17.1 – Glory to the One who sent His servant on a journey by night
This verse is a good example of how a single verse in the Quran can be associated with a quite extensive tradition about its meaning. The verse itself gives few clues. No names or places are given, only the unidentified “his servant,” “sacred (ḥarām) mosque,” and “distant (aqṣā) mosque.” The immediate context gives no further information, nor are there other passages in the Quran that fill in the picture. However, Muslim tradition connects this verse with an elaborate story about a “night journey” of Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and from there up into heaven. One version of the story is given in Ibn Isḥāq’s Sīra.