Buraq
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- This article is about the creature of Islamic legend. For the chemical element, see Boron.
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The Buraq (Arabic: البُراق al-buraaq, meaning lightning; Turkish: Burak), is according to Islamic tradition a creature from the heavens that carried Muhammad from Mecca to Medina and back during the Isra and Miraj (Night Journey), which is the title of one of the chapters of the Koran.
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[edit] Description
An excerpt from a [[Translation of Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 58, Number 227]:] hadith (supplemental tradition to the Koran) describes a buraq:
- “I was brought by the Buraq, which is an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place its hoof at a distance equal to the range of vision.”
[edit] The Journey to seventh heaven
12 years after Muhammad became a prophet, he was at his cousin's house (Ummu Hani' binti Abu Thalib's home) doing the 5th prayer (Isha'a) and after that, he went to the Masjid Al-Haram mosque (in Mecca). While Muhammad was resting between Baitullah and Hijir Ismail, suddenly the angel Jibril (Gabriel) came to Muhammad.
Before doing the Isra, Jibril cut open Muhammad's chest and took Muhammad's heart and cleansed it with Zam-zam water (according to Islam, holy water) and after that Jibril returned it to Muhammad's chest, leaving no wound. After that, came the Buraq, which Muhammad mounted. In company with Jibril, they traveled to the "farthest mosque". When they arrived, Muhammad entered with Jibril, and attended the Tahiyyatul Masjid prayer.
They then rose into the first heaven, then the second, then the next, until the seventh, where Jibril left Muhammad to continue to Sidratul Muntaha to meet Allah. Muhammad was a short distance ("a shoulder to hand length") from Allah, but did not see his face. Allah showed Muhammad the terrrible scenes of hell and its pain. Then Muhammad came down to Mecca and told his cousin (Ummu Hani') about it, as well as preaching the story to all of his followers.
[edit] Cultural impact
- The Western Wall is also known as the Al-Buraq Wall[citation needed]
- In Turkey, Burak is a common name given to male childen.
- Two airlines are named after the Buraq: The Libyan airline company, Buraq Air, and the Indonesian airline company, Bouraq Indonesia Airlines
- In the novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, Mrs. Whatsit transforms into a Buraq.
[edit] External links
- Complete report from the Sahih Bukhari, which includes a quotation similar to the above.
- Contemporary photo of a Pakistani truck decorated with a picture of the buraq.
