Book Study: The Nocturnal Journey and the Heavenly Ascension 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the second Heaven, where he sought permission to enter. He was asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am Gabriel”. He was then asked, “And who is with you?” He said, “Muhammad!” He was asked, “Has he been sent for?” He replied, “He has been sent for.” The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the company of the two maternal cousins, Jesus the son of Mary (AS) and John the son of Zachariah (AS), who bade me welcome and invoked blessing upon me. 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the third Heaven, where the same questions and answers were exchanged. The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the presence of Joseph (AS). He had been allotted half of all goodness and beauty (apportioned to the world). 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the fourth Heaven, where the same questions and answers were exchanged. The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the presence of Enoch (AS), who bade me welcome and invoked blessing upon me, saying, “Allah has said:  

      And We have raised him to a high station. (19:57). 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the fifth Heaven, where the same questions and answers were exchanged. The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the presence of Aaron (AS), who bade me welcome and invoked blessing upon me. 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the sixth Heaven, where the same questions and answers were exchanged. The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the presence of Moses (AS), who bade me welcome and invoked blessing upon me. 

Gabriel then ascended with us toward the seventh Heaven, where the same questions and answers were exchanged. The gate was then opened for us, and I found myself in the presence of Abraham (AS), who was resting his back of al-Bait al-Ma’mûr (the inhabited house). It is entered every day by 70,000 angels, who will not return until the Day of Resurrection.  

Gabriel then took me to the Sidrat al-Muntahâ (Lote-tree of the Farthest Boundary). Lo and behold, its leaves were like the ears of the elephants and its fruits were like pomegranates! When it is covered by its business that covers it, it is transformed, so that not one of Allah’s creatures is able to describe it, because of its beauty. 

Allah then inspired me with that which He inspired, and He made it incumbent upon me to perform fifty ritual prayers every day and night. Then I descended to Moses, who asked, “What has your Lord made incumbent upon your community?” I said, “Fifty ritual prayers”. He said: “You must go back to your Lord and beg Him to lighten the load, for the members of your Community are not capable of that! I know full well because I put the Children of Israel to the test!” 

I therefore returned to my Lord and said, “O my lord, lighten the load for my Community!” He relieved me of five ritual prayers, so, I went back to Moses and told him, “He has relieved me of five!” Moses said: “The members of your Community are incapable of that, so, you must return to your Lord and beg Him to further lighten the load!” I therefore kept coming and going between my Lord and Moses until He said: “O Muhammad, each one of those five ritual prayers performed every day and night is worth ten ritual prayers, so they add up to fifty ritual prayers! If someone intends to perform a good deed, but he does not perform it, I shall record it to his credit. If he does perform it, I shall record it ten times to his credit. If someone intends to commit a bad deed, but he does not commit it, I shall not record a bad deed. If he does commit it, I shall only record one single bad deed.” 

I then descended until I reached Moses. When I informed him of this, he said: “Go back to your Lord and beg Him to lighten the load still further!” I said: “I have returned to my Lord until I have come to feel embarrassed in front of Him!” 

Qâdî ‘Iyâd said: “Thâbit enthusiastically rated this Prophetic tradition (hadîth) from Anas as faultlessly excellent, and no one has presented anything more accurate than this.” 

……To be continued in sha Allah.

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