We now turn our attention to the miraculous Ascension – Al-Mi’raj of the Prophet (saw). The word Al-Mi’raj is a noun of instrument in Arabic morphology, which literally means ‘an instrument you use to ascend’. The question is what did this divine instrument or ladder look like?
Let us mention a couple of descriptions we have for it from reliable Islamic sources:
The Prophet (saw), ’saw the wide-eyed maidens of Paradise at the left of the Rock [at the Dome of the Rock Masjid]. He greeted them and they returned his greeting. Then he asked them something and they replied with an answer that cools the eyes. Then the Prophet (saw) was brought the ladder by which the spirits of the children of Adam (as) ascend. Creation never saw a more beautiful object. It had alternate stairs of silver and gold and came down from the Highest and Amplest Garden of Paradise, Jannat al-Firdaws. It was encrusted with pearls and surrounded with angels on its right and left’. [The Prophet’s Night Journey and Heavenly Ascent by Sayyid Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Maliki]
The Messenger of Allah (saw) also said that, ‘a ladder was brought to me finer than any I have ever seen. It was that to which the dying man looks when death approaches’. [The Life of Muhammad (saw) Ibn Ishaq]
Now let’s see what happened when the Prophet (saw) accompanied by Jibril (as) ascended into the layers of sky.
