Was the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taken on the Night Journey (Isra) and Ascension (Mi'raj) with his body or with his soul, or was it a vision? And is there a difference of opinion regarding this matter?

The incident of Al-Isra' (the Night Journey) is affirmed by the consensus of Muslims, with their evidence being the Book (Quran) and the continuously transmitted Sunnah. It occurred once in Mecca after the prophethood and before the Hijra (migration). Scholars have differed on the manner of Al-Isra': Was it while awake or a dream vision? And was it with both soul and body, or with the soul only?

The majority of scholars hold that it was while awake and with both soul and body, basing their argument on the apparent meaning of the proofs. They rejected the opinion of those who said it was with the soul only, because it is inconsistent with its purpose as a proof of prophethood.