The House of Reason and the Holy House

The Spiritual Journey from Reason to Consciousness

The Isra and Mi'raj of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is commemorated by believers as a major event. It was the experience of fulfilling His call, receiving revelation from Allah to convey to his people, and the obligation to perform prayer. This is paramount. Therefore, in this section, our focus will be on prayer.

According to a long-standing popular tradition, the journey of Isra and Mi'raj is commemorated on the night of the 27th day of the month of Rajab. However, canonical sources, such as the Sahih of Bukhari and Muslim, do not specify an exact date for this event.
But what hidden meaning does this 'night' conceal, and why was an event of such spiritual significance necessarily required to take place in the darkest of darkness?

After humans are busy exploring the universe during the day, carrying out cultural duties in their respective operational fields, at night they return to themselves. Thus, the Isra and Mi'raj provides information about the "self." Information about how to conduct oneself to carry out God's role as caliph on earth with greater quality.

The event, which occurred on a very dark night, signifies the condition of society at that time, in darkness without any light. At that time, Allah carried His messenger from one place to another horizontally (isra'), then from there he carried him vertically (mi'raj).

The Symbolic Meaning of the Journey

The events behind the Isra and Mi'raj of the Prophet Muhammad. is an ordinary human event. But what must be read and understood is that the journey starts from one mosque (Masjidil Haram) to another mosque (Masjidil Aqsa or Baitul Maqdis). From there he was mi'raj to Sidratul Muntaha to meet Allah.

Why did the spiritual journey of the Prophet necessarily have to begin from the Great Mosque?

When humanity, traversing the different eras of earthly history, reached its evolutionary peak during the time of the Prophet Muhammad as a divine creature, human beings distinguished themselves among all creatures by becoming the only beings endowed with rational intellect.

The Great Mosque can be interpreted as the "abode of reason". From this "house of reason", the Prophet embarked on his journey towards the "Holy House".

This is the meaning of the horizontal journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Baitul Haram (house of reason) to Baitul Maqdis (holy house).

…ما وسعني أرضي ولا سمائي، ووسعني قلب عبدي المؤمن

“Neither My Earth nor My Heavens could contain Me, whilst the heart of My believing servant does contain Me…” (Hadith Qudsi).

From the Limits of Reason to the Fulfillment of Consciousness

Through reason, human beings explore the structural universe to arrive at the knowledge of God. However, when one aspires to a direct encounter with the Divine, reason proves to be an insufficient tool. The rational faculty does not possess the adequate instruments to establish an authentic dialogue with God. Before the Being known as Allah – who is the First and the Last, the Almighty, He who sustains the entire universe, the Absolute that transcends every category of closeness and distance, greatness and smallness – reason finds itself lacking reference paradigms.

Since reason cannot directly access the Divine, when a human being is called into His presence, he must necessarily return to his original dwelling: the "holy house" of consciousness. Before being endowed with reason, human beings were initially blessed with a "primordial consciousness." This represents our ancestral home, prior to our becoming rational beings. Consciousness constitutes the sacred refuge where we receive inspiration and divine revelations.

The journey from the house of reason to the holy house is described by Allah as a path filled with divine blessings.

The Scriptures teach us that the surroundings of this holy place are blessed. Anyone who, in the heart of their daily activities, embarks on this brief yet significant journey from the house of reason to the holy house of consciousness will receive guidance from Allah on how to navigate existence, how to behave rightly, how to make wise decisions, and how to solve the challenges of life. Only through this return to the holy house of consciousness can we achieve an authentic encounter with the Divine.

This is the deep meaning of the horizontal journey of the Prophet Muhammad from the abode of reason to the holy house of spiritual consciousness.

Mi'raj: The Spiritual Ascension

After arriving at the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Baitul Maqdis), the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was elevated to the heavens to meet Allah. The journey through the heavens during the event of Mi’raj does not represent a simple movement between celestial bodies. It transcends conventional dimensions of space and time and constitutes the evolution and elevation of the spiritual level experienced by the Prophet ﷺ as a creature of Allah.

The Spiritual Hierarchy of Creation

These spiritual stages can be understood through an analogy with the evolutionary levels of creation, which reflect a progression from the inanimate to the living, from the simple to the complex, and from the material to the spiritual. Inanimate elements, such as water and minerals, do not perceive plants, which instead absorb them to grow; plants, in turn, do not understand animals, which feed on them; animals are submissive to human beings, endowed with intelligence and the ability to dominate creation. Similarly, humans driven only by reason do not comprehend the depth of the faith of believers; believers, while being close to God, cannot reach the level of prophets; and prophets, although guides for humanity, cannot assume the unique function of divine messengers.

According to Ibn Arabi, in the Futuhat al-Makkiyya, the journey through the 7 heavens represents the inner path of the soul toward divine realization. Each heaven symbolizes a state of the soul and a manifestation of spiritual perfection. The prophets encountered by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are not only historical figures but spiritual archetypes that guide the believer toward divine awareness.

This progression reflects a spiritual order established by Allah, in which there are seven distinct levels of perfection among creatures. During his ascension, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed through the seven heavens, meeting in each of them a prophet who embodied a particular spiritual stage. Each encounter symbolized a divine quality and a degree of spiritual awareness, showing the path that leads to the full realization of closeness to Allah.
In detail, the heavens and the prophets encountered represent the following spiritual symbols:

In the first heaven, the Prophet Adam (Peace be upon him, created from the earth and symbol of the material world;
in the second heaven, the Prophets Isa (Peace be upon him, Jesus) and Yahya (Peace be upon him, John the Baptist), representatives of spiritual vitality;
in the third heaven, the Prophet Yusuf (Peace be upon him, Joseph), symbol of the nafs (the soul) and inner beauty;
in the fourth heaven, the Prophet Idris (Peace be upon him, Enoch), representative of reason and consciousness;
in the fifth heaven, the Prophet Harun (Peace be upon him, Aaron), symbol of faith and spiritual guidance;
in the sixth heaven, the Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him, Moses), representative of prophecy;
and in the seventh heaven, the Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be upon him, Abraham), symbol of divine revelation and union with Allah.

The Supreme Encounter and the Celestial Dialogue

Arriving at Sidratul Muntaha (the Lote Tree of the Limit, a symbol of the boundary of the knowable), Jibril (the archangel Gabriel), who had accompanied the Prophet until that moment, declared: " I have only been commanded by Allah to accompany you up to this point. From now on, in the assembly where the Messenger of Allah will meet Allah, I cannot enter. Proceed yourself, O Messenger of Allah, towards the presence of the Rabbani." This episode reveals the ontological superiority of the human being over the angels.

The meeting of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with Allah represented a moment of supreme contemplation of the Truth. During this celestial dialogue, a sacred conversation took place that is recalled in every prayer in the sitting position [الجلوس (al-juloos)]:

The Prophet said: “التحيات لله والصلوات والطيبات” – “Attahiyyatulillah washshalawatu waththayyibah” (All solemnity belongs to Allah, all worship and all goodness belong to Allah).

Allah replied: "Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings" – "Assalamu’alaika ayyuhannabiyyu warahmatullahi wabarakatuh".

The Messenger of Allah replied: "Assalamu’alaina wa’ala ibadillahi shalihin" – "Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah".

The Universal Compassion of the Prophet

The greeting offered by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a divine test. He was offered individual well-being, but the Prophet ﷺ did not want to accept it solely for himself. His response reflected a universal concern: "Well-being should not be reserved for just the servants. What will happen to their families, their neighbors, their nations, all of humanity?" The angels were astonished by this manifestation of universal compassion, recognizing in Muhammad the true representative of the lower universe meeting the Most High.

The angels sang, testified, praised, and prayed for prosperity and blessings to always be upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as they had done with the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and his family.

The Spiritual Meaning of Prayer

This transcendent experience finds its ritual expression in the structure of Islamic prayer. The sitting position represents the moment of contemplation of the Truth, during which the shahada is recited, bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is His messenger. The positions of bowing and prostration symbolize the contemplation of divine attributes, accompanied by the tasbih that praises the attributes of Allah: He is the Greatest, He is the Most High. The standing position represents the contemplation of divine creation, expressed through the hamdallah (praise be to Allah), celebrating Allah as the Creator and Ruler of the universe.

The Unification of Spiritual Traditions

Every religious tradition has developed distinctive methods of communicating with the Divine: Hindus through seated meditation, Buddhists through prostration, Jews through bowing, and Christians in a standing position. Islam unifies these four approaches - two from the East (Hinduism and Buddhism) and two from the West (Judaism and Christianity) - adding a revolutionary element: movement.

As the Quran states:

رَبُّ ٱلْمَشْرِقَيْنِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْمَغْرِبَيْن

“Rabbul mashriqayni wa rabbul maghribayni” – “The Lord of the two east and the Lord of the two west.” (Surah Al-Rahman [55]: 17)

Islam embraces all forms of spiritual communication, both Eastern and Western, adding a special value: the dynamic movement.

Action as the Essence of Faith

The movement in prayer possesses a unique creative quality, as each transition is accompanied by the invocation الله أَكْبَر “Allāh^u akbar” (Allah is the Greatest). This represents the added value of Islam: the focus on movement as an expression of simultaneous connection with Allah, with all of His creation, with personal development, and with the improvement of the surrounding environment.

As the Quran teaches:

فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ، فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا

“Faman kana yarjuu liqa’a rabbihi, falya’mal ‘amalan salihan wa la yushrik bi’ibadati rabbihi ahadan” – “So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous work and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” (Surah Al-Kahf [18]: 110)

A Muslim must develop the ability to focus on transcendence, understanding that true human value does not reside in individual physical postures – standing, bowing, or prostrating – but in movement understood as action. This represents the most accurate reflection of the essence of Islamic life, which regards action as tangible proof of faith.

In the Quran, the concept of faith (amanu - to believe) never appears in isolation, but is constantly accompanied by the exhortation “wa’amilus shalihat” (to perform righteous actions, to make positive "movements"). This indissoluble union between belief and practice constitutes the foundation of the Islamic spiritual experience, where physical and spiritual movement becomes the means through which the human being approaches the Divine, following the supreme example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in his ascension journey.

Islamic prayer, therefore, is not simply an act of worship, but a daily evocation of the Mi'raj, an invitation to every believer to embark on their own spiritual journey towards an encounter with Allah through the harmonious synthesis of contemplation, movement, and virtuous action.

The Return as a Witness of the Truth (الشهداء)

Before returning from Sidratul Muntaha, an angel presented the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with four cups containing different drinks: water, milk, wine, and honey. These four cups symbolize the different ways through which the Prophet Muhammad could have carried out his apostolic mission on earth.

The Symbolism of the Four Cups

Water represents the fundamental vital principle; without it, there is no life. It symbolizes the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in his role as facilitator of existence – those who act as promoters of life in society, the righteous who make it possible for the community to thrive.

Milk constitutes the nourishment that promotes growth and development. It symbolizes the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in his role as a motivator of life – those who provide the necessary energy for the evolution of the social environment, the witnesses who, through their example, inspire spiritual and material progress.

The Wine represents the element that accelerates the processes of transformation. It symbolizes the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the dynamizer of existence – the group of Siddiqin (the truthful), noble personalities that emanate excellent qualities, immediately motivating the community to emulate such virtues.

Honey is the stabilizing element that maintains balance. It symbolizes the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in his role as harmonizer and conceptualizer of life – the formulator of fundamental principles in the religious, political, scientific, and technological fields, the organizer of all aspects of social existence.

The Choice of Milk: The Path of Testimony

Before his descent to earth, when the four cups were offered to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he exclusively chose the one containing milk, a symbol of the witnessing (shahada) and of the conscious sacrifice

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ understood that his return to earth meant presenting himself before his people not only as a divine messenger, but as a living witness (shahid), fully integrating into society and assuming a role of cultural and spiritual leadership. He would not appear among his people solely in the prophetic role, but as a witness to the truth, motivating the community to grow and develop through the example of personal sacrifice for the common good.

Humility as a Transformative Force

The milk, which nourished the humility of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, symbolized his unconditional love for the people. This love was not a burden for the community, but rather served as a bright paradigm to be followed by others. The choice of milk represented the path of self-denial, total dedication to the divine cause and the well-being of humanity.

Through this choice, the Prophet ﷺ consciously embraced the path of the witness (shahid) – not in the sense of someone seeking death, but of someone who lives every moment of their existence as a living testimony to divine truth, sacrificing themselves for the spiritual and material elevation of the community.

The figure of the shahid in Islam represents a profound dimension of existential testimony. Living one's life as a tangible example of divine values means becoming a model of virtue, justice, and compassion for all of humanity.

The Three Qiblas in Prayer

Prayer is a method for spiritual ascent, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. However, prayer is often associated with a single Qibla (direction), namely the Kaaba. In reality, Allah manifests in three functions of power, and thus the Qiblas of prayer become three.

Allah manifests Himself through three aspects in the Sura An-Nâs:

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“Say: ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the King of mankind, the God of mankind…'” (Sura An-Nâs [114]: 1-3).

From here, the three functions of Allah in the Universe.

1. Ar-Rabb: The One who sustains and governs.
   Function of providence, creative care, and harmonious regulation of creation. Includes the management of cosmic affairs and the maintenance of universal order.
2. Al-Malik: the Sovereign King.
   Absolute authority in commanding, prohibiting, and establishing laws. Exercises complete dominion over every particle of creation with perfect wisdom.
3. Al-Ilāh: the Only One worthy of worship and the focus of spirituality.

These three functions are reflected in the directions of prayer, which are structured in three dimensions:

1. Ideal Qibla (Allah in His divine essence that welcomes worship)

At the beginning of the prayer, we place ourselves before Allah in our hearts. Prayer is a direct dialogue with Allah, in which we praise Him and supplicate to Him:
“You alone we serve; You alone we ask for help. Guide us on the straight path.”

During prayer, we should not visualize images or visual fragments, not even the Kaaba. Instead, we should direct our hearts to Allah. Although we cannot perceive Him physically, we must be aware that it is Allah who sees us. This represents the level of ihsan in prayer, which involves praying with an acute awareness of the divine presence and the knowledge that He observes us.