full night journey

• Evidence Islam is Truth
• The Benefits of Islam
• Beliefs of Islam
• How to Convert to Islam
• Worship and Practice
• The Hereafter
• Stories of New Muslims
• Comparative Religion
• The Holy Quran
• The Prophet Muhammad
• Current Issues
• Islamic History
• Systems in Islam

Evidence Islam is Truth 159 articles

• The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran 15 articles
• The Scientific Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad Sayings 2 articles
• Muhammad in the Bible and Other Scriptures 4 articles
• The Authenticity and Preservation of the Holy Quran 21 articles
• Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood 29 articles
• Logical Proofs 45 articles
• The Existence of God 62 articles

The Benefits of Islam 62 articles

• The Door to Eternal Paradise 3 articles
• Salvation from Hellfire 1 articles
• True Happiness and Inner Peace 28 articles
• Forgiveness for All Previous Sins 1 articles
• Benefits to Society 15 articles
• Benefits to Science and Civilization 7 articles
• What Others Say about Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran 7 articles

Beliefs of Islam 211 articles

• What is Islam 21 articles
• The Six Pillars of Faith and Other Islamic Beliefs 49 articles
• About God 63 articles
• The Purpose of Life 22 articles
• Stories of the Prophets 64 articles

How to Convert to Islam 13 articles

• How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim 13 articles

Worship and Practice 115 articles

• The Five Pillars of Islam and Other Acts of Worship 49 articles
• Islamic Morals and Practices 66 articles

The Hereafter 35 articles

• Paradise 8 articles
• Hellfire 9 articles
• The Journey after Death 12 articles
• The Day of Judgement and Its Signs 9 articles

Stories of New Muslims 277 articles

• Men 98 articles
• Women 132 articles
• Priests and Religious Figures 20 articles
• Personalities 32 articles

Comparative Religion 160 articles

• Jesus 59 articles
• The Bible 21 articles
• Christianity 26 articles
• Mary 10 articles
• Judaism 20 articles
• Hinduism 5 articles
• Buddhism 2 articles
• Sikhism 2 articles
• Scientology 2 articles
• Tolerance in Islam 6 articles
• Uncommon Faiths 17 articles

The Holy Quran 234 articles

• The Authenticity and Preservation of the Holy Quran 26 articles
• Structure and Attributes of the Quran 17 articles
• Selected Topics from the Quran 25 articles
• A Summary of the Quranic Chapters 123 articles
• Essential Verses in the Quran 28 articles

The Prophet Muhammad 124 articles

• Pearls from His Sayings 19 articles
• His Characteristics 22 articles
• His Biography 19 articles
• Evidence of His Prophethood 29 articles
• About His Sayings 15 articles
• Stories of His Companions 22 articles

Current Issues 92 articles

• Human Rights 14 articles
• Jihad and Terrorism 2 articles
• Women 39 articles
• Islam and Non-Muslims 23 articles
• Sects Attributed to Islam 14 articles

Islamic History 25 articles

• In Brief 15 articles
• In Detail 10 articles

Systems in Islam 77 articles

• Family 18 articles
• Politics 3 articles
• Economy 11 articles
• Justice 6 articles
• Crime and Punishment 7 articles
• Health and Nutrition 19 articles
• The Environment 13 articles
• Islamic Songs (Nasheed)
• New Muslims
• Short Videos About Islam

Evidence Islam is Truth 122 videos

• The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran 17 videos
• The Scientific Miracles of the Prophet Muhammad Sayings 2 videos
• Muhammad in the Bible and Other Scriptures 2 videos
• The Authenticity and Preservation of the Holy Quran 25 videos
• Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood 6 videos
• Logical Proofs 33 videos
• The Existence of God 38 videos

The Benefits of Islam 102 videos

• The Door to Eternal Paradise 3 videos
• Salvation from Hellfire 6 videos
• True Happiness and Inner Peace 36 videos
• Benefits to Society 39 videos
• Benefits to Science and Civilization 13 videos
• What Others Say about Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran 6 videos

Beliefs of Islam 176 videos

• What is Islam 43 videos
• The Six Pillars of Faith and Other Islamic Beliefs 37 videos
• About God 53 videos
• The Purpose of Life 24 videos
• Stories of the Prophets 15 videos

How to Convert to Islam 8 videos

• How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim 8 videos

Worship and Practice 16 videos

• The Five Pillars of Islam and Other Acts of Worship 7 videos
• Islamic Morals and Practices 8 videos

The Hereafter 17 videos

• Paradise 3 videos
• Hellfire 2 videos
• The Journey after Death 5 videos
• The Day of Judgement and Its Signs 8 videos

Stories of New Muslims 235 videos

• Men 180 videos
• Women 34 videos
• Priests and Religious Figures 5 videos
• Personalities 18 videos

Comparative Religion 123 videos

• Jesus 65 videos
• The Bible 20 videos
• Christianity 27 videos
• Mary 2 videos
• Judaism 6 videos
• Tolerance in Islam 9 videos

The Holy Quran 51 videos

• The Scientific Miracles of the Holy Quran 9 videos
• The Authenticity and Preservation of the Holy Quran 31 videos
• Jewels from the Quran 7 videos
• A Summary of the Meanings of Its Verses 1 videos

The Prophet Muhammad 71 videos

• Pearls from His Sayings 2 videos
• His Characteristics 32 videos
• His Biography 21 videos
• Evidence of His Prophethood 9 videos
• About His Sayings 1 videos
• Stories of His Companions 5 videos

Current Issues 64 videos

• Human Rights 14 videos
• Jihad and Terrorism 30 videos
• Women 20 videos
• Islam and Non-Muslims 10 videos

Islamic History 21 videos

• In Brief 3 videos
• In Detail 18 videos

Systems in Islam 25 videos

• Family 4 videos
• Politics 1 videos
• Economy 2 videos
• Justice 13 videos
• Crime and Punishment 2 videos
• Health and Nutrition 3 videos

Islamic Songs (Nasheed) 14 videos

• NBN Band 1 videos
• Zain Bhikha 1 videos
• Ahmad Bukhatir 2 videos
• Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) 2 videos
• Kamal Uddin 2 videos
• Labbayk 1 videos
• TalkIslam 2 videos

New Muslims 148 videos

• Merits of Islam 8 videos
• Islamic Beliefs 11 videos
• Acts of Worship 27 videos
• Islamic Lifestyle, Morals and Practices 23 videos
• The Holy Quran 11 videos
• Prophet Muhammad 32 videos
• Social Interaction 22 videos
• Increasing faith 23 videos

Short Videos About Islam 26 videos

• Islam in 3 Minutes 18 videos
• Understanding Islam By Yusuf Estes 8 videos

Islam at a Glance

• Intro E-books

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 1 of 6): The Night Journey

Description: the setting of the start of the journey, and some details about the prophet muhammad’s early life, may the mercy and blessings of god be upon him..

• By Aisha Stacey (© 2008 IslamReligion.com)
• Published on 02 Jun 2008
• Last modified on 19 Feb 2023
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“Glorified be He Who took His slave on a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram [1]  to the Masjid-al-Aqsa [2] , the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him of Our signs [3] .  Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Quran 17:1)

It was a physical journey  and all the events about to be described took place in one night.

This series of articles will use the word masjid instead of its English translation, mosque.  The reason for this is that the word masjid implies much more than the recognisable building where Muslims pray.  The word masjid comes from the root “ sa-ja-da ” meaning to prostrate, therefore a masjid is any place of prostration.  The Prophet Muhammad told us “this earth was made a Masjid for me.” [4]  This gift from God was given only to the nation of Muhammad.

A Muslim can pray in any place that is not impure (with a few exceptions).  There are buildings specifically for prayer, but any place a Muslim prays is a masjid, in the literal sense – a place of prostration.  The act of prostration is the most honourable part of the prayer.  When a Muslim’s forehead touches the ground, he or she is very close to God.  Prayer establishes the connection between the believer and his Lord, and it was on this miraculous night that the five daily prayers were instated.

In the story to follow you will learn some more about this man called Muhammad and come to understand a little about why Muslims love him.  You will also discover why Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem is one of the three Holy Masjids in Islam.  God refers to Jerusalem in the Quran as “the neighbourhood we have blessed” .  The Dome of the Rock, part of the precinct of Masjid al-Aqsa, is the most recognizable symbol of Jerusalem and holds a special place in the hearts of every Muslim.  On this journey we are about to undertake you will learn why.  So let us travel back through time, to 7 th century Arabia, to the city of Mecca and accompany Prophet Muhammad on his night journey and ascension.

The Journey Commences

Approximately ten years after Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Quran, he suffered two grave losses.  One was the death of his uncle Abu Talib, the man who had supported and loved him from the time he was a young orphan, and then only two months later, Muhammad’s beloved wife, Khadijah, died.  This year became known as the Year of Sorrow.

In the years leading up to these sad events, the new Muslims, especially Prophet Muhammad, were persecuted, ridiculed and abused.  The strength and loyalty of his uncle combined with the love and compassion shown to him by Khadijah helped him to remain strong and continue spreading the message in the face of grave adversity.  However, he now felt alone and extremely overwhelmed by his sadness.

When one has truly surrendered to God, the pains and sorrows of this life form part of a test of faith, and these tests are always followed by relief.  In chapter 94 of the Quran, called Solace , God assures Prophet Muhammad that with every hardship comes relief, and He repeats it a second time with emphasis - with every hardship comes relief.  After this extremely difficult year, Prophet Muhammad felt his relief in the form of a major blessing, the Night Journey and Ascension.

“So verily, with hardship, there is relief. Verily, with hardship, there is relief.” (Quran 94:5-6)

Even though it was dangerous and he risked attack by the Pagans of Mecca, Prophet Muhammad often spent the night in prayer at the Holy Masjid in Mecca.  On this particular night, he was lying close to the Ka’ba (the black cube in the middle of the Masjid) in a state between wakefulness and sleep.  An angel came and cut open his chest from the throat to the below the stomach.  The angel removed Prophet Muhammad’s heart and placed it in a golden bowl filled with faith, the heart was purified, filled and returned to its place. [5]

This was not the first time that an angel had come down and extracted Muhammad’s heart.  As a small child, Muhammad lived in the deserts of Arabia with a foster family according to custom, for the desert environment was known to be much healthier and more suitable for proper cultivation than the cities.  When he was four or five years old and playing in this wilderness with his young friends, the Angel Gabriel appeared, removed Muhammad’s heart and extracted from it a portion, referring to it as “a part of Satan”.  The Angel Gabriel washed the heart with the water of zamzam (the well of Mecca which sprung to quench the thirst of Ishmael) and returned it to its place.  The other children ran away screaming, thinking Muhammad was being murdered, but by the time they returned with help, he was alone, scared and white, but with only a small mark from the ordeal. [6]

Prophet Muhammad’s mission was to guide all of humanity to the worship of the One True God, thus every aspect of his life formed part of God’s plan to prepare him for this great responsibility.  As a child, the part of Satan was removed from his heart, and as an adult, about to undertake the building of the Muslim nation, his heart was purified and filled with pure faith.  The next part of this miraculous night then commenced.

Prophet Muhammad was presented with a white animal he described as being smaller than a horse but larger than a donkey, it was known as al-Buraq .  This animal, he said, could take a stride as far as it could see.  With one leap, al Buraq could cover an incredibly vast distance. [7]   The Angel Gabriel told Prophet Muhammad to mount the animal, and together they travelled more than 1200 km. to the furthest masjid – Masjid al-Aqsa.

Prophet Muhammad was on the back of al-Buraq while the animal’s stride reached towards the horizon, and the stars glittered in the night sky over the deserts of Arabia and beyond.  He must have felt the wind on his face and been aware of his newly filled heart thumping in his chest.  Imagine what signs and wonders of God Prophet Muhammad must have seen on that miraculous journey by night!

[1] The holy mosque in the sanctuary of Mecca

[2] The furthest mosque in Jerusalem

[3] Ayaat , the word in Arabic, has multiple connotations: proofs, evidences, verses & lessons.

[4] Saheeh Al-Bukhari

[6] Saheeh Muslim

[7] Saheeh Al-Bukhari

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 2 of 6): Masjid Al-Aqsa

Description: prophet muhammad reaches the masjid al-aqsa and meets some of the previous prophets of god..

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Another Miracle Occurs

Prophet Muhammad walked into the Masjid – the place of prostration - to be met by a group of the previous Prophets; he then had the great honour of leading them in prayer.  God rewarded His Messenger and caused him to understand that the Prophets before him also went through difficult times preaching to their people.  They stood behind Prophet Muhammad and acknowledged him as their leader.  This was another indication of his importance and excellence as well as the nature of his message.

Before the advent of Prophet Muhammad, all the Prophets delivered their message of submission to One God to their own people; Muhammad, however, had come for all of mankind.  God refers to him as a mercy.  God says in Quran:

“He listens to what is best for you; he believes in God; has faith in the believers; and is a mercy to those of you who believe.” (Quran 9:61)

The message was international, and this communication distributed worldwide was Islam.  The Prophets of God stood behind the newest and final Messenger of God and supported him when his need was greatest.  Prophet Muhammad mentions in his sayings that all of the Prophets are brothers. [1]  This congregation standing behind Prophet Muhammad was a sign of real and everlasting brotherhood.

The Significance of Al-Aqsa

The fact that this momentous occasion took place in Jerusalem is also of significance.  This is the land of the Prophets of God; this is the land of Abraham, Isaac, Moses and Jesus. God was forging a link between his Holy House in Mecca and Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.  God was also linking the so-called cradle of religion, the Holy Land around Jerusalem, with the land of Arabia, the birthplace of the religion designed by the Creator, for all of humanity - Islam.

God established Al-Aqsa as one of the three Holy Masjids in Islam.  The Holy Masjid in Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad’s Masjid, yet to be established in Medina, and this Masjid in this blessed neighbourhood of Jerusalem.  It is only to these three Masjids to which Muslims can travel for the purpose of worship. [2]   One prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa is worth 250 prayers elsewhere, excluding the Prophet’s Masjid where one prayer is the equivalent of 1,000 prayers and the Holy Masjid in Mecca where one prayer contains the reward of 100,000 prayers. [3]  God emphasized the significance and sacredness of Masjid Al-Aqsa, and for this reason it plays an important role in a Muslim’s life.   Therefore it is guarded and protected zealously.

Al-Aqsa was the first qiblah (the direction in which a Muslim turns to pray) in Islam, but this direction was later changed to Holy Masjid in Mecca.  Establishing the exact date for this change is difficult, but from the evidence, we can discover approximately when this occurred because the mission of Prophet Muhammad is divided into two distinct periods.  The Meccan period, defined by calling the people to the religion of Islam, and the Medinan period, defined by the establishment of the Muslim state.  Prophet Muhammad and the majority of his followers migrated to the city of Medina in the 14 th year of Prophethood.

The Night Journey and Ascension took place late in the Meccan period, while the qiblah changed to Mecca around 15 months after the Prophet’s migration to Medina.  From this, we can infer that the Muslims faced Al-Aqsa when praying for approximately three years before God changed the direction to Mecca.  This by no means diminished the significance of Jerusalem or Masjid Al-Aqsa, it merely represented another step in the establishment of the message for all of humanity.  The Holy Masjid in Mecca was fixed as the central point in Islam.

The Journey and Miracle Continues

While still in the sacred precincts of Masjid Al-Aqsa, the Angel Gabriel presented Prophet Muhammad with two cups.  One was filled with milk, the other with wine, and both offered to the Prophet.  Prophet Muhammad chose and drank the milk.  Angel Gabriel then said to him “Thanks be to God, who guided you to the fitrah ;if you had taken the wine, your followers would have gone astray”. [4]   It is difficult to translate the Arabic word fitrah into English; it denotes the natural and pure state in which one is born, an innate feeling that guides one to do the “right” thing.  Prophet Muhammad instinctively chose right over wrong, good over evil, and the Straight Path rather than the crooked path to Hell.

It was from the Holy city of Jerusalem, in the sacred precincts of Masjid Al-Aqsa [5] that Prophet Muhammad commenced the next stage of his miraculous Night Journey.  Prophet Muhammad ascended to the lowest heaven from a rock.  This rock can be found inside the Dome of the Rock, the most famous symbol of Jerusalem.  It should not be confused with the actual Masjid building, which is on the other side of the Al-Aqsa compound.  The entire precinct is the masjid, but many separate buildings exist there.  It is important to remember that although the Dome of the Rock is inside the Masjid compound, it is not Masjid Al-Aqsa and it is not the place of prostration where Prophet Muhammad led the previous Prophets in prayer.  From the rock, now covered by the familiar golden dome, Prophet Muhammad ascended to the lowest heaven in the company of Angel Gabriel.

[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari

[2] Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Muslim

[3] Saheeh al-Hakim

[4] Saheeh Bukhari

[5] The compound is also known as “Temple Mount” in the West, after the temple that Solomon built there.

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 3 of 6): The Ascension

Description: the prophet muhammad’s journey through the heavens..

• Published on 09 Jun 2008
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In the English language, we generally use the word heaven to mean the spiritual plane of eternal happiness, the reward for a righteous life and the opposite of hell, the place of eternal punishment.  However, this was not always the case; the word heaven comes from the Old English word heofon, [1]  used to denote the sky, which is the area above the earth where the celestial bodies are.  Eventually, heaven lost its original meaning and came to imply Paradise.  In Arabic, however, there have always been two separate words used, sama and jennah .  The word sama is used for the skies above us, and they are part of the temporary world which will be destroyed on the Day of Judgement.  The word jennah , however, denotes Paradise, the land of eternal bliss, the permanent home of the righteous believers, and the opposite of Hell.

“Then He completed and finished from their creation as seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair.  And We adorned the nearest heaven with light sources to be an adornment, as well as to guard.  Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.” (Quran 41:12)

“Their Lord gives them glad tidings of a Mercy from Him, and that He is pleased, and of Gardens ( jennah ) for them wherein are everlasting delights.  They will dwell therein forever.  Verily, with God is a great reward.” (Quran 9:21-22)

The Wonders of God

Prophet Muhammad ascended into the heavens from the rock now housed in the familiar golden dome that has become the symbol for Jerusalem.  This is a journey that no other human had ever made or has made since.  It demonstrates God’s ability to bring the seemingly impossible into being.  Here, the concepts of time and space as we know them do not apply, and it is beyond our human capabilities to understand the true omnipotence of God.  In his sayings and traditions, Prophet Muhammad described the size of the heavens; the first heaven, as compared to the second, is similar to a small ring in the desert, and he continued this narrative until he described the sixth heaven as being the size of a ring in the desert compared to the seventh heaven.  The magnitude of this is unimaginable.  Our earth, and what we call the universe, is contained within the first heaven.  Even with the scientific knowledge of the 21 st century, we have no idea how big this is, how far the universe extends, or what wonders it contains.

Prophet Muhammad travelled with the Angel Gabriel up into the heights of the heavens.  Together they came to the gate of the first heaven, where Angel Gabriel sought permission to enter.  The gatekeepers asked, “Who is it?”  to which Gabriel replied, “It is I, Gabriel”.  The gatekeepers then asked who was accompanying him; when they were told it was Muhammad, they asked if he had been given his mission to guide all of mankind to the worship of One God.  Angel Gabriel answered in the affirmative, so the angels welcomed Prophet Muhammad, called his arrival a pleasure, and opened the gate.

Greeting the Prophets

Prophet Muhammad tells us that he saw his father Adam, the father of all of mankind.  He greeted him with the greeting of all Muslims, - Assalamu alaikum (may peace be upon you).  Adam returned the greeting and expressed his faith in Muhammad’s prophethood.  He called him his pure son, the pure prophet.  Imagine the pleasure that this meeting must have given to both men.  After thousands of years, Adam was able to see his son Muhammad, the greatest of his descendents.  Muhammad was able to look into the eyes of the father of mankind.  The wonders however were only just beginning.  Angel Gabriel and Prophet Muhammad then ascended to the second heaven.

At the gate, Angel Gabriel again sought permission to enter.  When the gatekeepers learned Prophet Muhammad had been given his mission and was trying to enter, they welcomed him and opened the gate.  There Prophet Muhammad saw the two cousins, Prophet John (known in Christian traditions as the Baptist ) and the Messenger of God, Prophet Jesus;  Prophet Muhammad exchanged greetings with them.

Prophet Muhammad and Angel Gabriel ascended once more to the gates of the third heaven.  At each gate, the same exchange took place.  When the gatekeepers had established that it was Angel Gabriel in the company of Prophet Muhammad, who had indeed been given his mission, they gave permission to enter.  Here, in the third heaven, Prophet Muhammad met Joseph and described him as an embodiment of half of all beauty.

As Prophet Muhammad met the Prophets in each heaven, he exchanged greetings with them, and this was always Assalamu alaikum, the greeting of peace used by all those in submission to the One True God.  In the fourth heaven, Prophet Muhammad met Prophet Idris, whom God described in Quran (19:57) as being elevated to a very high level.  In the fifth heaven, he met Prophet Aaron, the brother of Moses.  At each meeting, the Prophets expressed their faith in Muhammad’s prophethood.  In the sixth heaven, Prophet Muhammad met Moses.

Whenever Prophet Moses is mentioned in the Quran or in the narrations of Prophet Muhammad, we know that something important is about to be described.  After the two Prophets had exchanged greetings and Prophet Moses had expressed his faith in Muhammad’s prophethood, Moses started to weep.  When he was asked why, he replied: “A young man has come after me, and more of his followers will enter paradise then my followers”.

Until the advent of Islam, Prophet Moses had had the largest following of any Prophet.  Moses cried, and from this, we can understand that there was a type of rivalry between the Prophets; but it was not a competition filled with jealousy or envy. Rather, it was filled with compassion.  As we move further into the journey, we will see the love and compassion Prophet Moses had for Muhammad and his followers.  Prophet Muhammad and Angel Gabriel then ascended into the seventh heaven.

[1] Webster’s Online dictionary.

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 4 of 6): The Seventh Heaven

Description: prophet muhammad meets prophet abraham, and witnesses the realm wherein the angels are most densely arrayed in worship.

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The Angel Gabriel and Prophet Muhammad continued their miraculous ascension through the heavens.  This journey was far beyond the wildest imagining of any human being.  It began in the deserts of Arabia and spanned the reaches of the known universe and beyond.  At the gate of the seventh heaven, they exchanged the same questions and answers as in the previous heavens, and the angels declared their pleasure at meeting Prophet Muhammad.  Permission to enter was given and the Prophet of God, accompanied by Gabriel, the angel trusted with the revelations of God, moved into the final heaven.

The seventh heaven is an expression used by Christians to denote extreme happiness or bliss, as in “I am in the seventh heaven”.  In Islam, the seventh heaven is where Prophet Mohammad met Prophet Abraham; and indeed, he (Muhammad) must have been extremely happy and in a state of bliss, having been honoured with this journey of wonders.  Both Prophets exchanged greetings by saying Assalamu alaikum (may peace be upon you) and, as every other prophet had done, Prophet Abraham expressed his belief and faith in Prophet Muhammad’s mission.

Through his son, Ishmael, Abraham is the father of the Arabs and the ancestor of Prophet Muhammad; he is an ancestor of the people who became the Children of Israel (followers of Prophet Moses) through his son Isaac.  In Jewish traditions, Abraham is called the father of the Jews.  However, Islam rejects this idea, for the Quran clearly states that he was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but a believer in pure monotheism (belief in One God).

“Why do you dispute about Abraham, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him?  Have you then no sense?  Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa. ” [1] (Quran 3:65 & 67)

Muslims are required to believe in all of the Prophets of God; Abraham, however, holds a special place as one of the important messengers of God and has the unique honour of being called, in both Islamic and Christian [2]  traditions, the beloved servant of God.  Together, Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba (the black cubical building in the middle of the Holy Masjid in Mecca).

“And remember when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, saying, Our Lord!  Accept this from us.  Verily!  You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (Quran 2:127)

Muslims turn their faces towards the Kaba many times every day whilst performing their prayers, and in every prayer, they ask God to bless Abraham and his family.

The World of Angels

While in the seventh heaven, Prophet Muhammad was shown the building known as the much-frequented house, or al Bayt al-Mamoor in Arabic.  It is fitting that Prophet Abraham was here with this house, as it is the heavenly equivalent of the Kaaba in Mecca.  Each year at the time of pilgrimage (Hajj), more than 2 million Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Abraham and perform certain rites including circling the Kaaba.  Every day 70,000 angels visit this much-frequented house in the seventh heaven to worship God.  Prophet Muhammad informed us that, once the angels have visited Bayt al-Mamoor, they never return.  God swears by this house in the Quran.

“And by the Bayt al-Mamoor .” (Quran 52:4)

Seventy thousand angels every day!  What are the implications of this?  Think about it and wonder for how many thousands or even millions of years has this been happening?  How many of these beings, created by God from light, are there?  This was another wonder that Prophet Muhammad was privileged to see and made able to describe to us.  In his traditions, he also informs us that the heavens above us are moaning, every space as big as the width of four fingers is occupied by an angel worshipping God.

The Uppermost Boundary

Prophet Muhammad then moved through the seventh heaven to the uppermost boundary, to Sidrat al-Muntaha , a lote tree.

“Near Sidrat al-Muntaha (lote-tree of the utmost boundary.  Near it is the Paradise of Abode.” (Quran 53:14-15)

He described its fruits like jugs and its leaves as big as elephant ears.  Four rivers originated from the lote tree’s roots.  When he asked about them, Prophet Muhammad was told that two of the rivers originated in Paradise.  Nothing has reached us about the names or significance of these two rivers from the narrative of the ascension.  However, he was told that the other two rivers were replicas of the Nile and the Euphrates, two rivers that are especially blessed in this world of mankind.

Sidrat al-Muntaha is called the uttermost boundary because everything that comes up from the earth or the heavens stops there, and everything that comes down stops there, [3]   and because the knowledge of the angels stops at that point.  No one has gone beyond it except Prophet Muhammad. [4]   Beyond this point, we leave the heavens and move into the realm of the hereafter, the realm that contains Paradise and the Throne of God.  As Prophet Muhammad continues his miraculous journey, he moves into this realm and stands in the presence of God Almighty.

[1] The word Muslim denotes a man who submits to God alone, whilst Hanifa connotes purity, truth and sincerity.  The Arabic dictionary assigns the word orthodox as one of the denotations of Hanifa , but it is more than orthodoxy.  It is n untaught orthodoxy; a sense of the true nature of things that is instinctual and natural.

[2] Isaiah 41:8 & 2.

[3] Saheeh Muslim

[4] Imam Al-Nawawi

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 5 of 6): In the Presence of God

Description: in the presence of his lord, muhammad receives the commandment of establishing the five daily prayers..

• Published on 16 Jun 2008
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The word miraculous does not go far enough in describing what a wonder this must have been for Prophet Muhammad.  It is beyond description and beyond imagining. However, the Prophet Muhammad did not see God with his eyes, as God tells us in the Quran

“No vision can grasp Him.” (Quran 6:103)

One of the companions asked Prophet Muhammad directly if he saw God, to which he answered,

“He is veiled by light, how could I see him.” ( Saheeh Muslim )

The fact remains however, that Muhammad Prophet of God, stood in the presence of God.

The Importance of Prayer

God spoke to Prophet Muhammad and we have no details of the exchange except that God enjoined the daily prayers upon Prophet Muhammad and his followers.  From this, we immediately understand the importance of prayer.  It is the only command which God ordained in the heavens; all other decrees originated on earth.  Prayer is a gift from God to those who truly believe in His Oneness.  God bestowed this gift upon Prophet Muhammad who in turn gave it to the followers of Islam.  It is a gift full of great blessings and bounties.  It establishes and maintains our connection to God.  God has no need of our prayers but we, as helpless human beings, are in great need of feeling connected to Him.  In fact, the Arabic word for the five daily prayers is salah, which come from the root word meaning “connection”.

“Guard strictly five obligatory prayers especially the middle prayer ­.  And stand before God with obedience.” (Quran 2:238)

God enjoined 50 prayers on Prophet Muhammad and his followers.  As Prophet Muhammad was descending he passed by Prophet Moses who requested to know what had been enjoined.  When Prophet Muhammad explained that he had been ordered to prayer 50 times per day, Moses felt astonished and immediately said, “Go back to your Lord and ask for a reduction”.  When God prescribed 50 prayers, Prophet Muhammad accepted it, Moses, having had been a great prophet himself, knew what from his followers what people could and could not handle in regards to religious obligations. He was sure that the followers of Muhammad would not be able to perform that many prayers.  Prophet Muhammad had knowledge. but Prophet Moses at this time had more experience.

Prophet Muhammad accepted the advice of his older brother/prophet, went back into the presence of God, and asked for a reduction.  God reduced them by ten to forty prayers.  Prophet Muhammad descended again; Prophet Moses asked him what happened.  When he heard that the reduction was only ten, Prophet Moses sent him back to ask again for a further reduction.

This exchange continued until the number of obligatory prayers became five.  Prophet Moses suggested a further reduction saying, “O Muhammad, I know people, your nation will not be able to handle it, go back and ask for the burden on your people to be relieved.”   Prophet Muhammad answered “No.”  He felt ashamed to ask for another reduction and said he was satisfied with five daily prayers.  A voice rang out, saying, “The prayers have been reduced to five but they will be rewarded as though they were fifty.”  God makes it clear to us that even praying these five prayers can be difficult for some people, but that those who establish the connection and trust that they will one day meet their Lord will find it easy.

“And seek help in patience and the prayer: and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for the true believers in God. Those who obey God with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise, etc.) and in His Warnings (Hell, etc.).  (They are those) who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are going to return.” (Quran 2:45–46)

Mercy, Love and Compassion

This miraculous night concluded with this sign of the mercy of God.  Imagine how hard it would be to pray 50 times a day.  Although we learned during this journey that Moses cried when he realised Prophet Muhammad would have more followers then he on the Day of Judgement, we also learn how eager Prophet Moses was to give advice to Prophet Muhammad, and how keen he was to make the practice of Islam easy upon the believers.  The competition between the Prophets was one of love and compassion, and from this we should learn how to treat each other.  Although God tells us to compete with one another in doing deeds of righteousness, we should encourage and enable one another to do this easily.

“...so strive as in a race in good deeds.  The return of you (all) is to God; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.” (Quran 5:48)

Prophet Muhammad then descended back to the Holy Mosque in Mecca.  The companions of the Prophet were now about to face the biggest test to their faith so far.  Muhammad, the Prophet of God, was about to reveal that he had returned from an overnight journey to the farthest Masjid in Jerusalem, a journey that normally took more than one month.  He was also about to say he had travelled where no man had gone before, through the heavens and into the presence of God.  This was a miraculous journey by night, but would his companions believe him and how would his enemies react?

The Night Journey and the Ascension (part 6 of 6): The Return

Description: this great miracle and honour becomes a chance for the disbelievers to attack islam as well as a test of faith for the muslims..

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Prophet Muhammad travelled on the back of Al-Buraq all the way to the farthest Mosque in Jerusalem.  He ascended through the seven heavens and marvelled at wonders unimaginable.  He looked into the faces and exchanged greetings with many of his fellow Prophets, and the final slave and Messenger of God, Muhammad, stood in the presence of God Himself.  On the same night, only several hours after he had commenced his journey, Prophet Muhammad returned to Mecca. 

This miraculous journey was about to become a weapon against Prophet Muhammad and his followers by his enemies, and equally it would be an extreme test of faith for the believers.  Upon his homecoming, Prophet Muhammad made his way to Umm Ayman and told her of his miraculous journey.  She responded, “O Messenger of God, do not tell anyone about this.”  Umm Ayman had perfect faith in Prophet Muhammad and believed his account of the journey, but she was afraid of how others would respond.

Prophet Muhammad described Umm Ayman as “my mother after my own mother”.  She was the faithful servant of his mother Aminah and remained with Prophet Muhammad through the deaths of his mother and grandfather.  Prophet Muhammad and Umm Ayman had always been very close, and at the completion of this wondrous journey, he went to Umm Ayman’s home, perhaps for comfort and ease while he contemplated this miracle, and decided his next move.

Prophet Muhammad responded by saying that he would tell the people about the wondrous night.  He considered it his responsibility before God to convey the message, no matter the response or consequences; God was responsible for the outcome.  He left the house quietly with sombre contemplation, and made his way to the Holy Mosque.  He met people along the way, and slowly the news of the night journey spread amongst the people.

The Response

While Prophet Mohammad was sitting silently in the Mosque, Abu Jahl approached him and asked casually, “O Muhammad is there anything new?”  Known as one of the greatest enemies of Islam Abu Jahl was responsible for the torture, punishment, murder and harassment of the new Muslims throughout the early days of Islam.  Even though he was aware of the animosity and hatred  Abu Jahl felt towards him, Prophet Muhammad answered truthfully and said, “This past night I have travelled to Jerusalem and back.”

Abu Jahl, being unable to contain his amusement, responded by requesting Muhammad to repeat these words in front of the people of Mecca.  Prophet Muhammad responded in the affirmative, and Abu Jahl left the Mosque running, calling out to the people as he ran through the streets.  When sufficient people had gathered in the Mosque, at Abu Jahl’s request Prophet Muhammad said, for all to hear, “I have been to Jerusalem and back.”

The crowd of people started to laugh, whistle, and clap.  They treated it as a big joke and fell against one another laughing.  This was the response expected by Abu Jahl and he was thrilled.  The disbelievers in the crowd saw a chance to put an end to Islam.  They ridiculed and belittled Prophet Muhammad’s claim.  Among the crowd were people who had travelled to Jerusalem and they asked Prophet Muhammad to describe what he had seen.

The Prophet of God began to describe his journey but he became irritated.  He spent only a brief amount of time in Jerusalem, and the miraculous nature of this travels had meant that he did not remember small details and descriptions.  However, Prophet Muhammad tells us that God showed him the details “right in front of his eyes” and he described what he had seen “stone by stone, brick by brick”.  The travellers confirmed his descriptions.  (Saheeh Bukhari)

There is another narration [1]  that says that whilst travelling back to Mecca, Prophet Muhammad passed over a caravan. He was able to describe clearly.  The caravan had lost a camel, and Prophet Muhammad called from the sky telling them the whereabouts of the camel. He also drank from their water supply.

The people of Mecca immediately dispatched some one to meet the caravan before it entered the city to ask questions about the previous night.  They confirmed that a strange voice called out the location of the lost camel and that part of their water supply had disappeared.  Still these confirmations were not enough.  The people jeered and laughed and disbelieved the words of the Prophet of God.  This miraculous event was such a test of faith that even some of the new Muslims disbelieved and turned away from the faith of Islam.

The Sweetness of Faith

To those whose faith was strong and true, the Power of God was obvious.  Some of those who found the whole story difficult to believe went to see Abu Bakr, the best friend and loyal supporter of Prophet Mohammad.  They asked him if he believed Prophet Muhammad travelled overnight to Jerusalem, and back to Mecca.  Without hesitation Abu Bakr replied, “If the messenger of God said so, then it is true”.  It was because of this occasion that Abu Bakr earned the title As-Siddeeq (the foremost believer).  This was a turning point for many Muslims; after already facing the physical torture and abuse of the disbelievers, they now had to grapple with a concept beyond their wildest imaginings.  Some failed, but many soared to new heights and were able to taste the sweetness of true submission to the One God.

The journey by night, from the Holy Mosque in Mecca to the farthest Mosque in Jerusalem, and the ascension through the heavens and into the presence of Almighty God was a miracle granted by God to His final slave and Prophet, Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and one of the greatest of honours bestowed upon any human.

[1] The Biography of Prophet Muhammad by ibn Hisham.

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The Night Journey: the Spiritual Significance of Isra and Mi`raj

Shaykh muhammad hisham kabbani.

Imam Sh`arawi asks, “What would make the Prophet’s sight swerve? Some say it was Jibril, but the Prophet had seen Jibril many times and Jibril was with him for the duration of the Night Journey and Ascension. It is irrelevant to say at this juncture that the Prophet’s sight did not swerve or go wrong, because if this was in reference to Jibril the Prophet had many opportunities to see him already. Allah doesn’t say anything irrelevant which is why I side with the majority of ` ulama (including Imam Nawawi) in saying that with his physical eyes the Prophet saw Allah (swt).”

The Prophet came all the way to the Divine Throne( `arsh ), reached qaaba kawsayni (the distance of two bow lengths), and reached the Paradise of Jannat al-Ma’wa near the Lote-Tree ( sidrat al-muntahaa ). After all this what could possibly make his sight swerve or go wrong? As mentioned above, the Isra and Miraj took place several years after Jibril brought the first revelation to the Prophet. Thus, it is illogical that after being seen by the Prophet so many times that now Jibril would have the potential to make his sight swerve.

Ma zagha al-basaru wa ma tagha

53:17 His sight did not swerve or go wrong.

Laqad ra’a min ayaati rabbihi al-kubraa

53:18 Indeed he saw the Greatest Signs of his Lord

Afa ra’ aytum al-laat wal-`uzza

53: 19 Have you seen Lat and ‘Uzza (two pagan idols)

Wa manaat ath-thaalithata ‘l-ukhraa

53:20 And the third one Manat (another idol)

Why does Allah mention these three false deities here immediately after mentioning the “ Greatest Signs of his Lord ” in 53:18? Scholars say that verses 53:19-20 name the idols that people were worshipping in order to contrast them to Allah (swt) mentioned in 53:18. If 53:18 referred to Jibril then it would not follow to mention the false idols after it.

That is the greatness of Sayyidina Muhammad. No one saw his Lord except for Muhammad, so he is the only real muwahhid . No one except Muhammad has real tawhid , only imitation tawhid .

Prophet Abraham was the father of the prophets and was granted spiritual vision to see the workings of the universe and Prophet Moses was granted to speak with his Lord. But Allah moved Prophet Muhammad with his physical body in defiance of the physical laws of the universe to the Unseen, a place where there is nothing and no possibility of anything to be there – laa khalaa wa laa malaa . Allah took Muhammad there and revealed Himself to him, in the manner He wished. How this was we don’t know. It is ghayb (unseen, unknown). But we know that this is not in reference to Jibril who was seen by the Prophet many times. We again recall the opinion of Imam Nawawi who said, “Most of the scholars say that the Prophet saw his Lord with the eyes of his head ra’a rabbahu bi `aynay raasihi.”

Looking at these verses in Surat Isra and Surat Najm we see that the Isra and Miraj was not like Allah showing Ibrahim malakut of the universe. Allah gave this universe to all of humanity whether in dunya or akhira . However Allah showed Muhammad something related to Himself “ ayatina Our Signs.”

Bukhari Volume 8, Book 77, Number 610:

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

(regarding the Verse) “ And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens “Miraj”) which We showed you (O Muhammad as an actual eye witness) but as a trial for mankind.’ (17.60): Allah’s Apostle actually saw with his own eyes the vision (all the things which were shown to him) on the night of his Night Journey to Jerusalem (and then to the heavens). The cursed tree which is mentioned in the Qur’an is the tree of Az-Zaqqum.

Volume 7, Book 69, Number 482:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

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Muhammad (c. 570—632)

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Also known as al-Isra and Laylat al-Miraj. Refers to the journey made by Muhammad from the Great Mosque in Mecca to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on a winged horselike creature known as Buraq, followed by Muhammad's ascension into heaven. Briefly mentioned in the Quran (17:1) but known primarily through hadith. During the journey, Muhammad traveled with Gabriel to see everything in heaven and earth and then to the Temple in Jerusalem, where he met with Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets there and led them in prayer. Then Muhammad was shown a ladder, which he climbed with Gabriel up to the Gate of Watchers in heaven, where he met Jesus, John the Baptist, Joseph, Idris, Aaron, Moses, and Abraham. Muslims debate whether this journey was physical or mystical in nature. The result of the journey was the reduction of daily prayers to five from fifty after lengthy debate with Moses. Muhammad argued that fifty prayers per day would represent too great a hardship for believers. Daily prayers were instituted after this event. The Night Journey made Jerusalem the third holiest city in Islam and affirmed the continuity of Islam with Judaism and Christianity. It is celebrated annually on the twenty-seventh of Rajab and is a popular theme for Islamic artwork and legends.

From:   Night Journey   in  The Oxford Dictionary of Islam »

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Ncaa.com | march 30, 2024, latest bracket, schedule and scores for 2024 ncaa men's tournament.

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• Sweet 16: March 28-29 
• Elite Eight: March 30-31 
• Final Four: Saturday, April 6
• NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8

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Sunday, March 31 (Elite Eight)

• (1) Purdue vs. (2) Tennessee | 2:20 p.m. | CBS
• (4) Duke vs. (11) NC State | 5:05 p.m. | CBS

Saturday, April 6 (Final Four)

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Tuesday, March 19 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• (16) Wagner 71 , (16) Howard 68
• (10) Colorado State 67 , (10) Virginia 42

Wednesday, March 20 (First Four in Dayton, Ohio)

• (16) Grambling 88 , (16) Montana State 81
• (10) Colorado 60 , (10) Boise State 53

Thursday, March 21 (Round of 64)

• (9) Michigan State 66 , (8) Mississippi State 51
• (11) Duquesne 71 , (6) BYU 67
• (3) Creighton 77 , (14) Akron 60
• (2) Arizona 85 , (15) Long Beach State 65
• (1) North Carolina 90 , (16) Wagner 61
• (3) Illinois 85 , (14) Morehead State 69
• (11) Oregon 87 , (6) South Carolina 73
• (7) Dayton 63 , (10) Nevada 60
• (7) Texas 56 , (10) Colorado State 44
• (14) Oakland 80 , (3) Kentucky 76
• (5) Gonzaga 86 , (12) McNeese 65
• (2) Iowa State 82 , (15) South Dakota State 65
• (2) Tennessee 83 ,   (15) Saint Peter's 49
• (7) Washington State 66 , (10) Drake 61
• ( 11) NC State 80 , (6) Texas Tech 67
• (4) Kansas 93 , (13) Samford 89

Friday, March 22 (Round of 64)

• (3) Baylor 92 ,   (14) Colgate 67
• (9) Northwestern 77 , (8) Florida Atlantic 65  (OT)
• (5) San Diego State 69 , (12) UAB 65
• (2) Marquette 87 ,   (15) Western Kentucky 69
• (1) UConn 91 , (16) Stetson 52
• (6) Clemson 77 , (11) New Mexico 56
• (10) Colorado 102 , (7) Florida 100   
• (13) Yale 78 , (4) Auburn 76 
• (9) Texas A&M 98 , (8) Nebraska 83
• (4) Duke 64 , (13) Vermont 47
• (1) Purdue 78 , (16) Grambling 50
• (4) Alabama 109 , (13) College of Charleston 96
• (1) Houston 86 , (16) Longwood 46
• (12) James Madison 72 , (5) Wisconsin 61
• (8) Utah State 88 , (9) TCU 72 
• (12) Grand Canyon 77 , (5) Saint Mary's 66

Saturday, March 23 (Round of 32)

• (2) Arizona 78,  (7) Dayton 68
• (5) Gonzaga 89 , (4) Kansas 68
• (1) North Carolina 85 , (9) Michigan State 69
• (2) Iowa State 67 , (7) Washington State 56
• (11) NC State 79 , (14) Oakland 73
• (2) Tennessee 62 , (7) Texas 58
• (3) Illinois 89 , (11) Duquesne 63 
• (3) Creighton 86 , (11) Oregon 73 (2OT)

Sunday, March 24 (Round of 32)

• (2) Marquette 81,  (10) Colorado 77
• (1) Purdue 106,  (8) Utah State 67
• (4) Duke 93 , (12) James Madison 55 
• (6) Clemson 72 , (3) Baylor 64
• (4) Alabama 72 , (12) Grand Canyon 61
• (1) UConn 75 , (9) Northwestern 58
• (1) Houston 100 , (9) Texas A&M 95 (OT)
• (5) San Diego State 85 , (13) Yale 57 

Thursday, March 28 (Sweet 16)

• (6) Clemson 77 , (2) Arizona 72
• (1) UConn 82 , (5) San Diego State 52
• (4) Alabama 89 , (1) North Carolina 87
• (3) Illinois 72 , (2) Iowa State 69

Friday, March 29 (Sweet 16)

• (11) NC State 66 , (2) Marquette 58
• (1) Purdue 80 , (5) Gonzaga 68
• (4) Duke 54 , (1) Houston 51
• (2) Tennessee 82 , (3) Creighton 75

Saturday, March 30 (Elite Eight)

• (1) UConn 77 , (3) Illinois 52
• (4) Alabama 89 , (6) Clemson 82

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Christina Applegate Shared That She Was "Crying Every Night" During Her Breast Cancer Journey

"I was taking off my bra and crying every night," she said.

BuzzFeed Staff

Christina Applegate became cancer-free after undergoing a double mastectomy in 2008, and on a new episode of Armchair Expert , she spoke candidly about her cancer journey.

In the March 25 episode, Christina tells Armchair hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman that she regretted not being more honest about how she was feeling following her breast cancer diagnosis.

"I learned that lesson the hard way because in 2008, when I had breast cancer at 36 years old, I went out, and I was the good girl talking about 'Oh, I love my new boobs' that are all scarred and fucked up. What was I thinking?" she said.

"My first interview was with Robin Roberts when I had cancer, and I'm sitting there lying my ass off about how I felt," she added.

"Everything I was saying was a freaking lie. It was me trying to convince myself of something, and I think that did no service to anyone," she said. "Yes, I started a foundation right away. Yes, I did all the things that I had to do, and we raised millions of dollars for women to get MRIs who were at high risk. Yes, we did a good thing, but at the back of it, I was taking off my bra and crying every night. And I wish that I had said that."

Christina said that she even used her experience to encourage "a friend who is in the public eye" to be more open about their cancer journey. When that friend made a post saying, "If there's anyone that can beat it, it's going to be me," Christina told them to take it down.

"I said, 'Take it down,'" Christina recalled. "I said, 'Take it down right now because someone's mom just died, and she was pretty strong. Someone's daughter just died, someone's sister just died, someone's dad just died from this. Take it down.' I said, 'What you're gonna do is you're going to be honest every step of the way through your chemo, your radiation, all the stuff.'"

"It ended up that people really were helped by what she did," she finished.

Since then, Christina has made it a point to be extremely open about her health. In 2021, she announced she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and she's been vocal about the struggles she faces as a result of the condition, saying of her diagnosis, "[it was] very scary for me because this body that I had known was no longer mine."

Listen to Christina's full episode of Armchair Expert here .

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2024 WWE WrestleMania 40 card, date, rumors, matches, predictions, start time, match card, location

The road to wrestlemania is on as the event draws closer.

We are mere days away from the biggest wrestling event of the year. WrestleMania is set for Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7 and this year's event truly has some old-school heat to it.

The Rock has returned to WWE programming as he has joined forces with The Bloodline to take on the team of Cody Rhodes and world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins. The Rock and universal champ Roman Reigns will battle Rhodes and Rollins in a tag team match that will headline Night 1 with major ramifications for Night 2. 

Rhodes is set to take on Reigns in the main event of Night 2, but if he and Rollins are successful on Night 1, there will be no interference from The Bloodline in that match. But if The Bloodline wins, anything goes.

Elsewhere on the card, Rollins will defend his championship against Drew McIntyre. Women's world champion Rhea Ripley will defend her crown against Becky Lynch and Bayley will look to become a champion when she faces her former faction teammate Iyo Sky for the WWE women's title. Former world champion Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, AJ Styles and Kevin Owens are all set to appear, as will dominant intercontinental champion Gunther.

There's plenty more on tap for the massive two-night event, so stay tuned to this page for updates throughout the week leading up to the show.

Let's get to it and look at what we know and what we think will happen at WrestleMania 40, which streams live on Peacock on April 6 and 7 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

2024 WWE WrestleMania 40 Night 1 matches

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins vs. The Rock and Roman Reigns: One of the biggest matches in WrestleMania history is official. There are so many story threads in this tag team match. There is a world champion on each side of the field. Reigns will team up with his cousin, The Rock. Rhodes unites with the first great rival of his latest WWE run, Rollins. Then there's the long history between Reins and Rollins who started their main roster career together in The Shield. The outcome of the Night 1 main event will have implications on Night 2. If Rhodes and Rollins win, The Bloodline will be banned from ringside when Reigns and Rhodes go one-on-one for the undisputed title. If Rock and Reigns win, however, The Bloodline is free to interfere with Sunday's main event as they please.

2024 WWE WrestleMania 40 Night 2 matches

Undisputed WWE Universal Championship -- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes:  For the second consecutive year, it's Reigns vs. Rhodes at WrestleMania. After winning the Royal Rumble again, Rhodes immediately made it clear he was coming for Reigns to "finish the story." That plan quickly was sidelined when Rhodes appeared to step aside on SmackDown and hand the Reigns match over to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Fan backlash to the idea of Rhodes' two-year-long story was strong and it appears that pushed WWE to pivot back to Rhodes getting his match with Reigns. At the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff, Reigns and Rock were celebrating their upcoming match, with Rock suddenly on good terms with Reigns. Rhodes interrupted, said he got to make the decision, not Reigns, and said he was coming after the Tribal Chief. It's worth keeping an eye on how The Rock factors into things as we move forward. The Rock announced on the March 8 episode of SmackDown that Rhodes will never again receive an undisputed WWE universal title shot if he loses to Reigns.

World Heavyweight Championship -- Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre:  McIntyre has been on fire of late, taking issue with anyone and everyone who questions his methods. Those methods have involved increasingly opportunistic behavior as he looks to become a world champion once again. McIntyre took advantage of yet another situation when an already-eliminated Logan Paul knocked out Randy Orton with brass knuckles in the Elimination Chamber, allowing McIntyre to score the pin and punch his ticket to a match with Rollins at WrestleMania.

2024 WWE WrestleMania 40 matches without a confirmed date

WWE Women's Championship -- Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley:  Bayley was the winner of this year's women's Royal Rumble. Now, she faces one of her former Damage CTRL teammates in Sky. Despite creating Damage CTRL, Bayley had been on the outs with the group for quite some time. While Bayley hinted at challenging Rhea Ripley for the women's world title, Nia Jax stepped in and scared her off, leading to Bayley challenging Sky and fighting off all of Damage CTRL.

Women's World Championship -- Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch:  Lynch has been battling confidence issues over the past few months, coming up short in big matches. That all changed when Lynch won the Elimination Chamber to earn her title shot. Ripley had to fend off a stiff challenge from Nia Jax at the Chamber event but pulled off the win in her home country.

Intercontinental Championship -- Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn: Zayn shed his recent losing streak but he has a huge obstacle ahead of him. Zayn survived a six-superstar gauntlet on the March 11 episode of Raw to earn a title shot against Gunther. But Gunther, deep into a record-setting intercontinental title reign, looks like an insurmountable challenge for anyone. The two will go one-on-one at WrestleMania, both coming off tremendous showings at last year's tentpole event.

United States Championship -- Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: Paul is going to have his hands full. The U.S. champion shunned SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis for failing to find him a WrestleMania opponent, so Aldis found him two. Paul will defend his title in a triple-threat match against Orton and Owens. The social media influencer has long had issues with Owens. Paul got on Orton's bad side after costing him a world title opportunity at WrestleMania by laying him out with brass knuckles at the Elimination Chamber.

Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso:  A match between the Uso twins has been a seemingly sure thing since Jey split from The Bloodline. They were the first two men in the ring at the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania is a time for paying off big stories. It would be easy to get to this match by having Jimmy cost Jey the intercontinental title in a recently teased Jey Uso vs. Gunther match, allowing the two to become entangled as The Rock and Roman Reigns amp up the family aspects of The Bloodline story once again. Jey laid out the challenge to Jimmy on the March 11 episode of Raw and awaits an answer from his twin brother. Jimmy accepted the challenge in a heated promo on the following episode of SmackDown.

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship -- Judgment Day (c) vs. #DIY vs. The New Day vs. Awesome Truth vs. A-Town Down vs. New Catch Republic (Six-Pack Ladder match): The Judgement Day have their plates full. Raw general manager Adam Pearce and SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis announced a six-pack ladder match for the tag team titles at WrestleMania 40. Three Raw teams and two SmackDown teams qualified for the match. #DIY, The New Day and Awesome Truth all qualified for the match by winning matches on Raw. A-Town Down (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) and New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) won tournaments to qualify as representatives of SmackDown.

LA Knight vs. AJ Styles: The rivalry between Knight and Styles has been simmering ever since Styles returned to action in December. Styles took issue with Knight's rise to stardom, which coincided with Styles' hiatus at the hands of The Bloodline. Styles accused Knight of stepping over his cold body and taking everything that he was entitled to. Styles cost Knight a world heavyweight title match at the Elimination Chamber. Knight has been on a manhunt ever since. Knight laid out the challenge to Styles on the March 15 episode of SmackDown. Styles accepted with a steel chair to the back.

2024 WWE WrestleMania 40 predictions

Damage CTRL (Asuka, Dakota Kai and Kairi Sane) vs. Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair and Naomi: The seeds are planted for an unexpected tag team match. Naomi and Belair overcame friction and agreed to take the fight to Damage CTRL. The numbers disadvantage was evened out on the March 29 episode of SmackDown as Cargill saved her new allies from a three-on-two beatdown.

Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar: Rey enlisted young luchador Lee in his feud with estranged son Dominik and pupil-turned-rival Escobar. The masked superstars challenged their foes to a tag team match at WrestleMania 40. All that remains is official confirmation from WWE.

The Final Testament (Karrion Kross and Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) vs. Bobby Lashley and Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford): The two factions have been brawling for months. The Final Testament cost Street Profits a spot in the undisputed tag team title six-pack ladder match at WrestleMania. Kross berated Lashley for letting his pride get in the way of his pupils' success and boasted about crushing Street Profits' WrestleMania dreams. That sounds like a teaser for a multi-man match. It's a convenient way to get bodies on the two-day card, especially when they've been feuding for so long.

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The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

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Kawhi Leonard scores 29 to lead Clippers past Magic 100-97

ORLANDO, Fla. -- - Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hit decisive jump shots in the final seconds for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Orlando Magic did not, and LA won for the fifth time in six road games, 100-97 on Friday night.

The Clippers, who have lost five straight at home, held on to fourth place in the Western Conference with nine games left in the regular season.

"I'm not worried about the playoffs right now," said Leonard. "We're just trying to execute what's in front of us. There are no excuses. We've just got to lock in at home and get a win."

Leonard, who scored 25 of his 29 points in the second half, put the Clippers ahead with a mid-range jumper with 34 seconds left. George scored with 5.2 seconds to play before Orlando's Franz Wagner missed a couple of 3-point attempts just before the buzzer.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 23 points and eight rebounds, but had two of his seven turnovers in the final minute. The 21-year-old power forward took the blame for the Magic's third straight loss.

"If I show up the way I'm supposed to, we win all these games," Banchero said.

Jalen Suggs scored 15 for the Magic and Moritz Wagner came off the bench for 12 points and nine rebounds.

Ivica Zubac , who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, scored twice to help the Clippers open the second half on an 8-0 run for a 61-50 lead, their biggest of the game.

"We did a great job building an 11-point lead, playing good basketball, and then we just got comfortable, turning the ball over, careless passes . . . and allowed them to get back in the game," said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. "But I loved our defense tonight. Overall, a tough, gritty win for us. Coming down the stretch, keeping our composure, coming down late in the game and finding a way to win."

After getting his first field goal with 1:46 left in the first half, Banchero responded to the Clippers rally with 11 points over a five-minute stretch to help Orlando regain a brief lead.

"I've got to find a way to start games better," he said. "I don't like how I'm playing right now so I'll just work on it."

Leonard and Amir Coffey hit 3-pointers late in the third quarter and the Clippers moved out to a 10-point lead. But Mo Wagner scored the Magic's first 10 points of the fourth quarter, most of them during a Clippers scoreless stretch of 5:35. By the time George finally scored on a layup with 4:15 left, Orlando led 94-89.

But Banchero's runner in the lane with 1:28 left, regaining a one-point lead for Orlando, was the Magic's only field goal over the final 4 1/2 minutes.

Orlando's three straight losses - all at home - have been by two points to Sacramento, eight to Golden State and three to the Clippers.

Mo Wagner insists the Magic are "playing really good basketball."

"Sometimes stuff doesn't go your way. We're going to show up tomorrow and play the same way and hope for a different result," he said. "I said the same thing when we had a nine-game winning streak and we were like the sweet darling on social media. Everything was cool.

"But if you're trying to go somewhere, you better figure it out at some point."

Clippers: Visit Charlotte on Sunday night.

Magic: Host Memphis on Saturday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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