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Celebrating
the night of al-Israa. and al-Mi'raaj
All praise is for Allaah; and may Allaah send prayers and
salutations upon the Messenger of Allaah, his family and his
companions.
There
is no doubt that the incident of al-Israa. and al-Mi'raaj
is (from) among the great signs of Allaah, indicating the
truthfulness of His Messenger, Muhammad (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam),
and the greatness of his position with Allaah. It is also
among the evidences showing the ability of Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
and it is proof that Allaah is above all His creation. Allaah
has said:
{Glorified
be He Who took His slave for a journey by night from al-Masjid
al-Haraam to the Farthest Masjid (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood
whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him of
Our Aayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily,
He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer}, [Soorah
al-Israa., Aayah
1].
It
has been narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
that Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
ascended him to the heavens, and it's doors were opened for
him through to the seventh heaven. Therein His Lord spoke
to him what He intended and prescribed upon him the five (daily)
prayers.
Initially,
Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
obligated fifty prayers, however our Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
did not cease to demand and ask ease (for his ummah) from
Him, until Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
made it five (in number). Hence there are five prayers prescribed,
but fifty in (number) reward; for every good action is equivalent
to ten of its like. For Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
is all praise and thanks for all His blessings.
This
date on which al-Israa. and al-Mi'raaj
occurred has not been established in the authentic ahaadeeth,
neither during the month of Rajab
nor in any other month. All that has been mentioned concerning
the date of occurence of al-Israa. and al-Mi'raaj
is deemed among the scholars of hadeeth
to be unauthentic. Indeed, Allaah has great Wisdom in causing
the people to forget the date of its occurrence. However,
even if its date was confirmed, it would nonetheless be impermissible
for the Muslims to distinguish that night from other nights
by doing anything from among the acts of worship. Neither
it would be permissible for them to celebrate it, as the Prophet
(sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
and his companions neither celebrated it nor did they distinguish
it with any special acts of worship.
Should
such a celebration of that night be lawful, the Messenger
(sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
would have clarified it to the people either by word or deed.
And had such a thing occurred, it would have become known
and common, and the companions would have transmitted it to
us. The companions passed on from their Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
everything which Muslims are in need of. Never were they negligent
with regard to the religion. Indeed, they were the first to
lead the way to every good. If the celebration of this night
had been lawful, they would have been first to do it. The
Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
also is the most sincere in guiding people. He most truly
fulfilled his mission, and performed his noble duty. If the
glorification and celebration of that night had something
to do with Islaam, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
would never have neglected it nor concealed it. Since nothing
about this was narrated from the Messenger (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
and his companions, therefore glorification and celebration
of that night has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with
Islaam, as Allaah has perfected for this nation its religion,
completed His favor upon it and rebuked and refuted the innovators
who introduce into the religion that which Allaah has not
allowed.
And
Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala),
said:
{This
day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My
favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion},
[Soorah
al-Maa.idah, Aayah
3].
And
Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala),
has also said:
{Or
have they partners with Allaah who have made laws for them
in religion that which Allaah allowed not? And had it not
been for a decisive word, the matter would have been judged
between them. And verily for wrongdoers is a painful torment},
[Soorah
ash-Shooraa, Aayah
21].
The
Prophet (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
said:
((He
who innovates something in this matter of ours that is not
of it will have it rejected)), [Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree 2697 and Saheeh
Muslim
1718].
In
another wording reported in Saheeh
Muslim:
((He
who does an act which our matter is not (in agreement) with
will have it rejected)), [Saheeh
Muslim
18].
And
in the narration of Saheeh
Muslim on the authority of Jaabir (radhi-yallaahu
'anhu),
who said: The Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
used to say in the Jumu'ah
khutbah:
((To
proceed: Indeed the best of speech is the Speech of Allaah,
and the best of guidance is the Guidance of Muhammad (sal-Allaahu
'alayhe wa sallam), and the most evil of affairs are the newly
invented ones, and every innovation is misguidance)),
[Saheeh
Muslim 867].
An-Nasaa.ee
added, with a good sanad:
((…and
every misguidance leads to the (Hell-) Fire)),
[an-Nasaa.ee, Volume 3, Page 188; Saheeh Sunan an-Nasaa.ee
1487].
It
is reported in the Sunan of Abu Daawood and at-Tirmidhee that
al-'Irbaadh Ibn Saariyah said: The Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear
and tears came to our eyes. We said, "O Messenger of
Allaah, it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel
us." He (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
said:
((I
counsel you to fear Allaah and to give absolute obedience
even if a slave becomes your leader. Verily, he among you
who lives (long) will see great controversy, so you must keep
to my Sunnah and that of the rightly guided (in beliefs and
actions) Khulafaa after me; cling to them stubbornly. Beware
of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an
innovation and every innovation is going astray and every
going astray is in the Hell-Fire)), [Musnad
Imaam Ahmad, Volume 4, Page 126; Abu Daawood 4607; at-Tirmidhee
2676; Ibn Maajah 42; Saheeh al-Jaami' 2546].
The
narrations of such meaning are numerous. And indeed it has
been confirmed that the companions of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
as well as the early generations of pious scholars who followed,
cautioned and warned against heresies and innovations. These
warnings were not mentioned by them except for the fact that
innnovations are unnecessary additions to the religion. Innovations
are something new to Islaam which Allaah has not given permission
for.
Also
in performing these affairs, a resemblance of the enemies
of Allaah (from the Jews and Christians) occurs; in that,
they added and innovated in their religions something that
they had no permission from Allaah. In addition, any innovation
in the religion is implied by the person performing it that
Islaam is incomplete and has faults because by innovating
and adding to Islaam one accuses Islaam of not being complete.
This, of course, is well known to contain a great deal of
gross corruption, vile actions, and a contradiction to the
saying of Allaah:
{This
day, I have perfected your religion for you...},
[Soorah
al-Maa.idah, Aayah
3],
...as
it is also an obvious contrast to the traditions of the Messenger
(sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam)
that caution and warn against innovations.
I
hope that what was mentioned from the evidences is sufficient
and convincing enough for the seeker of the truth in rejecting
this innovation (bid`ah)
of celebrating the night of al-Israa. and al-Mi'raaj
and warning against it because it has nothing to do in anyway
with the religion of Islaam.
Since
Allaah has obligated to give Muslims sincere advice, to elucidate
the Divine laws for them, and has forbidden concealing knowledge,
I felt it necessary to call to attention my Muslim brothers
against this innovation (bid`ah)
which has spread throughout many cities so much so that the
people thought it to be part of Islaam.
Allaah
is responsible to correct the affairs of all the Muslims and
grant them success in comprehending the religion and to give
us, along with them, success in holding firm to the truth,
ascertaining it, and leaving what opposes it; for Allaah is
Capable over all.
May
Allaah bless and be merciful upon His Slave and Worshipper
and Messenger (sal-Allaahu
`alayhe wa sallam),
his family, and his companions.
Shaykh
Ibn Baaz
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah - Volume
1, Page 188;
al-Bid'u wal-Muhdathaat wa maa laa asla lahu - Page 588
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