Chapter: The Meaning of the Saying of Allah, The Mighty and Sublime: And indeed he saw him at a second descent (another time)"; And did the prophet (saws) see his lord on the night of the Isra?

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It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the (words of Allah):

-"And certainly he saw him in another descent" (al-Qur'an, Surah an-Najm) imply that he saw Gabriel (and not Allah).

-It is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he (the Holy Prophet) saw (Allah) with, his heart.

-Masruq reported:

I asked 'A'isha if Muhammad (ﷺ) had seen his Lord. She replied: Hallowed be Allah, my hair stood on end when you said this, and he (Masruq) narrated the hadith as narrated above. The hadith reported by Diwud is more complete and longer.

Explanation

Did the Prophet see Allaah? 

-Aishah, Aboo Hurayrah, Ibn Masood, Ahmad and many of the Salaf denied that the Prophet saw Allaah.

Aisha said he didn't and quoted the Ayah:

"Eyesight can't see Him but He sees all that eyesight's can see."

Ibn Abbas, Ubayy bin Ka'b and Hasan viewed that he did see Allah. This was also the view of Abu Hasan al-Ashari.

Ibn Abbas asked the Prophet if he saw his lord and he said, "Yes".

Anas said he saw him with his eyes 

Hasan used to swear by Allaah that he saw him with his eyes, this was also the view of Ikrimah and at-Rabee' 

In response to those who deny, then the statement of Aisha is Tafseer of an Ayah out of her Ijtihaad. 

In principle, if the companions differ then there is no proof (Hujjah) from the statement of the Companion (Qawl Sahaabi), but we go by which stronger in relation to the evidence

The Ayaat quoted by Aisha can also mean that none will see all of Allah, this way we can make reconcile between the two views from the Companions:

Seeing all of Allah is not possible, but he saw something of Allah.

Also, when it comes to Ithbaat and Nafee in something which is not a matter or Ijtihaad and a matter of the Ghayb then in Usl, we must accept it. 

This is after the narrations of those who affirm it from the companions is verified as being authentic.

Therefore, Nawawi affirms that the Prophet saw Allaah but he states that the seeing wasn't with his eyes, rather it was with his inner self. 

TN: the Prophet clearly denied where he said His Hijaab is Noor, so how could I have seen Him?

As-Daarimee, Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah all negate that the prophet saw him with his eyes. Also, the Salaf are agreed that we cannot see Allaah in our current bodily state. So combining all the views, it means he met his lord and saw hid lord in his mind but not the true form of Allaah with is physical eyes, just like Nawawi affirms.

And Allaah knows best. 

Benefits from this chapter to be continued...

Sharh Sahih Muslim of an-Nawawi, 3/6-15