(1) See Zad al-Masir, 5:4-5; Tafsir al-Tabari, 15:2. (2) For the reports concerning the date of the Isra (Night Journey), see al-Durr al-Manthur, 5:209-211; Imta al-Asma by al-Maqrizi, 1:29; Fath al-Bari, 7:203; Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 10:210. (3) Ibn Ishaq records it in al-Sirah, 1:399-400, and al-Tabari, 15:16, from Aisha and Muawiyah. See also Imta al-Asma, 1:30; al-Rawd al-Unuf by al-Suhayli, 1:243-244; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3:24; al-Shifa bi-Tarif Huquq al-Mustafa, 1:245-246. Al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, critically refuted this view, stating: “The correct view, in our judgment, is that Allah took His servant Muhammad on a night journey from the Sacred Mosque to al-Aqsa Mosque, as Allah informed His servants and as the reports from the Messenger of Allah have concurred: Allah mounted him upon al-Buraq when it was brought to him; there he led the prophets and messengers present in prayer; and Allah showed him the signs that He showed him. There is no basis for the claim that his spirit, rather than his body, was taken on the night journey. Had that been the case, it would not have constituted evidence of his prophethood or proof of his message. Nor would the polytheists have denied its reality and challenged his truthfulness concerning it, for neither they nor anyone possessing a sound natural disposition would find it strange for a person to see in a dream what lies a year’s journey away, let alone what lies a month’s journey away or less. Moreover, Allah informed us in His Book that He took His servant on a night journey; He did not tell us that He took the spirit of His servant on a night journey. No one is permitted to go beyond what Allah has said and assert something else...” See al-Shifa bi-Tarif Huquq al-Mustafa by Qadi Iyad, 1:252-256. (4) Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, compiled the reports of the hadiths concerning the Isra at the beginning of his commentary on this surah, 3:3-24, and stated: “When all these reports are considered together, including their authentic, fair, and weak versions, their combined meaning establishes what they agree upon: that the Messenger of Allah was taken on the night journey from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis only once. The narrators’ wording may differ in transmitting it, and some may add or omit details, for error is possible for everyone other than the prophets, peace be upon them. Whoever treats every report that differs from another as a separate occurrence, thereby affirming multiple night journeys, has gone far astray and adopted a most strange view; he has sought refuge where there is no refuge and failed to attain his objective. Some later scholars explicitly asserted that he was taken on the night journey once from Mecca to Bayt al-Maqdis alone, once from Mecca to the heaven alone, and once to Bayt al-Maqdis and then from there to the heaven. They rejoiced in this approach, thinking that they had found a way to resolve the difficulties. This is extremely far-fetched. It has not been reported from any of the Salaf. Had these journeys occurred repeatedly in this manner, the Prophet would have informed his community of them, and people would have transmitted their multiplicity and repetition.”