Lu'lu' wal-Marjan

Sayyiduna Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this hadith that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The roof of my house was opened while I was in Makkah, then Jibreel (peace be upon him) descended and split open my chest, then washed it with the water of Zamzam. Then he brought a golden basin filled with wisdom and faith, and placed it in my chest, then joined my chest together. Then he took my hand and ascended with me towards the sky. When I reached the first heaven, Jibreel said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, "Open (the gate)." He asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "Jibreel." Then he asked, "Is there anyone with you?" He replied, "Yes, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is with me." He asked, "Has he been sent for?" He said, "Yes." Then when he opened the door, we ascended to the first heaven. There we saw a man sitting, with groups of people on his right and groups on his left. When he looked to his right, he smiled, and when he looked to his left, he wept. When he saw me, he said, "Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous son." I asked Jibreel, "Who is this?" He said, "This is Adam (peace be upon him), and the groups on his right and left are the souls of his children. The groups on the right are the people of Paradise, and the groups on the left are the souls of the people of Hell. That is why when he looks to his right, he smiles with happiness, and when he looks to his left, he weeps (with sorrow)." Then Jibreel ascended with me to the second heaven and said to its gatekeeper, "Open (the gate)." The gatekeeper of this heaven also asked as the previous one had asked, then opened it.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) found Adam, Idris, Musa, Isa, and Ibrahim (peace be upon them) in the heavens, and Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mention the station of each one, except that he stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) found Adam (peace be upon him) on the first heaven and Ibrahim (peace be upon him) on the sixth heaven.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when Jibreel passed by Idris (peace be upon him) with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he said, "Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous brother." I asked, "Who is this?" He replied, "This is Idris (peace be upon him)." Then I reached Musa (peace be upon him), he said, "Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous brother." I asked, "Who is this?" Jibreel said, "This is Musa (peace be upon him)." Then I reached Isa (peace be upon him), he said, "Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous brother." I asked, "Who is this?" Jibreel said, "This is Isa (peace be upon him)." Then I reached Ibrahim (peace be upon him), he said, "Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous son." I asked, "Who is this?" Jibreel said, "This is Ibrahim (peace be upon him)."

Then Jibreel ascended with me, and I reached such a high place where I heard the sound of pens (the pens of the angels writing). Then Allah the Exalted made fifty prayers obligatory upon my Ummah. I returned with this command, and when I reached Musa (peace be upon him), he asked, "What has your Lord made obligatory upon your Ummah?" I said, "Fifty prayers have been made obligatory." He said, "Return to your Lord, for your Ummah will not be able to bear this." I returned to the presence of the Lord of Might, and He reduced a portion from it. Then I came to Musa and said, "A portion has been reduced." He said, "Go back again, for your Ummah will not be able to bear even this." Then I returned to the presence of the Lord of Might, and again a portion was reduced. When I reached Musa, he said, "Return to your Lord again, for your Ummah will not be able to bear even this." Thus, I kept going back and forth, until Allah the Exalted said, "These prayers are (in practice) five, but (in reward) fifty. My word does not change." Now when I came to Musa, he again said, "Go to your Lord," but I said, "Now I feel shy before my Lord."

Then Jibreel took me to Sidrat al-Muntaha, which was covered with various colors, the reality of which I do not know. After that, I was taken to Paradise, where I saw that its domes were of pearls and its soil was of musk.

Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’sa’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Once, I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness near the House (the Ka’bah). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a third man lying between two men. (Then he said:) After that, a golden basin was brought to me, filled with wisdom and faith. My chest was split open up to the lowest part of my belly, then my belly was washed with Zamzam water and filled with wisdom and faith. After that, a mount was brought to me, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey, that is, Buraq. I mounted it and went with Jibreel (peace be upon him). When we reached the lowest heaven, it was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! Then I came to Adam (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O dear son and good Prophet.

After that, we reached the second heaven. The same question was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met ‘Isa and Yahya (peace be upon them), and they also welcomed me, saying: Welcome, O brother and Prophet.

Then we came to the third heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent and righteous arrival in a good place! There I met Yusuf (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O dear brother and Prophet, what an excellent arrival in a good place!

From there, we came to the fourth heaven. The same question was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met Idris (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O brother and Prophet.

From there, we came to the fifth heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There we met Harun (peace be upon him), and I greeted him. He said: Congratulations, O brother and Prophet, you have come to a good and spacious place.

From there, we came to the sixth heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone else with you? He said: Yes, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been called? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met Musa (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: O brother and Prophet, welcome to a good and spacious place! When I moved ahead from there, he began to weep. Someone asked: O elder, why are you weeping? He replied: O Allah, this young man who has been given Prophethood after me, more people from his Ummah will enter Paradise than from my Ummah.

After that, we came to the seventh heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel (peace be upon him). It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He replied: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Welcome, what an excellent arrival! There I met Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: O my son and Prophet, welcome, you have come to a blessed and spacious place.

After that, I was shown the Bayt al-Ma’mur. I asked Jibreel (peace be upon him) about it, and he said: This is Bayt al-Ma’mur. Seventy thousand angels pray in it every day, and once one leaves after praying, he never returns. And I was also shown Sidrat al-Muntaha. Its fruits were like the jars of Hajar (a place), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. Four rivers flowed from its roots: two hidden and two visible. I asked Jibreel (peace be upon him) about them, and he said: The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the two visible ones are the Nile and the Euphrates in the world.

After that, fifty prayers were made obligatory upon me. When I returned and met Musa (peace be upon him), he asked: What have you been commanded? I replied: Fifty prayers have been made obligatory upon me. He said: I know people better than you; I have had much experience with the Children of Israel. Your Ummah will not be able to bear so many prayers. So return to your Lord and request a reduction. I returned, and Allah reduced them to forty. Still, Musa (peace be upon him) insisted on his advice (i.e., to seek further reduction). This time, they were reduced to thirty. Again, he said the same, so Allah reduced them to twenty. Again, Musa (peace be upon him) said the same, and this time, when I presented my request before the Lord of Might, Allah reduced them to ten. When I came to Musa (peace be upon him), he still insisted on seeking further reduction, and this time Allah reduced them to five. When I met Musa (peace be upon him), he again asked: What happened? I said: Allah has made them five. Even then, he insisted on seeking further reduction. I said: Now I have entrusted it to Allah. Then a voice came: I have established My obligation (of five prayers) and have reduced it for My servants, and I reward one good deed tenfold.

Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: On the night of Mi'raj, I saw Musa (peace be upon him); he was wheat-colored, tall in stature, and had curly hair. He looked as if he was a man from the tribe of Shanu. And I also saw Isa (peace be upon him); he was of medium height and medium build, his complexion was a mixture of red and white, and the hair of his head was straight (i.e., not curly). And I saw the keeper of Hell and also the Dajjal among those signs which Allah the Exalted showed me. (In Surah Sajda 23, this is mentioned that) (O Prophet) do not have any doubt or suspicion about meeting them (i.e., meeting Musa, peace be upon him).

Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that we were in the company of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). People mentioned the Dajjal and said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has said that "Kafir" will be written between his two eyes. So Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I did not hear this, but yes, he (the Prophet) said: It is as if I am seeing Musa (peace be upon him), when he descended into the valley, he was saying "Labbaik."

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), describing the events of the night in which he was taken on the Mi'raj, said: I saw Musa (peace be upon him), and he was a thin man with straight hair, and it seemed as if he was from the tribe of Shanu. And I also saw Isa (peace be upon him); he was of medium height and had a very fair and reddish complexion, so fresh and clean that it seemed as if he had just come out of the bathhouse. And among his descendants, I most resemble Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Then two vessels were brought before me, one containing milk and the other wine. Jibril said: Drink whichever of these you wish. I took the cup of milk in my hand and drank it. It was said to me: You have chosen the natural disposition (milk is the natural food of man). If you had drunk the wine instead, your Ummah would have gone astray.