Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
Guide-to-Sound-Creed-A-Book-on-Muslim-Creed-and-Faith
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Principle 4: Beliefin Allah's Messengers<br />
213<br />
The dominant majority of <strong>Muslim</strong> scholars maintain that AI-Isra' of the<br />
Prophet (PBUH) was in both soul <strong>and</strong> body. The substantiating proof lies in the<br />
Qur'anic verse, which provides:<br />
"Exalted is He Who <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ok His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muhammad]<br />
by night from Al-Masjid Al-Hardm <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Al-Masjid Al-Aq(a, whose<br />
surroundings We have blessed •••» (Qur'an: AI-Isra': 1)<br />
Glorificati<strong>on</strong> ofAllah is <strong>on</strong>ly issued in great matters ofc<strong>on</strong>cern. Had it been a<br />
dream, it would not have been incredible, the disbelievers would not have belied<br />
the Prophet, <strong>and</strong>those <strong>Muslim</strong>s, who renounced Islam, would not have renounced<br />
it up<strong>on</strong> hearing the Prophet talking <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> people about that event. Likewise, the word<br />
'Servant: menti<strong>on</strong>ed in the Qur'anic verse, refers <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> both body <strong>and</strong> soul. Allah,<br />
Exalted be He, says:<br />
"Took His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muhammad] by night."<br />
And says:<br />
(Qur'an: AI-Isra': 1)<br />
"••• And We did not make the sight which We showed you except as<br />
a trial for the people." (Qur'an: AI-Isra': 60)<br />
Ibn 'Abb~ has said:<br />
"The Sight which Allah's Messenger ofAllah (PBUH) was shown <strong>on</strong> the<br />
Night Journey was actual sight (i.e., not a dream)."<br />
(Related by Al-Bukhari) <br />
Allah also says: <br />
"The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress<br />
[its limit]:' (Qur'an: An-Najm: 17)<br />
Sight is an indicati<strong>on</strong> that AI-Isra' was carried out in soul <strong>and</strong> body. Being carried<br />
<strong>on</strong> AI-Buraq, a small brilliant white beast, necessarily requires the existence of the<br />
body since the soul does not need a means oftransport when moving.<br />
On the other h<strong>and</strong>, other people maintain that the Prophet was taken, during<br />
AI-Isra', in soul <strong>on</strong>ly. This view was reported by Ibn Isnaq <strong>on</strong> the authority of<br />
'Rishah <strong>and</strong> Mu' awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). It was also reported<br />
from AI-Hasan Al-Ba~rt This view does not necessarily imply that AI-Isra' was<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly a dream. Itindicates that the Prophet's soul was detached from his body <strong>and</strong><br />
then transported <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> make the journey. Prop<strong>on</strong>ents ofthis view argue that it is <strong>on</strong>e<br />
ofthe special qualities ofthe Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
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