The Tradition of Isra Miraj

Isra Miraj is an important event for the Muslims concerning the journey of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Madina. The name Isra Miraj derived from two different words Isra, meaning the night journey, and Miraj, meaning the ladder, which describes two parts of the night journey of Prophet Muhammad.

When is Isra Miraj 2012?

The Muslims celebrate Isra Miraj on the Rajab 27 according to Islamic calendar, and upcoming Isra Miraj 2012 will fall on June 17, 2012. The Isra Miraj is widely known as the beginning of Muslims’ duty to do the five-times prayers a day.

The Origin of Isra Miraj

As mentioned before, Isra Miraj consists of two parts of the night journey of Prophet Muhammad. The first part, Isra, began when the Archangel Jibrail met the Prophet Muhammad, and brought the Prophet to get onto a buraq, the quickest steed of the heaven, towards Masjidil Aqsa in one night.

The second part, Miraj, started when the buraq brought the Prophet Muhammad for a tour on the circles of heaven. During Miraj, Prophet Muhammad met the other Prophets – Adem, Musa, and Isa – and spoke with them before the buraq took him to meet the God.

The Muslims believe that during the meeting between God and the Prophet Muhammad, the God told him that the Muslims should pray fifty-times a day, but then the prayers were reduced until only five-times a day.

The Tradition of Isra Miraj

There is no special tradition done by the Muslims to celebrate Isra Miraj, though some group of people sometimes organize religious activities such as singing Islamic songs, reciting Koran, conducting a prayer together, and so on.

The most common thing done by the Muslims during Isra Miraj is to thank God about everything given to them by doing the five-times prayers in a more solemn way and doing the sunna prayers besides the compulsory ones. The Isra Miraj event is not meant to get relax and have a good time but to deepen one’s spiritual life.

source sgholiday