RAJAB, AL-ISRA WA AL MERAJ & SALAH

Rajab is the seventh month in the Islamic lunar calendar. This month was regarded as one of the sacred months in which battles were prohibited in the days of the Holy Prophet (SM). It is also a prelude to the month of Ramadan, because Ramadan follows it after the intervening month of Sha'ban. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet (SM). sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following words:

"O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)."

In this month (Evening after 26 Rajab i.e 27 Rajab) our Prophet Muhammad (SM) went to Meraj brought 5 times Salah from heaven. This miraculous event took place in the 11th year after the commencement of his mission at the age of 51. But before this event Prophet (SM). had at age 50, suffered the two greatest blow. His long –life companion, Khadija (RA) died and Abu Talib who, leader of an important clan Quaraish, patriarch of Makkah, was able to offer security and protection to the Prophet (SM). died. Then his venture to the city of Taif was another great blow. It appeared as though the end was in sight.

It was preciously at this moment not sooner and not later that the miraculous journey (Miraj) took place. And it marked the turning point in his mission. And after Miraj Prophet (SM). and his followers migrated to Madina and successfully established Madina as Muslim state with Prophet (SM). as supreme authority. And this was followed by military victory at Badr and diplomatic and political victory at Hudaibiyah until finally Fateh Makkah in the year 8 A.H

But the whole important thing for which Prophet (SM). was transported to the special presence of Allah was for to receive Salah from Allah. Salah is only thing he did not receive hereunder from Jibril (AS). Salah was brought by Muhammad (SM). himself from above . Salah is Allah’s (SWT) gift to us .

Prophet Muhammad (SM). said that Salah is the Meraj for the believers. Indeed, in the context of the statement of the Prophet (SM). that the worshipper is closet of all to his Lord when he is in prostration (sajda) during Salah.

Aisha (RA) said that do not stop knocking the door of Allah. The people asked “how shall we can knock the door of Allah?”. She replied “by constant Ruku & Sujud”.

Now a days we try to find excuses to escape for salah and many have relegated the salah to the activity sphere of the pious and the huzurs. We have developed a general numbness regarding the presence of Allah in our lives. And this numbness only gets disturbed when a disaster strikes and we become desperate for Allah’s support.

Salah in the lives of the sahabas was an extension of their lives, lives which were part of their journey to Allah. Salah was as natural as breathing and eating. Their days and activities were organized around the times of salah . For example, we speak about ‘9 to 5’ as time reference, they spoke about ‘fajr to zuhr’ , ‘zuhr to asr’......... .

The Prophet (SM) called the salah the “centerpole” of the religion, suggesting the image of a tent with a single pole holding it up in the middle and with other poles as secondary supports.

All the creatures in the heavens and the earth perform salah as the expression of universal Islam:

Seest thou not that it is Allah Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) salah and praise. And Allah knows well all that they do. (24:41)

Salah keeps away one from the shameful deeds :

…………and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds;…….(29:45)

There are lots of significance of salah for Muslim life. And it as deep effect on both the individual and collective psyche. The whole color of a society in which most people perform five times salah is profoundly different from in which there is no time for Allah, or in which religion is a private affair, or reserved only for one day a week. The following hadith puts the salah’s effect into a nutshell:

Prophet Muhammad (SM) said, “Tell me, if one of you had a river at his door in which he washed five times a day, would any of his filthiness remain?”

The people replied, “Nothing of his filthiness would remain.” He said, “That is a likeness for the five salah. Allah obliterates sins with them.”