"بينما أنا في الحطيم مضطجعا إذ أتاني آت فقد ما بين هذه إلى هذه فاستخرج قلبي ثم أتيت بطست من ذهب مملوءة إيمانا فغسل قلبي بماء زمزم ثم حشي ثم أعيد ثم أتيت بدابة دون البغل وفوق الحمار أبيض يقال له البراق يضع خطوه عند أقصى طرفه فحملت عليه فانطلق بي جبريل حتى أتى السماء الدنيا فاستفتح قيل من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قي: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل: وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء ففتح فلما خلصت فإذا فيها آدم فقال: هذا أبوك آدم فسلم عليه فسلمت عليه فرد السلام ثم قال: مرحبا بالنبي الصالح والابن الصالح; ثم صعد بي حتى أتى السماء الثانية فاستفتح فقيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء ففتح فلما خلصت إذا بيحيى وعيسى وهما ابنا الخالة قال: هذا يحيى وعيسى فسلم عليهما فسلمت فردا ثم قالا: مرحبا بالأخ الصالح والنبي الصالح; ثم صعد بي إلى السماء الثالثة فاستفتح قيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل: وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء ففتح فلما خلصت إذا يوسف قال: هذا يوسف فسلم عليه فسلمت عليه فرد ثم قال: مرحبا بالأخ الصالح والنبي الصالح; ثم صعد بي حتى أتى السماء الرابعة فاستفتح قيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل: وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء ففتح فلما خلصت إذا إدريس قال: هذا إدريس فسلم عليه فسلمت فرد ثم قال: مرحبا بالأخ الصالح والنبي الصالح; ¤ ثم صعد بي إلى السماء الخامسة فاستفتح قيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل: وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء فلما خلصت إذا هارون قال: هذا هارون فسلم عليه فسلمت عليه فرد ثم قال: مرحبا بالأخ الصالح والنبي الصالح; ثم صعد بي إلى السماء السادسة فاستفتح قيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال: محمد قيل: وقد أرسل إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء فلما خلصت فإذا موسى قال: هذا موسى فسلم عليه فسلمت عليه فرد ثم قال: مرحبا بالأخ الصالح والنبي الصالح فلما تجاوزت بكى قيل له: ما يبكيك؟ قال: أبكي لأن غلاما بعث بعدي يدخل الجنة من أمته أكثر ممن يدخل من أمتي; ثم صعد بي إلى السماء السابعة فاستفتح قيل: من هذا؟ قال: جبريل قيل: ومن معك؟ قال محمد قيل: وقد بعث إليه؟ قال: نعم قيل: مرحبا به فنعم المجيء جاء فلما خلصت إذا إبراهيم قال: هذا أبوك إبراهيم فسلم عليه فسلمت عليه فرد السلام فقال: مرحبا بالابن الصالح والنبي الصالح; ثم رفعت لي سدرة المنتهى فإذا نبقها مثل قلال هجر وإذا ورقها مثل آذان الفيلة قال: هذه سدرة المنتهى وإذا أربعة أنهار نهران باطنان ونهران ظاهران قلت: ما هذان يا جبريل؟ قال: أما الباطنان فنهران في الجنة وأما الظاهران فالنيل والفرات ثم رفع لي البيت المعمور فقلت: يا جبريل! ما هذا؟ قال: هذا البيت المعمور يدخله كل يوم سبعون ألف ملك إذا خرجوا منه لم يعودوا ¤ إليه آخر ما عليهم ثم أتيت بإناء من خمر وإناء من لبن وإناء من عسل فأخذت اللبن فقال: هي الفطرة التي أنت عليها وأمتك; ثم فرض علي خمسون صلاة كل يوم فرجعت فمررت على موسى فقال: بم أمرت؟ قلت: أمرت بخمسين صلاة كل يوم قال: إن أمتك لا تستطيع خمسين صلاة كل يوم وإني والله قد جربت الناس قبلك وعالجت بني إسرائيل أشد المعالجة فارجع إلى ربك فسله التخفيف لأمتك فرجعت فوضع عني عشرا فرجعت إلى موسى فقال مثله فرجعت فوضع عني عشرا فرجعت إلى موسى فقال مثله فرجعت فوضع عني عشرا فرجعت إلى موسى فقال مثله فرجعت فوضع عني عشرا فأمرت بعشر صلوات كل يوم فقال مثله فرجعت فأمرت بخمس صلوات كل يوم فرجعت إلى موسى فقال: بم أمرت؟ قلت: أمرت بخمس صلوات كل يوم قال: إن أمتك لا تستطيع خمس صلوات كل يوم وإني قد جربت الناس قبلك وعالجت بني إسرائيل أشد المعالجة فارجع إلى ربك فسله التخفيف لأمتك قلت: سألت ربي حتى استحييت منه ولكن أرضى وأسلم فلما جاوزت نادانى مناد أمضيت فريضتي وخففت عن عبادي"
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"I was lying down in the Hatim when suddenly someone (an angel) came to me and cut open from here to here (that is, from the throat to the lower abdomen), then he took out my heart. Then a golden basin full of faith was brought to me, my heart was washed with Zamzam water, then it was filled (with faith and wisdom) and put back in its place. Then a white mount smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey was brought to me, which was called al-Buraq; it would place its hoof at the farthest limit of its sight. I was mounted on it. Then Jibril set off with me until he reached the lowest heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: And who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! Then the gate was opened. When I entered, there was Adam (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is your father Adam; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: Welcome to the righteous prophet and the righteous son. Then Jibril ascended with me until he reached the second heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! Then the gate was opened. When I entered, there were Yahya and Isa (peace be upon them both), and they are maternal cousins. Jibril said: These are Yahya and Isa; greet them with salam. I greeted them, and both of them returned the greeting and said: Welcome to the righteous brother and the righteous prophet. Then Jibril ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! Then the gate was opened. When I entered, there was Yusuf (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is Yusuf; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting and said: Welcome to the righteous brother and the righteous prophet. Then he took me up to the fourth heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! Then the gate was opened. When I entered, there was Idris (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is Idris; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: Welcome to the righteous brother and the righteous prophet. Then he ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! When I entered, there was Harun (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is Harun; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: Welcome to the righteous brother and the righteous prophet. Then he took me to the sixth heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! When I entered, there was Musa (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is Musa; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: Welcome to the righteous brother and the righteous prophet. When I began to move on, he began to weep. He was asked: Why are you weeping? He said: I weep because a young man who was sent after me, more of his Ummah will enter Paradise than of my Ummah. Then Jibril ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibril. It was asked: And who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been summoned? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him; how blessed is his coming! When I entered, there was Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Jibril said: This is your father Ibrahim; greet him with salam. I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said: Welcome to the righteous son and the righteous prophet. Then the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary (Sidrat al-Muntaha) was raised up before me; its fruits were like the earthenware jars of Hajar and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. Jibril said: This is the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary. There were four rivers there, two hidden rivers and two visible rivers. I asked: O Jibril, what are these? He said: As for the hidden ones, they are two rivers of Paradise, and as for the visible ones, they are the Nile and the Euphrates. Then al-Bayt al-Ma'mur (the Frequented House) was brought up before me. I asked: O Jibril, what is this? He said: This is al-Bayt al-Ma'mur; every day seventy thousand angels enter it, and once they leave it, their turn never comes again. Then a vessel of wine, a vessel of milk and a vessel of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. He said: This is the natural disposition (fitrah) upon which you and your Ummah stand. Then fifty prayers every day were made obligatory upon me. I returned and passed by Musa (peace be upon him). He asked: What have you been commanded? I said: I have been commanded fifty prayers every day. He said: Your Ummah is not able to bear fifty prayers every day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you and dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost hardship, so go back to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your Ummah. So I went back, and Allah Almighty reduced ten prayers. I came back to Musa, and he said the same thing again. I went back again, and Allah Almighty reduced another ten prayers. I came back to Musa, and he said the same thing again. I went back again, and another ten were reduced. I came back to Musa, and he said the same thing again. I went back again, and another ten were reduced. Then I was commanded ten prayers every day. Musa said the same thing again. So I went back again, and I was commanded five prayers every day. I returned to Musa, and he asked: What have you been commanded? I said: I have been commanded five prayers every day. He said: Your Ummah is not able to bear even five prayers every day, and I have tested people before you and dealt with the Children of Israel with the utmost hardship, so go back to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your Ummah. I said: I have asked my Lord so many times that now I feel shy before Him; rather, I am now content and I submit. Then, when I moved on, a caller called out: I have enforced My obligation and I have lightened the burden on My servants."