Qur'anic Proofs of the Physical Miraj and the Refutation of Its Deniers

The scholars of Islam have stated that by using the words سُبْحٰنَ and اَسْرٰی, Allah Almighty has answered every objection against the Miʿrāj being physical. It is as though He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said, 'O deniers! Beware! You have no right to object to my beloved Prophet's ﷺ Miʿrāj. This is because he has not claimed that he went on the Miʿrāj and travelled to al-Masjid Al-Aqṣā or the heavens by himself. In such circumstances, what right do you have to object to him? I am the One stating that I took My beloved Prophet ﷺ. Now if you have an objection against My taking him, in that you think taking him and showing him the skies and returning him is not possible, then remember that I am سُبْحٰنَ (free from every incapacity and weakness). If that which is habitually impossible for creation is also impossible for Me, then I would be incapable and weak, and incapacity and weakness are defects, and I am free from every flaw.'¹

The Proof for Miʿrāj Being Physical

It is also apparent from this verse that the Miʿrāj of the Prophet ﷺ was not just spiritual, rather it was with body and soul together. Thus The reviver of Islam, the Imām of Ahl Al-Sunnah, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُاللّٰهِعَلَيه says that the noble Miʿrāj absolutely, definitely happened with the blessed body of the Prophet ﷺ and was not just spiritual, as it even occurs the bestowal of Allah Almighty on chosen followers of the Prophet ﷺ. Allah Almighty states:

سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِیْ اَسْرٰی بِعَبْدِهٖ

Glory be to Him Who took His bondsman by the night.²

He عَزَّوَجَلَّ did not say, 'took the soul of His slave'.³

¹ Maqalat-e-Kazimi, vol. 1, p. 124
² [Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 15, Surah Bani Isra'il, Verse 1)
³ Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 15, p. 74

Note: It should be remembered that the noble Miʿrāj took place in a wakeful state with both body and soul. This belief of the majority of the people of Islam and many groups of the Sahabah رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم, and the leading companions of the Prophet ﷺ held this belief.¹

The Second Place:

At a second place, in Surah Bani Israel, it is mentioned:

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّءْیَاالَّتِیْۤ اَرَیْنٰکَ اِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ

'And We did not grant the vision (i.e. the wonders of Allah's signs) which We showed you (on the night of Mi'raaj) except to test people,²

On the morning of the blessed Miʿrāj, when the beloved Prophet ﷺ informed the people of these events, some of those that had previously believed apostatised.³ In this verse is mention of putting those people to test. It is also learnt from this verse that the Miʿrāj was not only spiritual, rather it was with body and soul together, because if it had been only spiritual, then no one would have objected.

The Third Place:

In Surah al-Najm is the following passage from the blessed speech of Allah Almighty:

وَالنَّجْمِ اِذَا هَوٰی ۙ مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُکُمْ وَمَا غَوٰی ۚ وَمَا یَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوٰی ۚ اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا وَحْیٌ یُّوْحٰی ۙ عَلَّمَهٗ شَدِیْدُ الْقُوٰی ۙ ذُوْمِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوٰی ۙ وَهُوَ بِالْاُفُقِ الْاَعْلٰی ۫ ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلّٰی ۙ فَکَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَیْنِ اَوْاَدْنٰی ۚ فَاَوْحٰۤی اِلٰی عَبْدِهٖ مَاۤ اَوْحٰی ۫ مَا کَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَاٰی ۚ اَفَتُمٰرُوْنَهٗ عَلٰی مَا یَرٰی ۫ وَلَقَدْ رَاٰهُ نَزْلَةً اُخْرٰی

¹ Khaza'in Al-'Irfan, Part 15, Surah Bani Isra'il, under the verse 1, p. 525
² [Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 15, Surah Bani Isra'il, Verse 1)
³ Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Surah al-Isra, under the verse 20, vol. 5, p. 175

سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهٰی ۙ عِنْدَهَاجَنَّةُ الْمَاْوٰی ۭ اِذْیَغْشَی السِّدْرَةَمَایَغْشٰی ۙ مَازَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَاطَغٰی ۭ لَقَدْرَاٰی مِنْ اٰیٰتِ رَبِّهِ الْکُبْرٰی

By the oath of that beloved shining star Muhammad, when he descended from Mi'raaj (i.e. the Ascension). Your companion (i.e. the Beloved Prophet Muhammad) has not strayed, nor was he misled. And he does not say anything of his own desire. It is not but revelation which is sent down upon him. The One Who is extremely Mighty, the Powerful has taught him. Then that Manifestation intended. And he (i.e. the Beloved Prophet Muhammad) was on the horizon of the uppermost heaven. Then that Manifestation came closer, and then He became increasingly closer (towards His Beloved). So, the distance remaining between that Manifestation and this Beloved was only of two arm lengths; rather, even less. Now He revealed to His bondsman whatever He revealed. The heart (of the Prophet Muhammad) did not lie regarding what he saw.So, do you dispute with him regarding what he saw (on the night of Mi'raaj)? And he did see that Manifestation two times. Near the Lote Tree of the farthest boundary. Close to which is Paradise Al-Ma'wa. When the Lote Tree was being enveloped with whatever was covering it (i.e. a supreme decoration of marvellous lights and angels). The eyes (of the Beloved Prophet) did not turn aside nor exceed the limit. Indeed, he saw the greatest signs of his Lord.¹

There are many opinions of the exegetes regarding the meaning of the word نُجُوْم in these verses. Some have taken the meaning of stars, others have the opinion that it refers to a specific group of stars, (the Pleiades) and some have taken the opinion that it means the Quran. The preponderant view is that it refers to the noble personage of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as it is clear from the translation of The reviver of Islam, the Imām of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُاللّٰهِعَلَيه mentioned above.² Thus, the celestial journey of the Prophet ﷺ is indicated to in these verses.

¹ [Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 27, Surah Al-Najm, Verses 1-18)
² Tafsir Khaza'in Al-'Irfan, Part 27, Surah Al-Najm, under the verse 1, p. 969