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MUHAMMAD'S ASCENT TO HEAVEN |
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without any change of the body. By night, i.e. in darkness surrounding the
physical frame; for the ascent could only be carried out spiritually through the
inner senses of the body. From the holy Masjid; that is, from the centre of a
sacred heart, free from bodily corruption and sensual coverings. To the further
Masjid; that is, the fountain of the spirit, far removed from the corporeal
world, and close to the manifestation of the Almighty's glory, in order that he
might the better understand that which, We might shew him some of our signs,
even if they be within the heart, which can only be done in all their glory and
grandeur by spiritual discernment within the soul; namely, that we can shew him
of our Nature and perfection.
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Hence, if we accept the above, together with the witness of Ayesha, and what
the Prophet himself is reported to have said, — the ascent was not in body, but
in spirit. But the view of others is altogether different. Thus Ibn Ishac tells
us that, according to what Muhammad said, Gabriel awoke him twice; but he went to
sleep again:—
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And he came to me the third time, and made me stand up and go with him to the
gate of the Mosque, where, lo! there was a white steed, in appearance between a
pony and an ass . Then with his hand he helped me upon it, neither of us
preceding the other. (Then follows a quotation from Cotda.) The Prophet said:
When I tried to mount on Burc he became refractory; then Gabriel touched his
mane and said: Burac, "knowest thou what thou art doing? for, by the Lord!
no servant of the God hath ever mounted thee more blessed from heaven than Muhammad." Whereupon Burac became so ashamed that sweat poured like water
from him. Then he stood still, and I mounted him. After that (Hasan tells us)
the Prophet went forward and Gabriel with him, till they reached the Holy temple
at Jerusalem, and there found Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, with a company of
Prophets, — whom the Prophet led in prayer. Then were brought two vases, in one
was wine and in the other milk. So the blessed Prophet took that with milk, and
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drank of it, and left the vase of wine alone. Then Gabriel said:— Guide unto
temperance, and teach thy people so, O Muhammad, for wine is forbidden unto you.
Then the Prophet returned to Mecca; and in the morning, meeting the Coreish, he
told them all that happened. "By the Lord!" said the people,
"what a marvellous thing. It takes our caravans a whole month to reach
Syria from this, and a whole month to return; yet Muhammad has gone it all in a
single night, and in the same returned!"1
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The following is another account given by the Prophet of his night Journey,
as heard by Cotda:—
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While I was asleep, to one came to me, close as the hair is to the skin, and
took out my heart. He then brought a golden vase filled with Faith, in which my
heart was placed, and my stomach cleansed in the water of Zemzem, so that I was
filled with Faith and Wisdom. Thereupon Gabriel mounted me upon Burc (as in the
previous account), and having carried me upwards to the Lowest heaven called out
to open the gate. "Who is this?" one cried. It is Gabriel. And who
is with thee? It is Muhammad. Was he summoned?— O yes! was Gabriel's answer.
Then welcome to him; how good it is that he hath come. And so he opened the
gate. Entering, Gabriel said, Here is thy father Adam, make thy salutation to
him. So I made to him my salaam, and he returned it to me; on which he said,
Welcome to an excellent son and to an excellent Prophet. Then Gabriel took me up
to the Second heaven, and to there were John (the Baptist) and Jesus.2
In the
Third heaven there was Joseph; in the Fourth ldrees; in the Fifth Aaron; and in
the Sixth Moses. As he returned the salutation of the Prophet, Moses wept, and
on being asked the reason said: "I mourn because more of the people of him
that was sent after me do enter Paradise than of mine." Then we ascended
the Seventh heaven;— This is thy father Abraham, said Gabriel, and salutation
was made as before. At the last we made the final ascent, where there were
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