The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 264
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 264 spiritual occurrence. As such, the words mentioned in Ḥadīth are that when the Holy Prophet sa was shown the vision of being lifted into the heavens, at that time he was sleeping. However, this sleep of the Holy Prophet sa was not like the normal sleep of ordinary people, rather, was in accordance with the distinctive status of prophethood, in which his eyes would sleep, but his heart would not. 1 In another narration it is mentioned that the vision of the Mi‘rāj was shown to the Holy Prophet sa in a state between sleep and wakefulness. 2 In a third narration it is mentioned that after the vision of the Mi‘rāj , the Holy Prophet sa woke up. 3 In a fourth narration, Ḥaḍrat ‘ Ā’ishah ra indicates that if someone claims that the Holy Prophet sa perceived God the Almighty with his physical eyes, then he lies – do not believe him at all. She further goes on to say that the thought of the Holy Prophet sa observing God the Almighty with his physical eyes makes me tremble. 4 Furthermore, in the books of Sīrat , narrations which prove that the Mi‘rāj was a spiritual experience and not a physical journey are of no scarcity. Therefore, the famous Islāmic historian, Ibni Isḥāq, has recorded a narration from Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishah ra that ٗ مَا فَقَد َ جَسَدَہ meaning, “On the night of the Mi‘rāj, the blessed body of the Holy Prophet sa did not disappear, rather, during this entire duration it remained in this material world. ” 5 What greater evidence could possibly exist of the Mi‘rāj being spiritual? Similarly, with regards to the Isrā’ it is mentioned both in the Holy Qur’ān and Ḥadīth , that this was a spiritual vision, which was shown to the Holy Prophet sa under various wisdoms. As such, with relevance to this, the Holy Qur’ān has mentioned three things. Firstly, this journey took place at night, which has been indicated by use of the word اَسْرٰی. Secondly, this journey was completed during the course of one night alone, as indicated by use of the word لَیْلًا. Thirdly, the primary purpose of this journey was so that ‘We may show Our messenger Our Signs’. 6 Now when we contemplate, all three of these facts confirm that the Isrā’ was a spiritual journey and not a material or physical one. The reason being that first and foremost, in common circumstances, the 1 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Manāqibil-Anṣār, Bābu Kānan-Nabīyu sa Tanāmu ‘Ainuhū wa lā Yanāmu Qalbuhū, Ḥadīth No. 3570 2 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Khalq, Bābu Dhikril-Malā’ikah. . . , Ḥadīth No. 3207 3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tauḥīd, Bābu Mā Jā’a fī Qaulihi Azza wa Jall wa Kallamallāhu Mūsā Taklīmā, Ḥadīth No. 7517 4 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratin-Najm, Bāb 1/1, Ḥadīth No. 4855 5 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 288, Dhikrul-Isrā’i wal- Mi‘rāj , Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001) 6 Banī Isrā’īl (17:2)