A popularly known hadith often quoted in connection with me’raj runs as follows:

The Prophet (peace on him), (relating the events of me’raj) said: “Then I learned (from Lord Most High) that 50 prayers a day are laid on my followers. (But), as I was returning I met Musa (on the lower heavens). He asked me what it was that was laid on my followers. I said it was 50 prayers a day. He told me : ‘Return to your Lord and seek reduction. It is certainly beyond the strength of your followers’. Accordingly, I returned (to the presence of my Lord Most High). He abrogated a part of the prayers. I returned from Him to encounter Musa again who asked me to go back and seek some more reduction. I did and obtained another abrogation. Then, as I met Musa again, I informed him of the results. But Musa insisted on further reduction saying : I am sure your followers do not have the strength even for this.’ So I went again. Finally Allah fixed it as five prayers a day and told me that His words do not change (or, are not taken back), and that when carried out these five shall be deemed as equivalent to fifty. Then, as I returned, I met Musa again who told me that he thought even this was too much and that I ought to seek some more reduction. I told him : (I will not go), I feel rather ashamed’.” (Bukhari).

This hadith has come to us through many sources. One source says that Moses (peace on him) told the Prophet that his own experience with the Israelites was rather disappointing. Therefore, he strongly felt that the number of prayers ought to be as low as possible.

This is an important hadith which instructs us in many ways. But the detractors of Islam look at it in a different way. They cite this hadith as an example demonstrating the simplicity if not outright foolishness of the God of Islam and His Prophet. The number of prayers a day, they complain, was first fixed as 50. But upon importunate entreaties of His prophet God became wiser in degrees and gradually reduced the number to five. Could he not have, they ask derisively, made up His mind prior to calling His Messenger to the Heavens and informed him of the final figure, instead of indulging in the child-play as reported by Muhammad?

Our answer to them is that, firstly, the God of Islam is neither foolish nor does He indulge in child-play. Exalted be He !

‘ He is Allah, besides whom there is no other god. He is the Knower of the visible and the unseen. He is the Compassionate, the Merciful. He is Allah besides whom there is no other god. (He is) the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the Giver of Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Superb. Exalted be He above that they ascribe as partners (unto Him).

He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Modeller. His are the most beautiful names. All that is in heaven or earth glorify Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise.”

(The Quran, 5:22-24)

Such is the God of Islam, above any weakness that can be attributed to Him and greater than any greatness that can be thought of Him. He is at the same time beyond the beyond and nearer than man’s jugular veins.

As for the Prophet of Islam, whatever the common people might have been taught by their priests, story-tellers, grandmothers or the general lot of orientalists, honest people all over the world have held a different opinion of him :

“Muhammad rates as one of the truly great personalities of history. Muhammad’s success in accomplishing his mission within ten short years is a tribute to his faith and to his supreme moral qualities. His life and his work are a living testimony to his genius.”

(Caesar F. Farah : 7slam’)

Turning now to the incident itself—the fixation of number of prayers — at least two explanations should be perceptible to any ordinary mind if un-prejudiced against Islam and its Prophet. Although we would also like to mention here that much of what has been said by the Prophet in connection with his night-ascent to the heavens is in the nature of allegories. It is not always easy, especially for those whose knowledge of Islam and Muslims is superficial, to get the meaning or implication of all that occurred during the journey. And for those who have been educated on Western and secular lines, it is all the more difficult. For while modern education quickens intelligence, it impairs wisdom (hikmah). And it is this tool which aides one in understanding many fine points of religion—not meaning at all that such fine points are always against reason. Moreover, a soul unthirsty is more concerned with the container than the contents, more with outward forms than inner meanings. Nonetheless, the explanations we offer are not entirely of that nature and at least one of them should have been, as we have said before, perceptible to anyone with common intelligence.

Firstly, the incident of Musa interrupting the Prophet several times sends home the truth, very subtly but successfully, that divide you may yourself on earth but your prophets are united in heavens. They belong to a single family each individual of which cherishes in his heart nothing but love, fraternity, and goodwill for the other. There is no trace of enmity or hatred between the leaders of those nations that fierce fully quarrel with each other on earth. Those who hate others unjustly will be surprised to find no sympathy ensuing from their prophets in whose name they perpetuated hatred on earth.

Those who ridicule this hadith may have missed this message. But Muslims did not. They send peace on Moses every time his name is mentioned before them. They fast (including the Egyptians whose king was Pharaoh) on every 9th, 10th and 11th of Muharram in celebration of the escape of Moses and the Jews from the hands of Pharaoh. Similarly they send peace and stand witness to the virginity of Mary and truthfulness of her son Jesus who was a prophet of God while the followers of Jesus, Mary and Moses (peace on them) teach their children to believe in Muhammad as an imposter. That’s a fine show of gratitude indeed !

Next, the incident can also be looked at as a reminder of positions and places. Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) was no doubt a great prophet. He was also the seal of the prophets after whom there will be no other prophet. He was given a Book which is incorruptible as against other books given to earlier prophets which were corrupted by their followers. God mentioned him in the Quran with qualities using words generally reserved for God Himself: ‘rauf’, ‘raheem’. He was raised to the heavens and taken to regions where perhaps no one has ever been. Finally, God Most High gave him audience and spoke to him directly. All these place Muhammad as a prophet high above any other. Yet his followers can not be allowed to imagine too much of him. Islam is the religion of God, His unity and His greatness. Other people raised their prophets to the position of God for much lesser acts. Muhammad’s followers will not commit that mistake. They should know that their Prophet had no touch of Divinity in him, that, all accomplished, he remained essentially a man like any other human being.

Say (O Muhammad) : ‘I am no new thing among the
messengers (of God), nor do I know what will be done
with me or with you.

‘I do but follow that which is inspired in me, and I am
but a plain warner’.

(The Quran, 46 : 9)

Say (0 Muhammad) : ‘/ am not but a mortal like you,
(except that) it is revealed unto me that your Lord is
but one God.’

(The Quran, 18 : 41)

This reality—of the Prophet being a human being and a warner—was most likely to be forgotten in the wake of the most extraordinary and well-deserving treatment given to him when he was received in the Heavens. If that happened and whenever it has happened, on one side his sunnah was neglected as impossible for ordinary mortals to follow and on the’other, hearts have turned to him in the way they should only for God. Hence, in the climax of the visit a correction, a cure was necessary. The Prophet (may we not sacrifice our nearest of kin for him !), had to go, and go several times. Like a dutiful servant he had to beg reduction several times. His importunate entreaties demonstrated the human in him.

And Allah be praised, who can say Muslims missed this message ? !