19th Century statue of Buraq from the island of Madura, Indonesia.
The **Buraq** (Arabic: الْبُرَاق), which means "the lightning" in Arabic, is a horse-like creature in Islamic stories. It's said to have been the mount of the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and through the heavens and back at night. According to traditions, the Buraq also carried other prophets like Abraham over long distances in a very short time.

The Encyclopaedia of Islam, based on Al-Damiri's writings, suggests that "al-burāq" comes from the Arabic word "barq," which means "lightning" or has other related meanings like "flash" or "shine." According to the Encyclopædia Iranica, "Boraq" comes from the Middle Persian words "\*barāg or \*bārag," which mean "a riding beast or mount".

The Night Journey
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Islamic tradition tells that the Night Journey happened ten years after Muhammad became a prophet, around the 7th century. Muhammad was in Mecca when Gabriel came to him with the Buraq, a magical creature. The Buraq carried Muhammad from Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca to Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.[Qur'an 17:1]

A Mindanaoan Muslim Buraq sculpture from the Philippines.
In Jerusalem, Muhammad prayed at the Temple site and then rode the Buraq up through seven heavens. Along the way, he met several prophets like Adam, Jesus, Joseph, Enoch, Aaron, Moses, and Abraham. He spoke with God who gave him important instructions, including the command for Muslims to pray fifty times a day. After Moses suggested reducing the prayers, Muhammad went back to God several times until the number was reduced to five.

According to Ibn Ishaq, the Buraq also carried Abraham when he visited Hagar and Ishmael. It's said that Abraham lived in Canaan with Sarah, but the Buraq would take him to Mecca to see his family and back home in the evening.

In Hadith
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Painting of *Al Buraq* (1770–75), from South Asia; Deccan painting incorporating Persian elements.
Although the Hadith don't specifically say the Buraq has a human face, art from the Near East and Persia usually shows it that way. This idea even spread to Indo-Pak subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It might come from seeing the creature described as having a "beautiful face" and thinking it's human instead of an animal.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, there's a description of the Buraq:

> Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me ... The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight.
> 
> — Al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Bukhari

In another part, the Buraq is described like this:

> Then he [Gabriel] brought the Buraq, handsome-faced and bridled, a tall, white beast, bigger than the donkey but smaller than the mule. He could place his hooves at the farthest boundary of his gaze. He had long ears. Whenever he faced a mountain his hind legs would extend, and whenever he went downhill his front legs would extend. He had two wings on his thighs which lent strength to his legs.
> He bucked when Muhammad came to mount him. The angel Gabriel put his hand on his mane and said: "Are you not ashamed, O Buraq? By Allah, no-one has ridden you in all creation more dear to Allah than he is." Hearing this he was so ashamed that he sweated until he became soaked, and he stood still so that the Prophet mounted him.
> 
> — Muhammad 'Alawi al-Maliki, The Prophet's Night Journey and Heavenly Ascent

In earlier descriptions, people couldn't agree if the Buraq was male or female. Most thought it was male, but some writings have Gabriel calling it a female. Some artists even painted it with a woman's head. There's also an idea that "al-Buraq" just means a special mare, mentioned in books like The Dome of the Rock and Palestine in Picture and Word.