This Is Islam Uncovered

Muhammad's Night Journey to the Non-Existent Temple: A Historical and Theological Contradiction

One of the most famous yet puzzling claims in Islamic tradition is that Muhammad was miraculously transported by night from Mecca to Jerusalem’s “Farthest Mosque” (Masjid al-Aqsa), where he allegedly led the prophets in prayer and ascended through the heavens. This claim is based on a single Qur’anic verse (Surah 17:1) and elaborated through various Hadiths and early Islamic sources. However, upon critical examination, this alleged journey—known as al-Isra wal-Mi'raj—unravels into a theological and historical problem that Islamic apologetics struggles to resolve.

This article will expose the gaping contradictions within the narrative, the historical impossibility of the journey, and the theological consequences that undermine the credibility of both Muhammad’s prophethood and the Qur'an's divine authorship.

1. Surah 17:1 and the Masjid al-Aqsa Dilemma

The cornerstone verse for the Night Journey reads:

“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose precincts We have blessed, to show him of Our signs.”
— Surah 17:1

Muslims universally identify al-Masjid al-Aqsa with the mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. However, this presents a serious anachronism:

There was no mosque in Jerusalem during Muhammad’s lifetime.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque that stands today was not built until decades after Muhammad's death, during the Umayyad Caliphate, under Caliph Abd al-Malik (r. 685–705 AD) and completed by his son al-Walid. Therefore, for the Qur’an to mention a “mosque” in Jerusalem at a time when no such structure existed is either:

A historical blunder, if taken literally, or
A symbolic reference, which contradicts the entire tradition of a literal physical journey.

But Islamic traditions do not allow a symbolic interpretation. They explicitly claim that the journey was physical, literal, and historical.

2. Hadith and Sirah Sources Confirm a Literal Journey to a Real Structure

The hadith literature and early biographies of Muhammad (Sirah) reinforce this claim repeatedly:

Sahih al-Bukhari 6:60:233 — Muhammad describes the features of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem temple/mosque) in detail and answers the Quraysh when they test his knowledge of it.
Ibn Sa’d’s Al-Tabaqat and Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasulullah both insist that Muhammad went to the actual “Temple of Aelia” (Roman name for Jerusalem) and prayed with previous prophets in a physical building.
Sahih Muslim 1:309 — Muhammad ties al-Buraq to a ring outside the Temple and enters to pray two rak‘ahs.

The Islamic claim is unmistakable: Muhammad was physically transported to the actual Temple or mosque in Jerusalem. He saw it, described its doors, tied his heavenly beast Buraq to its hitching post, and physically entered and prayed there.

But there's a fatal problem: The Jewish Temple had been destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans, and no mosque or religious structure stood on the Temple Mount until over 50 years after Muhammad’s death.

3. Historical Reality: No Temple, No Mosque, No Journey

Let’s examine the timeline:

70 AD – The Second Temple was destroyed by Titus.
610–632 AD – Muhammad’s lifetime and prophethood.
685–705 AD – Construction of the Dome of the Rock under Caliph Abd al-Malik.
705 AD – Completion of al-Aqsa Mosque by al-Walid.

In other words:

During Muhammad’s Night Journey (c. 621 AD), there was no mosque, no temple, and no significant religious structure on the Temple Mount.

Islamic sources say he described the building’s features. But what did he see? Rubble? Roman ruins? Open space?

The Quraysh challenged him to describe the building. If he passed this test, then either:

They were unaware that the Temple had been gone for 550 years, or
The description was fabricated, or
A supernatural vision filled in imaginary details to deceive—none of which validate Islam’s truth claims.

4. Theological Implications: False Prophecy or Fabricated History?

If Muhammad claimed to go to a temple or mosque that didn’t exist, then there are only three possibilities:

a. He Lied or Fabricated the Event

This would mean Muhammad created a false story to boost his credibility and spiritual authority. Early Muslims leaving Islam after hearing this tale (as recorded in Ibn Sa’d and others) suggests even his contemporaries found it unbelievable.

b. He Hallucinated or Dreamt the Journey

Some Muslim scholars have suggested the Night Journey was a dream, not a literal trip. But this directly contradicts the major hadiths:

Ibn Abbas (Bukhari 5:58:228) – Asserts the Prophet saw the sights “with the eye,” not in a dream.
Ibn Kathir – Explicitly defends the physicality of the journey in his tafsir.

A dream undermines the Qur’an’s claim of miraculous physical travel (asra bi-‘abdihi laylan – “He took His servant by night”) and renders the entire Mi‘raj theology meaningless.

c. The Qur’an is Not Inspired by God

If the Qur’an refers to a mosque that didn’t exist, then it contains a historical error. This alone disqualifies it from being the eternal, perfect Word of God. A truly divine book should not make such a basic, verifiable mistake.

5. The Bait al-Maqdis Problem: Confusion of Terms

Some Muslims claim that “Masjid al-Aqsa” doesn’t refer to the modern mosque, but to a broader blessed area. But this is inconsistent:

The hadiths describe a structure with doors, a hitching post, and a prayer space.
Muhammad’s Quraysh critics ask for a detailed description.
Islamic traditions say the prophets prayed inside.

If it was only a region or “blessed land,” such descriptions would be absurd. The very existence of a mosque or temple structure is essential to the story’s credibility.

6. The Crumbling Foundation of Islam's “Great Miracle”

The Night Journey is one of the foundational miracles of Islam. It allegedly confirmed Muhammad’s status as the seal of the prophets, superior to Moses and Jesus, and intimately connected him to Abraham’s legacy. Yet:

This miraculous journey depends entirely on the existence of a structure that had not existed for over five centuries and would not exist for another 80 years.

The story collapses under the weight of its own historical contradictions.

Conclusion: A Journey Into Fiction

Islam presents the Isra and Mi‘raj as one of the most sacred and awe-inspiring events in Muhammad’s life. But when examined under the light of history, it becomes clear:

The Qur’an makes reference to a non-existent mosque.
The hadiths describe a detailed physical structure that was not there.
The temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed for over 550 years.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque wasn’t constructed until decades after Muhammad’s death.

What Islam claims as a divine miracle turns out to be a devastating anachronism—a relic of either fabrication, delusion, or deceit. In any case, it exposes a fatal contradiction within the Islamic narrative.

If Muhammad claimed to visit a non-existent temple, then he cannot be trusted as a prophet. If the Qur’an speaks of a mosque that did not exist, then it is not the Word of God.

The Night Journey isn’t a miracle. It’s a mirage—a fiction that dissolves when confronted with truth.