Then al-Bukhārī said: Chapter—The ḥadīth of the Miʿrāj (1).
Hudbah ibn Khālid narrated to us; Hammām narrated to us; Qatādah narrated to us; from Anas ibn Mālik, from Mālik ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿah, that the Prophet ﷺ told them about the night he was taken on the Night Journey.
He said:
“While I was lying in the Ḥaṭīm—he may have said, ‘in the Ḥijr’—someone came to me and split [my chest].” (2) He said: “I heard him say: he cleft it ‘from here to here.’”
I said to al-Jārūd, who was beside me, “What does he mean by that?” He answered, “From the hollow of his throat (3) down to his hairline.”
And I heard him say: “From his upper chest (4) down to his hairline.”
“My heart was then taken out. A golden basin filled with faith was brought; my heart was washed, stuffed, and returned. After that I was brought a mount, smaller than a mule yet larger than a donkey, pure white.”
Al-Jārūd said to him, “That is the Burāq, O Abū Ḥamzah?” Anas replied, “Yes.”—“It would place its hoof where its gaze ended. I mounted it, and Gabriel carried me off until we came to the lowest heaven and asked for it to be opened.
“It was said, ‘Who is this?’
“He replied, ‘Gabriel.’
“‘And who is with you?’
“‘Muhammad.’
“‘Has he been dispatched?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Welcome to him! What an excellent arrival!’ The gate was opened, and when I entered I found Adam. He said, ‘This is your father Adam; greet him.’ I greeted him, and he returned my greeting and said, ‘Welcome, righteous son and righteous Prophet.’
“Then he took me up to the second heaven and asked for it to be opened.
“‘Who is this?’
“‘Gabriel.’
“‘And who is with you?’
“‘Muhammad.’
“‘Has he been dispatched?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Welcome to him! What an excellent arrival!’ The gate was opened, and there I found John and Jesus, who are maternal cousins. He said, ‘This is John and Jesus; greet them.’ I greeted them, and they returned the greeting and said, ‘Welcome, righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’
“Then he took me up to the third heaven and asked for it to be opened.
“‘Who is this?’
“‘Gabriel.’
“‘And who is with you?’
“‘Muhammad.’
“‘Has he been dispatched?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Welcome to him! What an excellent arrival!’ The gate was opened, and there I found Joseph.
“He said, ‘This is Joseph; greet him.’ I greeted him, and he returned the greeting and said, ‘Welcome, righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’
“Then he took me up until we reached the fourth heaven and asked for it to be opened.
“‘Who is this?’
“‘Gabriel.’
“‘And who is with you?’ …”