The Night Journey and the Ascension: Did it occur with his body or his spirit, (peace and blessings be upon him), and was it in a waking state or in a dream?
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The questioner : The Night Journey and the Ascension, O Shaykh, the Night Journey of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Was that in a waking state or in a dream?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : Was that in a waking state or in a dream?
The Shaykh : Now, we have understood this.
The questioner : And does that concern the spirit, meaning, was it with his spirit or with his body?
The Shaykh : The Night Journey and the Ascension were with his body in a waking state, not in a dream, because Allah said:[Al-Isra 17:1] and He did not say: "with the spirit of His servant." Then, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed the Quraysh on the morning of the night of the Night Journey, they denied it and said: How is it possible that you are in Mecca, reach the Sacred Mosque, and return in one night? This is impossible. If it had been a dream, they would not have denied it, because they know that a sleeping person sees things that do not happen in a waking state, and they do not deny dreams but rather acknowledge them. The same is said regarding the Ascension, for Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Najm: [An-Najm 53:1-10] meaning: the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). This expression is not used unless it was with both the spirit and the body. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Was that in a waking state or in a dream?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : Was that in a waking state or in a dream?
The Shaykh : Now, we have understood this.
The questioner : And does that concern the spirit, meaning, was it with his spirit or with his body?
The Shaykh : The Night Journey and the Ascension were with his body in a waking state, not in a dream, because Allah said: