Tarikh (al-Tabari) 822
The Night Journey and the Ascension
الْبَابُ السَّادِسُ فِي دَفْعِ شُبْهَةِ أَهْلِ الزَّيْغِ فِي اسْتِحَالَةِ الْمِعْرَاجِ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْإِسْرَاءَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمْ يُخَالِفْ فِي وُقُوعِهِ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَإِنَّمَا طَعَنَ فِيهِ أَهْلُ الزَّيْغِ بِشُبَهٍ بَاطِلَةٍ. وَقَدْ تَصَدَّى الْإِمَامُ الرَّازِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ لِلرَّدِّ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَنَا مُورِدٌ تِلْكَ الشُّبَهَ ثُمَّ أُتْبِعُهَا بِالرَّدِّ. قَالَ أَهْلُ الزَّيْغِ وَالضَّلَالَةِ قَبَّحَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: «الْحَرَكَةُ الْبَالِغَةُ فِي السُّرْعَةِ إِلَى هَذَا الْحَدِّ غَيْرُ مَعْقُولَةٍ، وَلَوْ صَعِدَ إِلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ لَوَجَبَ خَرْقُ الْأَفْلَاكِ، وَذَلِكَ مُحَالٌ، وَصُعُودُ الْجِرْمِ الثَّقِيلِ إِلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ غَيْرُ مَقْبُولٍ، وَلِأَنَّ هَذَا الْمَعْنَى لَوْ صَحَّ لَكَانَ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ سَائِرِ مُعْجِزَاتِهِ، وَكَانَ يَجِبُ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ اجْتِمَاعِ النَّاسِ حَتَّى يَسْتَدِلُّوا بِهِ عَلَى صِدْقِهِ مِنِ ادِّعَاءِ النُّبُوَّةِ، فَأَمَّا أَنْ يَحْصُلَ ذَلِكَ فِي وَقْتٍ لَا يَرَاهُ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَا يُشَاهِدُهُ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يَكُونُ عَبَثًا لَا يَلِيقُ بِالْحَكِيمِ». وَأُجِيبَ عَنِ الْأَوَّلِ أَنَّ الْحَرَكَةَ الْبَالِغَةَ فِي السُّرْعَةِ إِلَى هَذَا الْحَدِّ مُمْكِنَةٌ فِي نَفْسِهَا، وَاللَّهُ قَادِرٌ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَيَدُلُّ عَلَى صِحَّتِهِ أَنَّ الْفَلَكَ الْأَعْظَمَ يَتَحَرَّكُ مِنَ أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ مَا يَقْرُبُ مِنْ نِصْفِ الدَّوْرِ، وَثَبَتَ فِي الْهَنْدَسَةِ أَنَّ نِسْبَةَ الْقُطْرِ إِلَى الدَّوْرِ نِسْبَةُ الْوَاحِدِ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ وَسُبْعٍ فَبِتَقْدِيرِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ارْتَفَعَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ إِلَى مَا فَوْقَ الْفَلَكِ الْأَعْظَمِ فَهُوَ لَمْ يَتَحَرَّكْ إِلَّا إِلَى مِقْدَارِ نِصْفِ الْقُطْرِ. فَلَمَّا حَصَلَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْقَدْرِ مِنَ الزَّمَانِ نِصْفُ الدَّوْرِ كَانَ حُصُولُ الْحَرَكَةِ بِمِقْدَارِ نِصْفِ الْقُطْرِ أَوْلَى بِالْإِمْكَانِ، فَهَذَا بُرْهَانٌ قَاطِعٌ عَلَى الِارْتِفَاعِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ إِلَى مَا فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ فِي مِقْدَارِ ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ وَأَنَّهُ أَمْرٌ مُمْكِنٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ. وَإِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ حُصُولُهُ فِي كُلِّ اللَّيْلِ أَوْلَى بِالْإِمْكَانِ. وَأَيْضًا ثَبَتَ فِي الْهَنْدَسَةِ أَنَّ مَا بَيْنَ طَرَفَيِ قُرْصِ الشَّمْسِ ضِعْفُ مَا بَيْنَ طَرَفَيْ كُرَةِ الْأَرْضِ مِائَةً وَسِتِّينَ مَرَّةً، ثُمَّ أَنَّا نُشَاهِدُ طُلُوعَ الْقُرْصِ يَحْصُلُ فِي زَمَانٍ لَطِيفٍ سَرِيعٍ، فَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنَّ بُلُوغَ الْحَرَكَةِ فِي السُّرْعَةِ إِلَى هَذَا الْحَدِّ أَمْرٌ مُمْكِنٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ. فَإِنْ كَانَ الْكَلَامُ مَعَ مَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُ الْهَنْدَسَةَ فَنَقُولُ لَهُ: أَنْتَ تُشَاهِدُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ تَقْطَعُ مِنَ الشُّرُوقِ إِلَى الْغُرُوبِ مَسَافَةً لَا يُقْدَرُ عَلَى قَطْعِهَا فِي أَعْوَامٍ كَثِيرَةٍ. وَأَيْضًا كَانَتِ الرِّيَاحُ تَسِيرُ لِسُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ إِلَى الْمَوَاضِعِ الْبَعِيدَةِ فِي الْأَوْقَاتِ الْيَسِيرَةِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ [سَبَأٌ: 12]، وَالْحِسُّ يَدُلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَهُوَ أَنَّ الرِّيَاحَ تَنْفُذُ عِنْدَ شِدَّةِ هُبُوبِهَا مِنْ مَكَانٍ إِلَى مَكَانٍ آخَرَ فِي غَايَةِ الْبُعْدِ فِي اللَّحْظَةِ الْوَاحِدَةِ. وَقَدْ أَحْضَرَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ كُرْسِيَّ بِلْقِيسَ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْيَمَنِ إِلَى. أَرْضِ الشَّامِ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ لَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ. وَالْأَجْسَامُ مُتَمَاثِلَةٌ فِي تَمَامِ مَاهِيَّاتِهَا، فَلَمَّا حَصَلَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ الْحَرَكَةِ فِي حَقِّ بَعْضِ الْأَجْسَامِ وَجَبَ إِمْكَانُ حُصُولِهَا فِي سَائِرِ الْأَجْسَامِ، فَهِيَ مُمْكِنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى قَادِرٌ عَلَى حُصُولِهَا فِي جَسَدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ. وَالْجَوَابُ عَنِ الثَّانِي: وَهُوَ خَرْقُ الْأَفْلَاكِ فَلَيْسَ بِمُحَالٍ وَقَدْ مَنَعَهُ النُّفَاةُ لِلْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ. قَالَ الشَّيْخُ سَعْدُ الدِّينِ: «ادِّعَاءُ اسْتِحَالَةِ الْمِعْرَاجِ بَاطِلٌ، لِأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يَنْبَنِي عَلَى أُصُولِ الْفَلَاسِفَةِ مِنِ امْتِنَاعِ الْخَرْقِ وَالِالْتِئَامِ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ، وَإِلَّا فَالْخَرْقُ وَالِالْتِئَامُ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَاقِعٌ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْحَقِّ، وَالْأَجْسَامُ الْعُلْوِيَّةُ وَالسُّفْلِيَّةُ مُتَمَاثِلَةٌ مُرَكَّبَةٌ مِنَ الْجَوَاهِرِ الْفَرْدَةِ الْمُتَمَاثِلَةِ، يَصِحُّ عَلَى كُلٍّ مِنَ الْأَجْسَامِ مَا يَصِحُّ عَلَى الْآخَرِ ضَرُورَةَ التَّمَاثُلِ الْمَذْكُورِ، فَإِذَا أَمْكَنَ خَرْقُ الْأَجْسَامِ السُّفْلِيَّةِ أَمْكَنَ خَرْقُ الْأَجْسَامِ الْعُلْوِيَّةِ وَاللَّهُ قَادِرٌ عَلَى الْمُمْكِنَاتِ كُلِّهَا، فَهُوَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى خَرْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَقَدْ وَرَدَ بِهِ السَّمْعُ فَيَجِبُ تَصْدِيقُهُ». وَالْجَوَابُ عَنِ الثَّالِثِ: فَكَمَا أَنَّهُ يُسْتَبْعَدُ صُعُودُ الْجِسْمِ الْكَثِيفِ يُسْتَبْعَدُ نُزُولُ الْجِسْمِ اللَّطِيفِ الرُّوحَانِيِّ مِنَ الْعَرْشِ إِلَى مَرْكَزِ الْعَالَمِ. فَإِنْ كَانَ الْقَوْلُ بِمِعْرَاجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الْوَاحِدَةِ مُمْتَنِعًا كَانَ الْقَوْلُ بِنُزُولِ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مِنَ الْعَرْشِ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فِي اللَّحْظَةِ الْوَاحِدَةِ مُمْتَنِعًا كَذَلِكَ، وَلَوْ حَكَمْنَا بِهَذَا الِامْتِنَاعِ كَانَ ذَلِكَ طَعْنًا فِي نُبُوَّةِ جَمِيعِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَلَيْهِمُ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ وَالْقَوْلُ بِثُبُوتِ الْمِعْرَاجِ فَرْعٌ عَلَى تَسْلِيمِ جَوَازِ أَصْلِ النُّبُوَّةِ، فَيَلْزَمُ الْقَائِلَ بِامْتِنَاعِ حُصُولِ هَذِهِ الْحَرَكَةِ امْتِنَاعُ نُزُولِ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ. وَلَمَّا كَانَ ذَلِكَ بَاطِلًا، كَانَ مَا ذَكَرُوهُ بَاطِلًا. وَالْجَوَابُ عَنِ الرَّابِعِ: إِنَّ فِي كَوْنِهِ لَيْلًا فَوَائِدَ مِنْهَا: لِيَزْدَادَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِيمَانًا بِالْغَيْبِ، وَيُفْتَتَنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا زِيَادَةً عَلَى فِتْنَتِهِمْ، وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ [الْإِسْرَاءُ: 60]، وَمِنْهَا أَنَّهُ وَقْتُ الْخَلْوَةِ وَالِاخْتِصَاصِ عُرْفًا، فَإِنَّ بَيْنَ جَلِيسِ الْمَلِكِ نَهَارًا وَجَلِيسِهِ لَيْلًا فَرْقًا وَاضِحًا، وَالْخُصُوصِيَّةُ لِلَّيْلِ، وَرَحِمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ قَالَ: اللَّيْلُ لِي وَلِأَحِبَّائِي أُنَادِمُهُمْ قَدِ اصْطَفَيْتُهُمْ كَيْ يَسْمَعُوا وَيَعُوا وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِالْعَلَامَاتِ الَّتِي تُفِيدُ الْيَقِينَ مِنْ وَصْفِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَوَصْفِ الْعِيرِ الَّتِي مَرَّ بِهَا فِي طَرِيقِهِ، وَأَنَّهَا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي وَقْتِ كَذَا، فَكَانَ كَمَا ذَكَرَ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي مُفَصَّلًا. وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ قَالُوا: هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ [الْأَحْقَافُ 7]. فَلَا فَرْقَ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُرِيَهُمْ ذَلِكَ نَهَارًا وَأَنْ يُخْبِرَهُمْ بِخَبَرٍ يُفِيدُ الْيَقِينَ، وَقَدْ أَرَاهُمُ انْشِقَاقَ الْقَمَرِ فَقَالُوا: هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ [الْقَمَرُ: 4].
Translation
✧ The Sixth Chapter: On Refuting the Doubt of the People of Deviation Regarding the Impossibility of the Ascension Know that the Night Journey of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was not disputed in its occurrence by anyone among the Muslims. Only the people of deviation attacked it with false doubts. Imam al-Rāzī and others undertook to refute them, and I shall present those doubts and then follow them with the refutation. The people of deviation and misguidance, may Allah, Blessed and Exalted, disfigure them, said: “A movement reaching such speed to this extent is not rationally conceivable. And if he ascended to the heavens, piercing of the celestial spheres would necessarily occur, and that is impossible. The ascent of a heavy body to the heavens is not acceptable. Moreover, if this matter were true, it would be greater than all his other miracles, and it would have been obligatory for him to display it when people were gathered so that they might infer from it his truthfulness in claiming prophethood. But for that to occur at a time when no one sees it or witnesses it, that would be futile and unbefitting of the Wise.” The response to the first is that a movement reaching such speed to this extent is possible in itself, and Allah is capable of it. The proof of its validity is that the outermost sphere moves from the beginning of the night to its end by nearly half a revolution. It is established in geometry that the ratio of the diameter to the circumference is the ratio of one to three and one-seventh. So, supposing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ rose from Makkah to above the outermost sphere, he would only have moved the measure of half the diameter. Since within that measure of time half the circumference occurs, the occurrence of movement of the measure of half the diameter is more worthy of possibility. Thus this is a decisive proof for the ascent from Makkah to above the Throne within a third of the night, and that it is possible in itself. And if so, its occurrence within the whole night is even more worthy of possibility. Also, it is established in geometry that the distance between the two edges of the sun's disc is one hundred and sixty times the distance between the two ends of the sphere of the earth. Then we observe that the rising of the disc occurs in a short, swift time. This indicates that the attainment of movement in speed to this extent is possible in itself. If the discussion is with someone who does not know geometry, we say to him: You observe the sun, the moon, and the stars traversing from rising to setting a distance that cannot be traversed in many years. Also, the winds used to travel for Sulaymān b. Dāwūd (peace be upon them both) to far-off places in brief times. Allah, Exalted, said: “Its morning course was a month and its evening course a month” [Sabaʾ: 12]. Sensory experience indicates that, namely that winds, when blowing strongly, pass from one place to another extremely distant place in a single moment. And the one who had knowledge of the Book brought the throne of Bilqīs from farthest Yemen to the land of Syria in less than the twinkling of an eye. Bodies are alike in the completeness of their essences. So when such movement occurred for some bodies, its occurrence must be possible for all bodies. Thus it is possible, and Allah, Exalted, is capable of bringing it about in the body of the Prophet ﷺ. The response to the second, namely the piercing of the celestial spheres, is that it is not impossible, and those who deny it are the deniers of Paradise and Hell. Shaykh Saʿd al-Dīn said: “The claim of the impossibility of the ascension is false, because it is only built upon the principles of the philosophers regarding the impossibility of piercing and mending the heavens. Otherwise, piercing and mending of the heavens is actual according to the people of truth. Upper and lower bodies are alike, composed of individual, similar substances. Whatever is valid for one body is valid for another by the necessity of the mentioned similarity. So if piercing lower bodies is possible, piercing upper bodies is possible, and Allah is capable of all possible things. Thus He is capable of piercing the heavens, and revelation has come with it, so it must be believed.” The response to the third is: Just as the ascent of a dense body is deemed remote, the descent of a subtle spiritual body from the Throne to the center of the world is deemed remote. If the assertion of the Prophet's ﷺ ascension in a single night were impossible, then the assertion of the descent of Jibrīl ﷺ from the Throne to Makkah in a single moment would likewise be impossible. And if we judged this impossibility, that would be an attack on the prophethood of all the prophets (peace and blessings be upon them). The assertion of the establishment of the ascension is a branch of accepting the permissibility of the very foundation of prophethood. Thus the one who claims the impossibility of this movement's occurrence is forced to claim the impossibility of Jibrīl's ﷺ descent. Since that is false, what they mentioned is false. The response to the fourth is that its being at night has benefits, including: that those who believed might increase in faith in the unseen, and those who disbelieved might be further tried beyond their trial. Allah, Exalted, has said: “And We made not the vision which We showed you but as a trial for mankind” [al-Isrāʾ: 60]. Among them is that it is the time of seclusion and special favor by convention, for between the king's companion by day and his companion by night there is a clear difference, and the special favor belongs to the night. May Allah have mercy on the one who said: The night is for me and my beloved ones; I keep company with them. I have chosen them so that they may hear and understand. And the Prophet ﷺ informed of signs that bring certainty, from the description of the Sacred House and the description of the caravan he passed on his way, and that it would reach them at such-and-such a time. And it was as he mentioned, as will come in detail. Despite that, they said: “This is clear magic” [al-Aḥqāf: 7]. So there is no difference between showing them that by day and informing them with news that brings certainty. And he did show them the splitting of the moon, and they said: “This is persistent magic” [al-Qamar: 4].
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.