Which Salaah Did Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلمLead In Al Aqsa?

With regard to the answer to this question, differing views are found in various books of Qur’anic exegesis, Hadith, and Islamic jurisprudence, expressed by exegetes (Mufassireen), Hadith scholars (Muhadditheen), and jurists (Fuqaha). For example, in Tafseer e Roohul Bayaan, Hazrat Allamah Shaikh Ismaa'eel Haqqi Alaihir Rahmah, while discussing the Salaah in which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمled the Prophets on the night of Miʿraaj, writes:

Translation: The Salaah which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمled in congregation for the Prophets on the night of Miʿraaj was a supererogatory (Nafl) Salaah. (Roohul Bayaan, Surah Isra, Volume 5, Page 113/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

In Mirqaatul Mafaateeh Sharh Mishkaatul Masaabeeh, Hazrat Allamah Shaikh Mulla Ali Qaari Hanafi Alaihir Rahmah, while explaining the narration of Miʿraaj reported by Hazrat Abu Hurairah RadiAllahu Anhu in Saheeh Muslim, wherein the Messenger of Allah

“When the time for Salaah arrived, I led them in Salaah,” writes by way of explanation:

Translation: That is, when the time of Salaah entered, I (the Holy Prophet )صلى الله عليه وسلمled the Prophets in Salaah. It is possible that this refers to Salaatut Tahiyyah (The Salaah offered to honour the Sanctity of the Masjid), or it may refer specifically to a special Salaah associated with the event of Miʿraaj. (Mirqaatul Mafaateeh Sharh Mishkaatul Masaabeeh, Book of Fadhaa'il wa Shamaa'il, Volume 10, Page 571/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut) Hazrat Allamah Shaikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlavi Alaihir Rahmah writes in Madaarijun Nubuwwat: There is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether this Salaah was supererogatory (Nafl) or obligatory (Fard). If it was obligatory, then which Salaah was it, Isha or Fajr?

From the context of the noble Hadith, it appears that the arrival at Baytul Maqdis occurred before the heavenly ascent; therefore, this Salaah would have been the Isha Salaah. According to the view that holds this event to have taken place after the descent from Miʿraaj, it would have been the Fajr Salaah, and some scholars have given preference to this opinion. Their reasoning is that when the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمreturned endowed with all perfections and blessings, He صلى الله عليه وسلمled the Prophets in Salaah in order to manifest his excellence and superiority. This humble servant (i.e., Shaikh Muhaqqiq Alaihir Rahmah) once entertained the thought that perhaps both situations occurred, namely, that the Salaah was performed both before the ascent and after the descent. However, due to the absence of an explicit mention of this view by the scholars of Hadith, he refrained from recording it. Later, upon examining the narrations, he came across the statement of the great scholar of Hadith and Tafseer, Shaikh Kabeer Imaad-ud-Deen bin Katheer, who stated that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمperformed Salaah with the Prophets in both situations, before the ascent and after the descent. He further mentioned that there are indications within the Hadith texts that point to this conclusion, and that there is no contradiction to it. (Madaarijun Nubuwwat, Volume 1, Page 215/Adabi Dunya, Jaama Masjid, Matia Mahal, Delhi)

Hazrat Shaikh Allamah Faqeeh Siraajud-Deen, Abu Muhammad Ali bin Uthman bin Muhammad Taymi Hanafi Alaihir Rahmah, writes in Fataawa Siraajiyyah:

led in congregationصلى الله عليه وسلم Translation: The Salaah which the Holy Prophet for the souls of the Prophets on the night of Miʿraaj was a voluntary (Nafl) Salaah. (Fataawa Siraajiyyah, Page 126, Book of Salaah, Baabo )Masaaʾil e Mutafarriqah/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut Imam e Ahle-Sunnat, Sayyidi Huzoor Ala Hazrat Alaihir Rahmah writes in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef:

In Mawaahib and Zarqaani, under the fifth objective concerning Isra and Miʿraaj, where mention is made of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمleading the other Prophets in Salaah at Baytul Maqdis, it is stated that there is a difference of opinion regarding this Salaah, whether it was the legally prescribed (Shar'ee) Salaah in its known sense, or whether the term “Salaah” is used here in a linguistic sense. The first view has been endorsed, because so long as there is no impossibility, the textual evidence is to be understood according to its established legal meaning. Upon adopting this view, a further difference arises as to whether this Salaah was obligatory or supererogatory. Evidence for obligation has been inferred as mentioned by Nomaani from the narration of Anas reported by Ibn Abi Haatim and cited earlier by the author. If it is assumed to have been obligatory, the question then arises, which Salaah was it? Some scholars state that the closer opinion is that it was the Fajr Salaah, while others maintain that it could have been the Isha Salaah. However, as Shaami has stated, both possibilities are weak, regardless of whether the Salaah was performed before the ascent or after it, because the first of the five-daily obligatory Salaah that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمperformed by unanimous agreement was the Zohr Salaah, which He صلى الله عليه وسلمoffered in Makkah Mukarramah.

Anyone who restricts this priority to Makkah must provide evidence for such a claim. Shaami further states that what appears most evident is that this Salaah was either a unrestricted supererogatory (Nafl Mutlaq) Salaah, or one of the Salaah that had been made obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمprior to the night of Isra. Support for the latter view is found in Fataawa Nawawi. (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef, Volume 5, Page 77–78/Raza Foundation, Lahore)

The Summary, the Salaah which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمled for the Prophets on the night of Miʿraaj was either a supererogatory (Nafl) Salaah or one of the Salaah that had been made obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمprior to the night of Miʿraaj. The latter position is supported and corroborated by Fataawa Nawawi.