As an interfaith minister in the Universal Life Church, it’s important to have a basic fluency in the holidays and traditions of the major world religions. Such fluency is necessary to fulfill the Universal Life Church’s mission of providing spiritual sustenance to whoever seeks it. This value is why the Church welcomes anyone, regardless of faith or spiritual practice, to get ordained as a minister. You can learn and grow in our series on interfaith minister training. You must develop the skills and knowledge necessary to provide spiritual service to all the diverse people you might encounter.
Luckily, the turning of the year provides a natural curriculum. If you simply study the holidays as they occur, you will learn most of what you need to know about the various world religions. Around this time of year, the Muslim holiday Lailat al Miraj is celebrated.
The holiday has multiple names, including Shab-e-Miraj, Al Israwal, and Isra and Miraj. As these names suggest, the Miraj part of the celebration is central. Miraj is an Arabic word that translates as ladder. The story of Lailat al Miraj is reminiscent of the story of Jacob’s Ladder; the main event is that Prophet Muhammad ascends physically into Heaven. In English, Lailat al Miraj is often called The Night Journey and Ascension.
The story of The Night Journey and Ascension is found in Chapter 17 of the Quran and, in more detail, in the Hadith. The Hadith is an additional set of writings used by various sects of Islam. The story begins, as do many religious stories, with the appearance of angels. Angels come to Muhammad and give him a winged mule known as Buraq. Buraq flies the Prophet to the “Farthest Mosque”, which Muslims understand to be the Al Aqsa mosque in Old City of Jerusalem.
At the Farthest Mosque, Muhammad encounters the great prophets of the past, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus (known in Islamic texts as Isa). Muhammad leads all these prophets in prayer. This moment marks Muhammad as the greatest of the great prophets. Then, he ascends into Heaven. Muhammad travels through seven heavenly skies and into Paradise, where he speaks to Allah.
Allah tells the Prophet how important it is to pray regularly. This conversation is where the commandment to pray five times a day comes from. Muhammad returns to Earth, where he tells his followers about his miraculous Night Journey and Ascension.
Lailat al Miraj is one of the most significant Muslim holidays. Modern Muslims mark the occasion with special holiday prayers. While many Muslims go to Lailat al Miraj services at their mosques, some choose to celebrate at home. In some regions of the world, Muslims light up their cities with candles and strings of electric lights.
In a way, devout Muslims celebrate and honor the Night Journey and Ascension every day when they perform their five daily prayers. Understanding the connections between daily practice and special holidays is important for interfaith ministers. Knowing the stories of an unfamiliar faith can help you connect with practitioners of that faith.
