Encounters during the Mi’raj: The Prophet (s.a.w.) Mounted the Buraq

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

During the night of the Mi’raj, Jibril (a.s.) brought to the Prophet (s.a.w.), the Buraq, the mount of lightning, handsome-faced and bridled, a tall, white beast, bigger than the donkey but smaller than the mule.  He could place his hooves at the farthest boundary of his gaze.  He had long ears.  Whenever he faced a mountain, his hind legs would extend, and whenever he went downhill, his front legs would extend.  He had two wings on his thighs which lent strength to his legs. 

He bucked when the Prophet (s.a.w.) came to mount him.  Jibril (a.s.) put his hand on his mane, and said, “Are you not ashamed, O Buraq?  By Allah (s.w.t.), no one has ridden you in all Creation Dearer to Allah (s.w.t.) than he is.”  Hearing this, he was so ashamed that he sweated until he became soaked, and he stood still so that the Prophet (s.a.w.) mounted him.

 The other prophets used to mount the Buraq before.  Imam Abu Muhammad Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib (r.a.) said, “It is the beast of Ibrahim, which he used to mount whenever he travelled to the Sacred House.” 

Jibril (a.s.) departed with him.  He placed himself on his right, while Mika’il (a.s.) was on his left.  In Shaykh Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa‘d’s (r.a.) version, the one holding his stirrup was Jibril (a.s.), and the one holding the reins of the Buraq, was Mika’il (a.s.).