by A Muslim sister
One night, a long, long time ago in Makkah, the Angel Gabriel came to the
Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). He cut open his chest, took out his heart,
washed his heart in Zam Zam water, and then filled it with Belief. Then he
put his heart back into his body.
>>"Why did he do that?"
>>"Because his heart had to pure where he was going."
Then a white animal-smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey-was
brought to the Prophet. It was called al Buraq. The Prophet got on Buraq
and it took him to al Aqsa-the farthest mosque.
>>"It must have taken a long time to go from Makkah to Jerusalem on that
animal."
>>"Well, al Buraq was quite special. For each stride that it took, he
would travel as far as the eye could see."
>>"Oooh!"
The Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) prayed two ra'kah in al-Aqsa and then came
outside. There, Gabriel held out two containers. The Prophet took one and
Gabriel said, "The other container holds wine and this one, which you
chose, holds milk. This is the religion of Islam to which you and your
followers submit."
Then Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) ascended to the closest
heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened.
"Who is it?"
Gabriel answered, "Gabriel".
"Who is with you?"
Gabriel replied, "Muhammad."
"Has Muhammad been called?"
Gabriel answered that yes, Muhammad had been called.
"He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!"
The gate was opened. When he entered, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw Adam
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Gabriel said to him:
"This is your father, Adam. Give him salaams."
So the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) gave salaams and Adam (pbuh) returned his
salaams and also said, "You are welcome, O pious son and pious prophet."
>>"We say 'peace be upon him' for all the prophets, Mommy, not just the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him?"
>>"That's right. Ma sha'Allah."
Then Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) ascended to the second
heaven.
Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. When the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
entered, he saw the Prophet Yahya (John) (alayhis salam) and the Prophet Isa (Jesus) (alayhis salam). The
Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) exchanged salaams with them and then Gabriel and
he ascended to the third heaven where the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
exchanged salaams with the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). After exchanging
salaams, Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) ascended to the fourth
heaven where he again exchanged salaams, this time with the Prophet Idris
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then they ascended to the fifth heaven where the Prophet Muhammad
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) exchanged salaams with the Prophet Harun (Aaron) (alayhis salam).
>>"Oh I understand! Each time he goes to a higher heaven, he meets a
different prophet."
>>"Yes, may peace be upon them all."
Then Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) ascended to the sixth heaven.
There, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) exchanged salaams with the Prophet
Moses (alayhis salam). As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) left, the Prophet Moses
(pbuh) began to cry. Someone asked Moses why he was crying. "I cry because
there was sent after me a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in
greater numbers than my followers."
>>"But Mommy, we don't follow the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We follow
Allah."
>>"That is a very good point, AbdurRahman. We follow the example of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Sunnah, which is how we follow the commands
of Allah."
Then Gabriel and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ascended to the seventh
heaven. After exchanging salaams with the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) who
welcomed him in the same way that the other prophets had, the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) saw the the most wonderful sight. It was the Lote Tree of
the farthest limit. Subhana'Allah! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr
and-
>>"What does that mean?"
>>"I think that it means that they were very big and ripe."
Its leaves were as big as elephant ears! Subhana'Allah! Words cannot
describe its beauty-
>>"I want to see it. Will I see it?"
>>"Insha'Allah, all people who go to Jannah will see it."
There were four rivers there-two were hidden and two could be seen. The
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked, "What are these two rivers, Gabriel?"
"The two hidden rivers are rivers of Paradise and the rivers that can be
seen are the Nile and the Euphrates."
Then Al Bait-ul-Mamur-the Sacred House-was shown to the Prophet. This is
where 70,000 angels are always giving praises to Allah SWT. It is under
Allah's throne. Then the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was told that Muslims
should pray fifty times a day.
>>"Fifty times? Don't you mean 'five', Mommy?"
>>"No, fifty. Listen and you will understand, insha'Allah."
When the Prophet Muhmammad returned down to the sixth heaven, Moses (pbuh)
asked him what Muhammad (pbuh) had been ordered to do. The Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) told him that fifty prayers should be offered a day.
"Muhammad (pbuh), your followers cannot do fifty prayers a day. By Allah,
I have tested people before you, but Bani Israel could not do it. Go back
to your Lord and ask Him to reduce your followers' burden."
So the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went back up and Allah reduced the number
of prayers to forty. When he came back to Moses (pbuh), he said the same
thing-that forty was still too many prayers. So the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) went back up and Allah reduced the number of prayers to thirty. But
Moses (pbuh) said the same thing. So again, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
went back up and Allah reduced the number of prayers to ten. Again, Moses
(pbuh) said the same thing. So the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went back up
and Allah reduced the number of prayers to five. Moses said the same
thing-"Five prayers is too much of a burden on your followers. I speak
from experience with Bani Israel."
But the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not go back up. He said, "I have
requested so much from my Lord. I feel ashamed. I am satisfied now and
submit to Allah's Order." As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) left the heavens,
a voice said, "I have passed My Order and have reduced the burden of My
Worshippers."
>>"Mommy, why are YOU crying?"
>>"Because…Allah has so much mercy. He reduced the number of prayers from
fifty to five. And still, Muslims complain, astaghfirullah!" Do you
remember that I told you that this was a love story?"
>>"Yes. But is it Allah's love?"
>>"Well, of course, there is Allah's love. But do you see that the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) loved his ummah-all Muslims-so much that he went back not
one, not two, not three, but FOUR times to his Lord, though he felt
ashamed?"
>>"Is that why we love the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) peace be upon him more
than any other man?"
>>"Yes. It is one reason."
>>"Mommy, I think that we should celebrate the Prophet Muhammad's peace be
upon him Night Journey."
>>"No, no, AbdurRahman. Remember, we follow the example of the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions who were the most righteous of Muslims.
They never celebrated the Night Journey, and we won't either."
>>"But we remember the night, yes Mommy?"
>>"Yes. We can never forget the night when Allah was so merciful to his
slaves and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) showed his love for his ummah."
