Mâlik bin Sa'sa'a said that Allâh's Messenger (ﷺ) described to them his Night Journey (saying): " While I was lying in Al-Or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here." The narrator said, "It means from his throat to his pubic area." " (The Prophet (ﷺ) further said) " He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray full 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." The narrator said, It was Burâq. (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 Jibrael (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? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) answered, Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, Muḥammad). ' It was asked, 'Has Muḥammad 7) been called? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is ! ' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Ādam there. Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me). ' This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings. ' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Jibrael (Gabriel) asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) answered, 'Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Muḥammad It was asked, 'Has he been called?" Jibrael (Gabriel) answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is ! ' The gate was opened. When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (John) and ' Iesa (Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me), 'These are Yaḥya (John) and Iesa (Jesus); pay them your greetings. ' So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet (ﷺ). Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, "Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?" Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, * Muḥammad ' It was asked, 'Has he been called? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome, what an excellent visit his is ! ' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven, there I saw Yûsuf (Joseph). Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me), 'This is Yûsuf (Joseph); pay him your greetings. ' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied Muḥammad. ' It was asked, 'Has he been called? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome, what an excellent visit his is ! ' The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idrîs (Enoch). Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me), 'This is Idris (Enoch); pay him your greetings. ' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Muḥammad It was asked, 'Has he been called? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is ! ' So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw (Aaron). Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me), 'This is (Aaron); pay him your greetings. ' I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, pious brother and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked, for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Muhammad (ﷺ) It was asked, 'Has he been called? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. It was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is ! ' When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Mûsa (Moses). Jibrael (Gabriel) said (to me), 'This is Mûsa (Moses); pay him your greetings '. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' When I left him [i.e. Mûsa (Moses)] he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep? ' Mûsa (Moses) said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (Muḥammad as a Prophet ﷺ) a young man, whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers. ' Then Jibrael (Gabriel) ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, 'Jibrael (Gabriel). ' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you? ' Jibrael (Gabriel) replied, Muḥammad It was asked, 'Has he been called? Jibrael (Gabriel) replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is ! So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Ibrâhim (Abraham). Jibrael (Gabriel) 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 welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet (ﷺ). ' Then I was made to ascend upto Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the lote-tree of the utmost boundary) Behold ! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajar (i.e. a place near Al-Madîna) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Jibrael (Gabriel) said, 'This is the lote-tree of the utmost boundary). Behold ! There were four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, 'What are these two kinds of rivers, O Jibrael (Gabriel)? ' 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'mûr (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me. Every day seventy thousand angels enter it. Then a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Jibrael (Gabriel) remarked, 'This is the Islâmic religion which you and your followers are following. ' Then the Salât (prayers) were enjoined on me: They were fifty (prayers) a day. When I returned, I passed by Mûsa (Moses) who asked (me), 'What have you been ordered to do? ' I replied, I have been ordered to offer fifty (prayers) a day. ' Mûsa (Moses) said, 'Your followers cannot bear fifty Salât (prayers) a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Banî Isrâel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers ' burden. ' So I went back, and Allâh reduced ten Salât (prayers) for me. Then again I came to Mûsa (Moses), but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allâh and He reduced ten more (prayers). When I came back to Mûsa (Moses) he said the same, I went back to Allâh and He ordered me to observe ten Salât (prayers) a day. When I came back to Mûsa (Moses), he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allâh and was ordered to observe five (prayers) a day. When I came back to Mûsa (Moses), 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 Salât (prayers) a day, [1] and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Banî Isrâel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers ' burden. ' I said, 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allâh's Order. ' When I left, I heard a voice saying, 'I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My worshippers. ' " [The Hadith of Al-Isrâ ' (Journey by Night) was mentioned by Anas in the Book of Salât (Prayers), see Hadith No. 228 and in each of these two (Aḥâdith) there is no resemblance]. [5:227-0.B]
