English Translation

Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated to us, saying: Hisham al-Dastuwa'i narrated to us, saying: Qatadah narrated to us, from Anas ibn Malik, from Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'While I was at the House, between sleep and wakefulness, one of the three came between the two men, and I was brought a golden basin filled with wisdom and faith. My chest was split open from the throat to the lower abdomen, and my heart was washed with the water of Zamzam, then filled with wisdom and faith. Then I was brought a mount smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, and I set off with Gabriel, peace be upon him. We came to the lowest heaven. 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 been sent for?" He said: "Yes." It was said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!" Then I came to Adam, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, son and prophet." Then we came to the second heaven. It was said: "Who is this?" It was said: "Gabriel." It was said: "And who is with you?" He said: "Muhammad." The same as before. Then I came to Yahya and Isa, peace be upon them, and greeted them, and they said: "Welcome, brother and prophet." Then we came to the third heaven, the same as before. I came to Yusuf, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, brother and prophet." Then we came to the fourth heaven, the same as before. I came to Idris, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, brother and prophet." Then we came to the fifth heaven, the same as before. I came to Harun, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, brother and prophet." Then we came to the sixth heaven, the same as before. Then I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, brother and prophet." When I passed by him, he wept. It was said: "What makes you weep?" He said: "O Lord, this young man whom You sent after me — more of his nation will enter Paradise than will enter from my nation." Then we came to the seventh heaven, the same as before. I came to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, son and prophet." He said: Then the Frequented House was raised up to me, and I asked Gabriel, peace be upon him, about it, and he said: "This is the Frequented House; seventy thousand angels pray in it every day, and 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 fruit was like the jars of Hajar, and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and at its base were four rivers, two hidden and two visible. I asked Gabriel, and he said: "As for the two hidden ones, they are in Paradise; as for the two visible ones, they are the Euphrates and the Nile." He said: Then fifty prayers were made obligatory upon me. I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and he said: "What have you done?" I said: "Fifty prayers were made obligatory upon me." He said: "I know the people better than you; I dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost effort, and indeed your nation will not be able to bear that. So return to your Lord and ask Him to lighten it for you." So I returned to my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, and asked Him to lighten it for me, and He made it forty. Then I returned to Musa and came to him, and he said: "What have you done?" I said: "He made it forty." He said to me the same as his first statement. So I returned to my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, and He made it thirty. I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and told him, and he said to me the same as his first statement. So I returned to my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, and He made it twenty, then ten, then five. I came to Musa and told him, and he said to me the same as his first statement. I said: "I am too shy before my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, to return to Him again." Then it was called out: "I have carried out My decree and lightened the burden upon My servants, and I reward a good deed with ten like it."' Yunus ibn Muhammad narrated to us, saying: Shayban narrated to us, from Qatadah, who said: Anas ibn Malik narrated to us that Malik ibn Sa'sa'ah told them that the Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'While I was at the Ka'bah, between sleep and wakefulness' — and he related the account, and said: 'Then we set off to the seventh heaven, and Gabriel, peace be upon him, 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 to him?" He said: "Yes." So the gate was opened for him. They said: "Welcome to him, and how excellent is his coming!" So we came to Ibrahim, peace be upon him. I said: "Who is this?" Gabriel said: "This is your father Ibrahim." So I greeted him, and he said: "Welcome, righteous son and righteous prophet." Then the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary was raised up for me, and behold, its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and its fruit was like the jars of Hajar, and behold, four rivers flowed from its base — two visible and two hidden. I said: "What are these, O Gabriel?" He said: "As for the two visible rivers, they are the Nile and the Euphrates; as for the two hidden ones, they are two rivers in Paradise." He said: Then I was brought two vessels, one containing wine and the other milk. He said: So I took the milk, and Gabriel said: "You have hit upon the natural disposition (fitrah)."'