Significance of Shabe Mi'raj

Isra and Mi'raj, also known as Al Isra' wal Miraj, is observed on the 27th day of the month of Rajab, the seventh month in the Islamic calendar. This event marks the night that ALLAH took Muhammad (PBUH) on a journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and then to heaven.

Customs around Isra and Mi'raj vary between different Islamic communities. Some people spend the evening or night listening or studying the story of Isra and Mi'raj in a mosque or at home. They may also decorate their homes or communities with candles or small electric lights and share food, particularly sweets, with each other or prepare a communal meal. People in some communities make a special effort to include children in the celebrations and explain the story of Muhammad's (PBUH) journey.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) lived in and around the area that is now Saudi Arabia in the years 570 CE to 632 CE in the Gregorian calendar. According to Islamic belief, ALLAH took him on a two-part journey sometime around the year 620 CE. The first part of the journey, known as Isra, was from Makkah to Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) in Jerusalem.

It is believed that Muhammad(PBUH) was shown heaven and hell in the second part of the journey, known as Mi'raj. He talked with many prophets, including Jesus and Moses, in heaven. He also received instructions on Islamic prayer. Muhammad(PBUH) returned to Makkah before the end of the night. Some Islamic scholars regard Muhammed's(PBUH) journey as a spiritual experience while others see it as a physical journey. His journey is remembered and commemorated on Isra and Mi'raj.