Did the Holy Prophet (PBUH) See Allah (SWT) on Isrâ’ and Mi‘râj ?

[Al-Boriqi]

wouldn't the Heart vision be similiar in meaning and something like that of Hasret Ibrahims heart wanting to view how life returns from the dead?

that does not apply because unlike Muhammad "seeing the Lord of the Worlds" whcih i would opine to Ibn Abbass as lumumba said (sight of the heart) and of the eyes, could only be interpreted as "light" in any event, it does not apply to Ibraheem alaihi salaam for the two are monstrously different. WHat happened with Ibraheem was his actual literal viewing of the bird being brought back to life.

and this is similar to the incident mentioned in the quraan with regard to Ezra (i believe his name was) it mentions "huwa min Bani Isra'eel". What had happened was that he passed by a town, and he had a conversation with Allah about this subject. So Allah caused him to die for a 100 years, and when he was revived Allah asked him how long were you away (sleep), Ezra replied about a day or half a day. Then ALlah told him what happened, and he told him to look at his food and look at his camel as a sign to the people who were available in this time (100 years later). Then when the camel was nothing but bones and dust, Allah literally made available to him to see the actual reconstruction of the camel to its lively form.

there is nothing here in this text that indicate that it was "a dream" or a sight other than the actual sight.

Ron said

I'm not sure how this matter of the Israa' to be a test of faith.

Allah says
“And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people.” (17.60)


vinod

Isn't that an opinion about the Basirah of a Prophet that is being injected into the text? What is the basis of that opinion? Isn't there room for disagreeing with that opinion?

i don't think it is injected. it is "a given" or "understood" based of other texts that you may have no even understood the link to in this mater. And yes there is room for disagreement. examine the following
There are 3 opinions:

1) The Prophet [Peace be upon him] saw the attributes of Allah
2) The Prophet saw Allah with eyes of the heart
3) The Prophet [Peace be upon him] saw Allah with the eyes of the head

It is very well known that Ibn Abbas was of the Opinion that the Prophet saw his Lord weather this was with the eyes or heart is however disputed.

Imam al-Bajuri (Allah have mercy on him) said that the preferred position according to the Ulama is that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) did see his Lord in the night of al-Isra' and al-Me'raj with the eyes of his head. The Hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) will be given preference over the position of Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her), as the principle states "Affirmation (ithbat) takes precedence over the negation (nafi)". Hence, the position of Ibn Abbas and others (Allah be pleased with them all) will be given preference and it will be said that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was blessed with the vision of his Lord in the night of al-Isra' and al-Me'raj. (Bajuri, Tuhfat al-Murid, P: 117-118)

Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states:

"There is an agreement among the Muslims (scholars) that no believer will see Allah Most High with his eyes in this world. The scholars only differed with regards to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) seeing Allah during his ascension to the heavens." (Sharh Fiqh al-Akbar, P: 354)

Some scholars explained that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) had a vision with the eyes of the heart, and not with the eyes of his head. This is elucidated by Ibn Abbas' other narrations in Sahih Muslim and elsewhere where he said: "He saw him with his heart." Hence, in this way, the two opinions may be reconciled. (Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, 8/430)

Shaykh Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi (Allah have mercy on him) said: This world is that which is below the heavens and anything above the heavens is considered to be part of the next world (akhira). Hence, the vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) will not be considered a vision of this world; rather it is a vision of the next world, and there is no disagreement concerning the vision of the hereafter. Hence, this vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was also a type of the vision of the hereafter. (See: Ma'arif al-Qur'an, 3/412)

Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma‘ad said:

The Companions differed whether the Prophet MHMD Allah bless and greet him – actually saw his Lord that night [of isrâ’ and mi‘râj] or not. It is authentically narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet MHMD Allah bless and greet him – saw his Lord, and also authentically related that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “He saw Him with his heart.” It is also authentically related from ‘A’isha and Ibn Mas‘ud that they denied such vision, saying that the words of Allah Most High (And verily he saw him, yet another time, at the Lote Tree of the Farthest Boundary) (53:13) refer to Gibrîl (Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma‘ad 3/34)

A narration by al-Tirmidhi from al-Sha‘bi:

Ibn ‘Abbas met Ka‘b [al-Ahbar] in ‘Arafa and asked him about something, whereupon Ka‘b began to shout Allahu Akbar! until the mountains answered him. Ibn ‘Abbas said: “We are the Banu Hashim!”[30] Ka‘b said: “Allah Most High has apportioned His vision and His speech between Muhammad MHMD Allah bless and greet him – and Musa u. Musa u spoke with Him twice and Muhammad MHMD Allah bless and greet him – saw him twice.” (al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfa al-Ahwadhi (9:118 #3496)

Ibn Taymiyya said:

Ibn ‘Abbas’s statement that “He saw Him” does not contradict that claim, nor his statement that “He saw Him with his heart.” For it is also authentically related that the Prophet MHMD Allah bless and greet him – said: “I saw my Lord – glorified and exalted is He!”[Hadith in Ahmed] However, the latter was not during the isrâ’ but in Madina, when the Prophet MHMD Allah bless and greet him – was occupied and could not be with the Companions at the time of the dawn prayer, after which he told them about his vision of Allah during his sleep that night. It is on that evidence that Imam Ahmad based himself when he said: “Yes, he saw him in reality (na‘am ra’âhu haqqan), for the dream-visions of Prophets are real.” This is absolutely true, but Ahmad did not say that he saw Him with the eyes of his head while awake. Whoever said that he did, is mistaken. Ahmad said one time: “He saw Him” and another time: “He saw Him with his heart.” These are the two statements narrated from him on the issue. The third statement whereby “He saw Him with the eyes of his head” comes from the free paraphrase of some of his companions. Ahmad’s texts are present with us, and nowhere are such words found in them. [As quoted by Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma‘ad (3:33-34).

Ibn Taymiyyah also says:

"What was proven in al-Saheeh from Ibn ‘Abbaas is that he said: ‘Muhammad saw his Lord with his heart twice, and ‘Aa’ishah denied that he had seen Him. Some people reconciled these two reports by saying that ‘Aa’ishah denied that he saw Him with his eyes and Ibn ‘Abbaas affirmed that he saw Him with his heart. Some versions of the report narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas refers to seeing without specifying how, and others indicate that it was with the heart. Sometimes he says that Muhammad saw his Lord, and sometimes he says that Muhammad saw Him. There is no clear statement from Ibn ‘Abbaas which says that he saw Him with his eyes. Similarly Imaam Ahmad sometimes says that he saw Him and sometimes says that he saw Him with his heart." (As cited in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, vol. 6, p. 509-510)


when I actually find the kalaam of Qadhi Iyaad I will post it bi ithnillah

By the way, I couldn't help contrast the way you present the traditional understanding and the way Boriqi does. Yours is a whole other experience of scholarliness. His...I'd rather not say.

firstly, i am 6000 percent sure he realizes his words are not on a level of scholarliness, well only within the acedemics of american scholastics, but not reaching the ankle of arab acedemics

secondly, he's the calm one, im the hyper one

lastly, you alreayd have a disdain for me that you don;t for lumumba. that is a major resource of why you said what you said

[lumumba_s]

It is based upon the hadith evidence, things the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) himself said. And yes, of course there is room for disagreement. These are not fundamental matters of belief that relate to prophecy itself. A person is not considered a deviant because they do not accept that the Prophet's senses were of a different nature than other people's. However, there is the issue of dreams and the belief that the Prophet's dreams were true is not something open to interpretation.

[lumumba_s]

lastly, you alreayd have a disdain for me that you don;t for lumumba. that is a major resource of why you said what you said

In Vinod's defense, I pissed him off quite a few times myself, I just don't keep going like you tend to do

[lumumba_s]

Wait... hold the phone. Did our al-Izaaree just pray for mercy for "Shaykh al-Akbar"?

* Lumumba faints *

[Al-Boriqi]

Qadi Iyaad al Malaki, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim says:

“The majority of the pious predecessors and later jurists, scholars of Hadith and men of learning believe the Miraj to be bodily. Four reasons are given by the scholars for this

Firstly, the word ‘Abd’ in the ayah of the Miraj refers categorically to mind and soul together.
Secondly, all the ahadith about the Miraj actually talk about the Prophet salallahu alaihi wa sallam mounting the Buraq, eating, drinking, meeting pas prophets, leading them in the prayer. All these are physical actions. No where is it mentioned that this was a dream.
Thirdly, if it was a mere dream, which the beloved Messenger sallallahu alaihi wasallam narrated to the people of Makkah, why did they deny it? Surely don’t people see many weird and wonderful dreams ?
Fourthly, how could it have been a test of people’s faith if it was a mere dream ? [he is refering to the ayah i quoted to Ron]

This is why the great Hanafi scholar, Imam Nasafi mentioned in his classical work “Aqaid an Nasafi”.
“In the Miraj, he was taken to Masjid al-Aqsa and then to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha,
and wherever Allah wished.”
All this took place in a state of wakefulness and with the body. However it took place in the realm of the Barzakh, which is the state between the physical and spiritual. Hence spiritual laws govern the body and the spiritual elements appeared in the bodily form. In fact all the ‘strange’ events of Miraj were expressed in this state of Barzakh.

Shah Wali Allah’s comments on the intercession: (Sirat un –Nabi, page 451, in Hujja
Tullahil Balaagah) Shah Wali Allah goes on to interpret many of the scenes of the Miraj in
light of the above.
For example, the Hadith mentioned two cups were presented to the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam. Once was a cup of milk and the other was a cup of wine. He salallahu alaihi wasallam chose the cup of milk, and there upon
the angel said: “You selected the natural state. If you had chosen the cup of wine, your entire nation would have been lead astray.” In this world for Barzakh, milk represented the
natural state, and misguidance was in the form of wine.

[lumumba_s]

when I actually find the kalaam of Qadhi Iyaad I will post it bi ithnillah

I've probably said this 20 times already, but that is quite possibly my favorite authored book. I take it that you have Mulla Ali al-Qari's sharh?

[Al-Boriqi]

Wait... hold the phone. Did our al-Izaaree just pray for mercy for "Shaykh al-Akbar"?

* Lumumba faints *

no way

i hope i did not slip. Allah rebuked muhammad for making dua of forgiveness for kuffar. if i did, i retract it

[lumumba_s]

Shaykh Muhyi al-Din ibn Arabi (Allah have mercy on him) said: This world is that which is below the heavens and anything above the heavens is considered to be part of the next world (akhira). Hence, the vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) will not be considered a vision of this world; rather it is a vision of the next world, and there is no disagreement concerning the vision of the hereafter. Hence, this vision of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was also a type of the vision of the hereafter. (See: Ma'arif al-Qur'an, 3/412)

You've been quoting Ash'aris, Maturids and now Sufis more regulalry. I hoped we had a breakthough. I guess not. You should be careful who you quote from in the future. You don't want your party to reject your for associating deviants like they did my roommate...

Do you also recant your frequent references to Imam al-Bajuri?

* Lumumba quietly gets back up off the floor *

[Al-Boriqi]

I've probably said this 20 times already, but that is quite possibly my favorite authored book. I take it that you have Mulla Ali al-Qari's sharh?

actually no i don't. i was browsing my maktaba electronica when i have very few hanafi works, that being fatwa hindiyyah, the mabsut of Sarkhasi, and at-Tahafut al-Fuqaha of Samrqandi.

I love Ali al-Qari's works in spite of his maturidiness (only in some matters for he even espoused ibn taymiyyic salafi views as well) overall, his words from what i have encountered before is wondeful

i will have to get his stuff inshallah

[Al-Boriqi]

You've been quoting Ash'aris, Maturids and now Sufis more regulalry. I hoped we had a breakthough. I guess not. You should be careful who you quote from in the future. You don't want your party to reject your for associating deviants like they did my roommate...

Do you also recant your frequent references to Imam al-Bajuri?

* Lumumba quietly gets back up off the floor *

bajuri, in spite of his absurd socretean creed, is at least under the umbrella of Islam. Salafis do not consider as deviant the seeking of mercy to others, even if they were mubtadiah or among the people of innovated beliefs.

i meant to blot that quote from muhiyu-kufr ibn arabi

[lumumba_s]

actually no i don't. i was browsing my maktaba electronica when i have very few hanafi works, that being fatwa hindiyyah, the mabsut of Sarkhasi, and at-Tahafut al-Fuqaha of Samrqandi.

I love Ali al-Qari's works in spite of his maturidiness (only in some matters for he even espoused ibn taymiyyic salafi views as well) overall, his words from what i have encountered before is wondeful

i will have to get his stuff inshallah

Mulla Ali Qari's sharh isn't really considered a Hanafi work. The Shifa' is one of those works that every Muslim used to have, until things changed... Its probably now considered too "Sufi" for your typical Muslim's taste. I "started" a controversy when I used A`isha Bewley's translation to try to help a Tanzanian brother develop a more sophisticated use of the English language.

[hlatif]

Salaam brother Boriqi,

Related to Ibn Arabi. I did read many statements from Ibn Taimiyyah related to him. While Ibn Taimiyyah considered many of the writings of Ibn Arabi as containing Kufr, he also accepted that there was some good in some other of his writings. Ibn Taimiyyah observed that amongst the unity of being people, Ibn Arabi was the least far from Islam, but also the most confused and self contradicting, which opens an array of understandings and misunderstandings in reading him. However, Ibn Taimiyyah stopped without labelling him clearly as a kafir, and left it in a statement like this "We do not know or Allah knows on what creed he died".

Take care all and have a great day.


Hussein

[lumumba_s]

Oh and may Allah be well pleased with Shaykh Muhyiddin ibn `Arabi. So what do you believe about the people who quote him, inspite of what his critics of said about him?

[hasan]

With Hasret Aisha's Hadith, could it be construed that our Beloved Mother may have considered the questioner having restricted our Creator being viewed in this World we live with the eyes we have?, which is fatal....as evidenced from Hasret Musa's request or that Our Beloved Mother construed the question to having seen with the same eyes of this world, without it being protected in someway or changed so as to have the ability to see in the heavens...have any savants eleborated the hadith from Hasret Aisha along these lines..?

Being resurrected blind must also mean vision not being allowed in the hereafter while fully being able to do so..

Hasret Adem & Hava must've been able to see our Creator in the garden, but on Earth i would not suspect so..

[hasan]

I believe that is one of the distinguishing factors between the Heavens and Earth, while we can be able see our Creator in Heaven, we will assurdely not be able to see Him on Earth, at least until after Judgement Day..When Earth will be a new creation for residences of paradise to dwell..