Did ʿĀʾishah (RA) Believe that the Miʿrāj Was Only a Spiritual Journey?
📚 Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Kitāb al-ʿAqāʾid, p. 107
❖ The Question
Is the narration attributed to ʿĀʾishah (RA), stating that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was not physically absent during the Miʿrāj (Night Journey), and that it was only a journey of the soul, authentic? If so, does this imply that she believed the Miʿrāj was a purely spiritual event?
◈ ➊ The Source and Chain of the Report
This narration is mentioned in Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī with the following chain and text:
📌 Chain of Narration
Muḥammad ibn Ḥumayd al-Rāzī → Salamah ibn al-Faḍl al-Abrash → Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq ibn Yasār → From some members of the family of Abū Bakr → ʿĀʾishah (RA)
📌 Text of the Report
“مَا فُقِدَ جَسَدُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَسْرَى بِرُوحِهِ“
“The body of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not missing, rather Allah carried his soul (in the journey).”
📘 Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, Vol. 15, p. 13
◈ ➋ Analysis of Authenticity
This narration is weak and rejected based on two critical flaws:
❌ Unknown Narrator:
The phrase “some members of the family of Abū Bakr” is majhūl (unknown) and lacks reliability. According to ḥadīth principles, such anonymity renders a narration unreliable.
❌ Contradiction with Authentic Narrations:
Multiple authentic narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and other canonical books clearly affirm the physical Miʿrāj of the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ ➌ Misuse by Ḥadīth Deniers
It is unfortunate that modern ḥadīth rejecters and supporters of innovation often discard well-authenticated ḥadīths while clinging to weak and obscure reports to support their arguments.
🔸 Advice to General Public:
- Do not accept any narration blindly unless its authenticity is verified.
- Do not equate every book with Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī or Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim in credibility.
◈ ➍ A Similar Report Attributed to Muʿāwiyah (RA)
📌 Chain of Narration
Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq → Yaʿqūb ibn ʿUtbah ibn al-Mughīrah → Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān (RA)
📌 Text of the Report
“كَانَ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْ مِسْرَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، قَالَ: كَانَتْ رُؤْيَا مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى صَادِقَةٌ“
“Whenever asked about the Prophet’s Miʿrāj, he said: It was a truthful dream from Allah.”
📘 Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, Vol. 15, p. 13
❌ Status: This narration is munqaṭiʿ (disconnected), as Yaʿqūb ibn ʿUtbah (a tābiʿī) never met Muʿāwiyah (RA). Such a disconnection disqualifies the narration from being used as valid evidence.
◈ ➎ What Do Authentic Narrations Say?
✅ 1. Ibn ʿAbbās (RA):
“هِيَ رُؤْيَا عَيْنٍ، أُرِيَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِهِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ“
“It was a real vision seen with the eyes that was shown to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the night he was taken to Bayt al-Maqdis.”
📗 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3889
✅ 2. Prophetic Statement:
“بَيْنَا أَنَا عِندَ الْبَيْتِ بَيْنَ النَّائِمِ وَالْيَقْظَانِ…”
“While I was at the Kaʿbah between wakefulness and sleep…”
📘 Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3207, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 164/416
This indicates that the Prophet ﷺ experienced Miʿrāj in a conscious and awakened state.
◈ ➏ Conclusion
| Claim | Sharʿī Verdict |
|---|---|
| ʿĀʾishah (RA) denied physical Miʿrāj | ❌ No — The narration is weak and unreliable |
| Muʿāwiyah (RA) said Miʿrāj was a dream | ❌ No — The narration is disconnected (munqaṭiʿ) |
| Miʿrāj was only spiritual | ❌ Rejected by multiple ṣaḥīḥ aḥādīth |
| Miʿrāj occurred in wakefulness | ✅ Yes — Supported by Ibn ʿAbbās, authentic ḥadīths |
| Follow weak reports in ʿaqīdah matters | ❌ Never — Only verified authentic narrations suffice |
✅ Final Summary
- The narration from ʿĀʾishah (RA) is weak due to an unknown narrator and contradicts stronger ḥadīths.
- The report from Muʿāwiyah (RA) is disconnected and hence unreliable.
- Multiple authentic narrations confirm that the Miʿrāj occurred in a state of full consciousness, both body and soul.
- Therefore, it is incorrect to claim that ʿĀʾishah (RA) believed in a purely spiritual Miʿrāj.
📖 وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
