the exploiter and exploited was incessantly increasing; when lascivious modes of behavior, moral degeneration and decline in human values were the order of the day; when prejudice, discrimination and exploitation whipped the poor and the oppressed; when humanity was imprisoned by the ghoul of ignorance and arrogance... at that time the Prophet appeared on the face of the earth. That prophet descended from the dynasty of Abraham the idol-breaker, Moses the Pharaoh-fighter and Jesus the Benevolent. (May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon all of them.) That Prophet set foot on the arena of existence and changed the course of history. As Dr. John William Draper so aptly states in his book, The History of the Intellectual Development of Europe: "In the year AD 569, was born at Mecca in Arabia, that man who of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race - Muhammad."

The Night of Power (Laylatul-Qadr)

Allah states in the Glorious Qur'an; "Ramadan is the month in which was revealed the Qur'an, a Source of Guidance for Humanity" (Q 2:185) and "We revealed what We revealed on the Night of Power. What shall indicate to you the reality of the Night of Power - The Night of Power is grander than a thousand months." (Q 97:1-3)

The Night of Power marks the commencement of the final Divine Revelation (the Qur'an) and made public the prophetic mission of the final emissary of Allah (Prophet Muhammad). This event is of the greatest historic, religious and spiritual significance for it ushered in the beginning of the end; the beginning of the end of Revelation; the beginning of the ultimate Guidance till the end of time, the beginning of the final onslaught against polytheism, injustice, subjugation and oppression and the end of jahiliyyah (all forms of backwardness, ignorance and retrogression).

The Night of Power indeed manifested the Authority of Allah through His Revelation and changed the fate of nations, the course of history and directed human destiny to its pinnacle. That Revelation which is still with us as al-Qur'an remains unadulterated. This Qur'an contains an ideology, a basis for values and standards and a comprehensive code of moral and social behavior, all of which combined, aims at promoting peace within the human soul, within society, the world at large and with the Creator.

The Significance of Night

When we consider the fact that night has been chosen rather than day, there seems to be a purpose for that choice. Night indicates quietness, privacy, peacefulness and tranquility. The virtuous and pious are more inclined to spend their solitude in communion with the Divine. Thus, the night is an appropriate time, suitable for the nourishment of the soul, ideal for spiritual elevation and for reception of Divine instruction.

The Night Journey (al-Israa') wal-Mi'raaj

At the most difficult and trying time of the holy Prophet's life, after the death of his protective uncle (Abu Talib) and his most beloved wife, supporter and confidant (Khadijah), Allah took His beloved servant on a Journey by night (Q17:1), a journey that reached far beyond the parameters of human travel, beyond the perception that a human mind could ever imagine. Even the arch-angel Jibreel, who accompanied the Prophet on the journey, reached a point beyond which he could not traverse. Prophet Muhammad ascended unto the highest manifestation of the Divine Presence till the summation at sidrat-ul-muntaha. Only Prophet Muhammad, the most beloved of Allah, the greatest of His creation, the finest specimen of the artwork of the Ultimate Artist could go to this Uppermost Limit, the limit of being before the Absolute.

Allah saluted Muhammad: AS-SALAMU `ALAYKA AYYUHAN-NABI WA RAHMATULLAHI WA BARAKATUH, "Peace unto you, o my beloved Prophet and Allah's Mercy and Blessings are forever upon you". The Prophet humbly responded: AS-SALAMUALAYNA WA 'ALA YBAD-ILLA-HIS-SALIHEEN, "Thy Peace be on us (the Prophets) and on the sincere and righteous ones".

Among the gifts that the holy Prophet descended with from that highest sphere is Salaah, the gift of prayer (anywhere in the world); a means of expiation for the self, purification for the soul, a mode for moral rejuvenation and spiritual elevation. No wonder the Prophet said; "Salaah is the Miraj of the believer". Encouraging the believers to imitate the Prophet in prayer and motivating the believer to elevate himself to the utmost of his ability, the great Islamic poet Shams Tabrezi said; "To follow Prophet Muhammad is, that he went on the Miraj, you go behind him".

Salaah and Qur'an, symbols of MI'RAJ and LAYLATUL-QADR

Both the Salaah and the Quran are integral to Muslim Faith and practice and are our day access to the grandeur of the Mi'raj and the majesty of the Night of Power respectively.

It is thus with the Source of Power (al-Qur'an) and the Spiritual Journeying (through prayer) that we ascend through decreasing stages of darkness to ever-increasing light. We recognize the supremacy of Allah, appreciate the mission of His beloved Muhammad and commit ourselves to the pursuance of spiritual welfare and thus qualify to be true members of the global Community of Faith - the Ummah.