Shab e Meraj (Isra wal Mi'raj) is the blessed night when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was taken on a miraculous journey from Makkah to Al‑Aqsa in Jerusalem and then ascended through the heavens, met earlier prophets, and received the gift and command of the five daily prayers for the Muslim ummah.

What is Shab e Meraj?

  • Shab e Meraj is usually observed on the night of 27th Rajab in the Islamic lunar calendar and is remembered as one of the greatest spiritual miracles in the life of the Prophet ﷺ.
  • The event is also called Al‑Isra wal‑Mi'raj : Isra refers to the night journey from Masjid al‑Haram in Makkah to Masjid al‑Aqsa in Jerusalem, and Mi'raj refers to the ascension from there to the heavens.

What happened that night?

  • The Prophet ﷺ was taken at night from Masjid al‑Haram to Masjid al‑Aqsa, a journey mentioned in Surah Al‑Isra (17:1), where Allah describes transporting His servant to the “farthest mosque” whose surroundings are blessed.
  • From Masjid al‑Aqsa, he ascended through the heavens, met prophets such as Adam, Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa عليهم السلام, and was shown some of the unseen realities of Paradise and Hell, highlighting the consequences of belief, deeds, and morality.

The gift of Salah (prayer)

  • During this ascension, the Prophet ﷺ was brought into the Divine Presence and it was on this night that the five daily prayers were made obligatory for Muslims, considered the greatest gift of Mi'raj and a direct link between a believer and Allah.
  • Reports mention that the initial command was for more prayers in a day, then it was reduced to five while retaining the reward of many more, showing mercy and ease for the ummah while keeping the spiritual benefit immense.

How Muslims remember it today

  • Many Muslims spend the night in extra nawafil prayers, Qur’an recitation, sending salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, and listening to reminders about the story of Isra and Mi'raj and its lessons of faith, patience, and trust in Allah.
  • In some communities, mosques are lit, gatherings are held, and people reflect on strengthening their connection to Allah through Salah, good deeds, and repentance, treating the night as a time for spiritual renewal rather than mere cultural celebration.

Different viewpoints and discussion

  • Classical Muslim belief takes Isra and Mi'raj as a real miracle granted by Allah, with many scholars affirming that it was a physical and spiritual journey, while some others in history have described aspects of it in more symbolic or purely spiritual terms.
  • Contemporary forum and lecture discussions often focus on what lessons Muslims can take “today” from Shab e Meraj—such as the centrality of Salah, the special status of Masjid al‑Aqsa, and the hope of Divine mercy—rather than debating every detail of how the journey occurred.

TL;DR:
On Shab e Meraj, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was taken in a miraculous night journey from Makkah to Masjid al‑Aqsa, then ascended through the heavens, met earlier prophets, and received the obligation of five daily prayers, making this night a cornerstone of Islamic spirituality and worship.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.