Mystical Journeying: 'Isra' and 'Mi'raj'

'..Before concluding my sermon, I would also like to say a few words about the Isra and Mi'raj of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It was indeed two of the most important visions and communications that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received from God the Almighty, for it was during one of those spiritual - and not physical - journeys that Allah ordered Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and his Ummah (his community) to worship (Salat) five times a day.

Importance must be given to these blessed days, not because the Holy Prophet (pbuh) made “physical” journeys to heaven, but because all communication between Allah and His Messenger was and will always be special. These experiences were purely spiritual, lived by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a state between awakening and sleep, called “Kashf” (vision). 

Keep in mind that man can never rise to the Pleiades physically, even if he tastes the final death. His corpse remains on earth, while the soul goes back where it is destined to go.

When the unbelievers had asked the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to go up to heaven and bring them a book, here is the answer he gave them: “Am I not only a human-messenger?” (Al-Isra 17: 94)

The “Kashf” is not a definitive death. The soul is spiritually awake and connected to God through His revelation and Divine Force that draws him to Him and to a world of temporary spiritual well-being. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived the most perfect “Kashf” because Allah made him cross the seven heavens to meet Him in an intimate and loving way.

'Divine Revelations are not the Inspirations of Mind'

A very serious misconception which is prevailing in my time, in this era with a divine manifestation, and which has undermined the foundations of all religions, so that the very essence of religion is being completely revolutionized as a result of which, in place of the divine light of revelation, it is the ideas and conceptions of the human mind which are being substituted and put forward as the truth and thus it is that entirely erroneous definition of revelation which has found general acceptance. Independence of thoughts and the length of time which had elapsed since the appearance of the seal of prophets Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) had led the greater portion of the world to believe that revelation was mere inspiration of the mind. This was due, to the belief and conception that God could not speak in words as He was not a materiel Being and was not dependent upon material means like men.

I explain from my personal experience that revelation is conveyed in words and the mode of conveying is as certain and free from doubt as the talking of one man to another. If revelation was not to be conveyed in words, it could not be entirely free from doubt and could not lead to perfect certainty. For, perceiving every inspiration as divine revelation, every man can fancy himself inspired and thus deceive himself and mislead mankind, as has actually happened in several instances since this erroneous conception of revelation has found currency. 

Revelation is intended to remove doubts and misconceptions, and if it is not conveyed in words, it opens, still wider the doors of doubt and uncertainty for there is then no means of distinguishing between revelation and the fancies of a man’s own mind. Revelation is conveyed in words possessing extraordinary glory and majesty, and also a dialogue is possible between God and man in the same manner as between two men, so that a recipient of revelation attains to that degree of certainty which dispenses with any further proof or argument.