47/67. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3320 — Seven Heavens and the Throne
Regarding Surat Al-Haqqah
Hadith About the Seven Heavens and the Throne
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3320
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3320
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ، عَنِ الأَحْنَفِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، قَالَ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ جَالِسًا فِي الْبَطْحَاءِ فِي عِصَابَةٍ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَالِسٌ فِيهِمْ إِذْ مَرَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَحَابَةٌ فَنَظَرُوا إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا اسْمُ هَذِهِ " . قَالُوا نَعَمْ هَذَا السَّحَابُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَالْمُزْنُ " . قَالُوا وَالْمُزْنُ . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَالْعَنَانُ " . قَالُوا وَالْعَنَانُ . ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَلْ تَدْرُونَ كَمْ بُعْدُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ " . فَقَالُوا لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَدْرِي . قَالَ " فَإِنَّ بُعْدَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِمَّا وَاحِدَةٌ وَإِمَّا اثْنَتَانِ أَوْ ثَلاَثٌ وَسَبْعُونَ سَنَةً وَالسَّمَاءُ الَّتِي فَوْقَهَا كَذَلِكَ " . حَتَّى عَدَّدَهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍ كَذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ " فَوْقَ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ بَحْرٌ بَيْنَ أَعْلاَهُ وَأَسْفَلِهِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَفَوْقَ ذَلِكَ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَوْعَالٍ بَيْنَ أَظْلاَفِهِنَّ وَرُكَبِهِنَّ مَا بَيْنَ سَمَاءٍ إِلَى سَمَاءٍ ثُمَّ فَوْقَ ظُهُورِهِنَّ الْعَرْشُ بَيْنَ أَسْفَلِهِ وَأَعْلاَهُ مَا بَيْنَ سَمَاءٍ إِلَى سَمَاءٍ وَاللَّهُ فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ " . قَالَ عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ مَعِينٍ يَقُولُ أَلاَّ يُرِيدُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَعْدٍ أَنْ يَحُجَّ حَتَّى نَسْمَعَ مِنْهُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ . وَرَوَى الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَوْرٍ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ نَحْوَهُ وَرَفَعَهُ . وَرَوَى شَرِيكٌ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ بَعْضَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَأَوْقَفَهُ وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ هُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الرَّازِيُّ .
Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-Muttalib Narrated from:
Al-Ahnaf bin Wais narrated : From Al-Abbas Bin Abdul-Muttalib Who Claimed That He Was Sitting In Al-Batha With A Group, And The Messenger Of Allah Was Sitting Amongst Them, When A Cloud Passed Over Them. They Looked At It, And The Messenger Of Allah Said: ‘Di You Know What Its Name It?’ They Said: ‘Yes. This Is As-Sahab (Cloud).’ The Messenger Of Allah Said: ‘Al-Muzn (Rain Cloud)?’ They Said: ‘Yes. This Is As-Sahab (Cloud).’ Then The Messenger Of Allah Said: ‘Do You Know How Much Distance There Is Between The Heavens And The Earth?’ They Said: ‘No, By Allah We Do Not Know.’ He Said: ‘The Distance Between Every Two Of Them Is Either Seventy-One, Or Two, Or Three, Years, And The Heaven That Is Above That One Is Like That.’ Until He Enumerated Seven Heavens Like That.Then He Said: ‘Above The Seventh Heaven Is A Sea, Between Its Highest Part And Its Lowest Is Just As There Is Between One Heaven To Another Heaven. Then Above Their Backs Is The Throne. Between Its Lowest And Highest Parts Is The Same As What Is Between One Heaven To Another Heaven, And Allah Is Above That.’”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3320In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 372English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3320
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3320
This hadith reports a conversation in which a cloud passed over the Prophet and a group sitting with him. He asked them its name, and they answered with names for cloud, including As-Sahab and Al-Muzn. He then asked whether they knew the distance between the heaven and the earth. They said they did not know. The Prophet mentioned distances between the heavens, counted seven heavens, then spoke of a sea above the seventh heaven, the Throne above that, and Allah above that. The hadith about the seven heavens and the Throne is a report about unseen matters. Its explanation should stay close to the wording and avoid adding details not found in the text.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet used a passing cloud to teach about matters beyond human sight.
- The people admitted when they did not know the distance mentioned.
- The narration mentions seven heavens in sequence.
- The report ends by mentioning the Throne and Allah above that.
