Did ʿĀʾishah (RA) Believe in a Spiritual Miʿrāj Only? A Ḥadīth Review

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