The year of Sorrow is the year that the prophet Muhammad lost his Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib, it’s around the tenth year of revelation (619 CE). Let’s learn more about the Year of Sorrow.
The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) and his followers went through a lot of hardships due to the social boycott. The boycott made Khadija ill and soon she died. She was the prophet’s wife, friend, and refuge. She was the one who believed in him, the first person to accept Islam and she supported the prophet through all the hardships he went through. Soon afterward, the prophet lost his uncle, Abu Talib, he was the one who protect him from the people of Quraysh. Abu Talib was one of the elders of Quraysh whom they respect and can’t do him any harm. He never accepted Islam; however, he protected the prophet against his enemies. When they both died the prophet became very sad and the year became the year of Sorrow.
What surah was revealed in the year of sorrow?
After the year of sorrow passed, surah Yusuf was revealed to the prophet to comfort him. The year of Sorrow was a very difficult year for the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him), he lost his wife Khadija, and his uncle Abu Talib. Moreover, the people of Quraysh started to assault him physically, which made everything worthwhile.
Which month is called the month of Sorrow in Islam?
The month of grief in the Islamic calendar is the month of Muharram but why was it called the month of grief? Because the ten-day of the month which is known as the Day of Ashura is the day when Hussein was killed.
Which year did Miraj happen?
Hussein happened in the year 621 AD, on the day of 621 AD, before the migration of the prophet to Madina by one year.
What happened to Lailat al Miraj?
We know that on that day the prophet was transported from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, and then he ascended to heaven.
After the prophet lost his wife Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib in the year of grief he went through a lot of hardships, his tribe Quraysh kept assaulting him and his followers. When the prophet lost his uncle, he lost his protector.
He then traveled to Ta’if to spread Islam after he lost hope in Quraysh, however, they refused to listen to him and threw stones at him until he left the city.
Lailat al Miraj was a gift from Allah to the prophet to comfort him, we learn from Al-Isra Wal-Miraj that whatever happens and how bad life gets there will always be a light that erases all the darkness and hardships we go through.
Allah says in the holy Quran: “With every hardship [there will be] ease” (The Noble Qur’an, 94: 5).
The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “the roof of my house was opened and the Angel Jibril [as] descended”.
There’s a narration that says that the prophet was taken to the wall of Kabah, and the prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “Jibril (as) opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith, and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it”.
The Prophet continued and said: “I was then brought a white beast which is called al-Buraq [from the Arabic word barq, meaning lightning], bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach”
Anas narrated: “Buraq was saddled and reined, but he shied from him (saw). So Jibril [as] said to him, “Is it from Muhammad [saw] that you do this? For nobody has ridden you who is more honorable to Allah than him!” He said, “Then he started sweating profusely”’.
Jibril first took the prophet to the first stop which was Madinah, the second stop they went to was Mount Sinai where the Torah was revealed to the prophet Musa. The third was at Bethlehem, the place where the prophet Isa was born. The fourth stop was the grave of the prophet Musa.
The prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “I happened to pass by Musa [as] on the night of my Night journey by the red sandhill whilst he was standing praying in his grave”.
Then the prophet was taken to the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the prophet said: “’ When we reached Bait al-Maqdis, Jibril (as) pointed with his finger causing a crack in the rock, and he tied the Buraq to it [at the western wall of the noble sanctuary]”
Inside the Aqsa was the 124,000 Prophets, Jibril took the prophet to the front and led all the prophets in prayer. The angels descended from the heavens and prayed with the prophets.
Isra and Miraj
The prophet said that when he finished praying someone said to him: “Here is Malik (as), the keeper of Hell, so convey Salams to him”. So, I turned to him, but he preceded me in Salams”.
The prophet of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) also said, “The Prophets were presented to me, and Musa (as) was a thin man, it was as if he was from the men of Shanu’ah [a Yemeni tribe]. And I saw ’Isa ibn Maryam (as), and the closest of the people in resemblance to him from those I have seen, is ‘Urwah ibn Mastd (ra). And I saw Ibrahim (as), and the closest of the people in resemblance to him, from those I have seen, is your companion [meaning himself]. And I saw Jibril [as], and the closest of the people in resemblance to him, from those I have seen, is Dihyah (ra)”
The prophet said that he then talked about the hour with the prophets, the prophets Ibrahim and Musa said that they don’t have any knowledge of it. Prophet Isa mentioned the Dajjal (anti-Christ) and said,
“I will descend and kill him, then the people will return to their own lands and will be confronted with Gog and Magog, who will, “swoop down from every mound”.
Afterward, the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, “Then I came out and Jibril (as) brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. Then I chose the milk, and Jibril (as) said, “You have chosen the natural state (Fitrah)”.
According to narrations the prophet then was taken to the Noble Rock (as-Sakhrah al-Musharrafah), which is currently at the holy Dome of the Rock Masjid at the center of the noble sanctuary (al-Haram ash-Sharif) of Masjid Al-Aqsa, then ascended into heavens. And that’s what we know about Lailat al Miraj which was a beautiful gift to comfort the prophet after a year of Sorrow.
Read More
