English translation
3207. Narrated Malik bin Ša'ša'a رضي الله عنه: The Prophet ﷺ said, "While I was beside the House (Ka'bah) in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the abdomen and then my abdomen was washed with Zamzam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al-Burāq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Jibrīl (Gabriel). When I reached the nearest heaven, Jibrīl said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, 'Open the gate.' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Jibrīl.' The gatekeeper said, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibrīl said, 'Muhammad.' The gatekeeper said, 'Has he been called?' Jibrīl said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Ādam and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcome, O son and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl said, 'Jibrīl'. It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said, 'Muhammad ﷺ'. It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Īsā (Jesus) and Yahya (John) who said, 'You are welcome O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibrīl said, 'Jibrīl'. It was asked, 'Who is with you?' Jibrīl said, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' Jibrīl said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcome. What a wonderful visit his is!'" (The Prophet ﷺ added:)"There I met Yūsuf (Joseph) and greeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet!' Then we ascended to the fourth heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idrīs and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcome' O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the fifth heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. There I met and greeted Hārūn (Aaron) who said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet'. Then we ascended to the sixth heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. There I met and greeted Mūsā (Moses) who said, 'You are welcome, O brother and a Prophet'. When I proceeded on, he started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said, 'O Lord! Followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.' Then we ascended to the seventh heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Ibrāhīm (Abrahām) who said, 'You are welcome, O son and a Prophet.' Then I was shown Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mūr (i.e., Allāh's House). I asked Jibrīl about it and he said, 'This is Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mūr where seventy thousand angels perform Ṣalāt (prayer) daily, and when they leave they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).' Then I was shown Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e., the lote-tree of the utmost boundary) and I saw its Nabīq fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajar (i.e., a town in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Jibrīl about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.' Then fifty Ṣalāt (prayer) were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Mūsā who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty Salāt (prayers) have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you because I had the hardest experience to bring Bani Isrāel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, go back to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the number of Salāt).' I returned and requested Allāh (for reduction) and He made it forty. I returned and (met Mūsā) and had a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allāh for reduction, and He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Mūsā who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allāh reduced it to five. When I came to Mūsā again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allāh has made it five only.' He repeated the same advice but I said that I surrendered (to Allāh's Final Order)' " Allāh's Messenger ﷺ was addressed by Allāh, "I have decreed My Obligation and have reduced the burden on My slaves, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds."