Middle School
Worksheets
The Ascension of Mohammed
Lailat al Miraj
Reading Comprehension for September 1
There is a man at the center of the religion of Islam. This man was a prophet and brought the word of Allah to Muslims (those who practice Islam) all over the world. He was born as any other person, but according Islamic tradition, Allah called on him to bring Islam's message of devotion, service, and peace to the people of the world. One of these times Allah called on him is remembered as "The Ascension," and it is remembered on the Islamic holiday of Lailat al Miraj.
Lailat al Miraj is celebrated on the 27th day of the month of Rajab in the Islamic calendar. It isn't celebrated on the same date every year. The Islamic calendar - the Hijri calendar - is based on lunar cycles, which vary slightly from the calendar you're used to. Muslims observe different religious holidays - like Lailat al Miraj - as they appear in the Hiriji calendar.
Stories about Muhammad's life come from Islamic tradition and some written texts. The Qur'an, or Koran, Islam's holy book, has some stories about Muhammad. According to these, Muhammad was born in 570 or 571 in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Muhammad's father died before he was born, and his mother died when he was six. He then went to live with family members. Islamic scholars believe that Muhammad never received a formal education.
