Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated through good chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that on the night of ascension, Jibraeel, Mikaeel and Israfeel brought the creature, Burraq for the Prophet. One held the bridle, another the stirrup, and the third arranged the clothes of the Prophet as he mounted.
Burraq being silent, Jibraeel gave him a blow asking it why it was silent, for he was never mounted by a more worthy rider. As Burraq flew on his way, Jibraeel showed the Prophet the wonders of earth and the heavens. The Messenger of Allah (S) says: As we proceeded, a voice came on my right, which I disregarded. Then I heard another voice on my left, but to this I paid no attention.
Next I saw a woman before me with bare arms and adorned with all the ornaments of the world: she cried, “Look at me O Muhammad, and let me speak to you,” but I paid no notice to her and was proceeding, when suddenly such a frightful noise assailed my ears as filled me with terror. Jibraeel now directed me to alight and perform prayers, saying, “this is the sacred place, Medina, to which you will flee.” Having mounted and gone some distance he again directed me to alight and pray, observing, “This is mount Sina where the Almighty Allah spoke with Musa.”
After mounting and proceeding a little, he again told me to alight and pray, saying “This is Bait-e-Najam (Bethlehem), where Isa was born.” He then took me to Baitul Maqdas and bound Burraq with a chain to which the ancient prophets tied their animals, and I entered the Masjid with Jibraeel on my right. There I saw Ibrahim, Musa and Isa, with a multitude of prophets who were assembled on my account.
Jibraeel pronounced the Azan, stationed me in advance of the rest, and all the prophets in a rank performed prayers behind me. The treasurer of Baitul Maqdas brought me three vessels: one of milk, one of wine and one of water. I heard a voice say, “If he takes the water, he and his community will be drowned; if he takes the wine, they will wander from the right way; but if he takes the milk, he and his community will find religious direction.”
I took the bowl of milk and drank it. “You have found guidance,” said Jibraeel, “and your community also.” “But what did you notice on the way?” he inquired. On telling him he remarked that the voice I heard on my right was of a seducing Jew, whom if I had answered, my community would have become Jews.
The voice on my left was a Christian lure, a reply to which would have made my community Christians and the woman that strove in vain to fascinate me, was the world: if I had spoken to her, my community would have preferred this world to the future. Jibraeel said moreover, that the terrific noise I heard was the sound of a rock I hurled from the verge of Hell, seventy years before, and which struck the bottom of the abyss that night. After this dreadful indication of the depth of future woe, the Prophet never laughed.
“Jibraeel now conducted me,” said the Prophet, “to the first heaven. There I saw Ismail, the angelic regent of that place, and lord of the meteors with which every Satan is repelled from the celestial mansions as the Almighty Allah says:
إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ.
“Except him who snatches off but once, then there follows him a brightly shining flame.”33
Under the orders of Ismail are seventy thousand angelic officers, each of whom commands a division of seventy thousand angels. “Who is this with you?” asked Ismail to Jibraeel. “The Prophet,” replied my conductor. “Has he appeared?” “Yes,” said my guide. Ismail then opened the gate of heaven, and we exchanged salutations, and mutually implored divine blessings on each other, and he said, “Hail and welcome! my worthy brother, and worthy Prophet.”
The angels advanced to meet me, and all that saw me laughed for joy. And I entered the first heaven. At length I met an angel more gigantic than I had ever seen before, with an ugly look and signs of wrath in his countenance. He like the rest prayed for my benediction, but did not smile like them. I inquired of Jibraeel who he was, for I was afraid of him. “You have cause to fear him,” replied my conductor “we all stand in awe of him.
He is the overseer of Hell, and has never smiled since the omnipotent Lord made him ruler of that dreadful world. His wrath against the enemies of God, and against sinners violating the divine law, is continually increasing; and by him Allah will take vengeance on them. If he has smiled on any one it had been on you, but he never smiles.” However I exchanged salutations with him and he congratulated me about Paradise.
As Jibraeel was the ruler of the angels, I asked him if he would not command this angel, Malik, to show me Hell. Accordingly he removed a curtain and opened a door of Hell, when suddenly a flame blazed forth which I feared would envelop me, and I asked Jibraeel to order him to quell the flame and shut the door. Malik ordered it to return to Hell and it obeyed his command.
Passing from there, I saw a very large man, of a wheaten complexion, and inquiring who he was, Jibraeel said, “This is your father, Adam.” Suddenly I saw this his sons were brought to him. They used to say that they are nice flowers and they are fragrant breeze that has ensued from a better body. His Eminence, recited the following verse:
كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْأَبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ.
“Nay! Most surely the record of the righteous shall be in the Iliyin.”34
We exchanged salutations and implored blessings on each other, and he bade me hail and welcome, as a worthy son and Prophet sent in a worthy time. Proceeding on, I came to an angel seated in a company of angels. He held the world between his knees, and a tablet of light in his hand. Something was written on the tablet, on which he looked with steady gaze of a melancholy man.
On inquiring who he was, Jibraeel said, “This is the angel of death; he is incessantly occupied in taking away life.” After being introduced by my conductor as the Prophet of mercy, I exchanged salutations with him, and he bade me hail and welcome, saying that my community was good. I replied by expressing thanks to Allah.
Jibraeel now remarked, “This angel’s work is greater and more severe than that of any other angel.” I inquired if he alone took away the spirit of all. “Yes,” said Jibraeel. I then asked the angel of death if he saw and approached every individual. “Yes,” he replied, the world over which Allah has given me an office is no more in my hand than a dirham.
There is not a house whose inmates I do not observe one by one five times a day. When relatives weep the departure of a friend, I say to them, weep not for him, for I must visit you again and again till none of you are left. I remarked, “Death is enough to cause grief and overwhelming sorrow.” “That which follows death, added Jibraeel, is far more dreadful than dying.”
Passing from there, I came to a company seated at tables laden with the daintiest viands, and with the most putrid flesh, which they devoured without tasting that which was delicious. “Who are these?” I inquired. “They are those of your community,” said Jibraeel, “that eat forbidden things in preference to that which is lawful.”
Next I saw an angel whom Allah had created of immense size. Half his body was fire, and half was snow: the fire did not melt the snow, nor the snow quench fire. He cried with a loud voice, “I ascribe holiness to the Lord, who preserves the entire conflicting elements of my being: O Lord, who has united snow to fire, impart unity to the hearts of those that believe in You.”
On inquiring who he has, Jibraeel said, “This is the most benevolent angel of Allah towards true believers, and from the day of his creation till now he has uttered this prayer for the objects of his good will.” I saw two other angels, one of whom cried, “O Lord, whoever gives in your cause, do you reward him;” and the other cried, “O Lord, whoever is misery and gives not in your cause, do You destroy his property.”
Proceeding from there, I saw several companies that had lips like a camel; and angels cut the flesh off their sides with scissors and threw it in their mouths, forcing them to eat it. At my inquiry, Jibraeel said, “These derided believers, and sought out their faults.” Next I saw a party beating their heads with stones. “These,” said my conductor, “went to sleep without performing the prayers.”
Next I saw a company into whose mouths angels were pouring fire, which passed the natural way through their bodies. They had unrighteously devoured the property of orphans, and it is declared in the Qur’an:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَىٰ ظُلْمًا إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًا ۖ وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًا.
“(As for) those who swallow the property of the orphans unjustly, surely they only swallow fire into their bellies and they shall enter burning fire.”35
Then I passed a crowd of people who could not rise on account of their huge stomachs. These were usurers, that in the Qur’an are compared to the people of Firon, dreading the wrath to come: “They shall be exposed to the fire of Hell morning and evening; and the day whereon the hour of judgment shall come, it shall be said unto them, Enter, O people of Firon, into a most severe torment.”
Passing from there, I saw a party of women suspended by their breasts. These had committed adultery, and attributed their illicit offspring upon their husbands, and secured them an inheritance in their husbands’ property. At this the Prophet remarked, “Terrible is the wrath of Allah against the woman guilty of such crimes.”
I then beheld a number of angels, whom the Lord of the universe had formed as it had pleased Him, and placed their faces in whatever position He chose. All their members uttered praises to the Almighty Allah, in all manner of voices, and they wept through fear of God. Said Jibraeel, “These were created in the form you see, and since their creation they have not spoken to each other, nor raised their heads, nor looked under their feet, such is their awe, humility and fear of the Holy and Divine.”
They returned my salutation only by a sign. Jibraeel then informed them that I was Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy, the last and best of the prophets, and inquired if they would not speak to me. They then saluted and honored me, and congratulated me on the goodness bestowed on me and my community.
Jibraeel now conducted me to the second heaven, where I saw two persons much resembling each other. “Who are these?” I inquired, Jibraeel replied, “They are two cousins, Yahya and Isa.” We exchanged salutations and mutually implored blessings on each other, and they bade me hail and welcome, worthy brother and Prophet! In this heaven I saw angels inspired with awe, whose faces were turned in the direction God had commanded, and they looked to no other quarter.
In various voices they uttered praise and ascribed holiness to the Almighty Allah. I now ascended the third heaven, and saw there a man exceeding all others in beauty as much as the full moon excels the stars. Jibraeel said to me, “This is your brother, Yusuf.” We saluted each other, mutually invoking blessings.
Here again I saw angels filled with awe, like those I had seen in the heaven below. And Jibraeel told them the same thing about me that he had said to the angels on the lower heaven and they also replied in the same way. On ascending the fourth heaven, I met a man who, Jibraeel informed me, was Idris whom God transported on high, according to a declaration in the Qur’an:
وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا
“And We raised him high in Heaven.”36
We saluted each other, mutually imploring blessings. Here too were angels inspired with awe, who pronounced congratulations on me and my community. In this heaven, I saw an archangel seated on a throne, under whose orders were seventy thousand angelic officers, each commanding a company of seventy thousand angels. I thought there was no angel greater than this. Presently Jibraeel bade him rise, which he did, and he will remain standing till Judgment Day.
Ascending the fifth heaven, I saw an old man with large eyes, greater than whom I had not seen. I marveled at the multitude of his community that were around him. “This,” said Jibraeel, “is the Prophet whose community loved him – Danial. Then I saw another person and asked who he was. I was told that he was Harun, the son of Imran.
I saluted him also. Here, likewise were angels of awe. Proceeding up to the sixth heaven, I saw a tall man of wheaten complexion and very long hair. I heard him say, “the Bani Israel think me the dearest with the Almighty Allah, but this man, – meaning myself, – is dearer than I am.” Being informed he was Musa, the son of Imran, we exchanged salutations and the imploring of blessings.
In this heaven also were angels of awe. When I ascended the seventh heaven and every angel I passed said to me, “Practice cupping (blood letting), and command your community to do the same.” Presently I saw a man whose hair and beard were white, and he was seated on a throne. I inquired, who is this in the seventh heaven, in the neighborhood of the divine presence, at the door of Baitul Mamoor? “This” replied Jibraeel, is your father, “Ibrahim, and this is the region for the pure of your community.” In relating this, the Prophet here recited the verse:
إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
“Most surely the nearest of people to Ibrahim are those who followed him and this Prophet and those who believe and Allah is the guardian of the believers.”37
We exchanged salutations, and he hailed me a worthy son and Prophet. There I saw angels of awe, as in the other havens, who pronounced congratulations upon me and my community. In the seventh heaven, I saw seas of glittering light whose effulgence dazzled the eyes; I also saw seas of darkness, and seas of snow.
When overcome by fear at the sight of these sublime wonders, Jibraeel bade me rejoice and render thanks to Allah, Who held me so dear as to confer on me such favors. The Almighty Allah then imparted to me power to survey those wonders, and understand those mysteries. While lost in admiration, Jibraeel said to me, “Are these things wonderful in your eyes? the greatness of your Lord, beyond compare, exceeds all you behold.
Verily, between the Almighty Allah and His intelligent creation are ninety thousand curtains, or material divisions, which separate Him from the place whence divine communications proceed. Myself and Israfeel enjoy the nearest approach, and between us are four divisions, one of light, another of darkness, the third of cloud, and the fourth of water.”
Among the number of divine wonders that met my eyes was a cock that stood on the foundation of the seventh or lowest earth, and his head reached the empyrean. He had two wings, which when expanded, outstretched the limits of the east and west, and his note of praise was “Holy is my lord, ineffably exalted.” Every morning this cock expands and beats his wings and calls aloud in praise, proclaiming, “Holy is the King of Holiness; holy is the Lord of greatness and bounty; there is no God but the Living and Eternal.”
When this morning call resounds, all the cocks on earth clap their wings and utter praises to the Almighty Allah; and when their angelic leader is silent, they become quiet. The wings of that empyrean cock are white, the feathers under his wings are green, and the beautiful effect of these colors is indescribable.
Attended by Jibraeel, I now entered Baitul Mamoor, and performed two rakats of prayer. There I beheld a company of my followers clothed in white garments, and a crowd clothed in old soiled garments. Those beautifully arrayed were admitted into the mosque, but the others were inhibited. On coming out, I saw two rivers, one called Kauthar, and the other named the river of mercy.
I drank from the water of Kauthar and bathed in the stream of mercy. The road to Paradise led me along these rivers, on whose banks I saw palaces for myself and family, and for my pure women. The soil of Paradise is musk. Seeing a girl swimming in the rivers of Paradise, I inquired who she was. She replied, “I am the daughter of Zaid bin Haritha.” On returning to earth, I congratulated Zaid on his future bliss with that celestial nymph.
In that happy region, I beheld birds equaling in size the largest camel, whose beaks were as large as a great bucket. I saw a tree in Paradise so immense that a bird could not fly around its trunk in seven hundred years, and its branches extended to every house in that blissful abode. “What tree is this?” I inquired. Jibraeel replied, “This is Tuba, concerning which Allah has said:
طُوبٰى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ
“Tuba shall be theirs and a goodly return.”38 The Messenger of Allah (S) says: After entering Paradise, my fear was dispelled and I inquired of Jibraeel what those seas were I had seen in the seventh heaven. He replied, “They are curtains stopping the light of the empyrean or it would burn everything under it.” I passed on to Sidratul Muntaha, every leaf of which could shade a great community. From this point, I advanced within a bow’s length, or nearer:
قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنٰى
“So he was the measure of two bows or closer still.”39 …the divine presence of my Lord, Who addressed me, saying:
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهٖ
“The apostle believed what was sent him from his Lord.” 40 I answered:
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهٖ
“…and (so do) the believers; they all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His apostles; We make no difference between any of His apostles…”41
I then added:
وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ.
“and they say: We hear and obey, our Lord! Thy forgiveness (do we crave), and to Thee is the eventual course.” 42 The Almighty Allah said:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
ۚ
لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ
“Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is (the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought:”43
رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا
“Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake…”44
So the Almighty Allah said that He would not account us of mistakes. Then I said:
رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا
“Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as You didst lay on those before us…”45
The Lord accepted that also. Then I said:
رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ.
“Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, You are our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.”46
The Almighty Allah replied, I grant all your requests on behalf of yourself and community. Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says: The Almighty Allah did not honor and exalt any prophet as He honored the Messenger of Allah (S) and the Holy Prophet (S) said: O Lord, You didst impart peculiar excellencies to your prophets, therefore bestow such a favor on me.
The Almighty Allah answered: Of the things I grant you are these two expressions from my empyrean treasury, namely, ‘There is no power and strength except by Allah’, and ‘there no refuge for except Him’. The Messenger of Allah (S) says: The carriers of the divine empyrean taught me a supplication which I recite every morning and night and it is as follows:
“O Allah, my injustice is in the refuge of Your forgiveness. And my sin is in the refuge of Your clemency and my degradation is in the refuge of Your honor. And my poverty is in the refuge of Your needlessness. And my condition and lowliness is in the refuge of Your power which is eternal, having no end.”
His Eminence, said: I now heard an angel, who never before had been seen, proclaiming the Azan. After he had twice recited, Allah is the greatest! The Almighty Allah said: My faithful servant declares truly that I am greater than created minds can comprehend. When he said: I testify that there is no god but Allah, the Almighty Allah said: My servant speaks truth in the declaration, there is no Lord but Me.
When he had twice said: I testify that Muhammad is Messenger of Allah (S), the Almighty Allah added: True says my angel, Muhammad is My servant and messenger; I have sent him and chosen him. When the crier pronounced: Hasten to prayers, the Almighty Allah declared: True says My servant; he calls men to a religious duty, and whoever from earnest desire endeavors to be present and to please Me, this is an atonement for his sins.
When the angel cried: Hasten to prosperity, the omnipotent Lord said: Prayer is the means of worthiness and prosperity and salvation. I then performed prayers, standing in advance of the angels, who were arrayed behind me as the prophets had been at Baitul Maqdas. When prayers were finished, the effulgence of the love of Allah encompassed me and I fell in adoration.
The Almighty Allah called to me and said: I made fifty prayers daily obligatory on every community before you, and enjoin the same number on you and your followers. On my return through the heavens, Ibrahim and the other prophets made no inquiry of me concerning this matter, but when I came to Musa (a.s.), at his inquiry, I told him: The Almighty Allah had made fifty prayers obligatory on me and my community.
He replied: “The Lord has no need of your religious services; your community is the last and weakest of all, and unable to perform fifty prayers a day: return to your Lord, and implore Him to lighten the burden of your community.” Accordingly, I returned to Sidratul Muntaha, where I fell in adoration and said: O Lord, you have made fifty prayers obligatory on me and my community; the duty is hard for us to perform; for the sake of your own exaltation, lighten the burden.
The Almighty Allah then remitted ten prayers, but on meeting Musa (a.s.) again he sent me back to intercede that Allah would still farther diminish the number, when another ten were cancelled; but Musa (a.s.), not yet content, sent me back again, to beseech more abatement, and thus the number of obligatory prayers was at last reduced to five.
Musa not satisfied even now, told me to return and implore a still further discount, but I replied that I was ashamed to intercede for another discount, for we could well endure the burden of five daily prayers. Immediately a voice from the Almighty Allah announced: Since you are patient in the performance of five prayers, I will grant you the benefit of the whole fifty, and will accept one prayer as equivalent to ten.
Whoever of your community performs a good act, I will give him credit for ten, and if he purposes to do it, and fails, I will still write for him a single reward due to such an act. Whoever, on the other hand, resolves to commit a sin and does it not, I will record nothing against him; and if he is guilty of the act, I will only write against him the single sin itself. Regarding this, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) adds: May Allah give Musa bin Imran (a.s.) a good reward for this interest in the Muslims in lightening their burdens.