Thursday, July 1, 2010

Beginning of Creation

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
Beginning of Creation - 17th Rajab 1431 (29th June 2010)
Narrated Malik bin Sasaa (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "While I was at the Housein a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me)as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and beliefwas brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lowerpart of the abdomen and then my abdomen was washed with Zam-zam water and(my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al-Buraq, a white animal,smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I setout with Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam).
When I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam) said to theheaven gate-keeper, 'Open the gate.' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?'. Hesaid, 'Gabriel.' The gate-keeper said,'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) said, 'Muhammad.' The gate-keeper said, 'Has he beencalled?' Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam) said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He iswelcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Adam ('Alaihis-Salam)and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.'
Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) said, 'Gabriel.' It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said,'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It wassaid, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!" Then I met Jesus('Alaihis-Salam) and Yahya (John) ('Alaihis-Salam) who said, 'You arewelcomed, O brother and a Prophet.'
Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) said, 'Gabriel.' It was asked 'Who is with you?' Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) said, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?''Yes,' said Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam). 'He is welcomed. What a wonderfulvisit his is!' (The Prophet added). There I met Joseph ('Alaihis-Salam) andgreeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet!'
Then we ascended to the 4th heaven and again the same questions and answerswere exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idris('Alaihis-Salam) and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcomed O brother andProphet.' Then we ascended to the 5th heaven and again the same questionsand answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. There I met and greetedAaron ('Alaihis-Salam) who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and aProphet".
Then we ascended to the 6th heaven and again the same questions and answerswere exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Moses('Alaihis-Salam) who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and a Prophet.' WhenI proceeded on, he (Moses) started weeping and on being asked why he wasweeping, he said, 'O Lord! Followers of this youth who was sent after mewill enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.'
Then we ascended to the seventh heaven and again the same questions andanswers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greetedAbraham ('Alaihis-Salam) who said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.'Then I was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma'mur (i.e. Allah's House). I asked Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) about it and he said, 'This is Al Bait-ul-Ma'mur where70,000 angels perform prayers daily and when they leave they never returnto it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).' Then I was shownSidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. a tree in the seventh heaven) and I saw its Nabkfruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (i.e. a town in Arabia), andits leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated atits root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Gabriel('Alaihis-Salam) about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers arein Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.'
Then fifty prayers were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Moses('Alaihis-Salam) who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty prayershave been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you,because I had the hardest experience to bring Bani Israel to obedience.Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, return to your Lordand request Him to reduce the number of prayers.' I returned and requestedAllah (for reduction) and He made it forty. I returned and (met Moses) andhad a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allah for reductionand He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Moses('Alaihis-Salam) who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allah reduced itto five. When I came to Moses ('Alaihis-Salam) again, he said, 'What haveyou done?' I said, 'Allah has made it five only.' He repeated the sameadvice but I said that I surrendered (to Allah's Final Order)'" Allah'sApostle (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) was addressed by Allah, "I havedecreed My Obligation and have reduced the burden on My slaves, and I shallreward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds."
Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 429

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