سنن نسائی · Hadith 451

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik, from Malik bin Sa’ that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم said: “While I was at the Ka’bah, in a state between sleep and wakefulness, three men came, and one of them who was in the middle came toward me. I was brought a basin of gold, filled with wisdom and faith, and he slit open from the throat to the lower abdomen, and washed the heart with Zamzam water, then — “it was filled with wisdom and faith. Then I was brought a riding-beast, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey. I set off with Jibril, peace be upon him, and we came to the lowest heaven. It was said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘Jibril.’ It was said: “Who is with you?’ He said: ‘Muhammad.’ It was said: ‘Has (revelation) been sent to him? Welcome to him, what an excellent visit his is.’ I came to Adam, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent son and Prophet.’ Then we came to the second heaven and it was said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘Jibra’il.’ It was said: ‘Who is with you?’ he said: ‘Muhammad.’ And the same exchange took place. I came to Yahya and ‘Eisa, peace be upon them both, and greeted them, and they said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent brother and Prophet.’ Then we came to the third heaven and it was said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘Jibra’il.’ It was said: ‘Who is with you?’ He said: ‘Muhammad.’ And the same exchange took place. I came to Yasuf, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent brother and Prophet.’ Then we came to the fourth heaven and the same exchange took place. I came to Idris, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent brother and Prophet.’ Then we came to the fifth heaven and the same exchange took place. I came to Harun, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent brother and Prophet.’ Then we came to the sixth heaven and the same exchange took place. I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent brother and Prophet.’ When I passed him, he wept, and it was said: ‘Why are you weeping?’ He said: ‘Lord, this young man whom You have sent after me, more of his Ummah will enter Paradise than from my nation, and they will be more virtuous than them.’ Then we came to the seventh heaven and a similar exchange took place. I came to Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and greeted him, and he said: ‘Welcome to you! What an excellent son and Prophet.’ Then I was taken up to the Oft-Frequented House (Ad-Bait al Ma’mur) and I asked Jibra’il about it, and he said: ‘This is Al-Bait a! Ma’mur in which seventy thousand angels pray every day, and when they leave it they never come back.’ Then I was taken up to Sidrah Al Muntaha (the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary). Its fruits were like the Qilal of Hajar and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. At its base were four rivers: Two hidden rivers and two manifest rivers. I asked Jibril (about them) and he said: ‘The two hidden ones are in Paradise, and the two manifest ones are the Euphrates and the Nile.’ Then fifty prayers were enjoined upon me. I came to Musaand he said: ‘What happened?’ I said: ‘Fifty prayers have been enjoined upon me.’ He said: ‘I know more about the people than you. I tried hard with the Children of Israel. Your Ummah will never be able to bear that. Go back to your Lord and ask Him to reduce it for you.’ So I went back to my Lord and asked Him to reduce it, and He made it forty. Then I went back to Musa, peace be upon him, and he said: ‘What happened?’ I said: ‘He made it forty.’ He said to me something similar to what he said the first time, so I went back to my Lord and He made it thirty. I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and told him, and he said to me something similar to what he said the first time, so I went back to my Lord and he made it twenty, then ten, then five. I came to Musa, peace be upon him, and he said to me something like he had said the first time, but I said: ‘I feel too shy before my Lord to go back to Him.’ Then it was called out: ‘I have decreed (the reward for) My obligation, and I have reduced the burden for My slaves, and I will give a ten-fold reward for each good deed.”