Me'raj-un-Nabi Sallallaho Alaihi Wa Sallam - The Divine Vision‏ (part 6)

Me'raj-un-Nabi Sallallaho Alaihi Wa Sallam - The Divine Vision‏

15. Imam Allama Ahmad Qastalaani (Radi ALLAH Anh) states in Mawahibul-Ladunniyya and Man'hi-Muhammadiyya, and Allama Muhammad Zarqaani(Radi ALLAH Anh) in its Shar'ha state:

(و منها انه راى الله تعالى بعينه) على الراجح(و كلمه الله تعالى فى الرفيع الاعلى) على سائر الامكنة و قد روى ابن عساكر عن انس رضى الله تعالى عنه مرفوعا لما اسرى لى قربنى ربى حتى كان بينى و بينه قاب قوسين او ادنى
It was the exclusivity of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) that he saw Almighty ALLAH with his physical eyes in wakefulness and this is the preferable Madhab. ALLAH Spoke to His Beloved (Peace Be Upon Him) in those high Divine regions which was above all possibilities and imaginations. Imam Ibne Asakar narrates from Sayyiduna Anas ibne Maalik that the Prophet of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "On the night of Isra my Lord, drew me so close to Him that we were two bows apart, in fact, even closer".

16. It is also stated in the same books:

قد اختلف العلماء في الاسراء واحداواسراء مرّة بروحه و بدنه يقظة و مرّة مناما او يقظة بروحه وجسده من المسجد الحرام إلى المسجد الاقصى ثمّ مناما من المسجد الاقصى إلى العرش فالحق انه اسراء واحد بروحه و جسده يقظة في القصّة كلها و إلى هذامذهب الجمهور من علماء المحدّثين و الفقهاءو المتكلّمين
There was a difference in opinion amongst the Ulama whether there was one Meh'raaj or two, one with the body and soul in wakefulness, and the other in a dream or wakefulness from Musjid-e-Haraam to Musjid-e-Aqsa. Then, from Aqsa in a dream till the Arsh. The truth is that there was one Isra and an entire journey from Musjid-e-Haraam to the Arsh was physical and in wakefulness. This is the Madhab of the majority of Ulama, Muhaditheen, Fuqaha and Mutakallimeen.

17. The same book further states:

المعاريج عشرة (إلى قوله) العاشر إلى العرش
There were ten Meh'raajs and the tenth was till the Arsh.

18. It is also recorded in the same book:

و قد ورد فى الصحيح عن انس رضى الله تعالى عنه قال عرج بى جبرئيل الى سدرة المنتهى و دنا الجبّاررب العزّة فتدلى فكان قاب قوسين او ادنى تدلية على ما فى حديث شريك كان فوق العرش
It is reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari by Sayyiduna Anas ibne Maalik that the beloved Rasool of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "Jibra'eel 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, in fact, even closer". This closeness was above the Arsh as mentioned in the Hadith-e-Shareef.

19. Allama Shi'haab Khafaji (Radi ALLAH Anh), in his Naseemur-Riyaad Sharha Shifa Imam Qaadi Ayaad (Radi ALLAH Anh), states:

ورد في المعراج انه صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلّم لما بلغ سدرة المنتهى جاءه بالرفرف جبرئيل عليه الصلوة والسلام فتناوله فطار به الى العرش
It is reported in the Hadith of Meh'raaj that when the Master (Peace Be Upon Him) reached Sidratul-Muntaha then, Sayyiduna Jibra'eel presented the Rafraf, which carried him to the Arsh.

20. It is noted in the same book:

عليه يدل صحيح الاحاديث الاحاد الدالة على دخوله صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلّم الجنة و وصوله الى العرش او طرف العالم كما سياتى كل ذالك بجسده يقظة
The units of Sahih Ahadith emphasize that the Master (Peace Be Upon Him) visited Jannah and the Arsh or the boundaries of that region beyond which lies the extra-terrestrial domain (La-Makaan). This all happened physically and in wakefulness.

21. Sayyidul-Makashifeen Sheikh-e-Akbar Muhiyyudeen ibne Arabi (Radi ALLAH Anh), in the 216Th chapter of his famous Futuhaat-e-Makkiyya, states:

اعلم ان رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه و سلّم لما كان خلقه القرآن و تخلق بالاسمآء و كان الله سبحانه و تعالى ذكر فى كتابه العزيز انه تعالى استوى على العرش على طريق التمدح و الثناء على نفسه اذ كان العرش اعظم الجسام فجعل لنبيّه عليه السلام من هذا الاستواء نسبة على طريق التمدح و الثناء به عليه حيث كان اعلى مقام ينتهى اليه من اسرى به من الرسل عليهم الصلاة والسلام و ذالك يدل على انه اسرى به صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلّم بجسمه و لو كان الاسراء به روياء لما كان الاسراء ولا الوصول الى هذا المقام تمدحا و لا وقع من الاعراب انكار على ذالك
The Holy Quraan was the beautiful character of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Unique characteristics of the Divine Names of ALLAH was found in him. In the Holy Quraan, ALLAH Announces through the praise of His Attributive Qualities of His appearance on the Sacred Arsh. Similarly, Allah The Supreme, blessed His Beloved (Peace Be Upon Him) with the reflection of His Divine Appearance of the sacred Arsh and Praised him. The Arsh is that high station where the Isra of Rasools end. This proves that the Isra of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) 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.

22. Imam Allama Arif-e-Billah Abdul Wahhab Sha'raani (Radi ALLAH Anh), in his Al-Yuwaqeet wal Jawahir, quotes from Sheikh-e-Akbar (Radi ALLAH Anh) that:

انما قال صلى الله عليه و سلّم على سبيل التمدح حتى ظهرت لمستوى اشاره لما قلنا من ان منتهى السير بالقدم المحسوس العرش
Verily, he (Sheikh-e-Akbar) said that the statement of praises of the exalted Habeeb (Peace Be Upon Him) "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.

23. Sheikh-e-Muhaqqiq Imam Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi (Radi ALLAH Anh) states in his Madaarijun-Nubuwwah:

فرمود صلىالله تعالى عليه و على آله و بارك وسلم بس كسترانيده شد برائى من رفرف سبز كه غالب بود نور او بر نور آفتاب بس درخشيد بآن نور بصر من و نهاده شدم من بران رفرف و برداشته شدم تا برسيدم بعرش
Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, "Then a green Rafraf (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 ALLAH.

24. He further states:

آورده اند كه جون رسيد ان حضرت صلى الله تعالى عليه و على آله و بارك و سلم بعرش دست زدعرش بدامان اجلال وى
It is narrated that when Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) reached the Arsh, it respectfully touched his Sacred Garb.

25. He states in Ash'atul-Lam'aat Sharha Mishkaat that:

جز حضرت بيغمبر ما صلى الله تعالى عليه و على آله و بارك وسلم بالا تر ازان هيج كس نه رفته و ان حضرت بجائى رفت كه آنجا جانيست
No one else besides the Beloved Habeeb (Peace Be Upon Him) reached this Height in the Heavens. This was a timeless and space less transcendental region.

برداشت از طبيعت امكان قدم كه آن اسرى بعبده است من المسجد الحرام

Me'raaj surpassed the limits of human nature As Allah's special servant was taken from Musjid-e-Haraam.

تا عرصه وجوب كه اقصاى عالم است
كانجانه جاست نى جهت و نى نشان نه نام

He reached the Divine Arcane Zone that cannot be explained.
This zone has no place, description, name or direction.

26. Also Sheikh-e-Muhaqqiq (Radi ALLAH Anh) states in the same book, in the third section, under "Divine Vision of Allah", while discussing the Hadith Shareef قد راى ربه مرّتين that:

بتحقيق ديد آنحضرت صلى الله تعالى عليه و آله و بارك و سلّم بروردكار خود را جلّ و علا دو بار يكى نزديك سدرة المنتهى بود ، دوم جون بالاى عرش بر آمد
Indeed, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) saw his Sublime Creator twice. First at Sidratul-Muntaha and then at the Arsh.

27. It is recorded in the fourth volume, letter number 283, in the Maktobaat of Hadrat Mujaddid Alfe Thaani Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Radi ALLAH Anh) that:

آن سرور عليه الصلوة و السلام دران شب از دائرهء مكان و زمان نبرون جست و ازتنكى امكان بر آمده ازل و ابد را آن واحد يافت و بدايت و نهايت را در يك نقطه متحده ديد
On the night of Meh'raaj, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Peace Be Upon Him) did not leave the boundaries of time and space and surpassed the restrictions of human nature. He saw the Secrets from Eternity till Eternity combined in a dot of Unity.

28. He further states in the letter number 272 that:

محمدصلى الله تعالى عليه و آله و بارك و سلّم كه محبوب ربّ العالمين ست و بهترين موجودات اوّلين و آخرين بدولت معراج بدنى مشرّف شد و از عرش و كرسى در كزشت و از مكان و زمان بالا رفت
Sayyiduna Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is the most Beloved of Allah and the most unique in creation. He was the only creation to be blessed with physical Me'raaj. He traveled further than the Arsh, Kursi and limitations of time and space.

Conclusion:

A perfect Man is not he who circumfuses the Arsh and whatever it encompasses, namely, the skies, Jannah and Jahannam. But, a perfect Man is he, whose vision surpasses all these dimensions and sees and appreciates the Glory of the Creator, of all these dimensions. (Imam Abdul Wahhab Sha'raani Radi ALLAHo ta'ala Anho)

By the Divine Grace of Almighty Allah, this brief but informative answer will suffice to remove doubts from the hearts and minds of the Muslims. (Insha ALLAH Azzawajal)

Reference Books:
Al-Khasaisal Kubra, Vol 1, Page 316-349
by Syyedi Abdur Rehman Jalaluddin Suyooti Alaihir Rehmah
منبه و المنية لوصول الحبيب إلي العرش و الرّوية
By Syyedi Ala'Hazrat Imam Ahmad Rida Khan

Isra-o-Me'raaj
by Dr. Ridwan Bin Fadlur Rehman Bin Ziauddin Ahmed Ash-Shiekh Al-Madani