Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey: Manifestation of Fire and Light
Fire and Light symbolism in Islamic miniatures and illustrations represent a metaphysical reality.
Fire and heat are essential for life. They help people survive cold climates, warm themselves, and prepare their food. At the same time, fire penetrates humans, manifested in love and evil forms. In the Holy Quran, Satan is made of fire: “You have created me [Iblis] out of the fire and him [Adam] out of clay” [7:12]. This fire (Arabic: Nar) represents darkness and impurity. The Hell is made of fire that is never quenched. Its burning flames punish those who go against the law of God.
The Light (Nur) is the opposite aspect of fire. In the Holy Quran, God describes himself in verses, which are placed on the internal dome of the Hagia Sophia:
God is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp; the lamp enclosed in glass; the glass as it were a brilliant star lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil is well-night Luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light. God doth guide whom He will to His Light: God doth set forth Parables for men: and God doth know all things [24:35]
In Sufi thought, Nur al Nur (the supreme light of light) means the Divine Essence of God. This light illuminates the whole world. The mystics purify themselves from the material world and enter the realm of light. Islamic commentators indicate that God’s light illuminates heaven and earth and the hidden truth becomes unveiled. Based on Shihab al Din Suhrawardi, light is emitted from the divine essence of God (Arabic: Nur al Jalal- Light of Glory) and causes some people to become higher.
Suhrawardi classifies the Farrah concept of Light as one group for all creatures and another group which is for Kings. This was adopted from Zoroastrianism where fire gives life and organizes the universe. In Suhrawardi’s Philosophy or Wisdom of Illumination (Arabic: Hikmat al Ishraq), the fire is the sharq (illumination); the basis of truth. His philosophical vision presents fire in the physical world as equal to the light. It reflects the spiritual state of humans.
In ancient representations, a halo was used over Roman and Greek gods. This was then replaced with a sun-like motif shamsa in Islamic miniatures representing a circle of abstract Light. Shamsa comes from the Arabic word Shams which originates from Akkadian. In Ancient Mesopotamia, the sun god Shamash was also worshipped in pre-Islamic Arabia.
Israa and Miraj miniatures, such as the Mirajnama and Khamseh, depict Prophet Muhammad embraced by the sparks and fumes of fire. This fire replaced the halo and the shamsa and can be compared to the Avestan halo resembling the Divine Light of God’s favorites. The fire also highlights the elevated status of the Prophet. The angels surrounding him are carrying this fire; the reflection of the Divine Light.
During his Night Journey; the Prophet encounters a more powerful light in Heaven: “I was ascent to the Lote Tree [Sudrat al Muntaha- tree of the Utmost Farthest boundary where no creation can pass] where I saw a great Light” Light is attributed to the absolute being. God is entirely light. In a hadith, the Prophet describes the power of this Divine Light:
God is hidden behind 70,000 veils of light and darkness. When these veils are removed, the look of God at anything and anybody will burn him due to the brilliance and luminosity.
In the Mirajnama, different stages of the ascent of the Prophet were depicted; from the blue and golden territories of Heaven accompanied by angels to the world of hellish shadows in which sinners are tortured in Hell. The Prophet sees Hell, Heaven, and the divine realm of God. Fire is used to represent Islamic hell. But this time, the eternal flames of the fire burn the skin of the sinners, melting the contents of their fleshly bodies. The phases of the Night Journey and Prophet Muhammad’s ascent are an Islamic approach to the philosophy of good and evil, heaven and hell, happiness and sadness, up and down, the powerful divine light, and the burning fire.
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Reference
- Ramezanmahi, S. and Ghehi, H. B. (2012). The Manifestation of Fire and Lightin the Icons of Mir-Heidar’s Miraj Nameh. International Journal of Arts, 2(4): 16–25.
