When Gabriel brought the Buraq to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the creature lashed its tail. Gabriel said to it, “Easy there, O Buraq! By Allah, none like him has ever ridden you!”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then set out, and he saw an old woman standing far from the road—meaning on its edge. Abū Jaʿfar commented, “It should properly be nāʾiyatan (feminine), but the feminine ending was dropped.” The Prophet asked, “Who is this, O Gabriel?” He replied, “Proceed, O Muhammad.”

He continued for as long as Allah willed, until something off the path called to him, “Come here, O Muhammad!” Gabriel said, “Keep going, O Muhammad.”

So he went on for as long as Allah willed.

He narrated: “Then a being from among the creatures met him, and one of them said, ‘Peace be upon you, O First! Peace be upon you, O Last! Peace be upon you, O Gatherer!’ Gabriel said, ‘Return the greeting, O Muhammad,’ so he returned the greeting.

“Next a second one met him and said what the first had said [and a third did likewise]. ⦗1⦘