and the most beautiful, with a black speck in its centre. I asked, ‘Gabriel, what is this?’ He replied, ‘This is the world in its clarity and beauty.’ I asked, ‘And what is this patch in its centre?’ He replied, ‘This is Friday.’ I asked, ‘What is Friday?’ He replied, ‘A great day among the days of your Lord. I shall tell you of its honour and excellence, and its name in the Hereafter.

‘As for its honour and excellence in this world, Allah Most High brought together the affairs of creation on it. As for what may be hoped for on it, it contains an hour during which no Muslim man or woman asks Allah Most High for anything good without Him granting it.

‘As for its honour, excellence, and name in the Hereafter: when Allah Most High has admitted the people of Paradise into Paradise and the people of the Fire into the Fire, and their days and hours have passed—although there is neither night nor day there, Allah knows their measure and timing—then, when Friday comes, at the time when the people of Paradise emerge, or go out, to their Friday gathering, a caller will proclaim, “People of Paradise, come out to the Day of Increase!” None but Allah knows its extent, length, and breadth, amid dunes of musk.

‘The young attendants of the prophets will come out with pulpits of light, and the young attendants of the believers will come out with chairs of ruby. When these have been set out for them and everyone has taken their seat, Allah will send upon them a wind called the Stirrer. It will stir up athābīr of white musk over them, entering beneath their garments and emerging through their faces and hair. That wind knows better how to apply that musk than the wife of any one of you would, were she given