English translation
3887. Narrated Anas bin Mālik : Mālik bin Sa’ša’ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ said that Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ described to them his Night Journey and said: “While I was lying in Al-Ḥaṭīm or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut open my body from here to here.” I asked Al-Jārūd who was by my side, “What does he mean?” He said, “It means from his throat to his pubic area,” or said, “From the top of the chest.” The Prophet ﷺ further said, “He then took out my heart. Then a golden tray full of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me.” On this Al-Jārūd asked, “Was it the Burāq, O Abū Ḥamza?” I (i.e., Anas) replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The animal’s step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal’s sight. I was carried on it, and Jibrīl (Gabriel) set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven. When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl answered, 'Jibrīl.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibrīl replied, 'Muḥammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has Muḥammad (ﷺ) been called?' Jibrīl replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Ādam there. Jibrīl said (to me), 'This is your father, Ādam; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then Jibrīl ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Jibrīl asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl answered, 'Jibrīl.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibrīl replied, 'Muḥammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibrīl answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened. When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yaḥya (John) and 'Iṣā (Jesus) who were cousins. Jibrīl said (to me), 'These are Yaḥya and 'Iṣā; pay them your greetings.' So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Jibrīl ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl replied, 'Jibrīl.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibrīl (Gabriel) replied, 'Muḥammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibrīl replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Yūsuf (Joseph). Jibrīl said (to me), 'This is Yūsuf; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Jibril ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibril replied, 'Jibril.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibril replied, 'Muhammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibril replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Jibril said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greeting.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Jibril ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibril replied, 'Jibril.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibril replied, 'Muhammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibril replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harūn (Aaron). Jibril said, (to me), 'This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.' I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Jibril ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibril replied, 'Jibril.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibril (Gabriel) replied, 'Muhammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibril replied in the affirmative. It was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Mūsā (Moses). Jibril said (to me), 'This is Mūsā; pay him your greeting.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' When I left him (i.e., Mūsā) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?' Mūsā said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (Muḥammad ﷺ as a Prophet) a young man, whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.' Then Jibrīl ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl replied, 'Jibrīl.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibrīl replied, 'Muḥammad (ﷺ).' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibrīl replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!' So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Ibrāhīm (Abraham). Jibrīl said (to me), 'This is your father; pay your greetings to him.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then I was made to ascend upto Sidrat-ul-Muntahā (i.e., the lote tree of the utmost boundary). Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajar (a place near Al-Madīna) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Jibrīl said, 'This is the lote-tree of the utmost boundary.' Behold! There were four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible. I asked, 'What are these two kinds of rivers, O Jibrīl?' He replied, 'As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.' Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mūr (i.e., the Sacred House) was shown to me. Then a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Jibrīl remarked, 'This is the Islāmic religion which you and your followers are following.' Then the Ṣalāt (prayers) were enjoined on me. They were fifty Ṣalāt (prayers) a day. When I returned, I passed by Mūsā who asked (me), 'What have you been ordered to do?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to offer fifty Ṣalāt (prayers) a day.' Mūsā said, 'Your followers cannot bear fifty Ṣalāt (prayers) a day, and by Allāh, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Banī Isrāēl (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' So I went back, and Allāh reduced ten Ṣalāt (prayers) for me. Then again I came to Mūsā, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allāh, and He reduced ten more Ṣalāt (prayers). When I came back to Mūsā he said the same. I went back to Allāh and He ordered me to observe ten Ṣalāt (prayers) a day. When I came back to Mūsā, he repeated the same advice, so, I went back to Allāh and was ordered to observe five Ṣalāt (prayers) a day. When I came back to Mūsā, he said, 'What have you been ordered?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to observe five Ṣalāt (prayers) a day.' He said, 'Your followers cannot bear five Ṣalāt (prayers) a day,(1) and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Banī Isrāēl, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' I said, 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allāh's Order.' When I left, I heard a voice saying, 'I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My worshippers.'"