After the preparation process for the sacred journey was completed with purification and the insertion of faith into his heart, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was now ready to depart. Narrations mention that a creature or “dabbah” was brought down from the sky. This creature was described as being smaller than a horse and larger than a donkey. It was white in color, extremely beautiful and astonishing.
The dabbah, or creature, in the course of historical events, was later expressed in various imaginative forms. One of them was depicted as a large horse with the head of a beautiful woman. This depiction in legendary stories, of course, had a negative purpose. They wanted to convey that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always associated with beautiful women. He was a womanizer.
It is narrated in several accounts that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was about to mount the creature, it resisted. Just like a horse that is about to be ridden by someone it does not know. Seeing this, Gabriel scolded the creature, saying: “Woe to you! Do you not know that the one who will ride you is Muhammad, the noble Prophet?” The creature then calmed down, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mounted it calmly as well.
Several narrations then mention that the journey from the Masjid al-Haram began. It is also mentioned that the distance covered by each stride of the creature was approximately the distance of human sight. It was incredibly fast, beyond human comprehension. Especially when considering the context of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) time.
When discussing the creature or “dabbah”, it also became popular in different narrations as “Buraq”. According to some narrations, Buraq was a creature that had wings and could move extremely fast, allowing it to cover great distances in a short amount of time. The word “Buraq” itself comes from the Arabic word “al-barq”, meaning “lightning” or “light”, due to its speed, which was like lightning.
Regardless of the various interpretations of Buraq, what is certain is that Allah provided a means of transportation for His Prophet during this journey. The provision of this means of transportation was not without significance. If Allah had willed, would it not have been sufficient for Him to transport His servant through His power “kun fayakun” (be, and it is).
The divine decision to transport His servant using the Buraq as a means of transportation is a clear lesson that the world will enter a more complex era. The world will become increasingly globalized, and human relationships will become closer. One of the fundamental things that humans will need in this global era is advanced transportation through scientific exploration and technology.
From a faith and creed (aqeedah) perspective, we certainly believe that Buraq is a creation of Allah, and its true nature is known only to Allah. This is because the event of Isra’ and Mi’raj is an event that is closely related to faith. Also, because in various narrations, the dabbah or Buraq, which served as the Prophet’s means of transportation that night, is not described in detail.
However, if we try to explore it from a scientific perspective, Buraq can be understood metaphorically or symbolically. There are several possible interpretations that can be presented in this regard. Of course, all these interpretations are merely human attempts to understand it. Therefore, all the interpretations presented cannot be used as the basis for truth and faith.
I will present nine interpretations of Al-Buraq from a philosophical and scientific perspective.
One, representation of speed and efficiency. Buraq can be seen as a symbol of speed and efficiency, due to its ability to cover great distances in a short amount of time.
Two, it indicates the concept of physics. In physics, Buraq can be associated with the concept of speed, energy, and momentum.
Three, Buraq can also be understood as a representation of an animal that has unique abilities, such as speed and strength.
Four, philosophically, Buraq becomes a symbol of spiritual journey. This is because Buraq transported the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during the Isra’ and Mi’raj journey.
Five, Buraq can be understood as a representation of transcendence. This is due to its ability to transcend physical and spiritual boundaries.
Six, Buraq can be understood as an explanation of the concept of time and space. This is inferred from its ability to cover great distances in a short amount of time.
Seven, Buraq can be seen as a symbol of inner strength, because it transported the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during his spiritual journey.
Eight, Buraq can be seen as a representation of human ability to achieve high goals and transcend self-limitations.
Nine, Buraq can serve as motivation and inspiration for humans to achieve their objectives and attain high innovative accomplishments.
However, once again, all the interpretations above are relative and not absolute. Absolute certainty always lies in our faith in Allah’s greatness in taking His servants into that magnificent journey. This includes Allah’s power in providing a means of transportation that surpasses human comprehension.
In essence, human understanding must ultimately surrender to the acceptance of faith and creed in comprehending it.
To be continued!
New York City, January 29, 2025
