Isra and Mi'raj

The Two Journeys

The Gift of the Five Prayers

The most profound outcome of the Mi'raj was the institution of the five daily prayers. Allah originally commanded fifty prayers per day. As the Prophet ﷺ descended through the heavens, Musa (AS) advised him to return and ask for a reduction, as fifty prayers would be too burdensome for the ummah. The Prophet ﷺ made several journeys back and forth until the prayers were reduced to five — yet Allah decreed that five prayers would carry the reward of fifty.

"They are five prayers, but they are fifty in reward. My word does not change."

This is why prayer is so central to Muslim life. Unlike zakat, fasting, and Hajj — which were commanded on earth through revelation — the five daily prayers were gifted to the Prophet ﷺ directly in the presence of Allah. They are a direct link between the believer and the Divine, established on the most sacred night in prophetic history.

When Is Isra and Mi'raj Commemorated?

Isra and Mi'raj is traditionally commemorated on the 27th of Rajab — the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The actual year of the event is debated, with most scholars placing it between 10 and 12 years after the beginning of prophethood, a few years before the Hijra (migration to Madinah).

Many Muslims in the UK observe this night with extra prayers, lectures, and gatherings at their local mosques. It is not a day of fasting (no Sunnah specifically prescribes fasting on this day), and there is no consensus on a specific form of worship — any act of devotion is considered appropriate.