Musnad Ahmad Hadith 23285

Zirr bin Hubaish says that once I was present in the company of Hudhaifa bin Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him). While narrating the incident of the Night of Ascension (Shab-e-Miraj), he began to mention this saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Then we set out from there and reached Bayt al-Maqdis, but we did not enter Bayt al-Maqdis." I said, "On that night, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did enter Bayt al-Maqdis and also offered prayer there." Upon hearing this, Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O bald one! What is your name? I recognize you by your face but do not remember your name." I replied, "My name is Zirr bin Hubaish." He said, "How do you know that on that night the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis?" I said, "The Qur'an tells us." He said, "The one who speaks from the Qur'an is successful. Recite that verse to me." So when I recited 'Subhanalladhi asra bi'abdihi' (Glory be to Him Who took His servant by night), I did not find anywhere in it that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis that night. Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O bald one! Do you find any mention of prayer in it?" I said, "No." He said, "By Allah! The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not offer prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis that night. If the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had offered prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis, then it would have become obligatory for you to pray there as it happened with the Ka'bah. By Allah! Both of them (the Prophet and Buraq) did not separate until the gates of the heavens were opened for them. Then both of them saw Paradise and Hell and all the promises of the Hereafter. Then both of them returned in the same way as they had gone. Then he began to laugh until I saw his blessed teeth." Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "People say that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) tied Buraq so that it would not run away, whereas Allah Almighty had made the entire world of the unseen and the seen subservient to him." I asked, "O Abu Abdullah! What kind of animal was Buraq?" He replied, "It was a long white animal whose step reached as far as the eye could see."