Buraq

📖 About Buraq

Buraq is a Turkish masculine name derived from the Arabic word "burāq" (بُراق), meaning lightning or radiance, which in turn comes from the root "b-r-q" (برق) signifying a flash of light. The name is most famously associated with al-Burāq, the celestial steed in Islamic tradition that carried the Prophet Muhammad during the Isra and Mi'raj — the miraculous Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and ascension through the heavens. Described in hadith literature as a white, winged creature larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, the Buraq has become one of the most iconic images in Islamic art and literature. In Turkey, the variant spelling Burak is significantly more common and has been one of the most popular masculine names since the 1980s, consistently ranking among the top 20 names for boys. The name carries connotations of speed, brilliance, and divine grace, and has spread throughout the broader Turkic world, including Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries. The Western Wall in Jerusalem is known in Arabic as "Ḥā'iṭ al-Burāq" (the Wall of al-Buraq), as tradition holds that the Prophet tethered Buraq there during the Night Journey.