Hadith of Al Isra Wal Miraj: A Full Details Of The Night Journey

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Hadith of Al Isra Wal Miraj (The Night Journey). Reference (English):

Narrated `Abbas bin Malik:
Malik bin Sasaa said that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) described to them his Night Journey saying, “While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here.” I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, “What does he mean?” He said, “It means from his throat to his pubic area,” or said, “From the top of the chest.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, “He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me.” (On this Al-Jarud asked, “Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?” I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative).

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The animal’s step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal’s sight. I was carried on it, and Jibril (Gabriel) set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven. When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril answered, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril (Gabriel) replied, ‘Muhammad.’

It was asked, ‘Has Muhammad been called?’ Jibril (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit this is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Jibril (Gabriel) said (to me). ‘This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.’

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Then Jibril (Gabriel) ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Jibril asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril answered, ‘Jibril .’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Jibril answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit this is!’ The gate was opened.

When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and `Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Jibril said (to me), ‘These are Yahya and Issa; pay them your greetings.’ So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Jibril ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril replied, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Jibril replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed, what an excellent visit this is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Yusuf. Jibril said (to me), ‘This is Yusuf; pay him your greetings.’

So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Jibril ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril replied, ‘Jibril’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Jibril replied in the affirmative.

Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed, what an excellent visit this is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Jibril said (to me), ‘This is Idris; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Jibril ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened.

It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril replied, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked. ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Jibril replied in the affirmative. Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit this is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Jibril said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.’

I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Jibril ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked. ‘Who is it?’ Jibril replied, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Jibril replied in the affirmative. It was said, ‘He is welcomed.

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What an excellent visit this is!’ When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Musa (Moses). Jibril said (to me),’ This is Musa; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, ‘What makes you weep?’

Musa said, ‘I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.’ Then Jibril ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Jibril replied, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked,’ Who is accompanying you?’ Jibril replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’

Jibril replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit this is!’ So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Ibrahim (Abraham). Jibril said (to me), ‘This is your father; pay your greetings to him.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.’

Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Jibril said, ‘This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary). Behold! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, ‘What are these two kinds of rivers, O Jibril ?’

He replied,’ As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.’ Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma’mur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Jibril remarked, ‘This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.’

Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were fifty prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Musa (Moses) who asked (me), ‘What have you been ordered to do?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.’ Musa said, ‘Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain).

Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers’ burden.’ So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me. Then again I came to Musa, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced ten more prayers. When I came back to Musa he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day.

When I came back to Musa, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day. When I came back to Musa, he said, ‘What have you been ordered?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.’ He said, ‘Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt,

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I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower’s burden.’ I said, ‘I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah’s Order.’ When I left, I heard a voice saying, ‘I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My Worshipers.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, 3887) In-Book Reference: Book 63, Hadith 112