Mukhtasar Bukhari

Narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’sa’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) related to them (the Companions) the story of the Night of Ascension (Mi’raj): “I was lying in the Hatim (or he said: in the Hijr) when suddenly a comer (an angel) came and split me open from here to here.” The narrator says that this means from the top of the chest to the navel. “My heart was taken out, then a golden basin filled with faith was brought, and my heart was washed with it, then it was put back in its place. Then a white animal was brought for me, which was slightly smaller than a mule and taller than a donkey.” Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, “Abu Hamzah! Was this animal Buraq?” He replied, “Yes.” (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:) “It would place its hoof where its gaze reached. So I was mounted upon it, and Jibreel (peace be upon him) went with me until we reached the lowest heaven. Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered, and there was Adam (peace be upon him). Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is your father Adam, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied to my greeting and said, ‘What a good son and what a good Prophet.’ Then we ascended until we reached the second heaven. There too, Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there were Yahya (John) and ‘Isa (Jesus), both maternal cousins, sitting. Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘These are Yahya and ‘Isa, greet them.’ I greeted them, and they replied to my greeting and said, ‘Welcome, what a good brother and what a good Prophet.’ Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with me to the third heaven, and there too he said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there was Yusuf (Joseph, peace be upon him). Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is Yusuf, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied to my greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, what a good brother and what a good Prophet.’ Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with me to the fourth heaven and said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there was Idris (Enoch, peace be upon him). Jibreel said, ‘This is Idris, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied, then said, ‘Welcome to a good brother and a good Prophet.’ Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with me to the fifth heaven and said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there was Harun (Aaron, peace be upon him). Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is Harun, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied, then said, ‘Welcome, what a good brother and what a good Prophet.’ Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with me to the sixth heaven and said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there was Musa (Moses, peace be upon him). Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is Musa, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied, then said, ‘Welcome! What a good brother and what a good Prophet.’ When I moved on from there, he began to weep. He was asked, ‘Why are you weeping?’ He said, ‘I am weeping because this young man was sent as a Prophet after me, and his followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.’ Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with me to the seventh heaven and said, ‘Open the gate!’ It was asked, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibreel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ It was asked, ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome! What a good arrival!’ and the gate was opened. I entered and saw that there was Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him). Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is your father Ibrahim, greet him.’ I greeted him, and he replied and said, ‘Welcome, what a good son and what a good Prophet.’ Then I was raised up to Sidrat al-Muntaha (the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary), and (I saw that) its fruits (berries) were like the clay pots of Hajar (a place near Madinah), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is Sidrat al-Muntaha.’ (I saw that) from its base, four rivers were flowing, two of them hidden (covered) and two open (visible). I said, ‘O Jibreel! What are these rivers?’ He said, ‘The hidden ones are rivers in Paradise, and the two open ones are the Nile and the Euphrates (in the world).’ Then I was raised up to Bayt al-Ma’mur (the Much-Frequented House), where every day seventy thousand angels enter. Then a vessel filled with wine, another with milk, and another with honey was brought before me. I took the vessel of milk and drank from it. Jibreel (peace be upon him) said, ‘This is the natural disposition (fitrah) of Islam upon which you and your Ummah are.’ Then fifty prayers were enjoined upon me for every day and night. So I returned and passed by Musa (peace be upon him), who asked, ‘What have you been commanded?’ I said, ‘I have been commanded to perform fifty prayers every day and night.’ He said, ‘Indeed, your Ummah will not be able to perform fifty prayers every day. By Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my utmost with the Children of Israel. So return to your Lord and ask for a reduction for your Ummah.’ So I returned, and Allah reduced it by ten prayers. Then I returned to Musa (peace be upon him), and he said the same as before, so I returned again, and ten more prayers were reduced. I returned to Musa (peace be upon him), and he said the same, so I returned again, and ten more prayers were reduced. Then I came to Musa (peace be upon him), and he said the same, so I returned again, and ten more prayers were reduced, and I was commanded to perform ten prayers every day. Then I came to Musa (peace be upon him), and he said the same, so I returned again, and I was commanded to perform five prayers every day. I returned to Musa (peace be upon him), and he asked, ‘What have you been commanded?’ I said, ‘I have been commanded to perform five prayers every day.’ He said, ‘Indeed, your Ummah will not be able to perform five prayers every day. Indeed, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my utmost with the Children of Israel. So return to your Lord and ask for a reduction for your Ummah.’ I said, ‘I have become ashamed before my Lord from asking for further reduction. I am content with this and accept (my Lord’s command).’ Then it was said: ‘When I moved on, a caller called out, “I have decreed My obligation and have reduced the burden for My servants.” (That is, people will perform five prayers and will receive the reward of fifty.)’”

This hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) has also been mentioned earlier in the Book of Prayer, and some details at the end of one narration are not found in the other narration.

`Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)` regarding Allah Almighty’s statement, “And the vision (actual sight) which We showed you was only a trial for the people” (Bani Isra’il: 60), says that by “vision” is meant (not a dream but) seeing with the eyes, which was shown to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) on the night when he was taken to Bayt al-Maqdis. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that Allah’s statement, “And the tree which is cursed in the Qur’an” (Bani Isra’il: 60), refers to the tree of Zaqqoom.