Is there any authentic report regarding the Night of the Ascension, and what is the ruling on celebrating it?

Question:
Your Eminence the Shaykh! Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. On this specific day, the twenty-sixth of Rajab, most Arab countries celebrate the Isra and Mi'raj. What is the ruling on this practice? Did the Isra occur on the twenty-sixth of the month of Rajab? On what chain of narration or evidence do these countries determine the day of the Isra? Is it permissible to celebrate it if it is for the purpose of remembering this day? Is there any other day for this? Please inform us, may Allah bless you.

Answer:
The day and night of the Isra and Mi'raj have not been preserved. The claim that it is at the end of Rajab is a claim with no evidence for it. Moreover, even if it were established, it would not be permissible to celebrate it. Even if it were established that it was at the end of Rajab, or at the beginning of Sha'ban, or in Muharram, or at any other time, it would not be permissible to celebrate it, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not celebrate it, nor did his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Therefore, it is not permissible. It has become widespread, and it is a blameworthy religious innovation (bid'ah). Celebrating the Isra and Mi'raj, or the Mawlid, or the Night of al-Raghayib at the beginning of Rajab, the first Friday of Rajab, or anything else, are all innovations. This is not permissible. It is not permissible to celebrate anything except what Allah has prescribed. Celebrating something is considered a religion and a means of drawing near to Allah. This is blameworthy. Not the Night of the Isra and Mi'raj, nor the times of the Mawlid, nor any other celebrations by which people draw near to Allah. One must beware of this. The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: And he said in his sermon (peace and blessings be upon him): "As for what follows, the best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the worst of matters are their innovations, and every innovation is misguidance, and every innovation is misguidance." This means innovations in the religion. As for needing something else, and something new occurring in the world, such as a new weapon, a new building, or a new vehicle, this has no connection to the religion. These are ordinary matters, permissible matters, provided there is no blameworthy aspect in them. But the intended meaning is the thing that is introduced for the purpose of worship and drawing near to Allah. It is not permissible except with evidence, except if Allah has prescribed it. The Mawlid, which they claim, they draw near to Allah through it, and they celebrate the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or the birth of so-and-so, or the birth of Ali, or al-Hasan, or al-Husayn, or Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani. This is blameworthy and not permissible. Likewise, celebrating the Night of the Isra and Mi'raj is not permissible. Likewise, if they celebrate it as the festival of so-and-so or the Mawlid of so-and-so, it is all one path, all innovation. Yes.