Fatwa #401318 November 2001United States of America
Please relate the long Sahih Hadith about Isra & Meraaj.
Question
This is the one, in which Rasulullah describes his complete journey, meeting with the Prophets in the Heavens, and getting the reward of Salaah. (I believe this was narrated by Anas R.A.)
Answer
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MI'RAAJ IN SAHIH BUKHAARI%0D%0A%0D%0AIn Sahih Bukhaari, the incident of Mi'raaj has been narrated by Anas bin%0D%0AMaalik (Radiallahu anhu) in several places. In some places, he reports%0D%0Athrough Abu Zar, and at times through the medium of Maalik bin Sa'saa%0D%0AAnsaari (Radiallahu anhum).%0D%0A%0D%0AAnas (Radiallahu anhu) reports from Maalik Bin Sa'saa (Radiallahu anhu) that%0D%0ARasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "I was near the Ka'bah in a%0D%0Astate of half%ADwakefulness. Three people came to me with a golden tray which%0D%0Awas laden with wisdom and Imaan. They cut open my chest, washed it with the%0D%0Awater of Zam Zam and filled it with wisdom and Imaan. Then, a white animal%0D%0Athat was shorter than a mule and taller than a donkey was brought before me.%0D%0AThis animal was the Buraaq."%0D%0A%0D%0AJOURNEYING INTO THE HEAVENS AND MEETING THE AMBIYAA THERE%0D%0A"I set out with Jibraeel until we reached the lowest heaven. Jibraeel said%0D%0Ato the keeper of the heaven, 'Open'. He asked, "Who is with you?" Jibraeel%0D%0Areplied,' Muhammad,* "'Has he been invited?" he asked. Jibraeel (Alaihis%0D%0Asalaam) replied , "yes." So he welcomed me, opened the door and remarked,%0D%0A"Your coming here is indeed very blessed." We went higher up, until we met%0D%0AAadam (Alaihis salaam). When I greeted him, he said: " Welcome to you, 0%0D%0Ason and Prophet. " We then reached the second heaven and there too a%0D%0Asimilar discourse took place as at the time of entering the previous%0D%0Aheavens. The door was opened and I found Eesa and Yahya (Alaihimas salaam)%0D%0Athere and they both said, 'Welcome to you, 0 brother and Prophet.'%0D%0A%0D%0A"When we reached the third heaven, again the same questions and answers were%0D%0Aexchanged as before. There, we found Yoosuf (Alaihis salaam). I greeted%0D%0Ahim and he said: "Welcome to you, 0 brother and Prophet." We then ascended%0D%0Ato the fourth heaven where a similar discussion took place. The door was%0D%0Athen opened and we ascended further. There we found Idrees (Alaihis%0D%0Asalaam).' I greeted him and he too welcomed me saying "Welcome to you, 0%0D%0Abrother and Prophet." We then reached the fifth heaven where a similar%0D%0Adialogue took place as before. Then we ascended until we met Haroon (Ala '%0D%0Aihis salaam). I greeted him and he said, "Welcome to you, 0 brother and%0D%0AProphet." Therefore we ascended to the sixth heaven where again the same%0D%0Aquestions and answers were exchanged as before. The gate was opened and we%0D%0Acontinued our ascent and found%0D%0A%0D%0AMoosa (Alaihis salaam) there. He also said, "Welcome to you, 0 brother and%0D%0AProphet." When 1 passed on, he started to cry. Someone asked him,"What%0D%0Amakes you weep?" He replied, "A young man has been sent after me and the%0D%0Apeople of his ummah who will enter Jannah, shall surpass, in excellence, the%0D%0Apeople of my ummah who will enter Jannah." In another narration, it is%0D%0Amentioned, "The people of his ummah who will enter Jannah will outnumber%0D%0Athose of my ummah."%0D%0A%0D%0A"We then reached the seventh heaven and there, too, the same questions and%0D%0Aanswers were exchanged as before. The gates were opened and we went h igher%0D%0Aup until we found Ibraheem (Alaihis salaam). I greeted him and he said,%0D%0A"Welcome to you, 0 son and Prophet. " (A point to note here is that Aadam%0D%0A(Alaihis salaam) and Ibraheem (Alaihis salaam) had welcomed nabi addressing%0D%0Ahim as "son and Prophet" since he was from their offspring, while the other%0D%0AAmbiyaa (Alaihimus salaam) had addressed him as, "brother and Prophet.")%0D%0A%0D%0ATHE BAITUL MA'MOOR AND THE SIDRATUL MUNTAHAA%0D%0A"Thereafter, Al-Baitul Ma'moor was presented before me. I asked Jibraeel%0D%0A(Alaihis salaam) what it was and he replied, "It is Al-Baitul Ma'moor%0D%0Awherein seventy thousand angels perform salaah daily. Once they come out,%0D%0Athey never return." Then, the Sidratul Muntahaa was brought before me, and I%0D%0Asaw its fruits which were like the earthen jars of Hajr and its leaves were%0D%0Alike the ears of elephants.%0D%0A%0D%0A"At the root of the Sidratul Muntahaa, I saw four rivers. Two were Baatin%0D%0A(concealed) and the other two were Zaahir (visible). When I asked Jibraeel%0D%0A(Alaihis salaam) concerning them, he told me that the two hidden rivers were%0D%0Athe rivers of Jannah and the two visible rivers were the Euphrates and the%0D%0ANile." (The river Euphrates%0D%0A%0D%0AFIFTY TIMES SALAAH ORDAINED ANDTHEN REDUCED TO FIVE%0D%0AThereafter, fifty salaah were ordained upon me. When I returned, passed by%0D%0AMoosa (Alaihis salaam), who asked me what 1 had done for my ummah. I%0D%0Ainformed him that 1 had been ordered to offer fifty salaah. He replied, 'I%0D%0Aknow the nature of people better than you. I had tried my level best with%0D%0Athe Banu Israeel (but they were unable to properly observe even their%0D%0Acompulsory salaah)." Since 1 am certain that your ummah will also not be%0D%0Aable to perform it, you may request your Rabb to reduce its number.' 1%0D%0Areturned and requested Allah Ta'ala to reduce it and He reduced it to forty.%0D%0AMoosa (Alaihis salaam) again repeated what he had mentioned before. So, I%0D%0Aappealed to Allah to further reduce the salaah and it was brought down to%0D%0Athirty. Moosa (Alaihis salaam) again told me to request Allah Ta'ala to%0D%0Areduce it, and it was brought down to twenty. Then Moosa (Alaihis salaam)%0D%0Arepeated his advice, and after again requesting Allah, it was reduced to%0D%0Aten. When 1 returned to Moosa (Alaihis salaam), he reiterated his advice to%0D%0Ame, so I returned to Allah Ta'ala to beg more leniency and He reduced it to%0D%0Afive salaah daily. 1 returned to Moosa (Alaihis salaam) and he repeated what%0D%0Ahe had said to me before, but 1 informed him that I had accepted (and%0D%0Adecided to make no further request). Thereupon, an announcement was heard%0D%0Afrom Allah Ta'ala: "I have retained the ordinance of salaah and lessened the%0D%0Aburden of my worshippers and I will multiply the reward of every good deed%0D%0Atenfold (i.e. even though only five salaah will have to be performed, the%0D%0Areward will be for fifty)." This narration is in Sahih Bukhaari on page 455.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn Sahih Bukhaari (p. 47 1) in the narration of Anas bin Maalik (Radiallahu%0D%0Aanhu) from Abu Zar (Radiallahu anhu), Rasulullah * said: "Jibraeel (Alaihis%0D%0Asalaam) ascended even higher with me until I reached a point from where the%0D%0Ascreech of pens could be heard."%0D%0A%0D%0AThereafter, this Hadith mentions the ordinance of fifty times salaah and the%0D%0Arepeated advice of Moosa (Alaihis salaam) to Nabi %40 until eventually only%0D%0Afive salaah daily were prescribed. Finally, it mentions that Allah Ta'ala%0D%0Asaid: "The decree that comesfrom Me cannot be changed" (i.e. since I had%0D%0Ainitially ordained fifty salaah, 1 shall grant the reward of fifty salaah).%0D%0ADescribing the Sidratul Muntahaa, Rasulullah 4 said, 'It was veiled in such%0D%0A(resplendent) colours of which I have no knowledge..... Thereafter I was%0D%0Aushered into Jannah where I saw domes of pearls, and its sand was of musk.'%0D%0A%0D%0AOn page 548, Imaam Bukhaari (Rahimahullah) records another Hadith on Mi'raaj%0D%0Areported by Maalik bin Sa'saa Ansaari (Radiallahu anhu) from Anas%0D%0A(Radiallahu anhu) where, after mentioning about AI-Baitul Ma'moor,%0D%0ARasulullah %40 recounts the incident of his accepting the vessel of milk as%0D%0Awell as his reply to Moosa (Alaihis salaam) after five salaah remained: "So%0D%0Amuch have 1 asked my Lord that 1 am now ashamed. 1 am satisfied and have%0D%0Aaccepted (the order of my Rabb)."%0D%0A%0D%0A(End of Bukhaari Hadith).%0D%0A