Doubly Holy

Under Caliph al- Mahdi, the mosque brought down by a subsequent earthquake was rebuilt and named al-masjid al-aqsā. Known as “the Remote Mosque,” it was identified with Muhammad’s Night Journey, characterized in Sura 17 of the Qur’an. Conveyed miraculously from Mecca to the Temple Mount by Gabriel (angel of Revelation), the prophet’s visionary experience was profound. That Muhammad then ascended through the seven heavens to the divine throne, is interestingly up for some debate. 

            If interpreted literally, as some Muslims do, it is believed that Muhammad physically journeyed to Jerusalem and ascended to heaven in the body. However, others insist that it was a purely spiritual experience. It makes sense that it would come naturally for Muslims to associate such a flight to God- with Jerusalem, as the sacred space Jerusalem provided reflects its importance to the Islamic faith and to the interpretation of its texts. To further support this relationship, the Haram has served as a powerful image of the archetypal spiritual ascent since the completion of the Dome of the Rock in year 691 (Armstrong, pg. 246). Sufis however, remained true to the universalism of the Qur’an and could reach “mystical heights” (Armstrong, pg. 247). 

            Because Muhammad was thought to have visited Jerusalem, the city was regarded as “doubly holy.” It was not only the City of the Temple, a spiritual center of the earth-but became associated with the Prophet, the perfect man whose “mystical flight” from Mecca to Jerusalem was able to reinforce the link between the two holy places. That this story of Muhammad can enhance the sanctity of Jerusalem, suggests that Muslims were beginning to view the life of the Prophet as a theophany. Although he was not considered divine, he served as a symbol of God’s presence and activity in the world as well as a symbol of the perfect human surrender. 

Such symbolism can be noted in the way scholars started compiling collections of Muhammad’s maxims and customary practice, which became the basis of Islamic Law and the daily life of each Muslim. For example, customary practice taught imitation of the way Muhammad spoke, ate, washed, loved, and worshipped. Repetition was similarly important, as it linked Muslims to the Prophet (Armstrong, pg. 248). Following the ways of the Prophet does not appear very different than Christianity. Being raised in a Christian household, our rules and behavior were to model that of Jesus. I found this connection intriguing, mostly because we (people) often have more in common than we think when it comes to religion and spirituality.  

Images from Pinterest (SM Abdul Qadir) and Biblical Roots of Certain Pagan Myths and Philosophies (Damien F. Mackey)