Religious programs and events are being prepared across the globe, especially in the Muslim world, to celebrate the sacred night of Israa and Mi’raj which occurs on Tuesday, April 2, Sarajevo Times reports.
“Our programs will be attended by muqri’ aka ‘professional readers of the Qur’an’ and representatives of the faculties and madrasahs of Islamic studies,” announced a representative of the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IZ BiH).
The mosques of Bosnia, a Muslim European country in the Balkans, have started to organize special religious and social events to mark the annual Islamic occasion.
There has been a debate among the historians on the exact date of this occasion, with some maintain it falls in the Hijri month of Rajab, while others see it occurring in the months of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, Rabi’ Al-Akhar, Dhul Qi’da, or Shawwal.
The Israa and Mi’raj are the two parts of a Night Journey that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took during a single night around the year 621 CE. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey.
The events in the Bosnian capital city Sarajevo will discuss the development of Islamic educational-upbringing institutions across Bosnia, as well as of the value of benefactors who significantly contributed to the establishment of Bosnian waqfs of scientific institutions.
Furthermore, participants will engage in discussions about the most deserving present benefactors who continue improving the practice of benefaction in the Muslim Slavic European country and the Balkans Peninsula generally.
The 17th chapter of the Holy Qur’an (Surah Al-Israa) briefly describes the physical journey in the first verse.
On the other hand, some Prophetic hadiths tell us more about the journey.
The Prophet’s voyage to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque from Makkah is considered as the Israa part of the journey, whereas, the Mi’raj, the second part of the voyage, was a spiritual one where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went to heaven on the back of the ‘Buraq creature’ where he met with Allah Almighty.
Interestingly, due to its long and rich history of religious and cultural diversity like Palestine, Sarajevo is dubbed as “Jerusalem of Europe”.
In addition to Bosnia, some Muslims across the world celebrate the Israa and Mi’raj by offering optional prayers during this night and illuminating cities with electric lights and candles.
The celebrations around this day tend to focus on individual acts of worship, such as gathering in mosques and performing prayers as well supplications.
In the Emirate of Dubai, UAE all licensed venues have been ordered by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTM) to refrain from serving alcohol as of 6 pm on Tuesday April 2 until 7 pm on Wednesday April 3, 2019 in respect to the religious occasion.
Moreover, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) issued an official statement which designated that there will be no work in several provinces and cities in Mindanao, South Philippines on April 3, 2019, in observance of the Israa and Mi’raj event.