Al Buraq and Light Physics

By: Gemal Seede January 15, 2026

What does a legendary white steed from a 7th-century night journey have to do with Einstein's theory of relativity and the behavior of light? In this episode, we explore al-Buraq from the story of Isra' wal Mi'raj (the Journey and Ascension) as a modern thought experiment. We look at how the Prophet's description in Sahih Muslim-white, long, between a donkey and a mule, and placing its hoof "a distance equal to the range of vision"-lines up in surprising ways with what physics tells us about photons, geodesics, and time dilation.