Hadith of the Night Journey and
Ascension
Al-Isra' wa Mi'raj
It is narrated on the authority of Anas
ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings be upon him, said:
I was brought al-buraq who is an animal
white and long, larger than a donkey but
smaller than a mule, who would place its
hoof at a distance equal to the range of
vision. I mounted it and came to Bait-al
Maqdis (Jerusalem). I then tethered it to
the ring used by the prophets. I entered
the area of the Mosque and prayed two
rak'at in it. I then came out and Gabriel
brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel
of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel
said, 'You have chosen al-fitra, the
natural way'.
He then ascended with me into the lower
heavens and requested that they be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Adam. He welcomed me
and prayed for my well-being.
Then we ascended to the second heaven
and Gabriel requested that it be opened.
It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
when I entered Jesus and John welcomed
me and prayed for my well-being.
Gabriel then ascended with me to the
third heaven and requested that it be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Joseph, who was given
a great portion of beauty. He welcomed
me and prayed for my well-being.
Gabriel then ascended with me to the
fourth heaven and requested that it be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Enoch. He welcomed me
and prayed for my well-being.
Gabriel then ascended with me to the
fifth heaven and requested that it be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Aaron. He welcomed me
and prayed for my well-being.
Gabriel then ascended with me to the
sixth heaven and requested that it be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Moses. He welcomed me
and prayed for my well-being.
Gabriel then ascended with me to the
seventh heaven and requested that it be
opened. It was said: 'Who are you?' He
responded: 'Gabriel'. It was then said:
'Who is with you?' He responded:
'Muhammad'. It was then said: 'Has
revelation been sent to him?' He
responded: 'Revelation has been sent to
him'. It was then opened for us and
there I was with Abraham who was
leaning against the bayt al-ma`mur into
which enter seventy thousand angels
each day never to return.
Then I was brought to the sidrat almuntaha, the Lote Tree of the Furthest
Limit, whose leaves were like the ears of
an elephant and whose fruits at first
appeared insignificant. But when Allah
spread His command over them they
transformed to the point where no one in
creation could describe their beauty.
Then Allah revealed what He revealed to
me. He then made obligatory for me fifty
prayers every night and day.
I began my descent until I reached
Moses who asked me: 'What has your
Lord made obligatory for your
community?' I said to him, 'Fifty
prayers.' He then said, 'Return to your
Lord and ask Him to reduce them, your
community will not be able to bear that.
I know the people of Israel from long
experience and I have tested them.' I
then returned to my Lord and said, 'O
Lord, make things lighter for my people'.
He then reduced it by five prayers for
me. I then returned to Moses and he said
to me, 'Your community will not be able
to stand that. So return and ask Him to
make things lighter.' I kept going
between my Lord and Moses until Allah
said, 'O Muhammad, there are five
prayers every night and day. Each prayer
is equal to ten prayers making them
equal to fifty prayers. Whoever intends a
good deed and does not do it, there will
be written for him a single good deed. If
he does it then there will be written for
him ten good deeds. Whoever intends an
evil deed and does not do it then there is
nothing written against him. If he does it
then there is written for him one evil
deed.'
I then descended until I reached Moses
and informed him of what had occurred.
He then said to me, 'Return to your Lord
and ask Him to make things lighter.' The
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace then said, 'I have
returned to my Lord until I felt ashamed
before Him."
from the hadith collection of Sahih
Muslim