The Ascension

As a graduation gift (M.A. degree from IUB), a mentor sent me two pictures from Europe. The first is an old French print titled: Ascension de Mahomet circa 1840-60. The second image is a similar composition of a Persian King surrounded by court attendants. The Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (also known as the Isra-Miraj) is an important event in Islamic history when in 621 the Prophet traveled from Mecca to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on a heavenly steed named Buraq.  The Prophet subsequently ascended to the seven levels of heaven where he met several other Prophets from the Bible. Paintings of this night journey often feature the Prophet Muhammad in heaven, surrounded my angels bestowing heavenly light upon him. The interesting thing is---is that Persian Kings would commission self portraits or Miraj paintings that fused the appearance of the King and the Prophet--alluding to the King's divine kingship and prophetic lineage. Europeans would also render the heavenly angles (and sometimes the Prophet) in quite a Christian fashion as well.

Above is a painting from Khamsa of Nizami