" HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THE EVENT OF MERAJ IS NOT AMONGST US."
"ALLAH IS THE EXALTED ONE WHO TOOK HIS SERVANT ONE NIGHT FOR A VISIT FROM THE SACRED MOSQUE (IN MAKKAH) TO THE REMOTE AQSA MOSQUE (IN JERUSALEM). ALLAH HAS BLESSED THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE AQSA MOSQUE.HE TOOK HIS SERVANT ON HIS VISIT TO SHOW HIM (MIRACULOUS) EVIDENCE OF HIS (EXISTENCE).IT IS HE WHO IS ALL-HEARING AND ALL-AWARE."
In this verse of the Holy Quran, Allah has mentioned about the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) Ascention (MERAJ). On the night of 27th Rajab , Allah sent Angel Jibraeel to take the Prophet (P.B.U.H) on a journey to the seven skies on BURAQ (a very fast moving horse) . This journey is called MERAJ.
On the night of 27th Rajab Angel Jibraeel came and woke the Prophet (P.B.U.H) upon Allah's command and conveyed Allah's message. He (P.B.U.H) perform ablution (wuzu) , came out of His house, ascend on the Buraq and first visited the Holy Kaaba and from there to the Aqsa Mosque. From Aqsa Mosque they went towards the sky. They passed all the seven steps of the skies and reached the place called "SIDRAT-UL-MUNTAHA". Then Angel Jibraeel told The Prophet (P.B.U.H) that he could not accompany Him any further. If he took even a step forward He would burn . The Prophet (P.B.U.H) travelled alone until the Buraq reached the destination and stopped.
Then an enlighted platform "RAF RAF" came and the Prophet (P.B.U.H) sat on it and reached a place called "QAAB-A-QAUSAIN-O-ADNA". Here He (P.B.U.H) spoke with Allah. During their talk Allah gave instructions of Hazrat ALI (A.S) Imamat (reference : TAFSEER QUMMI).
During the journey the Prophet (P.B.U.H) not only travelled from The Holy Kaaba to Aqsa Mosque and from there to different steps of skies but also met Angels and other Prophets of Allah. Other Prophets offered the Prayers behind the Prophet (P.B.U.H).
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) also saw Heaven and Hell. He (P.B.U.H) visited the different levels of Heaven and saw the different kinds of punishment given to the wrong doers in Hell.
On His (P.B.U.H) return from MERAJ Allah made Prayers five times a day obligatory on all the Prophet's (P.B.U.H) followers.
The night of 27th Rajab is an auspicious night where the Muslims spend the whole night offering prayers and fast during the day. Fasting on this day has many rewards according to one Riwayat , fasting on 27th Rajab is equivalent to fasting for 70 years.
