English Translation

Abu Amir told us, Zuhayr - meaning Ibn Muhammad - told us, from Yazid ibn Yazid - meaning Ibn Jabir - from Khalid ibn al-Lajlaj, from Abd al-Rahman ibn A'ish, from one of the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came out to them one morning cheerful in spirit, radiant of face - or bright of face. We said, "O Messenger of Allah, we see you cheerful in spirit, radiant of face," or "bright of face." He said, "What should prevent me? My Lord came to me tonight in the most beautiful form and said, 'O Muhammad.' I said, 'Here I am, my Lord, at Your service.' He said, 'In what do the exalted assembly dispute?' I said, 'I do not know, my Lord.'" He said this two or three times. He said: "Then He placed His palm between my shoulders, and I felt its coolness between my breasts, until what is in the heavens and what is in the earth became manifest to me." Then he recited this verse: "And thus We show Ibrahim the dominion of the heavens and the earth" - the verse. "He said, 'O Muhammad, in what do the exalted assembly dispute?' I said, 'Concerning the expiations.' He said, 'And what are the expiations?' I said, 'Walking on foot to congregational prayers, sitting in mosques after the prayers, and performing ablution thoroughly in times of hardship.' He said, 'Whoever does that will live in good and die in good, and will be as free of sin as the day his mother bore him. And among the elevating deeds are: good speech, spreading greetings of peace, feeding people, and praying at night while people are asleep.'" Then He said, "O Muhammad, when you pray, say: 'O Allah, I ask You for the good things, and to leave the evil things, and love for the poor, and that You turn to me in forgiveness. And if You intend a trial among the people, then take my life without being subjected to trial.'"