Al-mi'raj

The Al-mi'raj is a mythical beast from Islamic poetry said to live on a mysterious island called Jezîrat al-Tennyn within the confines of the Indian Ocean [http://www.angelseven.de/Unicorns/Quellen/Al-mi_raj/al-mi_raj.html] . Its name appears as several spellings and way, generally truncated such as Mi'raj, Mir'aj or just Miraj. Its name is also synonymous with Muhammad's ascent into heaven.

The Al-mi'raj is a large, harmless-looking yellow rabbit with a single, two foot long, black, spiraling horn protruding from its forehead, much like that of a unicorn.

The Al'Mir'aj frightens other animals and they will always flee from their presence. [http://www.pantheon.org/areas/featured/witchcraft/chapter-7.html] Despite its docile appearance, the Al-Mir'aj is actually a ferociously territorial predator known to be able to kill animals and people many times their own size with a few stabs of its horn. It also has an immense appetite and can devour other living things several times its size without effort.

The people of the island were so terrified of the Al-Mi'raj eating them and their livestock that they would turn to witches to ward them away as soon as the rumor of a Miraj met their ears. It was reported that the witch would charm the Miraj, rendering it harmless so they could remove them from the area. [http://www.pantheon.org/areas/featured/witchcraft/chapter-7.html]

Origins

It is possible this myth originates from an actual scientific source. There are several diseases in rabbits that can create horn-like growths upon the bodies of animals. Most common are the Fibromatosis and Paplliomatosis.

Papliomatosis is when a virus infects the skin causing a big, red, swelling growth on the skin of the infected. [http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Viral_diseases/papilloma.pdf] These red marks may have appeared to be where horns had broken off or were shed. Fibromatosis is a similar virus which infects the skin and causes the flesh of the rabbits to mat with the hair, hardening into long, hard horn-like protrusions. [http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Viral_diseases/fibroma.PDF] Both diseases could account for the appearance of wild, fierce (with pain) rabbits with "horns" and infected specimens have been found, cataloged and are well documented. [http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/jacknews.html]

It is also possible that this myth was started as a way for witches to make money by frightening locals with tales of ferocious man-eating rabbits and then asking them for money in order for them to be removed. [http://www.pantheon.org/areas/featured/witchcraft/chapter-7.html] This would explain the part of the lore that says that the only way to remove an Al-Mi'raj from the area would be to have a skilled witch charm them away.

Pop culture references

Despite being an ancient mythological creature rarely mentioned outside of Islamic poetry, the Al-Mi'raj is still remembered to this day and has been featured frequently in many places.

The Al-Mi'raj has been adapted into Dungeons & Dragons, as part of the 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Fiend Folio where it retains its fierce, predatory temperament and ability to bring down creatures far more powerful than its rabbit-like appearance would indicate. [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1327706] . It is a level 1 creature in this setting and carries no standard treasure.

and carries Medicinal Herbs and Bunny Tails. [http://www.woodus.com/den/games/dq8ps2/monsters.php]

In the original Nintendo Entertainment System version of Dragon Warrior III, however, it was marked as a "Horned Rabbit" and portrayed as a white rabbit with ruby eyes and a red horn. [http://www.woodus.com/den/games/dw3nes/monsters.php] Its standard treasure was a medicinal herb, provided it did not run away before being defeated. This version of the Miraj is also used in Dragon Quest V for the SNES [http://www.woodus.com/den/games/dq5snes/monsters.php] while a slightly different version in Dragon Quest VII called the Bunicorn also sometimes would drop a Bunny Tail. [http://www.woodus.com/den/games/dq8ps2/monsters.php]

According to lore, at the base of a unicorn's horn is a ruby red jewel that is the concentrated essence of its power. [http://www.allaboutunicorns.com/alicorn.php] With this in mind, it is possible that Ryo-Ohki from Tenchi Muyo! could be a reference to the Al-Mi'raj, albeit dehorned and thus non-dangerous to humanity.

the Devil Bunny game series by Cheapass Games is a game about horned, super-intelligent carnivorous evil rabbits that spend their time attempting world domination via an assortment of silly means and tormenting the Humans. [http://everything2.com/title/Devil%2520Bunny%2520Needs%2520A%2520Ham] [http://everything2.com/e2node/Devil%2520Bunny%2520Hates%2520the%2520Earth]