Admonitory events of Miraaj Night

At the night of Miraaj the beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ visited Paradise (jannah) and examine Hell (jahanm). He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ watched a lot of things at these two places. During his observation of Jahanm he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ noticed many admonitory events and he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ saw the people of hell in the state of different punishments on different occasions he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ related these events to the companions. The study of these events may bring us towards repentance and good deeds and may we be away from prohibited deeds. Here are few events in brief wording.

Backbiting:

وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ “لما عُرج بي مررت بقوم لهم أظفار من نُحاس يخمشون وجوههم وصدورهم، فقلت‏:‏ من هؤلاء يا جبريل‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ هؤلاء الذين يأكلون لحوم الناس، ويقعون في أعراضهم‏‏”‏.‏ (‏رواه أبو داود‏.‏‏)‏‏

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَsaid, "During the Miraj (the Night of Ascension), I saw a group of people who were scratching their chests and faces with their copper nails. I asked, 'Who are these people, O Jibril?' Jibril replied: 'These are the people who ate flesh of others (by backbiting) and trampled people’s honor.

(Abu Dawud)

What is backbiting?

Mufti Amjad ‘Ali A’zami عَلَیْہِ رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ القَوِی has defined backbiting as ‘backbiting is to mention someone’s hidden fault in his absence in order to disparage him.’

(Bahar-e-Shari’at,)

Defaming People:

Some people pass the comments about other fellow Muslims without any hesitation and mostly these comments are negative. We must not defame people as its punishment is very painful. At the night of Miraaj, the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَpassed by such men and women who were hanged by their chests; these are those unfortunate people who defame people to their faces and backbite them.

Curse of Riba:

At Mi’raaj night, our Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ saw some people as well whose bellies were as big as rooms and snakes could be seen inside their bellies from outside; these unfortunate people were usurers.

Laziness in Salah:

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ went to such people whose heads were being crushed by stones; these are those unfortunate people whose heads would get heavy due to Salah.

Not acting upon the teachings of Quran:

Our beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ also saw those who give Khutbah (pieces of advice) to Ummah but do not act upon it themselves and those who do not act upon the Holy Quran after they have studied it; their lips were being constantly cut with fire scissors.

Abusing the Parents:

Parents are matchless blessings in the world and their respect and fulfilment of their rights is obligatory upon every Muslim. One who neglects their rights and abuses them is very unfortunate and the punishment of such person is very severe. At Miraaj night, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ saw some people hanging with fire branches; these are those unfortunate people who abuse their parents in the world.

Killing Children after Sinful Act:

Unlawful children are increasing in the society and the women who do such sinful acts sometimes kill the children after birth to hide their sin from people but they do not know that Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ is All seeing and He عَزَّوَجَلَّ will punish them with dreadful punishment. The Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ saw the women, who after committing sinful acts kill their children, in such a state that they were hanged by breasts and legs.

Swindling Orphan Out of their Wealth:

The Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ saw those, who swindle orphans out of their wealth, in such a state that big fire stones were being put into their mouth after holding their lips, and these stones were coming out from their bottoms.

Not Paying Zakat:

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and it is necessary to pay zakat if it becomes obligatory upon the wealth of a person. Those who do not pay Zakah were seen in such a state that they were eating up the poisonous plants and hot stones of hell like quadrupeds.

May Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ enable us to avoid all these sins and safe us from the punishment of hell! Ameen