Muḥammad ibn Saʿd said to Abū ʿUbaydah, “Tell us what your father related concerning the night when Muhammad ﷺ was taken on the Night Journey.”
Abū ʿUbaydah answered, “No—rather, you tell us what your father related.”
Muḥammad replied, “Had you asked me before I asked you, I would have done so.”
So Abū ʿUbaydah began to narrate—from his father, as he had been requested—and said:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
‘Gabriel came to me with a mount that was larger than a donkey yet smaller than a mule. He set me upon it, and we sped away. Whenever it went up a slope, its hind legs rose to the level of its forelegs, and whenever it descended, its forelegs dropped to the level of its hind legs.
We passed by a tall, slender man who looked like one of the men of Azd Shanuʾah. He was raising his voice and saying, “I honored him and gave him precedence.”
We approached him, offered the greeting of peace, and he returned it. He then asked, “Who is this with you, O Gabriel?”
Gabriel replied, “This is Ahmad.”
The man said, “Welcome to the unlettered Arab Prophet who conveyed his Lord’s message and sincerely advised his community.”
We moved on, and I asked, “Who was that, O Gabriel?”
He said, “That was Moses, son of ʿImrān.”
I asked, “And about what is he remonstrating?”
He replied, “He is remonstrating with his Lord on your account.”
I said, “And does he raise his voice toward his Lord?!”
He responded, “Allah knows his fiery temperament!’”