A Critical Analysis of the Prophet’s Ascension (Miʿrāj) from the Perspective of Orientalists

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 . Assistant Professor and Faculty Member, Department of Quran and Hadith, International Research Institute of Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran; “Corresponding Author”

2 . Full Professor and Faculty Member, Department of Quran and Hadith, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran;

10.22034/jqopv.2025.15419.1312

Abstract

The event of the Miʿrāj (ascension) is one of the miracles of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and a significant reality of the era of revelation, analyzed in the Qur’an from various dimensions. The examination and analysis of Orientalists’ approaches to the Prophet’s Miʿrāj is a new and central topic in this study. This article, aiming to defend the divine sanctity of the Qur’an and using a descriptive-analytical method along with references to scholarly sources, seeks to answer the fundamental question: What have been the approaches of Orientalists regarding the Miʿrāj, and what critiques can be made of them? The findings reveal that some Orientalists, such as John Davenport and Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu, have adopted a realistic and Qur’an-based approach, accepting both the physical and spiritual ascension of the Prophet. In contrast, others like Gustave Le Bon and Carra de Vaux have denied and rejected the Miʿrāj. Additionally, some scholars, such as Michael Sells, have cast doubt on the authenticity of the Qur’anic Miʿrāj. Furthermore, another group, while accepting the principle of the Miʿrāj, has interpreted it through various perspectives. For instance, Annemarie Schimmel accepted the Miʿrāj but considered it purely spiritual, while others like Karen Armstrong interpreted it as a religious experience. Overall, all these approaches—except the first—are inconsistent with the apparent meanings of the Qur’anic verses, as Qur’anic evidence and numerous other indications point to the physical nature of this journey.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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  • Receive Date: 04 February 2024
  • Revise Date: 04 July 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 November 2024

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