Boreal

FADE TO BLACK

Triumph of the Irrational

Five Perplexing Pillars  - Prayers

Faith is believing in something that you know to be untrue.

Mark Twain and others

Faith, by Mark Twain’s definition, is irrational. Nowhere is this irrationality more evident than in the belief in the surreal origins of prayers in Islam and in the blind acceptance of their atypical coerciveness (the focus of the next chapter: Choreographing the Irrational).

The third holiest site in Islam is a rock underneath the Dome of the Rock. It is part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Muslims believe this is the rock from which Muhammad ascended to heaven on a magical night in 621 on the back of a winged-horse named Al-Burak. The night of Mi'raj is celebrated on the 27th day of the month of Rajab, the seventh month of the Muslim calendar.

The Prophet had just finished his late-night prayers when the angel Gabriel appeared holding Al-Burak’s bridle. Muhammad got on the horse and flew off in the direction of Jerusalem to meet with God. This was when Muslims bowed and prayed, along with their Jewish neighbors, in the direction of Jerusalem above which was Allah’s Throne at the time, and beneath, on separate levels of Paradise, depending on their importance, prophets from the Bible. This was before Muhammad had a falling out with the Jews of Medina.

A Change of Direction

(Abbreviated from Jihad in the Koran, Boreal Books)

The first Muslims were required to prostrate themselves in the direction of Jerusalem until Muhammad had a falling out with the Jews of Medina, the city where he had sought refuge from his Meccan enemies, after they refused to recognize him as a legitimate spokesman for the Almighty—that privilege being reserved for the “chosen people.” Shortly thereafter, Allah decreed a change of direction.

2:142 The ignorant among the people (among the Jews and polytheist Arabs) will say: “What caused them (the Prophet Muhammad and the believers) to turn away from the former Qibla towards which they used to turn (Jerusalem)?” Say: “To Allah belongs the East and the West. He guides whom He wills towards the Right Path.”

2:143 And thus We have made you (the Muslim nation) a just nation, so that you may bear witness unto the rest of mankind, and that the Messenger may bear witness unto you. We did not ordain your former Qibla except that We may distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels (return to disbelief). It was indeed a hard test except for those whom Allah guided. Allah would not allow your faith to be in vain. He is Clement and Merciful to mankind.

2:144 Surely, We see your face turned towards heaven (yearning for guidance through revelation). We shall turn you towards a Qibla that will please you. Turn your face then towards the Sacred Mosque (the Sacred Mosque of Mecca, the Ka’ba); and wherever you are turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Book (the Jews and Christians) certainly know this to be the Truth from their Lord. Allah is not unaware of what they do.

2:145 Were you even to come to the People of the Book with every proof, they will not follow your Qibla, nor will you follow their Qibla. Nor will some of them follow the Qibla of the others. And were you to follow their desires after all the knowledge that came to you, surely you would be one of the evil-doers.

---- end of excerpt ----

THE NIGHT JOURNEY

17 Al-Isrâ'

In the Name of Allah,

the Compassionate, the Merciful

17:1 Glory be to Him Who caused His servant to travel by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We have blessed, in order to show him some of Our Signs. He is indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Revelation 17:1 is the only reference to this journey between “the Sacred Mosque,” i.e., Mecca, and “the farthest mosque,” i.e., Jerusalem. Jerusalem surrendered to the Muslims in 638 A.D., six years after the death of Muhammad; therefore, there could not have been a mosque, as we know them, there at the time.

The trip to Paradise was not without its perils, with the jinn intercepting Muhammad on his way up, in spite of Gabriel flying alongside. Not to worry, he had been told what to say so as to be allowed to pass.

72:19 And that when the Servant of Allah got up calling on Him, they almost set upon him in throngs.

72:20 Say: “I only call upon my Lord, and I do not associate with Him anyone else.”

72:21 Say: “I have no power to harm or guide you rightly.”

72:22 Say: “No one shall protect me from Allah, and I will not find apart from Him any refuge;

72:23 “Except for a proclamation from Allah and His Messages. He who disobeys Allah and His Messenger, for him the Fire of Hell is in store. Therein they shall dwell forever.”

It was during this meeting with God that the number of prayers a believer must perform every day was established.  Following are three lengthy hadiths about this seminal event in the history of both Islam and the Middle East containing not insignificant variations. In all three hadiths, Gabriel introduces Muhammad to the prophets from Bible they meet on the different levels of Paradise as they make their way up to where Allah sits on His Throne; but not before convincing that level’s gate keeper that Muhammad has indeed been called to a meeting with God, and to let them in.

In the first, and second hadith, there is no mention of a stopover in Jerusalem. In the second, there is also no mentioned of Muhammad making his way to heaven on the back of a horse with wings. The third hadith, probably the most significant, contains both a reference to the winged Pegasus-like horse and a stopover in Jerusalem.

The first of the trio:

Narrated Abbas bin Malik:

Malik bin Sasaa said that Allah's Apostle described to them his Night Journey saying, "While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here."

I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, "What does he mean?"

He said, "It means from his throat to his pubic area," or said, "From the top of the chest."

The Prophet further said, "He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place^[30]. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me."

(On this Al-Jarud asked, "Was it the buraq, O Abu Hamza?" I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative).

The Prophet said, "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven. When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has Muhammad been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there.

Gabriel said (to me). 'This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened.

It was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel answered in the affirmative.

Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened. When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and 'Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other.

Gabriel said (to me), 'These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings.'

So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Joseph; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel'

It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!'

The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked. 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Gabriel said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.' I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked. 'Who is it?'

Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

It was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!'

When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me),' This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.'

When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?'

Moses said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.'

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.'

It was asked,' Who is accompanying you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.'

It was asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is your father; pay your greetings to him.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.'

Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary [of Paradise]) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants.

Gabriel said, 'This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary). Behold ! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, 'What are these two kinds of rivers, O Gabriel?'

He replied,' As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.'

Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mur (i.e. the Sacred House, a replica of the Ka’ba in Mecca situated directly above it) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked, 'This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.'

Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were fifty prayers a day.

When I returned, I passed by Moses who asked (me), 'What have you been ordered to do?'

I replied, 'I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.'

Moses said, 'Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.'

So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me.

Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced ten more prayers.

When I came back to Moses he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day.

When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day.

When I came back to Moses, he said, 'What have you been ordered?'

I replied, 'I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.'

He said, 'Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower's burden.'

I said, 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order.'

When I left, I heard a voice saying, 'I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My Worshipers."

Bukhari 58.227

The following is the hadith where the horse al-Buraq is not mentioned. In this account, it is Adam who is seen weeping, not Moses. Because it is quite similar to the previous hadith, I have omitted large portions.

Narrated Abu Dhar:

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was at Mecca the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zam-zam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it.

Then he took my hand and ascended with me to the nearest heaven.

When I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, 'Open (the gate).’

…

The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?'

Gabriel answered: 'Gabriel.'

He asked, 'Is there anyone with you?'

Gabriel replied, 'Yes, Muhammad is with me.'

He asked, 'Has he been called?'

Gabriel said, 'Yes.' So the gate was opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left. When he looked towards his right, he laughed and when he looked toward his left he wept. Then he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.'

I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?'

He replied, 'He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.'

…

So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced.

I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it.’

So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.'

I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.'

Then Gabriel took me till we reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundary [of Paradise]) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."

Bukhari 6.345

The most important account, the one with a stopover in Jerusalem, is actually a hadith recorded by the second most respected hadith collector, Sahih Muslim. It is this hadith, and Revelation 17:1,  that are responsible for the consecration of the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount as the third most sacred place is Islam. In this hadith, Muhammad is offered a choice of wine, milk or honey at the beginning of the journey rather than toward the end of his sojourn in Paradise. Sahih Muslim does not use quotes.

It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I was brought al-Buraq Who is an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place his hoof a distance equal to the range of version.

I mounted it and came to the Temple (Bait Maqdis in Jerusalem), then tethered it to the ring used by the prophets.

I entered the mosque and prayed two rak'ahs in it, and then came out and Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel said: You have chosen the natural thing. Then he took me to heaven.

Gabriel then asked the (gate of heaven) to be opened and he was asked who he was. He replied: Gabriel.

He was again asked: Who is with you?

He (Gabriel) said: Muhammad.

It was said: Has he been sent for?

Gabriel replied: He has indeed been sent for. And (the door of the heaven) was opened for us and lo! we saw Adam. He welcomed me and prayed for my good.

Then we ascended to the second heaven. Gabriel (peace be upon him) (asked the door of heaven to be opened), and he was asked who he was. He answered: Gabriel; and was again asked: Who is with you?

He replied: Muhammad.

It was said: Has he been sent for?

He replied: He has indeed been sent for. The gate was opened.

When I entered 'Isa b. Maryam and Yahya b. Zakariya (peace be upon both of them), cousins from the maternal side. welcomed me and prayed for my good.

Then I was taken to the third heaven and Gabriel asked for the opening (of the door).

He was asked: Who are you?

He replied: Gabriel.

He was (again) asked: Who is with you?

He replied Muhammad (may peace be upon him).

It was said: Has he been sent for?

He replied He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and I saw Yusuf (peace of Allah be upon him) who had been given half of (world) beauty. He welcomed me prayed for my well-being. Then he ascended with us to the fourth heaven.

Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the (gate) to be opened, and it was said: Who is he?

He replied: Gabriel.

It was (again) said: Who is with you?

He said: Muhammad.

It was said: Has he been sent for?

He replied: He has indeed been sent for.

The (gate) was opened for us, and lo! Idris was there. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being (About him) Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, has said:" We elevated him (Idris) to the exalted position" (Qur'an 19:57).

Then he ascended with us to the fifth heaven and Gabriel asked for the (gate) to be opened.

It was said: Who is he?

He replied Gabriel.

It was (again) said: Who is with thee?

He replied: Muhammad.

It was said Has he been sent for?

He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and then I was with Harun (Aaron-peace of Allah be upon him). He welcomed me prayed for my well-being. Then I was taken to the sixth heaven.

Gabriel (peace be upon him) asked for the door to be opened.

It was said: Who is he?

He replied: Gabriel.

It was said: Who is with thee?

He replied: Muhammad.

It was said: Has he been sent for?

He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I was with Musa (Moses peace be upon him) He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being.

Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven.

Gabriel asked the (gate) to be opened.

It was said: Who is he?

He said: Gabriel

It was said. Who is with thee?

He replied: Muhammad (may peace be upon him.)

It was said: Has he been sent for?

He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I found Ibrahim (Abraham peace be upon him) reclining against the Bait-ul-Ma'mur and there enter into it seventy thousand angels every day, never to visit (this place) again.

Then I was taken to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha whose leaves were like elephant ears and its fruit like big earthenware vessels. And when it was covered by the Command of Allah, it underwent such a change that none amongst the creation has the power to praise its beauty.

Then Allah revealed to me a revelation and He made obligatory for me fifty prayers every day and night.

Then I went down to Moses (peace be upon him) and he said: What has your Lord enjoined upon your Ummah?

I said: Fifty prayers.

He said: Return to thy Lord and beg for reduction (in the number of prayers), for your community shall not be able to bear this burden, as I have put to test the children of Israel and tried them (and found them too weak to bear such a heavy burden).

He (the Holy Prophet) said: I went back to my Lord and said: My Lord, make things lighter for my Ummah.

(The Lord) reduced five prayers for me. I went down to Moses and said. (The Lord) reduced five (prayers) for me, He said: Verily thy Ummah shall not be able to bear this burden; return to thy Lord and ask Him to make things lighter.

I then kept going back and forth between my Lord Blessed and Exalted and Moses, till He said: There are five prayers every day and night. O Muhammad, each being credited as ten, so that makes fifty prayers. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him; and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do, it will not be recorded for him; and if he does it, only one evil deed will be recorded.

I then came down and when I came to Moses and informed him, he said: Go back to thy Lord and ask Him to make things lighter.

Upon this the Messenger of Allah remarked: I returned to my Lord until I felt ashamed before Him.

Sahih Muslim 1.309

There were no eyewitnesses to Muhammad’s departure from Mecca, his landing in Jerusalem, his takeoff for heaven or his return flight to Mecca the following morning. When Uzza tells this story to the boys in the bar, the bartender to loses it:

Archie: Forget the prayers. This is nuts. This is absolutely friggin nuts. A guy who took his dreams for reality flies into the middle of what has to be one of the largest cities in the Middle East at the time on a horse with wings, tethers it to a rock in the middle of town and nobody notices. He then gets back on the same horse, and still nobody notices, to fly to Paradise, which is held up by invisible pillars which nobody has yet to walk into or planes crash into, to be swarmed by ghosts on his way up to meet with people who should be living a zombie-like existence underground, not above it, in what has to be a massively honeycombed Earth to provide individual caves for the undead since Adam and Eve (Appendix: Life in the Grave), or earlier if you believe the Earth is more than 6,000 years waiting for Judgment Day, before his meeting with the big guy, whom he can't describe, to negotiate, spurred on by Moses of all people, the number of prayers God expects his followers to perform every day.

Gerry: Breathe, Archie, breathe.

Archie: It's a bloody fairy tale, and not a very good one at that. A fairy tale for which people have been murdered in the hundreds of millions, most by people using only knives and swords. Think about that. And more millions, you are telling us, are about to meet a similar fate as the Islamists attempt to bring a war started to convert the planet through terror to a bloody end.

Gerry: Archie, relax.

Archie: Next, you will be telling us that our enlightened self-righteous would-be murderers believe in witches on flying brooms?

Uzza: [sheepishly] I am sorry, but yes; maybe not the flying broom part, Allah was not that specific.

There is, of course, no historical or archaeological evidence of any kind to back up his story, which may explain why some scholars have speculated that the journey took place in a dream. For Muhammad, that was not the case at all. He described this journey to sceptical Meccans the next day. Even with Allah providing visual aids to help him recall what he had seen, many believed he had gone insane.

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah:

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When the people of Quraish did not believe me (i.e. the story of my Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr (the unroofed portion of the Ka'ba) and Allah displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it."

Bukhari 58.226

It was only after he remembered seeing a caravan from the air (which arrived shortly in Mecca) that some of the accusations of insanity were withdrawn.

Muhammad described in some detail the people he met during his ascent to Allah’s level of Paradise, except Allah Himself, with whom he spent a large part of the night in discussion. Could a “curtain of majesty” be the reason?

Narrated Abdullah bin Qais:

Allah's Apostle said, "Two gardens, the utensils and the contents of which are of silver, and two other gardens, the utensils and contents of which are of gold. And nothing will prevent the people who will be in the Garden of Eden from seeing their Lord except the curtain of Majesty over His Face."

Bukhari 60.401

It is from this one visit to Paradise that we have the only eyewitness account of what Jesus and Moses may have looked like. In one hadith, Jesus has the "lank hair"; in another, it is Moses.

Narrated Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet said, "On the night of my ascent to the Heaven, I saw Moses who was a tall brown curly-haired man as if he was one of the men of Shan'awa tribe, and I saw Jesus, a man of medium height and moderate complexion inclined to the red and white colors and of lank hair."

Bukhari 54.462

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "On the night of my Ascension to Heaven, I saw (the prophet) Moses who was a thin person with lank hair, looking like one of the men of the tribe of Shanua; and I saw Jesus who was of average height with red face as if he had just come out of a bathroom. And I resemble prophet Abraham more than any of his offspring does."

Bukhari 55.607

And, in still another hadith, it is Jesus, not Moses who has curly hair.

Narrated Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet said, "One should not say that I am better than Jonah (i.e. Yunus) bin Matta." So, he mentioned his father Matta. The Prophet mentioned the night of his Ascension and said, "The prophet Moses was brown, a tall person as if from the people of the tribe of Shanu'a. Jesus was a curly-haired man of moderate height." He also mentioned Malik, the gate-keeper of the (Hell) Fire, and Ad-Dajjal.

Bukhari 55.608

Go figure!