Laylat al Miraj
Muslims celebrate the festival of Laylat al Miraj on the 27th day of the month of Rajab in the Islamic lunar calendar. Laylat al Miraj commemorates Muhammed's ascension to heaven, his meeting with Allah (God) and the earlier prophets, and his revelation that Muslims should pray five times every day.
According to Islam, on Laylat al Miraj the Archangel Gabriel visited Muhammed and purified his heart to give him faith. Muhammed was taken by a buraq – a winged creature from Paradise – from Mecca to Jerusalem. He then ascended through the seven heavens and saw many prophets before finally meeting Allah, who told Muhammed that he must pray 50 times a day. On his journey back, each prophet told him to reduce the number of prayers. Muhammed then returned to ask Allah what the correct number should be. Allah said that he should pray five times a day. This became salat – the five prayers that religious Muslims say each day.
On Laylat al Miraj, Muslims go to the mosque, read from the Qur'an and discuss the story. In many Muslim countries it is a national holiday.
