people, and I have moreover passed by what they do by compulsion and against their own will." After this I asked, "O our Lord, do not lay upon us a covenant such as thou didst lay on those who have been before us." To this I received the following reply, "O Mohammed, I have accepted thy request, and not laid upon you the covenant of former people."¹

'It is also recorded that in that night Mohammed witnessed the worship of the angels of the seven heavens; some performed it by standing erect; others by kneeling; others by prostrations; others by rehearsing the creed; others by magnifying; others by praising; and others by lauding (i.e. singing the Hallel). When fifty daily prayers had been enjoined, this word came to Mohammed, "O Mohammed, I have made a service of prayer obligatory on thee and thy people, which consists of standing erect, kneeling, prostration, recitation of the creed, reading, magnifying, praising, and lauding: in order that their worship should comprise that of all the angels from the Throne to the carpet, and that they should acquire the merit of all those classes of worshippers who severally worship in all these different ways.

'His Excellency thus continued his narrative: "After the Prayers had been enjoined upon me and my people, I received permission to return, and accordingly I went back as I had come, till I again reached Gabriel's abode. Gabriel welcomed me back by saying, "O Mohammed, receive thou the good news that thou art the first and most chosen of creatures. To-night the Most High has advanced thee to a degree which has not been reached by any other created being, neither the most favoured angels nor the prophets that have been sent. O Mohammed, may this distinction be blessed and pleasant to thee! After this, Gabriel led me onward to Paradise, and showed me the abodes and order of the spirits; and I saw all its black-eyed ones, its castles, its youths, children, trees, fruits, orchards, fragrant herbs, rivers, gardens, ponds, upper rooms, and high galleries."

According to another account, Mohammed also said, "When I entered Paradise I saw large tents made of pearls,

and the soil of Paradise was musk; and I observed that most of its inhabitants were poor people and dervishes; and I also found that most of the inhabitants of Hell were women, boasters, and oppressors." It is also established that he said, "They showed me Hell and its chains, its fetters, serpents, scorpions, the loud groaning and moaning, the cold, fetid discharges, and its black smoke."

'According to some biographies, that Excellency also narrated as follows: "In that night I also saw one of the angels whose face was altogether without cheerfulness and pleasure, and who never smiled at me, as all the other angels had done whom I met. On my asking Gabriel who this was, he answered, This angel has never smiled, and will never smile at any one; if he did, he would have smiled at thy blessed face. This is the angel who has power over Hell. He always shows a sour face, and his anger and the fury of his wrath is always against the inhabitants of Hell, because of the wrath of God against them. At my request Gabriel asked him to show me hell-fire, whereupon he drew the curtain from its opening; and I saw the fire flaming, black, without giving any light, and it rustled with moans and groans; and it rose so high up that I thought it would seize me. Then I saw Hell. There are so many different torments and dishonours and indignities in it that even stones and iron have not the strength to bear them. I asked Gabriel to tell the angel to withdraw the fire, as I could no longer bear the sight of it, and he did so." In that night his Excellency also met the Taker-away-of-life; and he begged of that high angel, "When thou takest away the souls of my people, do so easily, kindly, and gently." The angel of death replied, "O Mohammed, I give thee the joyous news that the Most High says often to me, by night and by day, Deal easily and gently with Mohammed's people."¹

'It is also authentic that that Excellency said, "When I was returning from the Throne of Glory and met Moses, he asked me, How many prayers were enjoined upon thee and thy people? I answered, Fifty for one day and night. Moses said, Verily thy people will not be able to perform prayers fifty