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

Question:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, what is the correct view 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? Also, was his (peace and blessings be upon him) seeing of Jibril (peace be upon him) 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 alone and not in a dream. Allah took His servant on a journey by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa. The term "servant" encompasses both the soul and the body. The soul is not called a servant, and the body is not called a servant without the soul. It is necessary that a servant be named only by the combination of the soul and the body. Furthermore, a prophetic miracle is not established except by this. If the Night Journey had been a dream, the miracle would not have been established, for everyone sees dreams; everyone sees this. A dream is not specific to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Likewise, the Night Journey 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 on a journey by night" . You say that Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says "His servant," and you say "His soul." This is a contradiction of the speech of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The truth is that he was taken with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with his soul and his body, and this is one of his miracles (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever says it was with the soul, or with the body, or in a dream is misguided and denies the miracle. For in this, they are like the Mu'tazilah and the rationalists who rely on reason, who deny miracles and make matters ordinary, interpreting them until they become ordinary. This is misguidance, and I seek refuge in Allah. This is regarding the Night Journey and the Ascension. As for the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) seeing of Jibril, Jibril would come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the form of a man. It was mostly that he would come to him in the form of a man. He often came to him in the form of Dhu al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him). The Companions saw him; a man entered upon the Messenger. A man entered upon us, intensely white in his garments, intensely black in his hair, none of us knew him, and no trace of travel was seen on him. He saw him as a man. This is the usual case. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw him in his celestial form, in his celestial form. He had six hundred wings. He saw him twice. Once, he was in the open land of Makkah, and he raised his head, and there was Jibril between the sky and the earth in his form, with six hundred wings, each wing covering the horizon. This is one. The second was the night of the Ascension, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw him at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, . Only twice: once on earth, in the open land of Makkah, and once above the seventh heaven at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, in his true celestial form. And this is in the Qur'an. Allah mentioned that He saw him twice. And He saw him on another occasion, and He saw him in Basra (peace and blessings be upon him). He saw him in Basra. Yes, with the eye. Yes.