The short answer
The Night Journey, al-Isra’, and the Ascension, al-Mi‘raj, are events Muslims believe took place in a single night about a year before the migration to Medina. The Prophet was taken from Mecca to the sacred site in Jerusalem, where he led the earlier prophets in prayer, and then through the heavens into the presence of God. Qur’an 17:1 refers to the journey; the hadith literature gives the detail.
A little more context
It was during this journey that the five daily prayers were established. The event is why Jerusalem is the third holiest city in Islam after Mecca and Medina, and why the site of the al-Aqsa Mosque matters to Muslims. Many communities remember it on the twenty-seventh night of the month of Rajab.
Sources & further reading
- Qur’an 17:1 The Night Journey from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque.
- Qur’an 53:13-18 The vision at the furthest lote tree.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 349 An account of the Ascension and the five prayers.
Original introductory summary, not a direct scripture translation. Prepared 21 October 2026. Qualified human religious review is pending. About our editorial approach.