The traditional understanding of the events related to Isra and Mi‘raj has been summarized in the Introduction section and may be referred to there for review. The significant academic points are as follows:
In relation to these points, a study of some excerpts from highly reputed scholars will help understand the argument more deeply.
The author of Tafsir Ibn Kathir writes:
After considering all the Hadiths, including Sahih, Hasan, and Daeef ones, it is clear that there is consensus on the event of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) journey from Mecca to Jerusalem. It is true that there are differences in the narrations and variations in the details, but such errors are possible because no one is free from mistakes except the Prophets.
Regarding the differing accounts of whether milk and honey, milk and wine, or milk and water were presented to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), or all four, some narrations state that this happened in Jerusalem, while others say it occurred in the heavens. However, it is possible that these items were offered as hospitality at both places.
Furthermore, there is a debate on whether the Isra (night journey) happened with both the body and soul of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) or just the soul. Both views exist. Most scholars believe that the event occurred with both the body and soul while the Prophet was awake, meaning he was not sleeping. However, they do not dismiss the possibility that the event might have first been shown to him in a dream and then later occurred in reality. This is because the dreams of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were as clear as daylight.
Allah Almighty has said: The dream We showed you We made it a trial too for these people [because of this attitude of theirs].
Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) explains in his commentary on Surah Al-Isra, verse 60, that ‘vision’ here refers to what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) saw with his eyes on the night he was taken on the journey. The ‘accursed tree’ mentioned is the Tree of Zaqqum (Bukhari, Hadith 4716). In this context, Allah Himself states, ‘The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit],’ indicating that the vision was a function of his complete being, not just his soul.
Maulana Syed Abul A'la Maududi writes:
The Mi‘raj event is mentioned both in the Qur’an and in Hadith. The Qur’an tells us why Mi‘raj took place and what instructions God gave to His Messenger. The Hadith tells us how Mi‘raj happened and what events occurred during this journey. Details of this event have reached us through 28 contemporary narrators. Seven of the narrators were present during the time of Mi‘raj , and 21 others later heard the story directly from the blessed tongue of the Prophet (PBUH). Different reports shed light on different aspects of the story, and when combined, they form a travelog, a more captivating, meaningful and enlightening one than any other found in the entire history of human literature. (Travelog of Mi‘raj 3)
In Maulana Maududi’s Tafheem al-Qur’an, he explains the verse of Isra as follows:
What was the nature of this journey? Did it take place in a state of sleep or in wakefulness? And did the Prophet (PBUH) physically embark on this journey, or was it merely a spiritual experience while he remained seated in his place? These questions are answered by the words of the Glorious Qur’an itself. The beginning with the words ‘Subhāna alladhī asra...’ indicates that this was a great supernatural event that happened by the infinite power of Allah. It is clear that for someone to see such things in a dream or in a state of unveiling is not significant enough to necessitate an introduction declaring the purity of the Being who enabled the vision or revelation. The words ‘One night He took His servant...’ clearly indicate a physical journey. These words do not fit for a dream journey or an unveiled spiritual journey. Therefore, we have no option but to accept that this was not merely a spiritual experience but a physical journey and a direct observation that Allah Almighty had His Prophet (PBUH) undertake. (2/589)
Mufti Muhammad Shafi has stated:
The journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid Al-Aqsa, which is mentioned in this verse, is known as Isra, and the journey from there to the heavens is known as Mi‘raj . Isra is confirmed by explicit text in this verse (Surah Al-Isra 17:1), and the events of Mi‘raj are mentioned in the verses of Surah Al-Najm and are established by mutawatir (successive) hadith reports... It is discerned from the commands of the Glorious Qur’an and the mutawatir hadiths , as detailed later, that the entire experience of Isra and Mi‘raj was not just spiritual but was also physical, akin to the manner in which ordinary humans travel... When the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, revealed this event to the people, the disbelievers of Mecca rejected it and mocked the Prophet to the extent that some of the new Muslims renounced their faith upon hearing about it. If the incident was simply a dream, then why would such reactions occur? And this does not rule out the possibility that the Prophet may have experienced a spiritual Mi‘raj in the form of a dream before or after this physical journey. The majority of the Ummah holds the view that the ‘ ru’yā’ referred to in the Qur’anic verse ‘Wa mā jaʿalnā al-ru’yā allatī araynāka’ implies actual seeing, but it is described as a ‘ ru’yā’ to convey that it was like something seen in a dream. And if the word ‘ ru’yā’ is literally interpreted as ‘dream’, it is not improbable to think that, in addition to the physical Mi‘raj , there was a spiritual journey through a dream either before or after the event. Therefore, the reports by Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) and Aisha, the mother of believers (RA), regarding the Mi‘raj being a dream are accurate in their respective contexts. However, this does not mean there wasn’t also a physical Mi‘raj . (Maarif al-Qur’an 5/438-439)
Pir Karam Shah al-Azhari writes in his commentary, Zia ul Qur’an:
The word ‘Subhān’ indicates that Allah Almighty is devoid of all imperfections, deficiencies, and incapabilities. Such a claim necessitates evidence, for a claim without proof is unsubstantiated. As proof, the verse alladhī asra bi ʿabdihi is cited because Allah is the one who made His beloved servant travel a vast distance within a fraction of the night and showed him significant signs and manifest evidence. A Being capable of shortening such a lengthy journey indeed possesses limitless power and supreme magnificence, and His nobility is free from any weakness or incapacity. Therefore, the event Allah has presented as evidence of His exaltedness cannot be an ordinary occurrence but must be one of the most significant, graceful, and astonishing events... .
The style of conversation in the Qur’an clearly explicates that this event was not a dream but happened in a conscious state. One may argue that another verse of the Holy Qur’an specifies it as a vision, meaning a dream. God Almighty asserts: Wa mā jaʿalnā al-ru’yā allatī araynāka illā fitnatan lilnās. In this instance, the term ru’ya has been used, denoting a dream... When the Holy Qur’an has expressly pronounced it a dream, how could it be challenged?
In defense, it is necessary to articulate that most commentators believe that this verse does not refer to the event of Mi‘raj, but to a different dream. And if someone insists that this verse specifically refers to the Mi‘raj, then Ibn Abbas’s following explanation dispels any ambiguity. He asserted: ‘Here, vision pertains to seeing with one’s eyes while awake…’
People also base their argument on a hadith reported by Anas (RA). According to his report, after describing the Mi‘raj , the Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Then I woke up and found myself in Masjid al-Haram.’ Regarding this hadith, the explanation of the hadith experts can suffice to resolve any misunderstandings automatically. Allama Alusi states that Sharik narrated these words from Anas. Sharik, the narrator, is not a good memorizer of hadith according to the experts of hadith... Allama Ibn Kathir claims that this report is one of the mistakes committed by Sharik. (2/626-627)
Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a famous representative of the Ahle Hadith school of thought writes:
...This event is narrated by more than twenty-four Companions. In this regard, it holds the status of tawatur ma’nawi (mass transmitted by meaning). Therefore, certain or specific interpretations of some narrators cannot cast doubt on the entire event and its important details, nor can they be allowed to affect the miraculous nature of the event by declaring it as a dream.
Similarly, the opinion of some scholars that there were multiple occurrences of the Ascension (Mi‘raj) based on differences in hadith narrator’s views is not correct, nor is it a proper solution to the differences among the narrators. When a significant and dignified event is narrated by multiple people, minor discrepancies in the details of the event or occasional additions and omissions are not unlikely. It is common for such differences to appear in the accounts of multiple narrators. In such situations, one cannot deny the occurrence of the event or explain them as several events. Instead, one has to accept the event and its necessary details in light of the common points and components of diverse statements of narrators. (The Event of Mi‘raj and its Observations 28-29)
He further writes:
These narrations come from different narrators; therefore, some of the details described in them vary as we have indicated earlier. When different people describe the details of a great event, such discrepancies are generally expected. Therefore, if some differences and misconceptions are found in the narrations about Isra and Mi‘raj , it does not affect the soundness of the event in terms of its reliability. Scholars and interpreters of Hadith literature have clarified these discrepancies and misconceptions and have provided solutions and reconciliations where it was possible, after which the principal event becomes clear of all doubts. (The Event of Mi‘raj and its Observations 42).
Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf writes about the word al-ru’ya in verse 60 of Surah Al-Isra:
In the Glorious Qur’an, ru’ya is used in the sense of sighting only. Some people, referring to the following verse of the Qur’an, consider it to mean a dream: Wa mā jaʿalnā al-ru’yā allatī araynāka illā fitnatan lilnās (And the vision We showed you was only a trial for the people.)
However, in this verse, ru’ya does not mean ‘dream,’ as it is often used. Here, it is used in the sense of actually seeing with the eyes, as this usage also exists in the Arabic language, so it is said: ra’aytuhuBiʿaynay ru’yatan wa ru’yā (I saw him with my own eyes). Meaning, seeing with the eyes can be expressed with both words ru’ya and ‘ru’yatan.’ And Imam Jamaluddin Al-Qasimi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “In language, ru’ya is also used in the absolute sense of ‘seeing’ (ru’yah), and this is its real meaning... like (qurbī and qurbatan) are. (The Event of Mi‘raj and its Observations 23)
Dr. Muhammad Luqman Salafi, a student of Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Baz, summarizes the views of the early and later scholars on the nature and condition of the Mi‘raj event in his Tafsir Taysir al-Rahman. He writes:
The majority view of the early and later scholars is that the Prophet (PBUH) went to Jerusalem and then to the heavens with both his body and soul. This is the opinion of Ibn Abbas, Jabir, Anas, Hudhayfah, Umar, Abu Huraira, Malik bin Sasaa, Abu Habba al-Badri, Ibn Mas‘ud, Dahhak, Said bin Jubair, Qatadah, Said bin Al-Musayyib, Ibn Shihab, Ibn Zaid, Hasan, Masrooq, Mujahid, Ikrimah, and Ibn Jurayj (may Allah be pleased with them all). This is also the shared opinion of Tabari, Ahmad bin Hanbal, and most later jurists and hadith scholars, as well as scholastics and commentators.
Another opinion is that the Mi‘raj was purely spiritual. Those who hold this opinion draw evidence from verse 60 of this surah: Wa mā jaʿalnā al-ru’yā allatī araynāka illā fitnatan lilnās, arguing that the Qur’an has explicitly stated that it was a dream. Ibn Ishaq has reported from Aisha (RA), and Muawiya (RA) that the blessed body of the Messenger of Allah was not found missing from his sleeping place. And the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), himself said: ‘While I was asleep,’ indicating that during the event he was sleeping.
The third opinion is that the journey to Jerusalem was accomplished physically , and from there the spiritual journey took place toward the heavens. This is because the verse limits the night journey (Isra) to Masjid Al-Aqsa.
Qadi Iyad writes in his book ‘al-Shifa’ that the correct and true belief, Insha’Allah, is that the event of Ascension (Mi‘raj) took place with both the body and soul of the Prophet (PBUH). The noble verse, authentic hadiths, and thoughtful consideration affirm this fact. Interpretational technique is used only when accepting the apparent meaning becomes impossible.
I hope the above details sufficiently explain the arguments upon which the traditional viewpoint is based. In the following pages, a critical review of these arguments will be offered in light of the stance of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi.