Celebrating Shab-e-Mairaj: Innovation or Otherwise

The miraculous journey of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Jerusalem (Israa) and Heavens (Mairaj) is an event which has no parallel in the history of heavenly faiths before Islam. It was a miracle when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was taken from his home at night, "one night", by the angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) first to Jerusalem, known as Israa, and then from there to seven heavens on a white heavenly horse called Buraq. The details of this iracle have already been posted in one of our earlier posts: The Miraculous Journey of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to Jerusalem (Israa) and Heavens (Mairaj). Our readers may read the details from this post.

The purpose of writing about this post is about "celebrating" this night as Shab-e-Mairaj by a segment of Muslims, specially the Indo-Pakistan sub continent. On this night, devote Muslims gather in mosques and offer non obligatory / voluntary prayers "Nuafil" and pray for the good days ahead. But the point is: Is this something that is to be celebrated just like two Eids or is it an innovation that crept into Islam after the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)?

Much has been written about it and another innovation Shab-e-Barat, with varying degrees of authenticity of celebration. Herein under is the opinion of one most revered and prominent Muslim scholar Dr Zakir A Naik:

With regard to this night on which the Isra’ and Mi’raaj took place, there is nothing in the authenticated hadiths to indicate that it is in Rajab or in any other month. Everything that has been narrated concerning a specific date for these events cannot be proven to have come from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) according to the scholars of hadith. Allah has wise reasons for causing the people to forget it.

Even if the date were proven, it would not be permissible for the Muslims to single it out for particular acts of worship, and it is not permissible for them to celebrate it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not celebrate it and they did not single it out in any way. If celebrating it was something that is prescribed in Islam, the Messenger would have told his ummah about that, either in word or in deed. If any such thing had happened, it would have been well known, and his companions would have transmitted the information to us.

They narrated from their Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) everything that his ummah needs to know, and they did not neglect any aspect of the religion, rather they were the first ones to do anything good. If celebrating this night had been prescribed in Islam, they would have been the first people to do so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most sincere of people, and he conveyed the message to the people in full, and he fulfilled the trust.

If venerating and celebrating this night were part of the religion of Allah, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have done that and would not have concealed it. Since no such thing happened, it is known that celebrating it and venerating it is not part of Islam at all. 

Allah has perfected Muslims Ummah’s religion for it and has completed His favour upon them, and He condemns those who introduce things into the religion which Allah has not ordained. And Allah says in His holy Book, in Surat al-Maa’idahg:

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]

So when the religion of Islam was completed right in the life of the Prophet of Allah and he did not mention of celebrating the night of Ma'raj, how could we add it later on and celebrate it? Please ponder over it and make religion as simple as it has always has been. 

Author's Note: The views contained in this post are of Dr Zakir A Naik. The reader has the right to agree or disagree with it.

Photo | References: | Main Source:  Wikipedia | Other Sources : | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

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Posted in: Bidah,Celebrations,Events,Innovations,Q&A,Shab-e-Mairaj