The Mi’raj has two parts: the first part is called Isra and the second is called Mi’raj, but commonly both are referred to as Mi’raj.
The mention of Isra is at the beginning of Surah Bani Isra’il, that is, the journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis). Allah Almighty says:
﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا﴾
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him some of Our signs.
Masjid al-Haram (Kaaba) is in Mecca, and Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis) is in the city of Jerusalem in Palestine, whose old name is “Eliya.” The distance from Mecca to Jerusalem (according to old times when there were no modern fast means of transportation) was 40 days, but this 40-day journey was completed in a small part of the night (like the blink of an eye) by the command of Allah Almighty.
That is why Allah Almighty began it with the word (سُبْحَانَ), which is the verbal noun of (سَبَّحَ يُسَبِّحُ), meaning: (انزه الله تنزيها) “I seek refuge in Allah from every defect.” It is generally used on occasions when a magnificent event is mentioned. The meaning is that no matter how impossible this event seems to people based on apparent causes, it is not difficult for Allah Almighty. Because He is not bound by causes; He can do whatever He wills in the blink of an eye by the word Kun. Causes are for humans; Allah Almighty is free from these restrictions and weaknesses.
Mi’raj is derived from (عَرَجَ يَعْرُجُ ), which means “to ascend.” The meaning of Mi’raj is: “the means of ascending, i.e., a ladder.” From Masjid al-Aqsa, the Prophet ﷺ was taken up to the heavens. For this, the Prophet ﷺ used the words “عرج بي”, meaning “I was taken up to the heavens” in a hadith. Additionally, some narrations mention a ladder through which he was taken to the heavens. Therefore, this second part of the heavenly journey is called Mi’raj. Allah Almighty has mentioned it somewhat in Surah An-Najm, and other details have been explained in the hadiths.
Isra and Mi’raj: A Great Miracle
It is obvious that covering a journey of forty days in just a small part of the night is beyond the capability of any human being. Similarly, traveling through the heavens during this part of the night also appears to be an extraordinary event. But when this is attributed to Allah Almighty, meaning that His power and will are manifest in it, then considering it impossible is not befitting for any Muslim. That is why such events are called miracles, which literally mean “events that render one powerless,” i.e., no human can perform them on their own. They only come into existence by the will and power of Allah Almighty. When Allah wishes to show a miraculous event to support and confirm His Prophet, it is manifested by His command. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was also a human being; he could neither go to Bait al-Maqdis on his own nor ascend to the heavens from there. All this is a miracle and a manifestation of Allah Almighty’s power, that He granted His last Prophet this great honor and distinction by performing all this through His perfect power. Therefore, it cannot be considered impossible in comparison to Allah Almighty’s perfect power.
This was not a spiritual unveiling or vision. It was a journey with body and soul (both spirit and body). Hence, the unanimous belief of the scholars is that this was not a spiritual unveiling or vision (as some try to wrongly convince that it was a dream event), but rather an event in the state of wakefulness. You actually traveled with your soul and body first to Bait al-Maqdis and then from there to the heavens.
The meaning of Isra is precisely to take someone with soul and body, not a spiritual journey in a dream state. Allah Almighty has used this word in another place in the Quran. Allah commanded Prophet Musa (Moses), peace be upon him:
﴿فَأَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي لَيْلًا إِنَّكُم مُّتَّبَعُونَ﴾
“O Moses! Take My servants out by night; surely you will be pursued.”
Here, the command to take the Children of Israel was not a spiritual taking but a real physical taking. Accordingly, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) actually took his people out from there, after which Pharaoh pursued them with his army. The same word ( أَسْرَىٰ ) has been used by Allah Almighty for the journey to Bait al-Maqdis: (أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ). Therefore, its meaning must be the same as (أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي). It cannot be that in one place it means spiritual journey and in another place actual taking with soul and body.
Moreover, it is narrated in hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When the news of this event spread and the disbelievers and deniers found it impossible to believe, they asked many questions which were difficult for me to answer. So Allah removed all veils between me and Bait al-Maqdis and brought it before me, and I kept answering by looking at it.” The words of Sahih Bukhari are:
لما كذبني قريش قمت فى الحجر فجلى الله لي بيت المقدس فطفقت أخبرهم عن آياته وأنا أنظر إليه
“When Quraysh denied me, I stood in al-Hijr (Hatim), so Allah brought Bait al-Maqdis before me and I kept showing it to them.”
And in Sahih Muslim it is narrated:
لقد رأيتني فى الحجر وقريش تسألني عن مسراي، فسألتني عن أشياء من بيت المقدس لم أثبتها، فكربت كربة ما كربت مثله قط – قال – فرفعه الله لي أنظر إليه، ما يسألوني عن شيء إلا أنبأتهم به
“I saw myself standing in al-Hijr (Hatim, the part of the Kaaba which Quraysh had left outside and it has remained so till now) and Quraysh were asking me questions about my journey of Isra and Mi’raj. They asked many things about Bait al-Maqdis which I could not remember well. I became so distressed as I had never been before. Then Allah lifted Bait al-Maqdis and brought it before me so that I could see it, and whatever questions they asked, I kept answering them.”
Another narration summarizes that in Mecca in the morning, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was very distressed that people would not believe him and would deny him. He was sitting sad and worried thinking about this when Abu Jahl, the enemy of Allah, passed by and sat near him and mockingly asked: Is there something special? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Yes!” He asked: What? The Prophet said: “Last night I was taken on a journey.” He asked: How far? The Prophet said: “To Bait al-Maqdis.” He asked: Then in the morning you are among us? The Prophet said: “Yes!” He said: If I call your people, will you tell them what you told me? The Prophet said: “Yes!”
So he called out in the Arab manner: O Banu Ka’b ibn Lu’ayy! Hearing his voice, people left their gatherings and came to him. He brought them all to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: Now you tell your people what you told me. The Messenger of Allah said: “Last night I was taken on a journey.” They asked: How far? The Prophet said: “To Bait al-Maqdis.” They asked: Then in the morning you are among us? The Prophet said: “Yes!”
Hearing this, some people started clapping, some considered it a lie and put their hands on their heads in astonishment. Among them were some who had traveled to Bait al-Maqdis and had seen Masjid al-Aqsa. They said: Will you describe the features of Masjid al-Aqsa to us?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I began describing the features of the mosque. I kept describing until I became confused about some things, then the mosque was brought before me as if it was less than دار عقال يا دار عقيل away, so I kept looking at it and describing its features.” Hearing my words, they said: By Allah! He has described all the features correctly.
If this had been a dream event, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have needed to be distressed by the questions of Quraysh of Mecca; rather, he would have said: I saw all this in a dream. How could I have come from there that you bombard me with questions? But the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not say this, which clearly shows that this was not a dream but an event in the state of wakefulness, and he described it as such, not as a spiritual unveiling or vision.
In the Quran, (الرُّؤْيَا) means vision. Some people argue from the following verse of the Quran that it was a dream:
﴿وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ﴾
“And the vision We showed you was only to test the people.”
However, in this verse, the word “vision” is not used in the sense of a dream as it is mostly used. Here it is used in the sense of seeing with the eyes because this meaning is also used in the Arabic language. For example, it is said: رأيته بعيني رؤية ورؤيا “I saw it with my own eyes.”
That is, seeing with the eyes can be expressed by both رؤية and رؤيا. And Allama Jamaluddin Qasmi writes:
وجاء فى اللغة الرؤيا بمعنى الرؤية مطلقا وهو معنى حقيقي لها
In the lexicon, “ru’ya” (vision) also means absolute seeing, and this is its true meaning, like (qurba and qurbah).
According to Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him), “ru’ya” is also used in the sense of seeing.
Moreover, when the Quran itself clarifies that We made it a trial for the people, then this event becomes a trial for the people only when it is considered a vision with the eyes; otherwise, in spiritual observation, there is no aspect of doubt or astonishment for anyone, so how can it be a trial? Therefore, it is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that in this verse “ru’ya” means:
هي رؤيا عين أريها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة أسري به
The seeing with the eyes that was shown to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on the night of Isra and Mi’raj.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) also writes under this hadith of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both):
واستدل به على إطلاق لفظ الرؤيا على ما يرى بالعين فى اليقظة
It is deduced from this that the word “ru’ya” can also be used for the observation of the eye that is done in the state of wakefulness.
Then, in response to those who do not accept this and restrict “ru’ya” only to dreams, he writes:
وممن استعمل الرؤيا فى اليقظة المتنبي فى قوله: “ورؤياك أحلى فى العيون من العمض
Among those who have used the word “ru’ya” for seeing in the state of wakefulness is the poet “Mutanabbi,” who said in his poetry: “And your seeing is sweeter to the eyes than seeing.”
Mutanabbi used “ru’ya” here in the sense of seeing with the eyes. And Mutanabbi’s status in Arabic language and literature needs no explanation.
When in Arabic language and literature “ru’ya” is used in the sense of seeing, then certainly in the verse (وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا ) “ru’ya” also means seeing with the naked eye, especially since the context also indicates this meaning, that this event became a trial for many people who denied it instead of believing it. Trial means that the miraculous nature of this event became unbelievable for them, and they became more firm in their disbelief and denial.
False Reasoning from the Interpretations of Some Narrators and Its Reality
Some individuals have argued from the differing interpretations of the narrators that this event was a dream, as some narrations state: بينما أنا نائم “He was asleep at one time.” Or the statement of Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): وهو نائم فى المسجد الحرام “The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asleep in the Sacred Mosque.” Or at the end of the story, saying: ثم استيقظت وأنا فى المسجد الحرام “Then I woke up and I was in the Sacred Mosque,” etc.
This reasoning is not correct. Firstly, because such words are often not present in the narrations of the narrators; rather, there are clear words in them that highlight the miraculous nature of the event. Secondly, these words are not clear in the meanings being derived from them; rather, نائم refers to the initial state that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was in at the time the angels came. When the angels came to the Prophet (peace be upon him), he was asleep, then he was awakened, mounted on Buraq, and taken to Bayt al-Maqdis. This does not mean that the entire event happened while he remained asleep, i.e., that everything occurred in the state of sleep.
Similarly, some narrations contain the words: بين النائم واليقظان “I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness,” meaning that when the angels came, he was not fully asleep. This does not mean sleeping but rather the negation of deep sleep. Moreover, this also expresses the initial state.
At the end of the story, ثم استيقظت “Then I woke up” is the interpretation of some narrators. Firstly, it has been considered a misconception of the narrator Sharik bin Abdullah. Sharik bin Abdullah’s narration contains many errors and misconceptions, which the scholars of Hadith and commentators have clarified. Among these is one that Imam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) himself mentioned in his Sahih while referencing Sharik’s narration:
وقدم فيه شيئا وأخر، وزاد ونقص
“He mixed up many things and added and omitted.”
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
وقد جاء فى رواية شريك فى هذا الحديث: فى الكتاب أوهام أنكرها العلماء
“There are many misconceptions in Sharik’s narration found in this book (Muslim) which scholars have not accepted.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
وقوله فى حديث شريك عن أنس: ثم استيقظت فإذا أنا فى الحجر، معدود فى غلطات شريك
The narration of Sharik, transmitted from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), stating the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words: “Then I woke up and I was in the Hijr,” is counted among Sharik’s errors.
He also clarifies this in his Tafsir.
Then Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) offered an explanation that the transition from one state to another is also described as wakefulness. If this is applied here, it is better than admitting error. He then gave two examples: one from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) return from Ta’if, in which he said:
فرجعت مهموما فلم أستفق إلا بقرن الثعالب
“I returned from Ta’if distressed and sorrowful, then I regained consciousness at قرن الثعالب.”
Meaning, the grief and sorrow caused by the denial and hostility of the people of Ta’if lessened upon reaching قرن الثعالب. This reduction in grief was described as regaining consciousness.
Another example Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) presented is that a companion, Hazrat Abu Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him), came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with his newborn son for “Ghatta” and placed him on the Prophet’s blessed thigh. The Prophet (peace be upon him) became engaged in conversation with the people, so Hazrat Abu Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him) looked away and lifted his child from the Prophet’s lap. (ثم استيقظ) Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) became alert, meaning he turned his attention away from the people towards Hazrat Abu Usayd (may Allah be pleased with him), and upon not finding the child in his lap, he asked. He was informed that the child had been lifted from his lap. Then he named him Mundhir. This transition from one state to another was described as استيقظ.
Additionally, it could also mean that after returning from Mi’raj, the Prophet (peace be upon him) slept and then woke up, because this journey took place in a very short part of the night. Or استيقظت، أصبحت could mean “I greeted the morning.” Or it could mean that after coming back from the wonders of the heavens and the ecstasy caused by the observations of ملأ اعليٰ and the manifestations of the great signs, the overwhelming spiritual and illuminating experiences in the heart and mind of the Prophet (peace be upon him), when he returned to his original human state and condition, he was then in the Sacred Mosque.
In any case, these explanations of the mentioned interpretations by Islamic scholars are necessary so that there is consistency in the details of the Mi’raj event. Because this event is narrated by more than twenty-four companions, it thus attains the status of mutawatir ma’nawi (meaningful mass transmission). Therefore, due to the misconception or specific interpretation of some narrators, the entire event and its important details cannot be doubted, nor can it be declared a dream and its entire miraculous nature be negated.
Similarly, the view of some scholars who believe in multiple Mi’rajs due to differences in narrations is also not correct, nor is it a proper solution to the narrators’ differences. When such a great and significant event is narrated by many people, partial differences in details or the occurrence of precedence, delay, addition, or omission is not unlikely. Such mutual differences in the statements of multiple narrators are common in the transmission of any matter. In such cases, the event itself is not denied, nor are they considered multiple events; rather, the original event and its essential details are accepted in light of the common points and components of these narrations. Accordingly, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him), after mentioning various narrations of Israa and Mi’raj, states:
وإذا حصل الوقوف على مجموع هذه الأحاديث صحيحها وحسنها وضعيفها، فحصل مضمون ما اتفقت عليه من مسرى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من مكة إلى بيت المقدس، وإنه مرة واحدة وإن اختلفت عبارات الرواة فى أدائه أو زاد بعضهم أو نقص منه، فإن الخطأ جائز على من عدا الأنبياء عليهم السلام، ومن جعل من الناس كل رواية خالفت الأخرى مرة على حدة، فأثبت إسراءات متعددة فقد أبعد وأغرب وهرب غير مهرب ولم يحصل على مطلب، وقد صرح بعضهم من المتأخرين بأنه عليه السلام أسري به مرة من مكة إلى المقدس فقط، ومرة من مكة إلى السماء فقط، ومرة إلى بيت المقدس ومنه إلى السماء، وفرح بهذا المسلك، وأنه قد طفر بشيء يخلص به من الإشكالات، وهذا بعيد جدا، ولم ينقل هذا عن أحد من السلف، ولو تعدد هذا التعدد لأخبر النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم به أمته، ولنقلته الناس على التعدد والتكرر والحق أنه عليه السلام أسري به يقظة لا مناما من مكة إلى بيت المقدس راكبا البراق
“When one deeply examines the collection of these hadiths, which include authentic, good, and weak narrations, one obtains the agreed-upon meaning that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) traveled from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis, and this journey occurred only once, although there are differences in the wording of the narrators or some have added or omitted something. Because, except for the Prophets (peace be upon them), mistakes can occur. And some have considered each narration that differs from another as a separate event and thus established multiple اسرا ءات. They have indeed taken a strange and far-fetched approach and sought refuge in a place where they cannot find shelter nor achieve their purpose. Some later scholars expressed the opinion that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken once from Mecca only to Bayt al-Maqdis, once from Mecca only to the heavens, and once from Bayt al-Maqdis to the heavens, and they arrogantly claimed that they had succeeded in finding a solution that removes difficulties. This is very unlikely and has not been reported from any of the Salaf. If these were indeed multiple events, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have informed his Ummah about it, and people would have transmitted it with the same multiplicity. The truth is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was taken by means of Buraq from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis (and then from there to the heavens), and this entire event occurred in a state of wakefulness, not in a dream.”
After this, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) presented this event in a summarized form, free from ambiguity or contradiction. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in ”البداية والنهاية “:
وكان بعض الرواة يحذف بعض الخبر للعلم به، أو ينساه أو يذكر ما هو الأهم عنده، أو يبسط تارة فيسوقه كله، وتارة يحذف عن مخاطبه بما هو الأنفع عنده، ومن جعل كل رواية إسراء على حدة كما تقدم عن بعضهم، فقد أبعد جدا
“And some narrators omit parts of the report due to its fame, or they forget it, or they mention what they consider important, or sometimes they narrate everything in detail, and sometimes they omit according to the addressee and mention what is more beneficial to him. Whoever considered each narration as a separate story, as some have said, has indeed brought a far-fetched matter.”
The Reality of the Statements Attributed to Hazrat Aisha and Hazrat Muawiya (May Allah be pleased with them)
Some people argue from the statements attributed to Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umm al-Mu’minin Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to prove the event of Mi’raj as a spiritual vision. These two statements are as follows:
يعقوب بن عتبة أن معاوية بن أبى سفيان كان إذا سئل عن مسرى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: كانت رؤيا من الله صادقة
“Ya’qub bin Utbah says that when Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the Mi’raj of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he used to say that it was a true dream from Allah.”
عن محمد( بن إسحاق )قال حدثني بعض آل أبى بكر أن عائشة كانت تقول: ما فقد جسد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولكن الله أسرى بروحه
Muhammad bin Ishaq says that some from the family of Abu Bakr told me that Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say that the blessed body of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was not lost, but Allah took His soul.
The first narration is disconnected; the meeting of Ya’qub bin Utbah with Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) is not established. In the second narration, some from the family of Abu Bakr are unknown; who is this person from the family of Abu Bakr? There is no trace of this. Therefore, in terms of chain of narration, both statements are unreliable. Moreover, Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was not even a Muslim at that time, and similarly, Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was just a child then. From this perspective as well, how can their opinion about this event be considered authentic? In any case, neither of these statements is acceptable as evidence. Accordingly, Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
وقد اعترض قول عائشة ومعاوية، بأنها كانت صغيرة لم تشاهد ولا حدثت عن النبي، وأما معاوية فكان كافرا فى ذلك الوقت غير مشاهد للحال ولم يحدث عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
Objections have been raised against the statements of Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was a child at that time; she did not witness the event nor did she narrate this from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Similarly, Hazrat Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a disbeliever at that time; he neither witnessed the event nor did he narrate this from the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Scholars of Islam, Hadith Scholars, and Exegetes of the Ummah’s Explicitness
This is the reason that despite some partial differences in the narrations of the event, the majority of Islamic scholars have accepted Isra and Mi’raj exactly as the details have been described in the Holy Quran and Hadith. Accordingly, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
وقد اختلف السلف بحسب اختلاف الأخبار الواردة: فمنهم من ذهب إلى أن الإسراء والمعراج وقعا فى ليلة واحدة فى اليقظة بجسد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وروحه بعد المبعث، وإلى هذا ذهب الجمهور من علماء المحدثين والفقهاء والمتكلمين وتواردت عليه ظواهر الأخبار الصحيحة، ولا ينبغي العدول عن ذلك، إذ ليس فى العقل ما يحيله حتى يحتاج إلى تأويل
Among the predecessors, due to differences in narrations, there is some disagreement. Some of them hold the view that both Isra and Mi’raj occurred on the same night, in a state of wakefulness, with the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) soul and body after his prophethood. This is the position of the majority of hadith scholars, jurists, and theologians. The apparent meaning of the authentic hadiths also supports this, and deviation from it is not permissible. This is because, rationally, there is nothing in it that renders it impossible or requires allegorical interpretation.
Qadi Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, writes on this matter:
وذهب معظم السلف والمسلمين إلى أنه إسراء بالجسد وفي اليقظة وهذا هو الحق
“The way of the Salaf and the majority of Muslims is that the event of Isra and Mi’raj was physical and occurred in the state of wakefulness, and this is the truth.”
The honorable Ibn Abbas, Jabir, Anas, Hudhayfah, Umar, Abu Hurairah, Malik bin Sa’sa’ah, Abu Juham Badri, and Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with them, are proponents of this (and among the Tabi‘in) Dhahak, Sa‘id bin Jubayr, Qatadah, Ibn Musayyib, Ibn Shahab, Ibn Zayd, Hasan, Ibrahim, Masruq, Mujahid, Akramah, and Ibn Jurayj, may Allah have mercy on them, also hold this view. And this is the proof of the statement of Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and this is the opinion of Imam al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, and a great group of Muslims. This is also the opinion of most later jurists, hadith scholars, theologians, and exegetes.
Qadi Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, then writes a differing opinion and then states:
والحق فى هذا والصحيح، إن شاء الله، أنه إسراء بالجسد والروح فى القصة كلها وعليه تدل الآية وصحيح الأخبار والإعتبار، ولا يعدل عن الظاهر والحقيقة إلى التأويل إلا عند الإستحالة، وليس فى الإسراء بجسده وحال يقظته استحالة، إذ لو كان مناما لقال: بروح عبده ولم يقل بعبده وقوله: ما زاغ البصر وما طغىٰ ۗ ولو كان مناما لما كانت فيه آية ولا معجزة ولما استبعده الكفار ولا كذبوه ولا ارتد به ضعفاء من أسلم وافتتنوا به، إذ مثل هذا من المنامات لا ينكر، بل لم يكن ذلك منهم إلا وقد علموا أن خبره إنما كان عن جسمه وحال يقظته
The truth and correct statement regarding this matter, God willing, is that the entire event of Isra and Mi’raj occurred with both body and soul. The Quranic verse and authentic and reliable narrations indicate this, and deviation from the apparent and reality towards allegorical interpretation is not permissible until it is intellectually impossible. The physical and wakeful nature of the Mi’raj is not impossible. Because if it were a dream, Allah Almighty would have said [ أَسْرَىٰ بِرُوْحِ بِعَبْدِهِ] “Allah took the soul of His servant,” not “He took His servant.” And Allah Almighty would not have said (in Surah An-Najm): “Nor did his eye swerve, nor did it transgress its limit.” If it were a dream, it would neither be a sign nor a miracle. Neither would the disbelievers deny it as impossible, nor would the weak in faith (new Muslims) apostatize and be troubled by it. Because such dreams are not denied. Rather, denial came from them when they realized that you were telling them that the journey was physical and occurred in wakefulness.
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, after mentioning various opinions, writes:
“The correct opinion in our view is that Allah Almighty caused His servant, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to travel from the Sacred Mosque to Al-Aqsa Mosque, as Allah informed His servants (in Surah Al-Isra). And as many hadiths have been transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, which explicitly state that Allah made him ride on Al-Buraq. There, he led the Prophets and Messengers in prayer, and Allah showed him many signs. There is no validity to the opinion that the journey was made by the soul and not the body. Because if that were the case, then there would be nothing in it that would serve as evidence for his prophethood, nor would it be proof of his messengership, nor would there be those among the polytheists who denied this reality.
Because dreams are not subject to denial in their view. Indeed, there is no one among humans with sound nature who would deny that someone dreaming sees in a dream that he traveled a distance of a year. So how could the journey be denied which was a month or less? Moreover, Allah informed in His Book: [أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ] “That He caused His servant to travel.” He did not say: [أَسْرَىٰ بِرُوحِ بِعَبْدِهِ] “That He caused His servant’s soul to travel.” And it is not permissible for anyone to go beyond Allah’s statement to something else. There is no indication in Allah’s speech that the command [أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ] means [أَسْرَىٰ بِرُوحِ عَبْدِهِ]. Rather, clear evidence and the mutawatir narrations of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, indicate that Allah caused him to travel on a beast called Al-Buraq. If the journey were spiritual, the soul would not have been made to ride on Al-Buraq, because animals carry bodies, not souls.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
There is a difference of opinion regarding Isra and Mi’raj whether it was physical or spiritual. The majority of scholars hold that it was physical and an event of wakefulness, not sleep. However, it is not unlikely that before this, the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw it in a dream, and then afterward saw it in wakefulness. Because whatever the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw in dreams would appear as clear as daylight. The evidence for its physicality is that Allah Almighty said ﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ﴾. And Allah’s glorification is only said when great events occur. If it were a dream, it would neither be a great matter nor a magnificent event, nor would the disbelieving Quraysh hasten to deny it, nor would some (weak in faith) Muslims apostatize. Moreover, [عبد] is the combination of soul and body, and Allah said ﴿أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا﴾ (i.e., He used the word ‘servant’). And what Allah said: ﴿وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ﴾ is reported in Sahih Bukhari from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that this was a sight witnessed by the eyes of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. And Allah also said: ﴿مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ﴾ “Nor did his eye swerve, nor did it transgress its limit.” And the eye is among the physical organs, not the soul. Also, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was made to ride on Al-Buraq, which is a white shining beast meant only for riding the body, not the soul, because the soul does not need a mount to ride.
Imam Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, writes citing another elder:
Hafiz Abu al-Khattab Umar bin Dahiya, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book ”التنوير فى مولد السراج المنير“ narrated the hadith of Isra and Mi’raj through the method of Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, and gave very useful and excellent discussion on it. Then he said that the narrations of Isra are transmitted with mutawatir status and their narrators are as follows:
Umar bin Khattab, Ali, Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Dharr, Malik bin Sa’sa’ah, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa’id, Ibn Abbas, Shaddad bin Aws, Ubay bin Ka’b, Abdur Rahman bin Qurt, Abu Juham Ansari, Abu Layla Ansari, Abdullah bin Amr, Jabir, Hudhayfah, Buraidah, Abu Ayyub, Abu Imamah, Samrah bin Jundub, Abu al-Hamra, Suhaib al-Rumi, Umm Hani, the two daughters of Abu Bakr Siddiq, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and Asma, may Allah be pleased with her. Some of them narrated it in detail and some briefly as found in the Musnads. Although some of their narrations do not fulfill the condition of authenticity, the hadith of Isra and Mi’raj is such that all Muslims have consensus upon it, and only atheists and heretics have objected to it. ﴿يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ ﴾
Imam Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him, has the following excerpts:
ثبت الإسراء فى جميع مصنفات الحديث، وروي عن الصحابة فى كل أقطار الإسلام فهو من المتواتر بهذا الوجه، وذهب معظم السلف والمسلمين إلى أنه كان إسراء بالجسد وفي اليقظة وأنه ركب البراق بمكة ووصل إلى بيت المقدس وصلى فيه ثم أسري بجسده، وعلى هذا تدل الأخبار التى أشرنا إليها والآية، وليس فى الإسراء بجسده وحال يقظته استحالة ولا يعدل عن الظاهر والحقيقة إلا عند الإستحالة، وفي نصوص الأخبار الثابتة دلالة واضحة على أن الإسراء كان بالبدن، وإذا ورد الخبر بشيء هو مجوز فى العقل فى قدرة الله تعالى فلا طريق إلى الإنكار
The event of Isra and Mi’raj is present and established in all collections of hadith and narrated from the companions spread across Islamic lands. Therefore, it has the status of mutawatir. The Salaf and the majority of Muslims hold the opinion that this event was physical and in wakefulness. You rode on Al-Buraq from Mecca and reached Bayt al-Maqdis, where you prayed, and from there you were taken on a journey through the heavens with both soul and body. The hadiths we have referred to and the Quranic verse indicate this. The physical and wakeful nature of this event is not impossible rationally. Turning the apparent and reality into allegorical interpretation is only necessary when it is intellectually impossible. The established hadiths clearly indicate that this event was physical. When a hadith is reported about something that is rationally possible by Allah’s power, there is no justification for denying it.
[ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ]
