The Night Journey and Ascension (3)

The Prophet returned to Allah and did as he had been advised. Allah reduced the obligatory prayers from fifty to ten. Again the Prophet was led away and once again Musa stopped him. Upon hearing the number had been reduced to ten, he advised the Prophet to ask for another reduction. Allah reduced the number to five. When Musa learned of this, he again advised the Prophet to ask Allah to reduce the number. The children of Israel, Musa said, were asked to do less, but still they were unable to carry out their duties. The Prophet did not intend to return another time. “I feel ashamed before my Lord,” he said. A voice then announced, “I have enforced my obligaton and made it light for My servants. He who prays these five prayers will be rewarded as if he prayed fifty. What I decree cannot be changed.”

The Prophet returned to Makkah before dawn, and the next morning he told the people about this miraculous journey and ascension to heaven. The Makkan pagans, of course, scoffed at his claim. Some ran to Abu Bakr and told him the story, thinking that it would shake his faith in the Prophet. “If he said so,” Abu Bakr said, “it must be true.” Abu Bakr’s answer as to why he believed is inspiring to all generations of Muslms. Since he had believed the Prophet was indeed a prophet, one to whom an angel brought revelations from Allah, Lord of the worlds, why should he not also believe the Prophet’s account of his travel through space and time? From that day onward, Abu Bakr was called “Siddeeq,” one who believes.

In an attempt to prove that Muhammad was lying, those Makkans who were familiar with Jerusalem and the Sacred Mosque of Worship there quizzed him about his journey. The Prophet described everything in detail, and no one could fault his description. Additionally, the Prophet told the Makkans about the caravan travelling from Jerusalem to Makkah, mentioning the number of camels, their condition, and the time theat they would arrive in Makkah. The caravan from Jerusalem appeared exactly when the Prophet said it would, and everyone saw that his description was accurate. But, the pagans remained fettered to their disbelief.

The same morning Jibreel descended and taught the Prophet how to perform the five daily prayers. Following Jibreels visit, the Muslims began praying five times each day instead of praying morning and evening.