Prayer namaz and Mehrāj

It is the declaration of the Holy Prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  that ‗Prayer is the Mehrāj (Ascension to the heavens) of the Believer‘.

When we look for the definition and meaning of the word ‗Mehrāj’ we find that ‗Mehrāj’ is actually an alternative word used for ‗the discovery of the unseen world‘. When we study the details of the Holy Prophet's sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  Mehrāj we get a taste through the conscious mind of the realms existing in the unseen world. The Holy Prophet, sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  after being released from the grip of time and space, physically arrived at Masjid-e-Aqsa. All the prophets present there Prayed behind the leadership (Imāmat) of the Holy Prophet. sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  He then made his presence at the Heavens, the first Heaven, second Heaven, third Heaven, fourth Heaven, fifth Heaven, sixth Heaven, seventh Heaven, and then at the throne of Allah Himself. He met with the people residing in the Heavens. He observed the state and condition of Heaven and Hell. He conversed with the

angels and then he was granted such a stage during his Ascension where there remained only the distance of two bows or even less between him and Allah. Allah conversed with His servant about whichever Secrets He wished, and also said that what the heart saw was not false.

From the study of this light-filled miraculous incidence we can deduce that the word Mehraj means ‗the discovery of the unseen world‘. Mehraj was the Mehraj of the Holy Prophet. sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  For his descendants the Holy prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam   has declared Prayer as Mehraj. When a believer stands for Prayer, in his mind that door opens up from which he can enter into the unseen world and become familiar with it. He witnesses the angels. After being enclosed in a circle of light (Noor) and liberated from time and space he reaches the height of the Heavens and then he arrives at the Throne of Allah where he bows down in subjection to Allah. A believer who attains the stage of Mehraj in Prayer is showered with the light (Noor) of Allah's attributes.

It must be emphasised that every one of the Holy Prophet's sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  descendants has the ability to spiritually go on Mehraj up to the Throne of Allah. Through Prayer any one of his descendants can converse with the angels, visit Heaven and progress to achieve the utmost limit which is to become a devout servant and have intimate knowledge of Allah. Such a believer attains the honour to sight the High Throne, and Allah Himself. His ears hear the voice of Allah and his heart becomes acquainted with Allah's closeness. The Holy Prophet's Mehraj was on a spiritual and physical basis and is such a rank which is unique and exclusive only to the Holy Prophet. sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  Hażrat Ibrahim's access was up to Bait-ul-Mahmood. After Bait-ul-Mahmood come the stages of Hijab-e-Azmat, Hijab-e-Kubrya, and Hijab-e-Mahmood. After Hijab-e-Mahmood comes Maqam-e-Mahmood and this is the stage that the Holy prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam   ascending to on Mehraj where he conversed with Allah, and Allah said:-

‗And We revealed unto our servant that which We revealed. The heart lied not (in seeing) what it saw‘

(Surah An-Najm, 10-11)

Prayer of the Lover and the Beloved

To become acquainted with the reality of Prayer we have to have knowledge of our own soul. The Holy Prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  ) has explained that without the presence of the heart, Prayer is not Prayer. Nor is it Prayer if one is not free from evil suggestions and distracted thoughts. Such an act could only be called ‗physical movement‘ and there would be no spiritual value in this act. When a person establishes Prayer with the depth of his soul he is released from the grasp of that mind which we call ‗the disobedient mind‘. When the grasp of the disobedient becomes weak the Heavenly mind, which is free from the limitations of time and space takes control. When we incline towards Allah with the Heavenly mind, Allah's light (Noor) starts descending upon us and in this state of Prayer we break our link with the fictional senses. This state when one gets so absorbed in Allah's light and magnificence is called Istaghraq.

Hażrat Ayesha Siddiqa narrates to us that when it was time for Prayer the Holy Prophet would not even acknowledge the presence of those around him and it would seem as if they were all strangers to him.

The Holy Prophet would stand in Prayer for so long that his blessed feet would get swollen.

The Prayer of the Beloved Prophet (sallallallahu alaihi wasallam 

It is narrated in a Hadith that once the Holy Prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam  arrived late for the Fajr Prayer. After Prayer he told the people to remain seated. He narrated to them that last night when he was establishing Prayer he went into a state of drowsiness. He saw Allah's splendour and beauty in front of him without any veils. Allah asked him ‗Oh Muhammad! Do you know what subject these certain angels are conversing about?‘ He replied ‗Yes, O Lord! They are conversing about those deeds which remove sins‘. Allah asked ‗What

are they?‘ He answered ‗To lift a step towards the mosque for congregational Prayer, to stay in the mosque after the Prayer and to perform ablution despite intolerable conditions (such as very cold water). There is happiness and welfare in the life and death of the one who does this. He will be purified from his sins just like the day when his mother gave birth to him‘. Allah then asked him ‗Oh Muhammad! What are the stages?‘ He replied ‗To feed people, to talk with a soft tone, to get up to establish Prayer when the world is asleep‘. Allah then ordered ‗Ask for anything from Me‘. He answered ‗O Lord! I want divine guidance to be able to do good deeds, refrain from evil deeds and to love the poor. Save me and have mercy on me. When you wish to test a nation, lift me without testing me. I am the aspirant of Your love and the love of the one who loves You and the love of every deed that takes me closer to Your love‘.

Once the Holy Prophet sallallallahu alaihi wasallam   was performing the Kasoof Prayer (the Prayer performed when there is a solar eclipse) and remained occupied for a long time reciting the Qur‘an, bowing down and prostrating. During this time his companions saw that he reached his hand forward. They then saw that he moved back a little. Later when the people questioned him regarding this incident he told them:-

‗At that time those things were exposed in front of me of which you have been promised. Paradise and Hell were displayed just beside this wall. I saw bunches of grapes hanging in Paradise, I felt like breaking off a bunch. If I did break it you would have been able to finish it until the Day of Resurrection. I then saw Hell and have never before seen such a terrifying thing‘