Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 103 — The Book of Belief (Faith)

Mâlik bin Sa'sa'a Narrated from:

The Prophet ﷺ said, "While I was at the House in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognised me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the abdomen, and then my abdomen was washed with Zam-zam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al-Burâq , a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Jibraël (Gabriel). عليه السلام When I reached the nearest heaven, Jibraël said to the gate-keeper of the heaven, 'Open the gate.' The gate-keeper asked, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Jibraël'. The gate-keeper said, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibraël said, 'Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم '. The gate-keeper said, 'Has he been called?' Jibraël said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Adam and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcome, O son and a Prophet.'Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked 'Who is it?' Jibraël said, 'Jibraël' It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said, 'Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met 'İsâ (Jesus) and Yahya (John) who said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibraël said, 'Jibraël.' It was asked, 'Who is with you?' Jibraël said, 'Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم .' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' Jibraël said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!'The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم added, "There I met Yûsuf (Joseph) and greeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet!' Then we ascended to the fourth heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idrîs (Enoch) and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the fifth heaven, and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Hârûn (Aron) who said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet!'Then we ascended to the sixth heaven, and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Mûsa who said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet.' When I proceeded on, he started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said, 'O Lord! The followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.'Then we ascended to the seventh heaven, and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Ibrâhîm (Abraham) who said, 'You are welcome, O son and a Prophet.' Then I was shown Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mûr (i.e. Allâh's House). I asked Jibraïl about it and he said, 'This is Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mûr where 70,000 angels perform Salât (prayers) daily, and when they leave, they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily)'.Then I was shown Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the lote tree of the utmost boundary over the seventh heaven) and I saw its Nabk fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (a town in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Jibraïl about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.'Then fifty Salât (prayers) were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Mûsa who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty Salât (prayers) have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you, because I had the hardest experience to bring Banî Israel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, return to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the number of Salât ).' I returned and requested Allâh (for reduction) and He made it forty.I returned and (met Mûsa) had a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allâh تعالى for reduction and He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Mûsa who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allâh reduced (the number of Salât ) to five. When I came to Mûsa again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allâh has made it five only.' He repeated the same advice, but I said that I surrendered (to Allâh's Final Order)." Allâh's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was addressed by Allâh, "I have decreed My Obligation and have reduced the burden on My slave, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds!"( Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Hadîth No. 429, Vol. 4)