“Isra’ & Mi^raj, The Proof of Prophethood” AICP Celebrates Isra’ and Mi^raj (1438)

On the occasion of Isra’ & Mi^raj, the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects in British Columbia celebrated and revived the memory of the great miracle with a great celebration at the Columbia Theatre New Westminster on Sunday, April 23. “Isra’ & Mi^raj, The Proof of Prophethood” was the banner under which this celebration was held this year. A blessed recitation from the honorable Qur’an was the best initiation for the festivities. Then AICP Chants Group praised the Prophet with moving Islamic Praises (Madih chants). The celebration included speeches in Arabic and English about this great miracle. Speeches emphasized the fact that Allah granted His Messenger this great miracle of Isra’ and Mi^raj to honor the Messenger sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam by showing him the wonders of the upper world and to raise his rank and the fact that the belief of the Muslims is that Allah exists without a place. The fact that the Prophet ascended to the heaven does not mean that Allah is there. Allah created places so He does not need any. It was also a chance to clear that the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam got close to Jibril for as much as two cubits or less and not to Allah otherwise it would be blasphemy, without doubt, because relating and attributing the distance and/ or the place to the Creator is a violation of the basic belief of Muslims. The belief of the Muslims is that Allah exists without a place The speakers also elaborated how the purpose of Mi^raj was to honor the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam by showing him the wonders of the upper world and to raise his rank and not to end up at a place where Allah resides, we seek refuge with Allah from that. From al-Masjid al-Aqsa the Mi^raj (Ascension) started; the Prophet ascended to the heaven on stairs, called al-mirqat. Those stairs are veiled from us. He then saw, in the first heaven, Prophet Adam who welcomed him and made supplication for him for good things. Then the Prophet ascended to the second heaven in which he saw Prophets ^Isa and Yahya. The Prophet ascended to the third heaven where he found Prophet Yusuf. Then the Prophet ascended to the fourth heaven where he found Prophet Idris. In the fifth heaven, the Prophet encountered Harun, the brother of Prophet Musa. In the sixth heaven, he encountered Prophet Musa. Each of these Prophets received Prophet Muhammad with a warm welcome and made supplication (du^a’) for him for good things. The Prophet then ascended to the seventh heaven where our Messenger saw Prophet Ibrahim. Prophet Ibrahim is the best of the prophets after our Prophet, Muhammad. Prophet Ibrahim had his back against al-Bayt al-Ma^mur when the Prophet saw him. To the inhabitants of the skies, al-Bayt alMa^mur is like the Ka^bah is to us, the inhabitants of the earth. Every day 70,000 angels go there, exit from it and never return. On the next day, another 70,000 angels would go, come out, and never return and so on. In the seventh heaven, Prophet Muhammad saw Sidrat alMuntaha, an extremely beautiful tree. In Paradise, the Prophet saw some of the bounties Allah prepared for the inhabitants of Paradise. He saw the Hur ul-^In: non human nor jinn females whom Allah created. They are in Paradise and will be married to whom Allah willed. The Prophet saw the wildan ul-mukhalladun: these are non human, jinn, nor angels creations of Allah. They are a very beautiful creation of Allah whose appearance is like sprinkled pearls. They are servants of the inhabitants of Paradise. The Prophet saw the Throne (^Arsh) which is the ceiling of Paradise. The Throne is the largest creation of Allah in size. Allah did not create anything bigger in size than it. The seven heavens and the earth in comparison to the Kursiyy are like a ring thrown in a desert, and the Kursiyy in comparison to the Throne is like a ring thrown in a desert. The seven heavens and the earth in comparison to the Throne are like a seed of mustard compared to the ocean. Allah created the Throne as a sign of His Power and He did not create the Throne to sit on it. The Throne is the largest creation of Allah in size. Allah ta^ala the Creator of everything does not need it, nor does He need to sit on it. Allah exists without a place because He created the places so He does not need them. Imam ^Aliyy may Allah raise his rank said: “Allah created the ^Arsh as an indication for His Power, and He did not take as a place for Himself.” We would like to thank and acknowledge all who came and joined us on this blessed and fragrant occasion commemorating the great Miracle of our Master Muhammad peace be upon him. The enthusiasm was felt as the Hall filled beyond seating capacity, with very limited standing room available. We at AICP, ask Allah to grant the Muslims sincerity, more beneficial knowledge, peace and prosperity. We ask Allah, the Exalted, to bestow upon our Muslim Community the bounty of entering Paradise without prior torture so we will have the great fortune of being with our Master Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam in the hereafter ameen