The Ruling on the Night Journey and the Ascension, and the Prophet’s Vision of Jibril

Question:
What is the correct and stronger position regarding the issue of the Night Journey and the Ascension of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)? Was it with the body or in a dream? And likewise, his vision (peace and blessings be upon him) of Jibril: was it with the eye or with the heart?

Answer:
The Night Journey and the Ascension of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were with the body. Not with the soul, and not in a dream.
He took His servant by night to the mosque , and the servant includes both the soul and the body. The soul is not called a servant, nor is the body called a servant without the soul; both are required for one to be called a servant, only in the combination of soul and body. Also, the miracle is not realized except through this. If the Isra had been a dream, the miracle would not have been realized, for everyone sees dreams, so a dream is not specific to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Likewise, the Isra with the soul alone has no evidence for it. This contradicts the apparent meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted, "He took His servant by night" . To say that Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says "He took His servant" and then to say "He took his soul" is a contradiction of the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So the truth is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken with his soul and his body, and this is one of his miracles (peace and blessings be upon him).
The one who says that it was with the soul, or with the body, or in a dream is misguided and denies the miracle, for it is a miracle now and it was a miracle before. The Mu’tazilah and the rationalists who rely on reason deny the miracles and make matters ordinary, interpreting them until they become ordinary. This is misguidance, and I seek refuge in Allah from it, and it is not permissible.
This is regarding the Night Journey and the Ascension. As for the vision of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of Jibril, Jibril would come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the form of a man. It was mostly in the form of a man, and often he would come to him in the form of Dha’bah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Companions saw him. A man entered upon us, intensely white in his garments, intensely black in his hair. None of us knew him, and no traces of travel were seen on him. They saw him as a man; this is the usual case. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also saw him in his celestial form, with six hundred wings. He saw him twice: once while he was in the open area of Makkah.
And he was in the plain of Makkah when he raised his head and saw Jibril between the sky and the earth in his true form, having six hundred wings, each wing covering the horizon. This is the first time. The second time was the night of the Mi'raj, when he saw him (peace and blessings be upon him) at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, , only twice: once on earth in the plain of Makkah, and once above the seventh heaven at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary in his true royal form. And this is in the Qur'an.
Allah mentioned that he saw him twice , and he saw him with his eye (peace and blessings be upon him); he saw him with his eye, a vision of the eye.