Miraj--Prophet's pbuh journey

[Amica]

Salaam--
I am a little confused about the Miraj. Please forgive me. I still consider myself a "baby" Muslim beginner
My question is, did the prophet experience Miraj spiritually or physically? If it was spiritual journey, can it be explained by out of body experience or a lucid dream? Just a question. Please help me understand.

[Abdullah]

Originally Posted by Amica

Salaam--
I am a little confused about the Miraj. Please forgive me. I still consider myself a "baby" Muslim beginner
My question is, did the prophet experience Miraj spiritually or physically? If it was spiritual journey, can it be explained by out of body experience or a lucid dream? Just a question. Please help me understand.

Assalamualikum sister; I too am a 'baby' in learning about Islam but maybe I've come across something which you havn't and you have which I havn't so were all pretty much 'babies' in this respect, for the Islamic teachings are absolutely vast and we can go on learning for decades and hardly learn the equivelent of a drop out of the ocean ...

Well sister regarding your question, the mainstream view is that the Prophet [saw's] miraj journey was in bodily form and this is infact part of the essential beliefs [Aqeedah] of Sunni Islam too; this means that this view will be based on overwhelming evidence; here is some of it:

Mi’raj was Physical
1. “Glorified be He who carried His servant by night . . .” (Qur’an 17:1) This verse from the Qur’an describes the initial stages of the miraculous journey of our Beloved Nabi صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. One can clearly ascertain from the words of this verse that the Mi’raj was physical

2. Another verse of the Qur’an regarding Mi’raj is: “We appointed the vision which we showed thee as an ordeal for mankind.” (17:60) The word ru’ya (vision) is used for two meanings: dream or vision / view / sight. The Commentators of the Qur’an have given examples from Arabic poetry where ru’ya is used to mean vision/seeing and not dream. Imam Bukhari rahmatullahi alayh has narrated from Abdullah Ibne Abbas رضي الله عنهمa the meaning of the word ru’ya in this verse with the following words: “It (the ru’ya) was an actual eye-witness (account) which was shown to Rasoolullah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم the night he was taken on a journey (through the heavens)”. [Bukhari Vol. 6 page 204]

4. When the kuffar (disbelievers) of Makkah heard the details of the incident of Mi’raj, they rejected it. They jeered at the Muslims, made fun of Rasoolullah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and called him a liar. They asked him to describe the masjid in Jerusalem, which he had never seen before. Had it been only a dream they would neither have mocked at him, nor asked for any evidence. Similarly, there was no reason for their rejection as people often dream of strange things. It is apparent that they were asking for further details knowing that the journey was physical.

read on:

Mi’raj: Physical or Spiritual? at-Tazkirah: ???????

39. Al-Mi`raj (the Ascent through the heavens) is true. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was taken by night and ascended in his bodily form, while awake, through the heavens, to whatever heights Allah willed for him.

Tahawi Beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna

hope that helps

Salam

[c0de]

The alternative view is that it was a spiritual (non-physical) experience as clearly outlined in the verse “We appointed the vision which we showed thee as an ordeal for mankind.” (17:60)

As brother Abdallah points out, this is the non-"mainstream" view.

[dailogue is the best]

God said: "[17:1] Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of prostration, "

From this verse we can deduce that isra and miraj was both spiritual and physical journey. The verse said:"..the One who summoned His servant.." which give impression that the surmmon was physical as the verse didnt say " the one who surmmoned His servant's spirit/soul"

Also, the verse started with saying: "Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant " which shows the miraculous physical nature of isra and miraj. And Allah knows best

[Amica]

Salaam--
Thank you for your replies. I definately understand it a bit better. I personally feel now that it was both: physical and spiritual.
My initial question about Miraj was that so many people have reported evidence of lucid dreaming where a person is awake and can visit many areas in the world. I personally have had some lucid dreams (not often).
Thank you.