[This book is about whether Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah on the night of Meraj.]
Divine Vision
Munabbih al-Munyah Bi Wusul al-Habib ila'l Árshi wa'r Ru'yah
Written by:
Mujaddid-e-IslamAla Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan
Translated by Abdul Hadi Al Qadri
Credits to www.alahazratnetwork.org
QUESTION:
What is the Ruling of the Ulama of Islam concerning the Divine Sight of Almighty Allah? Did Sayyidina Rasulallah see Almighty Allah with his naked eye on the night of Me’raaj? Is there any proof in the Hadith Sharif concerning this subject?
Please furnish us with authentic proofs from the sacred Sharee’ah and clarify this matter. May Almighty Allah bless you for the service of Deen.
ANSWERS:
From directly traced Ahadith:
1. Imam Ahmad ibne Hanbal in his Musnad narrates from Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas that Sayyidina Rasulallah said, “I saw my Sublime Creator.”
Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti in his Khsaais-e-Kubra and Allama Abdur Rauf Munadi in his Tafseer Shar’ha Jameh Sagheer state that this Hadith Sharif is authentic.
2. Imam Muhaddith ibne Asakir narrates from Sayyidina Jabir bin Abdullah that Sayyidina Rasulallah states:
“Verily, Almighty Allah blessed Sayyidina Musa (A.S) with the privilege of dialogue and cherished me with his Divine Vision and exalted me with the Crown of Intercession and the Fountain of Kawthar.”
3. Imam Asakir also narrates from Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Masud who reported that Sayyidina Rasulallah states:
“My Glorious Lord said to me, ‘I gave My friendship to Sayyidina Ibrahim (A.S) and spoke to Sayyidina Musa (A.S), and O Muhammad ! I blessed you with My Meeting (where you saw My Divine Being without any obstacles).”
In Majma-ul-Bihaar, the word ‘’ of the above Hadith Sharif is explained as follows:
Majma-ul-Bihaar explains the word ‘’ as Almighty Allah blessed His Beloved with such a Presence and Vision that there were no veils as barriers and no intervention of an Angel.
4. Ibne Marduwiyya narrates from Sayyida Asma bint Abu Bakr that:
Sayyidina Rasulallah was praising the excellence of Sidratul Muntaha when I enquired from him, “Ya Rasulallah ! What did you see at Sidratul Muntaha ?” He replied, “There I saw the Divine Glory (i.e. of Almighty Allah ).”
COMMENTS OF THE NOBLE COMPANIONS
1. Tirmidhi Sharif narrates from Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas states:
“We, the Bani Hashim (Ahle Bait), say that undoubtedly, Sayyidina Muhammad
saw Almighty Allah twice.”
2. Ibne Ishaq narrates from Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abi Salma that:
Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Umar enquired of Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas to find out whether Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah, and he replied, “Yes.”
3. The words of Tabrani state:
Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas said that Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah.
Akrama , who was his student, asked him:, “Did Sayyidina Rasulallah see Almighty Allah ?” He replied, “Yes, Almighty Allah blessed Sayyidina Musa (A.S) with Dialogue, Sayyidina Ibrahim (A.S) with Friendship and Sayyidina Muhammad with His Divine Presence”. [Words of Tabrani] “And verily, Sayyidina Muhammad saw Almighty Allah twice”.
Imam Tirmidi ( R.A) states that this Hadith Sharif is Hasan. Imam Nisa’e , Imam Ibne Hazeema and Hakim (Radi Allah Anhu) all record the following:
Are you surprised of the Dialogue of Sayyidina Musa (A.S), Friendship of Sayyidina Ibrahim (A.S) and Divine Sight of Sayyidina Muhammad ?
Hakim has said that this is a Sahih Hadith Sharif. Imam Qastalani and Imam Zarqani both acknowledge the authenticity of this Hadith Sharif.
4. It is narrated in Tabrani and Moh’jam Awsat:
Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas says that “Verily, Sayyidina Muhammad saw his Lord twice, once with his physical eye and once with the eye of his heart.”
Imam Suyuti , Imam Qastalani , Allama Shami and Allama Zarqaani all say that there is no doubts in the authenticity of this Hadith Sharif.
5. Ibne Hazeema and Imam Bazaz both narrate from Sayyidina Anas ibne Malik :
“Verily, Sayyidina Muhammad saw his Most Gracious Creator.”
Imam Ahmad Qastalani and Imam Abdul Baqi Zarqani state that the authenticity of this Hadith Sharif is very strong.
6. Imam Muhammad ibne Ishaq narrates this Hadith Sharif from Sayyidina Abu Huraira :
Marwan asked Sayyidina Abu Huraira if Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah and he replied, “Yes”.
VIEWS OF THE TABA’EEN
1. Imam Abdur Razzaq , the teacher of Imam Bukhari , in his famous Musannaf reports from his teacher Imam Mah’mar :
Imam Mah’mar narrates from Imam Hasan Al-Basri who swore an oath in the Name of Almighty Allah that Sayyidina Rasulallah positively saw his Creator (Almighty Allah).
2. Similarly, Imam Ibne Hazeema narrates from Sayyidina Urwa bin Zubair , who is the cousin of Sayyidina Rasulallah and grandson of Sayyidina Abu Bakr , that he also accepts that Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah on the night of Meraj and he used to get very upset if anyone rejected this.
The following Luminaries held similar views:
1. Sayyidina Kaab Ahbar who was a great Aalim of the previous scriptures
2. Imam Ibne Sha’hab Zahri Qarshi
3. Imam Mujahid Makh’zoomi Makki
4. Imam Akrama bin Abdullah Madani Hashmi
5. Imam Ata bin Rabah Qarshi Makki , teacher of Imam Abu Hanifa .
6. Imam Muslim bin Sabeeh Abu’d-Duha etc. and all the students of Aalim-ul-Quran Jabrul-Ummah Sayyidina Abdullah ibne Abbas confirm the Divine Vision.
Imam Ahmad Qastalani states in Mawahibul Ladunniya:
OPINION OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS IMAMS OF ISLAM
Imam Khal’lal in Kitab-us-Sunnah narrates from Imam Ishaq bin Marozi that Imam Ahmad ibne Hambal accepts this Tradition and confirms this by saying that:
Imam Naqqash in his Tafseer narrates from Imam Sanadul Anam that:
He said, “I accept the Hadith of Ibne Abbas that Sayyidina Rasulallah saw his Creator (Almighty Allah) with his eyes, he did see, he did see, he did see”.
He repeated this till his breath lasted.
Imam Ibne Khateb Misri states in Mawahib Sharif that:
Mah’mar bin Rashid Basri bul-Hasan Ash’ari and other Ulema acknowledge this, and this is the Madhab of the Ahle Sunnah, Imam Abul Hasan Ash’ari And the majority of his followers.
Allama Imam Sha’hab Khafaji in his Nasim-ur-Riyaad, the commentary of Shifa Qazi Ayad , states that:
“The most correct and pure Madhab is that Sayyidina Rasulallah on the night of Me'raj saw Almighty Allah with his naked eyes as it is the Madhab and Consensus of the illustrious Sahaba fraternity.”
Imam Nawawi in Shar’ha Muslim Sharif and Allama Muhammad bin Abdul Baqi in Shar’ha Mawahib states:
“It is the consensus of the majority of Ulema that Sayyidina Rasulallah saw Almighty Allah with his naked eyes on the night of Meraj.”
QUESTION:
Another similar question was posed to the Great Mujaddid, Imam Ahmad Raza on 11 Muharram al-Haram 1320 A.H. which read:
What is the ruling of the Noble Ulama regarding Sayyidina Rasulallah going up to the Arsh in the night of Meraj? Is this an established fact because Zaid says that this is a lie. Is Zaid’s statement correct or not?
ANSWER:
Indeed the illustrious Ulema and distinguished Imams of Islam have in their authentic books expressed great detail regarding this subject. All these are based on the Ahadith Sharif.
Although these Ahadith are forwarded () or problematic (), both are unanimously agreed upon and accepted by the sector of Fada’il (virtues) by the Muhadditheen. The narrators and presenters are all trustworthy. It depends solely on the authenticity of solid proof. Hence, confirmation deplores contradiction.
Imam-e-Ajal Sayyidi Muhammad Busairi , in his renowned Qasida Burdah Sharif states:
“Sayyidina Rasulallah , in the short space of time, travelled from Masjid-e-Haram to Masjid-e-Aqsa. This sacred journey was bright like the brilliance of the full moon.
The Beloved travelled in the night of Meraj until he reached the station of Qaba Qosain. No creation could reach this height nor possessed the courage to do so.
The noble status of the Nabi left everything below him when he proceeded towards the Divine Height of the Unique Lord (Almighty Allah) on the Night of Ascension.
The Beloved enjoyed such excellence that no one can share. He passed such place where no creation set foot.”
Rasulallah was blessed with exclusive gifts & secrets and passed all the
heights without any hindrance, Without doubt, this goes to say that the Master travelled the secret and timeless regions alone to the Divine Presence and met & saw Almighty Allah.
Allama Mullah Ali Qari in his Shar’ha elaborates on Imam Busairi’s verses:
“Sayyidina Rasulallah passed all the Secret Curtains and reached the Divine Absolute Presence of the Supreme Creator (Almighty Allah) as one reaches one’s goal leaving everyone behind. There was no step of excellence in the entire universe that the Master did not surpass. In fact, the Master transcended above the domain of space & time and entered the Station of Qaba Qosain and O’adna. Then, Almighty Allah the Supreme spoke to the Beloved what He had to Say.”
Likewise, Imam Abu Abdullah Sharfuddin Muhammad states in Ummul-
Qurra:
“The Master advanced till Qaba Qosain (Divine Presence) and this is indeed the ultimate.”
These are the Secret Stations where desires and thoughts cannot contemplate because there are no paths that lead to them.”
Thus, Imam Ibne Hajr Makki comments in the Shar’ha of Umm-ul-Qura.
Some state that there were ten Merajs on the night of Isra. There were seven in the seven skies, the eighth [Sidratul Muntaha], the ninth in the Divine Levels and the Tenth to the Arsh.
Sayyedi Allama Arif-e-Billah Abdul Ghani Nablusi reaffirms this in Hadiqa-e-
Nadiyyah Shar’ha Tareeqa-e-Muhammadiya:
“There were ten Merajs. The tenth was from the Arsh till the Divine Presence.”
Imam Ibne Hajr Makki states in Shar’ha Hamziyya:
“When Nabi Suleman (A.S) was given the wind, it carried him the distance of one month’s journey in one day. Our Master was given the Buraq which carried him from the earth to the Arsh in a fleeting moment. The shortest portion of this journey (between earth and the seven skies) takes seventeen thousand years. And Almighty Allah only knows the distance above the Arsh to the Divine Levels with the Raf Raf (a special creature which transported Rasulallah to Almighty Allah).”
It is also recorded in the same Shar’ha Hamziya:
“Nabi Musa (A.S) was blessed with Dialogue (Kalam). Similarly, our Master was blessed on the night of Isra with Divine Presence. He saw Almighty Allah from a very close range with his naked eye. You cannot compare
the experiences of MountTuur with the experiences of our Master with
Almighty Allah.”
It is further recorded in the same Kitab:
“Sayyidina Rasulallah physically proceeded to the skies on the night of Isra in wakefulness. From there to the Sidratul Muntaha, to the Divine Levels, to the Arsh and Raf Raf till he saw the Divine Vision.”
Allama Ahmad bin Muhammad Sawi Maliki Khal’wati in a marginal annotation of Umm-ul-Qura writes:
“The Beloved Habib undertook the journey of Meraj in wakefulness with his body and soul. He travelled from Masjid-e-Haram to Masjid-e-Aqsa. Then up to the skies, then Sidratul Muntaha, to the Divine Levels, to the Arsh and Raf Raf.”
Imam Ash-Sheikh Sulayman Al-Jamal states in Futuhat-e-Ahmad Shar’ha Hamziya:
“The heights of Sayyidina Rasulallah in the night of Isra was from Bait-ul-Muqaddas to the seven skies. And from there to wherever Almighty Allah Willed. But, it is reckoned that he did not go further than the Arsh.”
It also recorded in the same Kitab:
“There were ten Merajs on the night of Isra. Seven in the skies, eighth Sidrat-ul-Muntaha, ninth Divine Levels and tenth, the Arsh. The research scholars of Meraj say that he did not go further than the Arsh.”
He goes on further to say:
“When the Beloved passed the seventh sky, the Sidratul Muntaha was raised in front of him. He passed that and reached the Divine Levels. He was then placed in the World of Noor (Divine Light). There he passed seventy thousand Curtains of Light. The distance between each curtain is a distance of five hundred years. Then a green bedding was hung before him. The Master passed this and reached the Arsh. He did not go further than this but reached the station of Qaba-Qosain of his Lord.”
COMMENTS OF THE GREAT MUJADDID IMAM AHMAD RAZA
Sheikh Suleman Al-Jamal gives preference to the Master not going
above the Arsh while the words & views quoted of Imam Ibne Hajr Makki and others stress that the Master proceeded above the Arsh and La-Makaan (Super-Divine Region beyond Time and Space).
La-Makaan is indeed above the Arsh. So, in reality, there is no contradiction between these two views.
The boundaries of space (Mayan) end at the Arsh and beyond this are the region beyond time and space. A body needs space (Mayan) for it to be in, but the Beloved proceeded with his Sacred Soul to the furthest regions of the Arsh, his Sacred Soul went beyond all limited bounds to experience the Divine Vision.
The Creator Almighty Allah who took the Beloved there or the Beloved who went there only knows these limits. The words of Sayyidi Makashifeen Sheikh-e-Akbar ibne Arabi points to this fact. Shortly, I will quote his words:
He says that the Arsh was journey’s limit of the Beloved ’s sacred feet. Therefore, the journey of the sacred feet ended on the Arsh. Allah Almighty forbids! This termination does not mean that there were any faults or mishaps in the sacred journey.
In fact, the journey terminated because the sacred feet encompassed every possibility, creation and space.
There was no space (Makaan) for the Beloved’s feet to reach above the Arsh. But the journey of the Beloved’s sacred heart terminated at Qaba-Qosain.
Is there a doubt in one’s heart of what is beyond the Arsh that the Beloved proceeded towards? Then listen to the words of Imam-e-Ajal Arif-e-Billah Sayyidi Ali Wafa , which is quoted by Imam Abdul Wahab Sha’rani in his masterpiece, Al-You’ waqet wal Jawahir Fi Aqa’idil-Akabir:
“A perfect Man is not he who circumfuses the Arsh and whatever it encompasses, namely, the skies, Jannah and Jahanam. But, a perfect Man is he, whose vision surpasses all these dimensions and sees & appreciates the Glory of the Creator (Allah Almighty) of all these dimensions.”
Imam Allama Ahmad Qastalani states in Mawahibul Ladunniya and Man’hi-
Muhammadiya, and Allama Muhammad Zarqaani in his Shar’ha state:
“It was the exclusivity of Sayyidina Rasulallah that he saw Almighty Allah
with his physical eyes in wakefulness and this is the preferable Madhab. Almighty Allah Spoke to His Beloved in those high Divine regions which was above all
possibilities and Imaginations.
Imam Ibne Asakir narrates from Sayyidina Anas ibne Malik that the Prophet of Almighty Allah said, “On the night of Isra, my Lord drew me so close to Him that we were two bows apart, in fact, even closer.”
It is also stated in the same Kitabs:
“There was a difference in opinion amongst the Ulema whether there was one Meraj or two, one with the body and soul in wakefulness, and the other in a dream or wakefulness from Masjid-e-Haram to Masjid-e-Aqsa. Then, from Aqsa, in a dream till the Arsh. The truth is that there was one Isra and an entire journey from Masjid-e-Haram to the Arsh was physical and in wakefulness. This
is the Madhab of the majority of Ulrma, Muhadditheen, Fuqaha and Mutakallimeen.”
The same Kitab further states:
“There were ten Merajs and the tenth was till the Arsh.”
It is also recorded in the same Kitab:
“It is reported in Sahih Bukhari by Sayyidina Anas ibne Malik that the Beloved Rasul of Almighty Allah said, “Jibra’il proceeded with me till the Sidratul Muntaha. Then, the Divine Power of the Almighty Lord drew me to a distance of two bows close to Him (Almighty Allah). In fact, even closer.”
This closeness was above the Arsh as mentioned in the Hadith Sharif.
Allama Sha’hab Khafaji in his Nasimur Riyad Shar’ha Shifa Imam Qadi Ayad states:
“It is reported in the Hadith of Meraj that when the Master reached Sidratul Muntaha then, Sayyidina Jibra’il presented the Raf Raf which carried him to the Arsh.”
It is noted in the same Kitab:
“The units of Sahih Ahadith emphasize that the Master visited Jannah and the Arsh or the boundaries of that region beyond which lies the extraterrestrial domain (La-Makaan). This all happened physically and in wakefulness.”
Sayyedul Mukashifeen Sheikh-e-Akbar Muhyuddin ibne Arabi , in the 216th chapter of his famous Futuhat-e-Makkiya, states:
“The Holy Quran was the beautiful character of Sayyidina Rasulallah and the unique characteristics of the Divine Names of Almighty Allah was found in him. In the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah announces through the praise of His Attributive Qualities of His appearance on the Sacred Arsh.
Similarly, Almighty Allah the Supreme, blessed His Beloved with the reflection of His Divine Appearance of the sacred Arsh and praised him. The Arsh is that high station where the Isra of Rasuls end. This proves that the Isra of Sayyidina Rasulallah was physical because if it was a dream then Almighty Allah would have not praised his appearance on the Sacred Arsh.
Only the unpleasant reject this reality.”
Imam Allama Arif-e-Billah Abdul Wahab Sha'rani in his Al-Yuwaqet wal Jawahir, quotes from Muhyuddin ibne Arabi that:
“Verily, he (Muhyuddin ibne Arabi R.A) said that this statement of praise of the exalted Habib , “And until that time when I was elevated to the Divine Levels” reflects to the fact that the termination of the physical feet’s journey was at the Sacred Arsh.”
Sheikh-e-Muhaqqiq Imam Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi states in his Madarjun-Nubuwah:
Sayyidina Rasulallah said, “Then a green Raf Raf (Divine Carrier) was laid for me. Its light was even greater than that of the sun. Its brilliance brightened my vision. I was seated on it and taken into the Heavens until I reached the Arsh of Almighty Allah.”
He further states:
“It is narrated that when Sayyidina Rasulallah reached the Arsh, it respectfully touched his Sacred Garb.”
He states in Ash’atul-Lam’aat Sharha Mishkat that:
“No one else besides the Beloved Habeeb reached this Height in the Heavens. This was a timeless and spaceless transcendental region.”
Meraj surpassed the limits of human nature as Allah’s special Servant was taken from Masjid-e-Haram.
He reached the Divine Zone that cannot be explained. This zone has no place, description, name or direction.
Also Sheikh-e-Muhaqqiq states in the same Kitab, in the third section, under “Divine Vision of Almighty Allah”, while discussing the Hadith Sharif that:
“Indeed, Sayyidina Rasulallah saw his Sublime Creator twice. First at Sidratul Muntaha and then at the Arsh.
It is recorded in the fourth volume, number 283, in the Maktubat of Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi that:
“On the night of Meraj, Sayyidina Rasulallah did not leave the boundaries of time & space and surpassed the restrictions of human nature.
He saw the Secrets from Eternity till Eternity combined in a dot of unity.”
He further states at number 272 that:
“Sayyidina Muhammad is the Most Beloved of Almighty Allah and the
most unique in creation. He was the only creation to be blessed with physical Meraj. He travelled further than the Arsh, Kursi and limitations of time & space.”
Imam Ibnus Salah states in Ma’arifat-e-Anwa’e-Ilmul Hadith that:
“The Authors and Jurists say that the Beloved Habib said so and so (signs). Nobody understood the explanation of the Nabi. Muhaddith Abu-
Bakr Al-Hafiz named this Hadith “Al-Mursal” in accordance to that School which classify all the non-Muttasil Ahadith as Mursal.
It recorded in Tal’weh, etc. that:
“If the chain of narration have not been mentioned then it will be regarded as Mursal.”
It is stated In Musallamul-al-Thuboot that:
“The Mursal Hadith will be regarded as authentic because it is the words of Sayyidina Rasulallah .”
It is states in Fawateh-ar-Rahmoot that:
“According to the Principles of Hadith (Usool), all Mursal Hadith will be classified as Sahih.”
It further states:
“If a Sahaba narrates a Mursal Hadith then it will be unanimously accepted. If a non-Sahaba narrates it then it will also be considered as accepted. Imam Abu Hanifa , Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal say that the
Mursal of a non-Sahaba will be unconditionally accepted if the Narrators are indisputable.”
It is recorded in Mirqat Shar’ha Mishkat that:
“There is no harm to present a Mursal Hadith as proof because a Hadith-e-Munqata’ah (Hadith with broken chain of narrators) is accepted as useful in Fada’il (in praise of Luminaries).”
Imam Qadi Ayad states in Shifa Sharif:
“Sayyidina Rasulallah informed of the Shahada of Sayyidina Ali that his attacker is a Jahannami. (This is an example of a Mursal Hadith).”
It states in Nasim-ur-Riyad:
“It is obvious that this information came through the Prophet of Almighty Allah. All the Muhadditheen accept the above Hadith, besides Imam Ibn Atheer, who
says that in Nihaya, that Sayyidina Ali said, “I am the distributor of fire.” Imam Sha’hab Khafaji says that Ibn Atheer is correct in his decision about what Sayyidina Ali said which is not used as an opinion. Therefore, this Hadith will be classified as a Marfuh.
Imam Ibnul Humaam states in Fathul-Qadeer:
“If a Hadith does not have any narrators, its origin will not be rejected.”
Sunni Beliefs 
saw Almighty Allah on the night of Meraj.]
