In the above quoted Quranic verse, Allah says that He, the Exalted One, took His beloved devotee (Mohammed (s.a.)) for a journey by night from masjid al-Haram (Mecca) to masjid al-Aqsa (Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof he has blessed, in order to show him the important objects of His Creation. Further He says that He Hears and Sees all.

Extending invitation to a prophet by Almighty Allah for a gettogether is certainly the most glorious event in the history of mankind. There is no such parallel in the entire history of mankind. Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.) was physically transported from his resting place in his relative Hazrat Umme Hanis house at Mecca to meet the Benevolent Allah. This event took place prior to the emigration of Prophet Mohammed (s.a) from Mecca to Madina. It occurred on the night of 27 Rajab. The Archangel Hazrat Jibraeel (a.a) (Gabriel) was sent by Allah to Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.) to convey the message that He desired to meet him. When the angel arrived, the Prophet (s.a) was in deep slumber. Hazrat Jibraeel hesitated to disturb the prophet in his sleep. Allah commanded the angel to plant a soft kiss at the feet of the prophet to awaken him, which the angel did. Thus awakened from his sleep, the prophet (s.a) got up and asked the purpose of Hazrat Jibraeels visit. The angel conveyed Allahs message. Another angel from paradise had brought water from Hauz-e-Kausar (a water reservoir in paradise) with which the prophet bathed and donned the garments brought from paradise. Then he rode the Buraq, a celestial creature brought by Hazrat Jibraeel from paradise and reached MasjidalHaram (Mecca). There, Hazrat Jibraeel opened the chest of the prophet (s.a), flushed it with water from the Zam-Zam well of Kaaba and poured into it a gold plateful of Wisdom of Faith (Hikmataun-wa-Eimaanan) and sealed it. Then he was taken to a place on the outskirts of Mecca and shown the scenes of sins that his future followers would be committing. Seeing the horrendous scenes of sins, the prophet (s.a.) was saddened immensely. The angel then got a message from Allah for Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.) informing that Allah is the Most Merciful and would certainly extend His Mercy to his followers. He had summoned him to conduct discussions on the same subject. Reassured, the prophet mounted the Buraq and accompanied by Hazrat Jibraeel (a.a.), with innumerable angels in attendance he reached Masjid-al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) where all the prophets from Hazrat Adam (a.a) to Hazrat Eissa (a.a.) had gathered to see him off on his journey to meet Allah.

He exchanged greetings, delivered a sermon and led the prophets in prayer. The prophets then bid him farewell.

He mounted the Buraq and accompanied by Hazrat Jibraeel and a host of gleeful angels, proceeded towards Allahs abode. On the way, he met Hazrat Adam (a.a.), Hazrat Eissa (a.a.), Hazrat Yahya (a.a.), Hazrat Yunus (a.a.), Hazrat Idris (a.a.), Hazrat Haroon (a.a.), Hazrat Moosa (a.a.) and Hazrat Ibrahim (a.a.) in different strata of space (aasmaan). When he met Hazrat Adam (a.a.) he saw one group of people on his right side and another group on his left. When Hazrat Adam (a.a.) looked at the people on his right, he expressed joy and happiness. But when he looked at the persons on his left, he shed tears with great sorrow. He said that all the people are his offspring and those on his right are destined to a life in paradise and those on the left are hell bound. Hence, his two different reactions when he looked at them. En route, all the angels had lined up on either side to see and greet the prophet on his journey to meet Allah. There was rejoicing in the heavens. At one place, Hazat Jibraeel (a.a.) and the Buraq stopped. The angel said that he and the Buraq are not permitted to step further. Another transport named Rafraf arrived and carried the prophet (s.a.) to Allah`s adobe. Allah met His beloved prophet Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.) and held discussions with him on important issues relating to mankind, the loftiest of His Creation. Then Allah sent the prophet (s.a.) with Archangel Jibraeel to show him the Hell and Paradise, which would be the places to lodge mankind on the basis of individual merit. [The lodging in hell or paradise will take place after the Doomsday, followed by the resurrection of entire mankind and delivery of judgment by Allah to each individual on the basis of his/her deeds in lifetime.]

Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.) was much pleased at the sights in paradise. But the horrible sights of modes of punishment in the Hell perturbed his mind immensely. As commanded by Allah, the angel took the prophet (s.a.) back to Him. There, the prophet (s.a.) pleaded with Allah to show His Mercy to mankind and spare every human being from the agony of torture in the Hell. Allah promised that he would definitely be merciful to each human being if he /she adhered to His commands during lifetime on the earth. The way He gave ten commands to Hazrat Moosa (a.a.) on Mount Sinai, Allah gave fourteen commands to Hazrat Mohammed (s.a.), which would help mankind when followed, in leading a decent and peaceful life on the earth. Good deeds would entitle a person to entry in Paradise and evil acts would lead him to the Hell. With this assurance from Allah, Hazrat Mohammad (s.a.) returned to his abode on the earth.

The following day, after the morning prayers, Hazrat Mohammad (s.a.) narrated the details of the event to his followers. A Jew who attended the speech thought that the event was unbelievable and left the congregation in the midst of the speech. He visited the market place, purchased live fish and delivered it to his wife at home instructing her to cook the fish till his return from bath. He went to a water point outside the town. He undressed and keeping his garments under a tree, dived into the water. To his horror, he found himself transformed into a young female. He was stunned. He scrambled to get his clothes but the clothes were missing. Out of shame he (she) hid behind a tree. A tribal riding a horse was passing by. He noticed the female, approached her and gave his gown to her. He carried her to his home and married her. She produced two children by this marriage in a period of seven years. One day, accompanied by the neighbouring women, she went to the water point for bath. She left her clothes under a tree and dipped into the water. She was stunned to see herself transformed into the original male form. He found his old male garments lying under the tree. He donned the clothes and rushed back to his home. He found the fish that he had delivered to his wife still alive and the woman sitting in the same position as she was when he left. He asked her why she had not cooked the fish so far. She said that he had delivered the fish just a moment ago and how could anyone expect the fish to be cooked so fast. The man narrated his experiences at the bathing place, to which the wife said that he was dead drunk and did not know what he was talking about. The man rushed to the place where Prophet Mohammed (s.a.) was narrating the events of Meraj. He stood in the congregation and proclaimed that the incident the prophet (s.a.) was narrating was true. When questioned by the people for the cause of his belief in the truth of the prophets (s.a.) journey to Allahs abode, he narrated his experience at the water point, which induced full faith in the prophets (s.a.) narration. He offered bayat at the hand of the prophet (s.a.) and joined his spiritual fold.

The above stated experience of the Jew is narrated here to help clear the misgivings in the minds of those people who may find it difficult to comprehend the fact of Prophet Mohammeds (s.a.) physical Meraj. Such supernatural phenomena cannot be compared with material objects and measured accordingly since Allah, the Angels and other subtle elements are not the product of Matter. Allah can play wonders. He is the Creator, the Master. Is it beyond Allahs power to get Prophet Mohammed (s.a.) or anybody else physically transported to His abode?