English Translation

Affan narrated to us, saying: Hammam ibn Yahya narrated to us, saying: I heard Qatadah narrating from Anas ibn Malik, that Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah told him that the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, told them about the night he was taken on his Night Journey. He said: 'While I was in the Hatim' — and Qatadah sometimes said 'in the Hijr' — 'lying down, one came to me and began speaking to his companion, the middle one of the three.' He said: 'So he came to me and split' — and I heard Qatadah say: 'and split what is between this and this.' Qatadah said: I said to al-Jarud, who was beside me, 'What does he mean?' He said: 'From the notch of his throat to his pubic region' — and I have heard him say 'from his breastbone to his pubic region.' He said: 'So my heart was drawn out, and I was brought a golden basin filled with faith and wisdom, and my heart was washed, then filled, then restored. Then I was brought a mount smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, white.' He said: al-Jarud said: 'Is that al-Buraq, O Abu Hamzah?' He said: 'Yes — its stride would reach as far as its eye could see.' He said: 'So I was mounted on it, and Gabriel, peace be upon him, set off with me until he brought me to the lowest heaven, and he sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there was Adam, peace be upon him. He said: "This is your father Adam, so greet him." I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet."' He said: 'Then he ascended until he came to the second heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there were Yahya and Isa, who are maternal cousins. He said: "This is Yahya and Isa, so greet them."' He said: 'I greeted them, and they returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet."' He said: 'Then he ascended until he came to the third heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad — has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there was Yusuf, peace be upon him. He said: "This is Yusuf, so greet him."' He said: 'I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, and said: "Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet."' Then he ascended until he came to the fourth heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "Who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through' — he said — 'there was Idris, peace be upon him. He said: "This is Idris, so greet him."' He said: 'I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet."' He said: 'Then he ascended until he came to the fifth heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there was Harun, peace be upon him. He said: "This is Harun, so greet him."' He said: 'I greeted him.' He said: 'He returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet."' He said: 'Then he ascended until he came to the sixth heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there was Musa, peace be upon him. He said: "This is Musa, so greet him." I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous brother and righteous prophet."' He said: 'When I passed by him, he wept. It was said to him: "What makes you weep?" He said: "I weep because a young man was sent after me, yet more of his nation will enter Paradise than will enter it from my nation."' He said: 'Then he ascended until he came to the seventh heaven, and sought the gate to be opened. It was said: "Who is this?" He said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." It was said: "Has he indeed been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!"' He said: 'So it was opened, and when I passed through, there was Ibrahim, peace be upon him. He said: "This is Ibrahim, so greet him." I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: "Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet."' He said: 'Then the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary was raised up to me, and behold, its fruit was like the jars of Hajar, and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. He said: "This is the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary."' He said: 'And behold, there were four rivers — two hidden and two visible. I said: "What are these, O Gabriel?" He said: "As for the two hidden ones, they are two rivers in Paradise; as for the two visible ones, they are the Nile and the Euphrates."' He said: 'Then the Frequented House was raised up to me.' Qatadah said: 'And al-Hasan narrated to us, from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he saw the Frequented House, which seventy thousand angels enter every day, then never return to it.' Then he returned to the account of Anas, and said: 'Then I was brought a vessel of wine, a vessel of milk, and a vessel of honey. He said: I took the milk. He said: "This is the natural disposition upon which you and your nation stand."' He said: 'Then the prayer was made obligatory — fifty prayers every day.' He said: 'So I went back and passed by Musa, peace be upon him, and he said: "What were you commanded?" I said: "I was commanded with fifty prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear fifty prayers, and I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'So I went back, and He removed ten from me.' He said: 'So I went back to Musa, and he said: "What were you commanded?" I said: "Forty prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear forty prayers every day, and I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'So I went back, and He removed another ten from me. I went back to Musa, and he said to me: "What were you commanded?" I said: "I was commanded with thirty prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear thirty prayers every day, and I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'So I went back, and He removed another ten from me. I went back to Musa, and he said to me: "What were you commanded?" I said: "Twenty prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear twenty prayers every day, and I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'So I went back, and I was commanded with ten prayers every day. I went back to Musa, and he said: "What were you commanded?" I said: "Ten prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear ten prayers every day — I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'So I went back, and I was commanded with five prayers every day. I went back to Musa, and he said: "What were you commanded?" I said: "I was commanded with five prayers every day." He said: "Your nation will not be able to bear five prayers every day, and I have had experience of the people before you, and I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort — so return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your nation."' He said: 'I said: "I have asked my Lord until I am too shy before Him, but I am content and I submit."' He said: 'When I had passed on, a caller called out: "I have carried out My decree and lightened the burden upon My servants."' Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, saying: Sa'id ibn Abi 'Arubah narrated to us, from Qatadah ibn Di'amah, from Anas ibn Malik, from Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that he said: 'While I was at the Ka'bah, between sleep and wakefulness, I heard a speaker saying — one of the three' — and he related the account, and said: 'Then the Frequented House was raised up for us, which seventy thousand angels enter every day; when they leave it, they never return to it — that is the last thing required of them.' He said: 'Then the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary was raised up to me, and behold, its leaves were like the ears of elephants' — and he related the account — and said: 'I said: "I have gone back and forth to my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, until I am ashamed — no, but I am content and I submit."' He said: 'When I passed beyond it, I was called: "I have lightened the burden upon My servants and carried out My decrees, and I have made every good deed worth ten like it."' Muhammad ibn Bakr narrated to us, saying: Sa'id informed us, from Qatadah, from Anas ibn Malik, from Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah — a man of his people — and he related it.