Response to 23 Questions – Part 35 – The Night Journey (Isra and Miraj) – Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

The Night Journey Episode 2

https://youtu.be/5TtkXnHsprE

Q. Ghamidi sahab believes that the Night Journey was a ‘roya’ (vision) as explained in the verse 60 of Surah Bani Israel. The traditional scholars argue that ‘roya’ also means watching or looking at something directly with the eyes, fully awake. What is the meaning of ‘roya’ according to Ghamidi sahab? How does the Holy Quran use this word? How did the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) use this word in their narrations? From 0:33 to 15:07

Q. Ibn Hajar quotes the Arabic poet Al-Mutanabbi who uses the word ‘roya’ in a situation where one is fully awake while looking at something. Why is it not acceptable to Ghamidi sahab? Which era and poets of the Arabic language can be relied upon in this regard and what rules of the use of language should be kept in mind while determining the meaning of classical Arabic words? From 15:09 to 20:35

Q. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn-e-Abbas RA that the incident narrated in Surah Bani Israel was a ‘roya aein’ and it is also used as an argument by Ibn Hajar to assert that the Night Journey was a physical phenomenon. Does Ibn-e-Abbas RA mean that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) physically went to the Distant Mosque or does he mean that the Prophet (pbuh) saw this vision while he was awake? Is his opinion against the rules of the language and the details presented in Surah Bani Israel? Are there any narrations wherein other companions disagreed with the opinion of Ibn-e-Abbas RA? From 20:36 to 36:11

Q. Why should we consider the Quran as the authority while determining issues wherein different opinions and narrations exist? Did the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) criticize each other’s opinions and narrations on the basis of the Quran and its language? From 36:12 to 39:12

Q. What was the nature of the ‘roya’ that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was shown in the Night Journey? What is the difference between the visions of the Prophets and the dreams of ordinary people? 39:13 to 50:20

Response to 23 Questions – Part 36 – The Night Journey (Isra and Miraj) – Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

The Night Journey Episode 3

https://youtu.be/c_ppqhmSHpU

Q. Why does the Quran use the word سُبۡحٰنَ ’ in the beginning of the Sura Bani Israel? This word is used to declare that Allah is above all defects and limitations. In the context of the Night Journey, has this word been used to dispel any misunderstandings about Allah’s power to perform miracles or has it been used to dispel a great misconception of Jews and Polytheists about Allah and the issue of entrustment of the two Holy Sanctuaries in Arab and Palestine? From 0:41 to 9:49

Q. In Surah Ad-Dukhan, verse 23, the Quran uses the verbاَسۡرِ when Allah orders Moses sws to take His servants away physically to another place. The Quran uses the same verb بِعَبۡدِہٖ اَسۡرٰی in the verse 1 of Surah Bani Israel. Why can’t we take the same meaning here to argue that the Prophet (pbuh) was taken to the Distant Mosque physically? From 9:50 to 19:09

Q. Why has Allah explained the nature of the Night Journey as ‘roya’ (vision) in the verse 60 of Surah Bani Israel instead of the very beginning of this chapter where this incident is narrated? From 19:10 to 21:34

Q. The Quran says that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was taken from the Sacred Mosque to the Distant Mosque so that he may be shown some of Allah’s signs. What was the nature of these signs? The Prophets like Jesus sws used to perform miracles. Ibrahim sws prayed for a sign to strengthen his belief and he was shown a tangible sign. Isn’t it, then, intellectually more consistent and logical to show signs which were tangible instead of showing signs in a vision? From 21:35 to 29:03

Q. The Quran (17:60) says that Allah made that vision a trial (فِتۡنَۃً) for people. How could it be a trial if it was merely a vision and not a physical journey? What is the correct translation of this verse in the light of its language and context, and what does it reveal about how this entire incident became a trial (فِتۡنَۃً)? From 29:04 to 36:52

Q. It is narrated that people inquired the Prophet (pbuh) about his Night Journey and the details of Al-Aqsa the next morning and the Prophet (pbuh) initially became slightly hesitant in recalling the details but then Allah showed him the details again and he answered the questions. If the event was a ‘roya’ (vision), couldn’t the Prophet (pbuh) simply say that it was a ‘roya’ and that he didn’t remember all the details? Instead he narrated full details. Doesn’t it imply that the journey happened physically? From 36:54 to 41:26

Q. The traditional scholars have taken the events of Surah An-Najm as further description of the event of the Night Journey narrated in Surah Bani Israel. They argue that in both the chapters, the Quran, while narrating the incidents, says that the purpose was to show some signs to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and therefore the event is one and the same. Why is this argument not acceptable and why does Ghamidi sahab consider these events as separate? From 41:27 to 47:27

Q. How can it be determined whether the two encounters of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned in Surah An-Najm were with Allah Almighty or Gabriel? What did Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) say about this himself? How did Syeda Ayesha RA answer to this question? From 47:28 to 53:05

Response to 23 Questions – Part 37 – The Night Journey (Isra and Miraj) – Javed Ahmed Ghamidi

The Night Journey Episode 4

https://youtu.be/2OSr3OAoIB8

Q. What is the disagreement between Ghamidi sahab and other scholars on the ‘fourth event’ which is narrated in Bukhari 7517 on the authority of Anas Bin Malik RA and reported by Shareek Bin Abdullah? From 0:33 to 3:24

Q. The renowned muhadditheen and scholars including Imam Muslim, Imam Nawawi, Ibn Hajar and Ibn Kathir have criticized Shareek Bin Abdullah who has reported the aforementioned narration on the grounds that he had weak memory and made lots of errors. How can then we rely upon this narration and believe that this was a separate incident as Ghamidi sahab believes it to be? From 3:25 to 9:39

Q. Imam Nawawi wrote that Shareek Bin Abdullah was disillusioned because he narrated that the aforementioned incident happened before prophethood was conferred upon Muhammad (pbuh) while other narrators report that the Night Journey happened after the revelation. Why should then we believe Shareek Bin Abdullah? Was he referring to the Night Journey or was he narrating another distinct event? From 9:40 to 15:23

Q. If the events are separate, why is the language used in Anas Bin Malik’s narration (Bukhari 7517) reported by Shareek Bin Abdullah similar to that which is used in Surah An-Najm to describe the Prophet’s (pbuh) meeting with Gabriel? From 15:24 to 20:32

Q. Why does Ghamidi sahab accept Shareek Bin Abdullah’s report if it does not present all the details reported in some other narrations? From 20:33 to 23:54

Q. Some of the scholars argue that the ‘fourth event’ narrated in Bukhari 7517 and some other narrations in the book of Bukhari (reported by Anas Bin Malik on the authority of Malik Bin Sasa’ RA and Abu Dhar Ghifari RA, another narration by Abu Huraira RA) happened while the Prophet (pbuh) was awake. Is it possible to take this meaning from the words of all these narrations? Is it certain that it was a dream? Is it certain that this event was different from Isra and Miraj? Do any of these narrations mention the journey to the Distant Mosque? From 23:55 to 36:48

Q. Doesn’t the mention of the ride (Al-Buraq) imply that the Prophet (pbuh) physically went to the heavens and not in a dream? From 36:49 to 38:25

Q. What is the meaning of the word اسْتَيْقَظَ and how has it been used in the narration by Anas Bin Malik RA (Bukhari 7517)? Is it possible to infer from this word any other meaning than ‘waking up’? From 38:26 to 44:28

Q. Why can’t it be argued that the whole event (Bukhari 7517) happened physically and when the Prophet (pbuh) came back from heavens, he fell asleep and then woke up? From 44:29 to 46:20

Q. Ghamidi sahab is generally criticized for his approach towards Ahadith and historical narrations. But it seems that in the issue of Isra and Miraj, it is his critics who are struggling hard to shy away from what the hadith and narrations are telling about this event. Why is that so? From 46:21 to 48:57

Q. What was the purpose of this entire vision (roya) related to the determination of salah and its reduction from fifty to five times a day (Narrated in Bukhari 7517)? From48:58 to 55:34

Q. How can we understand the phenomenon of Gabriel cutting open the chest of the Prophet (pbuh), washing it with zamzam water and filling it with wisdom and faith? From 55:35 to 57:48

Q. What is Ghamidi sahab’s message to those who disagree with his opinion on the Night Journey (Isra and Miraj)? From 57:49 to 1:01:37