1027 — Abū Ahmad Hārūn ibn Yūsuf also narrated to us, saying: Ibn Abī Umar ⦗1530⦘ al-Adanī narrated to us, saying: Abd al-Razzāq and Ubaydullāh ibn Muādh narrated to us, both saying: Ma'mar informed us, from Abū Hārūn al-Abdī, from Abū Saīd al-Khudrī, concerning the words of Allah, Glorified and Exalted: “Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Furthest Mosque.” [al-Isrā: 1]

He said: The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—told us about the night on which he was taken on the Night Journey. The Prophet of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“I was brought a mount that, of all mounts, most closely resembled a mule. It had two twitching ears. It was al-Burāq, which the prophets before me used to ride. I mounted it, and it set off with me, placing its forelegs at the furthest point its sight could reach.

“I then heard a voice calling from my right, ‘O Muhammad, wait! I wish to ask you something.’ I continued on and paid it no heed. Then I heard a voice calling from my left, ‘O Muhammad, wait! I wish to ask you something.’ I continued on and paid it no heed. Then a woman wearing every kind of worldly adornment came toward me. She raised her hands and said, ‘Wait! I wish to ask you something.’ I continued on and paid her no heed.

“I then reached Bayt al-Maqdis—or he said: the Furthest Mosque. I dismounted and secured the mount to the ring to which the prophets used to secure their mounts. I then entered the mosque and prayed there.

“Gabriel—peace be upon him—asked me, ‘What did you see on your way?’ I replied, ‘I heard a voice calling from ⦗1531⦘ my right, “O Muhammad, wait! I wish to ask you something.” But I continued on and paid it no heed.’ He said, ‘That was the caller to Judaism. Had you stopped for him, your nation would have become Jewish.’

“I said, ‘Then I heard a voice calling from my left, “O Muhammad, wait! I wish to ask you something.” But I continued on and paid it no heed.’ He said, ‘That was the caller to Christianity. Had you stopped for him, your nation would have become Christian.’

“I said, ‘Then a woman wearing every kind of worldly adornment came toward me. She raised her hands and said, “Wait! I wish to ask you something.” But I continued on and paid her no heed.’ He said, ‘That was this world, which had adorned itself for you. Had you stopped for her, you would have preferred this world to the Hereafter.’

“I was then brought two vessels, one containing milk and the other wine. I was told, ‘Take whichever you wish and drink.’ I took the milk and drank it. Gabriel then said to him, ‘You have chosen in accordance with the natural disposition—or: You have chosen the natural disposition.’”

Ma'mar said: Al-Zuhrī also narrated to me, from Ibn al-Musayyib, that he was told, “Had you taken the wine, your nation would have gone astray.”

Abū Hārūn also related, from Abū Saīd, from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Then the Ascension was brought—the means by which the souls of Adam’s descendants ascend. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Have you not seen how the dead person’s gaze is fixed upon it?

“We were raised until we reached the gate of the lowest heaven. Gabriel asked that it be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He replied, ‘Gabriel.’ They asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been summoned?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They therefore opened it for me and greeted me with peace.

“There was an angel guarding the heaven named Ishmael. With him were seventy thousand angels, and with each of those angels were one hundred thousand angels. ⦗1532⦘ He then recited: ‘None knows the hosts of your Lord except Him.’ [al-Muddaththir: 31]

“I then saw a man whose appearance remained just as it had been on the day Allah, Glorified and Exalted, created him; nothing about him had changed. The souls of his descendants were being presented to him. When the soul was that of a believer, he would say, ‘A wholesome soul and a pleasant fragrance! Place his record in Illiyyīn.’ When the soul was that of a disbeliever, he would say, ‘A foul fragrance and a foul soul! Place his record in Sijjīn.’

“I asked, ‘Gabriel, who is this?’ He replied, ‘This is your father Adam.’ Adam greeted me with peace, welcomed me, and then said, ‘Welcome to the righteous prophet.’

“I then saw people with lips like the lips of camels. Keepers had been assigned to seize their lips and place rocks of fire into their mouths, which would then emerge from their posteriors. I asked, ‘Gabriel, who are these?’ He replied, ‘These are “those who wrongfully consume the property of orphans; they are only consuming fire in their bellies” [al-Nisā: 10]—to the end of the verse.’

“I then saw people whose flesh was pulled away and stuffed into their mouths. They were told, ‘Eat, just as you once ate!’ It was among the most repulsive things Allah, Glorified and Exalted, had created. I asked, ‘Who are these, Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘These are the slanderers and fault-finders who consume people’s flesh.’

“I then saw people seated at a table upon which was roasted meat, finer than any meat I had ever seen, while carrion lay all around them. They turned to the carrion, ⦗1533⦘ eating from it and leaving the other meat. I asked, ‘Gabriel, who are these?’ He replied, ‘These are the fornicators. They turned to what Allah, Glorified and Exalted, had forbidden them and abandoned what He had made lawful for them.’

“I then saw people whose bellies were like ovens. They lay along the road taken by Pharaoh’s people. Whenever Pharaoh’s people passed them, they tried to rise, but their bellies caused them to topple over, and Pharaoh’s people trampled them beneath their feet as they were exposed to the Fire morning and evening. I asked, ‘Who are these, Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘These are those who filled their bellies with usury. Their likeness is that of “one driven to madness by Satan’s touch.” [al-Baqara: 275]’

“I then saw women hanging by their feet. I asked, ‘Who are these, Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘These are the women who commit fornication and kill their children.’

“We then ascended to the second heaven, where I saw Joseph surrounded by followers from his nation. His face was like the full moon. He greeted me with peace and welcomed me.

“We then proceeded to the third heaven, where I saw the two maternal cousins, John and Jesus. Each resembled the other in clothing and hair. They greeted me with peace and welcomed me.

“We then proceeded to the fourth heaven, where I saw Idrīs—peace be upon him. He greeted me with peace and welcomed me. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—then said, ‘Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has said: “We raised him to a lofty station.” [Maryam: 57]’

“⦗1534⦘ We then proceeded to the fifth heaven, where I saw Aaron, who was beloved among his people. He was surrounded by many followers from his nation. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—described him, saying, ‘He had a long beard that nearly reached his navel.’ He greeted me with peace and welcomed me.

“We then proceeded to the sixth heaven, where I saw Moses. He greeted me with peace and welcomed me. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—described him, saying, ‘He was a very hairy man. Even if he had been wearing two shirts, his hair would have protruded through them.’

“Moses said, ‘People claim that I am the most honored of creation in the sight of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, yet this man is more honored in Allah’s sight than I am. If it were only he, I would not mind; but every prophet has with him those of his nation who followed him.’

“We then proceeded to the seventh heaven, where I saw Abraham—peace be upon him—seated with his back resting against the Much-Frequented House. He greeted me with peace and said, ‘Welcome to the righteous prophet.’ I was told, ‘This is your station and the station of your nation.’ He then recited: ‘Indeed, the people most worthy of Abraham are those who followed him, as well as this Prophet and those who believe. Allah is the Guardian of the believers.’ [Āl Imrān: 68]

“I then entered the Much-Frequented House and prayed within it. Seventy thousand angels enter it every day, and they will never return to it before the Day of Resurrection.

“I then looked and saw a tree, a single leaf of which would have covered this nation. At its base was a spring that flowed forth and divided into two branches. I asked, ‘What are these, Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘This one is the River of Mercy, while the other is al-Kawthar, which Allah—Mighty ⦗1535⦘ and Majestic—has granted you.’

“I bathed in the River of Mercy, whereupon my past and future sins were forgiven. I was then taken along al-Kawthar until I entered Paradise. Therein was that which no eye has seen and which has never occurred to any human heart. Its pomegranates were like the hides of camels fitted with packsaddles, and its birds were like Bactrian camels.

“Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—said, ‘Messenger of Allah, these are indeed fine birds!’ He replied, ‘Those who eat them are even more blessed, Abū Bakr, and I hope that you will eat from them.’

“I also saw a maiden and asked her, ‘To whom do you belong?’ She replied, ‘To Zayd ibn Hāritha.’ The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—thereupon gave Zayd the glad tidings of her.

“He then said, ‘Allah, Glorified and Exalted, gave me a command and prescribed fifty prayers for me. I passed by Moses, who asked, “What has your Lord commanded you?” I replied, “He has prescribed fifty prayers for me.” Moses said, “Return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction, for your nation will not be able to fulfill this.”

“‘I therefore returned to my Lord, Glorified and Exalted, and asked Him, and He reduced them by ten. I then returned to Moses. I continued returning to my Lord whenever I passed by Moses until He prescribed five prayers for me.

“‘Moses then said to me, “Return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction.” I replied, “I have returned so many times that I have become ashamed”—or he said, “I will not return.”

“‘I was then told, “For these five, you shall receive the reward of fifty prayers. A good deed is rewarded tenfold. Whoever intends a good deed but does not perform it will have one good deed recorded for him; if he performs it, ten will be recorded for him. Whoever intends an evil deed but does not perform it will have nothing recorded against him; but if he performs it, one evil deed will be recorded.”’”