English translation
3570. Narrated Sharīk bin 'Abdullāh bin Abī Namr: I heard Anas bin Mālik telling us about the night [journey to the heavens (Al-Isra' and Al-Mi'raj)] when the Prophet ﷺ was made to travel from the Ka'bah Mosque (Al-Masjid-al-Ḥarām). Three persons (i.e., angels) came to the Prophet ﷺ before he was divinely inspired (as a Messenger), while he was sleeping in Al-Masjid-al-Ḥarām. The first (of the three angels) said, "Which of them is he?"(1) The second said, "He is the best of them." The last of them said, "Take the best one." That was all that happened then, and he did not see them till they came at another night and he perceived their presence with his heart, for the eyes of the Prophet ﷺ were closed when he was asleep, but his heart was not asleep. This is characteristic of all the Prophets: Their eyes sleep but their hearts do not sleep. Then Jibrīl (Gabriel) took charge of the Prophet ﷺ and ascended along with him to the heaven. (See H. 3207, 3886, 3887)
