Masjid al-Buraq

This small structure, on the south-west corner of the al-Aqsa compound is believed to be the place where the Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) tied the Buraq, the riding animal upon which he rode during the Night of Ascension. The wall on the right is the other side of what the Jews call the Wailing Wall.

• It is narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I was brought al-Buraq who is an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place his hoof a distance equal to the range of vision. I mounted it and came to Bayt al-Maqdis. I tethered it to the ring used by the prophets. I entered the mosque and prayed two rak’ahs in it, and then came out and Jibraeel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Jibraeel said: You have chosen the natural thing.”

• “Then he took me to heaven. Jibraeel then asked the (gate of heaven) to be opened and he was asked who he was. He replied: Jibraeel. He was again asked: Who is with you? He (Jibraeel) said: Muhammed (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? Jibraeel replied: He has indeed been sent for. And (the door of the heaven) was opened for us and lo! we saw Adam (عليه السلام). He welcomed me and prayed for my good. Then we ascended to the second heaven. Jibraeel asked for the door of heaven to be opened, and he was asked who he was. He answered: Jibraeel; and was again asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammed (ﷺ) It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. The gate was opened. When I entered ‘Isa bin Maryam and Yahya bin Zakarriyah (عليه السلام), cousins from the maternal side, welcomed me and prayed for my good Then I was taken to the third heaven and Jibraeel asked for the opening (of the door). He was asked: Who are you? He replied: Jibraeel. He was (again) asked: Who is with you? He replied Muhammed (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and I saw Yusuf (عليه السلام) who had been given half of (world) beauty. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. Then he ascended with us to the fourth heaven. Jibraeel asked for the (gate) to be opened, and it was said: Who is he? He replied: Jibraeel. It was (again) said: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. The (gate) was opened for us, and lo! Idris (عليه السلام) was there. He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being (About him) Allah, the Exalted and the Glorious, has said:” We elevated him (Idris) to the exalted position” [19: 57]. Then he ascended with us to the fifth heaven and Jibraeel asked for the (gate) to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He replied Jibraeel. It was (again) said: Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammed (ﷺ). It was said Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and then I was with Harun (عليه السلام). He welcomed me prayed for my well-being. Then I was taken to the sixth heaven. Jibraeel asked for the door to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He replied: Jibraeel. It was said: Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammed (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I was with Musa (عليه السلام) He welcomed me and prayed for my well-being. Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven. Jibraeel asked the (gate) to be opened. It was said: Who is he? He said: Jibraeel. It was said. Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammed (ﷺ) It was said: Has he been sent for? He replied: He has indeed been sent for. (The gate) was opened for us and there I found Ebrahim (عليه السلام) reclining against the Bait-ul-Ma’mur and there enter into it 70,000 angels every day, never to visit (this place) again.”

• “Then I was taken to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha whose leaves were like elephant ears and its fruit like big earthenware vessels. And when it was covered by the Command of Allah, it underwent such a change that none amongst the creation has the power to praise its beauty.”
• “Then Allah revealed to me a revelation and He made obligatory for me fifty prayers every day and night. Then I went down to Musa (عليه السلام) and he said: What has your Lord enjoined upon your Ummah? I said: Fifty prayers. He said: Return to thy Lord and beg for reduction (in the number of prayers), for your community shall not be able to bear this burden as I have put to test the Children of Israel and tried them (and found them too weak to bear such a heavy burden). The Prophet (ﷺ) said: I went back to my Lord and said: My Lord, make things lighter for my Ummah. (The Lord) reduced five prayers for me. I went down to Musa (عليه السلام) and said. (The Lord) reduced five (prayers) for me, He said: Verily thy Ummah shall not be able to bear this burden; return to thy Lord and ask Him to make things lighter. I then kept going back and forth between my Lord, Blessed and Exalted and Musa (عليه السلام), till He said: There are five prayers every day and night. O Muhammed, each being credited as ten, so that makes fifty prayers. He who intends to do a good deed and does not do it will have a good deed recorded for him; and if he does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas he who intends to do an evil deed and does not do, it will not be recorded for him; and if he does it, only one evil deed will be recorded. I then came down and when I came to Musa (عليه السلام) and informed him, he said: Go back to thy Lord and ask Him to make things lighter. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remarked: I returned to my Lord until I felt ashamed before Him.”

• The above photo shows where the Barclay Gate existed. This is where the original gate into Masjid al-Aqsa existed. Many scholars are of the opinion that it is from here that the Prophet (ﷺ) entered from.

References:  Sahih Muslim