Muhammad.’ They asked, ‘Has he, then, been sent?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Welcome to him; what an excellent arrival!’—and the gate was opened. When I entered, there stood Enoch. Gabriel said, ‘This is Enoch; greet him.’ I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome to the righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’

“Then we ascended until we reached the fifth heaven. Gabriel sought permission to enter and it was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He answered, ‘Gabriel.’ They asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ They asked, ‘Has he indeed been sent?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Welcome to him; what an excellent arrival!’ The gate was opened, and when I entered I found Aaron. Gabriel said, ‘This is Aaron; greet him.’ I greeted him and he returned the greeting, saying, ‘Welcome to the righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’

“Next he took me up to the sixth heaven and sought entry. It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He answered, ‘Gabriel.’ They asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ They asked, ‘Has he been sent?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Welcome to him; what an excellent arrival!’—and the gate was opened. When I entered there was Moses. Gabriel said, ‘This is Moses; greet him.’ I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, saying, ‘Welcome to the righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ As I went beyond him he wept, and it was said to him, ‘What makes you weep?’ He said, ‘I weep because a youth sent after me will have more of his community entering Paradise than will enter from mine.’

“Then we ascended until we reached the seventh heaven, and Gabriel sought entry. It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He answered, ‘Gabriel.’ They asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ They asked, ‘Has he been sent?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘Welcome to him; what an excellent arrival!’—and the gate was opened. When I entered, there was Abraham. Gabriel said, ‘This is Abraham; greet him.’ I greeted him, and he returned the greeting and said, ‘Welcome to the righteous son and righteous Prophet.’

“Then Sidrat al-Muntahā (the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary) was raised before me, and the Bayt al-Maʿmūr (the Frequented House) was shown to me. After that the prayer was made obligatory upon me—fifty prayers every day. I came back and passed by Moses, who asked, ‘What were you commanded?’ I replied, ‘Fifty prayers each day.’ He said, ‘Your community will not be able to bear fifty prayers. I have tried people before you and dealt with the Children of Israel most strenuously. Return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten the burden for your community.’ So I returned, and ten prayers were removed. I went back to Moses, and he asked, ‘What were you commanded?’ I said, ‘Forty prayers each day.’ He said, ‘Your community will not be able to bear forty prayers each day. I have tried people before you and dealt with the Children of Israel most strenuously—so return to your Lord…’