MUHAMMAD SAW THE MESSENGER OF ISLAM (515 pages, 15/41)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5966
Lord Almighty has appointed me to my post, I have been living in fear of not being able to discharge my duty and of not being able to fulfill my responsibility. That is why I appear gloomy and depressed.’ Then I asked him about the vessel he had before him, and he said, ‘That is the entire world; everything from east to west, from one end of the world to the other is contained in this dish. I dispose of it at will.’
“Again I asked him, ‘What is this tablet you are looking at?’ and he said to me, ‘This is the Lauh al-Mahfuzh, the Preserved Tablet, on which is inscribed the doom of those who are to die within the year. The angels write them down and hand the list to me. That is the Tablet.’ ‘And what is this page?’ I asked. ‘On this page is written the exact hour of time when these souls are to be taken away.’ And what is this tree?’ I asked. He said, ‘It is the tree of the lives of those living in the world. When a man is born, a leaf unfurls upon that tree upon which his name is written. When his time to die approaches, his leaf begins to yellow and wither and his name appears on the Tablet. I give this leaf to the angels, and they take it and mix it in his food so that he eats it. When he has eaten it, by the leave of Allah he falls ill, and when his time is up, his name is erased from the Tablet. I stretch out my hand and seize his soul, whether he be in the east or in the west of this world. If he is among the blessed, I hand him to the angels on my right, for they are the angels of Mercy. But if he is one of the sinners, I hand him to the angels to my left, for they are the angels of Wrath.’ May Allah preserve us from the doom of the wretched sinners, Amin.
“Again I asked, ‘How many of those angels are there?’ and Azra’il replied, ‘I do not know their number, but whenever I seize a person’s soul, six hundred angels of Mercy and six hundred angels of Wrath are ready to do their duty. They wait expectantly to see to which group it will belong. These angels do their duty only once, the same angels never come twice, and so it will be until the Day of Judgment.’ After this, I asked again, ‘Oh Angel of Death, how do you take the soul of every single individual?’ He replied, ‘Since the time I was created, I have never moved from this spot. Seventy thousand angels are there to serve me, and each one of these has another seventy thousand helpers.
“Whenever I have to seize a person’s soul, I give my order to them and they go out and bring the person’s soul up into his throat. After that, I just stretch out my hand and grasp it from there.’ I said to him, ‘What I would wish for is that my nation, which is a weak nation, experience death in a mild and gentle manner.’ He replied, ‘By Allah, the Lord of Might and Majesty who has made you the Seal of the Prophets, He Almighty addresses me seventy times during one day and night, saying to me, ‘Take the souls of those belonging to Muhammad’s nation with lightness and ease, and judge their deeds kindly.’ Therefore, I am given to more compassion towards your nation than to any of those who went before them.
“After this, Jibra’il called the Adhan and Iqama and I led the angels and all inhabitants of the second Heaven in a prayer of two Rak’ats. Then I continued my ascent to the Third Heaven.”
The Third Heaven
The Mercy to all Humankind continues in his narration, details of the Third Heaven:
“The Lord Almighty created this Heaven from copper and has named it Zaytun. The name of its guardian angel is Arina’il. Its gate is of white pearls and it has a lock of light. When Jibra’il knocked upon the gate, the guardian angel called from within, ‘Who is it requesting entry?’ Jibra’il answered, ‘It is I, Jibra’il.’ ‘And who is this with you?’ asked the keeper of the gate. ‘It is Muhammad ,’ replied Jibra’il. Again he asked, ‘Has he been given prophethood?’ ‘Yes, he has,’ answered Jibra’il. ‘Has he received summons and invitation?’ ‘Yes, he has,’ replied Jibra’il. Then Arina’il opened the gates, saying, ‘Welcome to you, how pleasing a guest!’ I entered this Heaven and I beheld Arina’il to be a great and majestic angel.
“He had at his command three hundred thousand angels who engaged in this Tasbih:
Subhanal-mutiyl-wahhab, Subhanal-fattahil-‘alim, Subhanal-mujibi liman da’ahu.
(Praise be to the Giver of all things, the generous Bestower,
Praise to the Opener of All Ways, the All-Knowing, Praise to Him who answers all prayers.)”
“I greeted this angel and he responded with full reverence and gave me news of many and varied blessings and gifts that were to come to me. After that, I went on and came upon a large group of angels ranged in rows and all in the position of Sajda. While bowing thus, they were engaged in this Tasbih:”
Subhanal-khaliqil-azhim,
Subhana-lladhi la mafarra wa la malja’a minhu illa ilayhi, Subhanal-‘aliyyil-a’la.
(Praised be the Almighty Creator,
Praise be to Him from whom there is no escape and no refuge but in Him; Praised be the Highest of All.)
“Jibra’il then said to me, ‘They are perpetually engaged in this form of worship. Pray that the Lord grant that also to your nation.’ Then I prayed to the Lord and He granted to my nation the Sajda in their prayer. This is the reason why the Sajda in our prayer is doubled: when I came and saluted them, they raised their heads from their Sajda to receive my salute, then they again bowed down. Therefore, my nation was obliged to perform the Sajda twice in their prayer.”
Tasbih of Yusuf
“I then passed on, and I saw Yusuf in all his great beauty. Of all existing beauty, Yusuf was given one half. I gave him my Salams and he returned them with dignity and bade me welcome. He informed me of many miracles to come and he prayed for me.
“His Tasbih was this:
Subhanal-karimil-akram, Subhanal-jalilil-ajall, Subhanal-fardil-witr; Subhana-abadiyyil-abad.
(Praised be the Most Bounteous of the Bountiful;
Praised be the Greatest of the Great; Praised be the Peerless, Unique; Praised be Eternal, Never-Ending.)
“After we had passed him, I saw Da’ud and his son Sulayman. I greeted them both and they returned my Salams with respect. They gave me great good tidings and said, ‘Pray in this night that you might be given intercession for your nation and that the Lord grant them security.’ In this way they counseled me.”
“Da`ud’s Tasbih was this:
Subhana khaliqi-n-nur; Subhana-t-tawwabil-wahhab. (Praised be the Creator of Light;
Praised be He who accepts Repentance and the Bestower of All Good.). “Sulayman’s Tasbih was this:
Subhana malikil-mulk , Subhanal-qahiril-jabbar,
Subhana man ilayhi tasir-al-umur. (Praise to the Lord of All Dominions, Praise to the Compeller, the Imposing;
Praised be to whom all Things must return.)
Tasbih of the Tyrants
“After I left them, I came to an angel seated upon a throne. This angel had seventy heads and seventy pairs of wings, each pair spanning all the way from the east to the west. All around him I beheld enormous angels, each of which was extremely tall. These angels were punishing a certain group of sinners, beating them with sticks until they fell apart. Then they became whole again and the angels began beating them again. I asked whom this great angel was who I saw seated upon the throne. Jibra’il told me that he was the angel Soha’il and he told me that those I saw being punished were the unjust tyrants and cruel
oppressors from among my nation. In this way they would be punished until the Day of Judgment.
“Their Tasbih was as follows:
Subhana man huwa fauqal-jabbarin; Subhanal-musalliti fauqal-musallitin; Subhanal-muntaqimi mim-man asahu. (Glory to Him who is above all oppressors; Glory to Him who attacks all attackers;
Glory to Him who takes revenge on whomever disobeys Him.)
“After this, I beheld a Sea of Fire surrounded on its shores by fierce and terrible angels. ‘What is this?’ I asked, and Jibra’il explained to me, ‘This sea is the ‘Sea of Sa’q’ (Lighting), and these angels here throw down thundering bolts of fire and lightning from the heavens onto the earth.’ As it written in this Holy Verse of the Quran:
He looses the thunderbolts, and smites with them whomsoever He will.
(Thunder, 13)
The Guardian Angel of Hell
“After this I beheld a door, which was made all of camphor wood. Its lower groundsill reached down to the lowest level of the earth, while its upper doorsill reached to just below the Divine Throne. This door was a double door, on which was mounted a lock as great as Heaven and earth together. I asked in amazement, ‘What is this door?’ and Jibra’il answered me, ‘The name of this door is ‘Bab al-Aman’, the Door of Safety.’ I asked why it was so called and Jibra’il told me, ‘The Lord Almighty created Hell and filled it with various torments. There came a breath out of Hell, and all the creatures on earth and in the heavens appealed to the Lord for help and protection. Then, the Lord of All Majesty created this door between Hell and the rest of all creation, so that all the creatures of the seven heavens and earths will find safety from it. Therefore, the name of this door is the Door of Safety.’
“I then asked to see what was behind that door and asked for it to be opened, but Jibra’il said, ‘Behind this door you will find Hell, is that
really what you want to see?’ ‘Yes, indeed, I wish to see it,’ I said. Thereupon a Divine Command was heard, saying, ‘Oh My Beloved, upon a sign of your finger, this door will open.’
“I then signaled with my hand and the door opened. I looked beyond it and this is what I saw: a great Minbar of iron, which had six hundred thousand pedestals. Upon it sat a great and terrible angel created from fire. He was busy twisting ropes of fire, making shackles and fetters of fire. His face was awesome and frightful to behold. His hand was powerful and his anger was plain to see.
“His head was bowed forward and he recited this Tasbih: Subhana-lladhi la yajuru wa huwal-malik-al-jabbar; Subhanal-muntaqimu min ‘ada’ihi,
Subhanal-mu’ti li-man yasha’a, Subhana man laysa ka-mithlihi shay’un.
(Praised be He who commits not injustice and He is the Almighty, Omnipotent King;
Glory to Him who triumphs in revenge over His foes,
Praised be He who bestows on whomever He wilt; Glory to Him who is unlike anything.)
“Flames leapt from his mouth as high as mountains, and from his nose
darted flares of fire. This angel was exceedingly angry and full of rage, and his eyes, each one of which was as great as the whole world, blazed with fury. As I beheld this angel in all his awesome aspect, I felt afraid. Were it not for the grace and generous support from the Lord Almighty, I would have perished from fear. I asked Jibra’il, ‘Who is this, the sight of whom makes me tremble?’ Jibra’il told me, ‘Be unafraid, for there is nothing there for you to fear. This is the Guardian of Jahannam (Hell) and his name is Malik. Allah Almighty has created him from His Wrath and since the day of his creation, he has never smiled yet. His fury increases with every passing moment. Go up to him now and salute him.’ Thereupon, I went up and gave him my Salams, but he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he lifted not even his head. Jibra’il passed in front of him and spoke to him, ‘Oh Malik, he who has just given you Salams is the Prophet of Allah,
Muhammad .’
“Jibra’il thus introduced me, and when he heard my name, this terrible angel rose to his feet and honored me with many compliments and respectful greetings, after which he spoke, saying to me, ‘Oh Muhammad , good tidings to you! For the Lord has vouchsafed to you many miraculous doings; and He is pleased with you: He has forbidden your body to the fires of Hell. From love and respect for you, He has also forbidden the fires to touch those who follow you. He has ordered me to treat the disobedient from among your nation with mildness and restraint. I shall wreak my revenge on those who refuse to believe in you.’
Beholding the Inhabitants of Jahannam
“I then said to Jibra’il, ‘Ask him to show me Hell.’ When Jibra’il told him of my request, he opened a hole the size of a needlepoint through which I could look into Hell. At first, a thread of black smoke came wafting through the hole. Had that smoke come from the hole for the period of one hour, all the heavens and the earth would have been filled with it. The light of the sun and the moon and all other luminaries would have been occluded, all would have been steeped in darkness and laid waste. But Malik stopped up that hole with his hand and the smoke ceased pouring forth. Then he said to me, ‘Look through this hole and behold Hell.’
“I looked through the hole and I saw the seven layers of Hell stacked one upon another. The uppermost was the one reserved for the disobedient from among my nation and it is called ‘Jahannam ’. The punishments meted out here were less severe than in the deeper layers of Hell.
“I had not the strength to gaze at the extreme chastisements of those in the lower levels of Hell, so I only saw what went on in the first level in which were the unrepentant of my nation. I saw that in it there were seventy seas of fire along the shores of each of which was a city of fire. In each of these cities there were seventy thousand houses of fire and in each of the houses there were seventy thousand chests of fire. Each of these chests contained men and women, imprisoned therein, surrounded by snakes and scorpions. I asked the Guardian of Hell, ‘Oh Malik, who are these people locked in these chests?’ He told me,
‘Some of them are people who oppressed their fellows and unfairly enriched themselves through their belongings. Others are those who became proud, and appointed themselves to be leaders and tyrants and ruled by cruel oppression. Greatness and Pride are attributes of Allah Almighty and befit Him alone.’
“Then I beheld a people whose lips were as the lips of dogs and camels. Their bellies were bloated and the Zabaniya (demons of Hell; myrmidons) beat them with mallets of fire until their entrails were ripped up and trailed out from their rear ends. Each time this happened, their entrails were recreated and the Zabaniya tormented them anew, and thus it continues. I asked who were these people, and Malik told me, ‘These are the people who wrongfully took for themselves what belonged to orphans.’
“Then I saw another people whose bellies were swollen up like huge mountains. They were filled with snakes and scorpions that crawled about within and caused them great torment. Whenever they wished to rise to their feet, they could not do so for the greatness of their stomachs and the motion of the vermin in them, and they fell back down. I asked the angel, ‘Who are they?’ Malik replied, ‘These are the people of your nation who committed usury.’
“Then I came upon a group of women who were suspended by their hair. I asked who they were and Malik said, ‘These are the women who concealed not their hair and faces from unrelated menfolk and who revealed their beauty to men other than their husbands and caused their husbands pain and chagrin.’
“After them, I beheld a group of men and women who were suspended from their tongues by means of fiery hooks. Their fingernails were made of copper and with them they clawed and tore up their own faces. ‘Who are these?’ I asked, and Malik told me, ‘These are people who swore by false testimony, and who were talebearers, spreading slander and gossip.’
“Then I beheld a group of women some of whom were suspended by their breasts while others were tied by their feet, head down. They were yelling and screaming incessantly. I asked about them, and Malik said, ‘These are women who committed adultery, and such women who killed their children.’
“After these I saw a group of men who were tearing flesh from their own sides and placing it in their mouths. But they did not swallow it; they just hid it in their mouths. The Zabaniya were at them, forcing them to eat the flesh, and again, the same thing would take place: they tore of some flesh, placed it in their mouths and the demons of Hell would force them to eat it. This was their punishment. I asked who they were and I was told, ‘They are those from among your nation who openly criticize and belittle people, and who talk behind their backs and spread malicious gossip about them as well. And those who wink and poke fun at people, making signs of derision with their hands, lips, brows or eyes.’
“Then I came upon another people whose bodies resembled the trunks of pigs, whose faces were like the faces of dogs, and who emitted fire from their rear ends. Snakes and scorpions were biting them, their flesh being eaten by them. ‘Who are those?’ I asked the Angel of Hell, and Malik answered me, ‘They are those from among your nation who neglected to pray or perform their ritual ablutions, and who went about in a state of (ritual) impurity.’
“After that, I came to another group of people who were suffering from extreme thirst, and desperately crying for water. In response to their pleas, they were given goblets of fire filled to the brim with boiling water, and they were commanded to drink from these. Being forced to do so, as soon as the goblets came near to their lips, all the flesh of their faces began to bubble from the extreme heat of the water until it fell off and dropped into their goblets. When they had drunk the water, their intestines fell apart and emerged in tatters from their backsides. “Who are they?’ I asked and Malik told me, ‘These are people from your nation who used to drink wine and other intoxicants.’
“After this, I saw a group of women who were suspended from their feet, with their tongues protruding and hanging out. Angels with fiery shears clipped them off, but they grew back each time. All the while they were braying like asses and howling like dogs. ‘Who are they?’ I asked the angel, and he answered, ‘These are the wailing women who used to loudly bemoan the dead.’
“Then I passed a group of men and women who were seated in copper ovens that were set upon a raging fire, whose flames licked their heads
and enfolded their entire bodies. A vile stench arose from here. I asked the angel about them and he said, ‘These are men and women who committed adultery.’ ‘And what is this terrible smell?’ I asked. ‘That smell comes from the discharge of their genitals.’
“Next I saw a group of women who were hung up while their hands were tightly bound to their necks. ‘Who are these?’ I asked. ‘These are women who deceived their husbands and spent their husband’s wealth without his knowledge,’ answered Jibra’il.
“Next I saw a group of men and women who were being punished in the fire and the demons of Hell set upon them, beating them with fiery rods. The more they screamed, the harder they beat them. They drove blades of fire into their stomachs and whipped them with whips of fire. Their chastisement appeared very severe to me. I asked about them and Malik said to me, ‘These are such as opposed and disobeyed their mothers and fathers.’
“Then I saw a people who wore great rings of fire around their necks. ‘Who are these?’ I asked the angel. ‘These are the ones who defrauded goods left in their safekeeping.’
“Then I came to a group who were being slaughtered by the Zabaniya with knives of fire, but instantly they came to life, only to be slaughtered anew. ‘Who are these?’ I asked, and Malik told me, ‘They are those who killed a soul without justification.’
“Then I saw people who were eating the most disgusting, stinking carcass. ‘Who are these people?’ I asked the angel. He told me, ‘These are the people who spread slanderous gossip, and thereby ate the flesh of their brethren.’
“Next I saw a place in Hell which had two divisions, one for the men and one for the women, and both were being punished in a terrible fashion. I asked Malik who they were and he said, ‘These are men who went out before their kings and rulers, beating with whips the weak and poor of the people, driving them away with cruelty. And these are women who seemingly dressed in a modest fashion, but in reality were naked and displayed themselves to strangers, for when they went about, they adorned themselves to make themselves appear attractive. Therefore, their heads have grown as big as a camel’s hump, and they cannot enter the peace and safety of Paradise.’
“After this, I saw another group of men and women, all being punished in different ways, each distinct from the other. They were made to suffer the worst castigations of all those punished on this level of Hell. For example: they were impaled on poles of fire on which their flesh began to boil and drop off until only their bones remained. But Allah Almighty caused their flesh to grow back forthwith and their torment began anew. Some others were bound with shackles and fetters of fire, and that was their penalty. ‘Who are these?’ I asked again, and Malik answered and said, ‘These are such people who whilst they were alive and well, neglected their prayers and abandoned worship.’
“Then I said to the Guardian Angel of Hell, ‘Oh Malik, shut the Gates of Hell, for I have not the strength to regard any more of its sights.’ Malik then said, ‘Oh Rasulullah , you have witnessed the terrors of Hell with your own blessed eyes so that you might pass on what you have seen to your nation as a warning. And may it serve to increase their fear of Allah and keep them from rebellion and disobedience, and make them steadfast in their worship and submission to Allah. Jahannam has seven levels. What you have seen, is only its very first layer, and the punishments therein are light; they are as nothing compared to the deeper levels of Hell.’
Allah Grants the Prophet Intercession
The Holy Prophet then began to weep from pity for his nation and for the terrors that lay in store for it, and as he wept, the great angels Jibra’il and Mikha’il and all the Muqarrabin wept with him and joined in his appeal for mercy. At last there came a call from the Lord Almighty, saying, “Oh my Beloved, for the esteem you hold in the Divine Presence, your prayer is answered and your intercession is granted; so be easy, for on the Day of Judgment, I will give you a special station of intercession and I will spare as many sinners as you ask for, until you say: it is enough! For We have chosen your nation above all other nations, and I have made you their intercessor, so intercede for whomever you wish, I will accept your supplication.”
Other Guardians of Hell
Apart from Malik, there are eighteen other guardians of Hell, nineteen in all. Their eyes are like flashes of lightning and from their mouths issue tongues of
flame and they never once feel mercy or pity, Their rage waxes continuously, for punishment and chastisement is their only task. They are of huge stature, so great that with one hand they pick up and throw seventy thousand sinners into the fires of Hell. Each of their teeth is big as Mount Uhud – so if one tooth alone is as great as a mountain, how great must their whole head, their entire body be! The breadth of the shoulders is a distance of nine days’ traveling, and the thickness of their skin is a distance of three days’ traveling! If he can grab seventy thousand sinners in the palm of one hand, how unimaginably immense must be the stature of this vengeful angel!
Each one of these angels of Hell commands a division of demons (Zabaniya) whose number is known to Allah alone. It is related that Allah described these angels to His Prophet in the revelation of the verse:
I shall surely roast him in Saqar; and what will teach thee what is Saqar? It spares not, neither leaves alone scorching the flesh; over it are nineteen. We have appointed only angels to be masters of the Fire and their number We have appointed only as a trial for the unbelievers, that those who were given the Book may have certainty.
(Shrouded, 26-31)
When the Holy Prophet received this revelation, concerning the nineteen guardians of Hell, he became distressed on account of his nation, and pleaded for them to be spared. The Lord then addressed him, saying, “I have included in this Book (the Holy Quran) nineteen letters for your nation, oh Muhammad ; if your nation persists in constant recital and application of the words (comprising those letters), I will make them safe from the nineteen Guardians of Hell and their army of assistant demons.” “What is this word of nineteen letters?” asked Muhammad . “It is the phrase: ‘Bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim’,” spoke the Lord.
May the Lord Almighty spare us all and reprieve us on the Day of Judgment from the punishment of Hell for the sake of His Beloved Prophet Abul-Qasim Muhammad ! Amin.
The Holy Prophet continued:
“The Guardian of Hell closed the hole to Hell and Jibra’il called the Adhan for prayer. I led the prayer as Imam and all the angels and inhabitants of the third Heaven prayed two Rak’ats behind me. After this we proceeded to the Fourth Heaven.”
The Fourth Heaven
The Seal of Prophethood narrates, regarding his journey to the Fourth Heaven:
“The Fourth Heaven is created of raw silver or, according to a different narration, from white pearl. The name of this Heaven is Zahir. Its gate was of Light and the lock to the gate was of Light and written upon it were the words, ‘La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah.’ The angel guarding the gate to this Heaven was the angel Salsa’il. After we had knocked on the gate and had answered the same questions as before, we were admitted and the gates were opened to us. I beheld the angel in charge, Salsa’il. He was responsible for all that happened here. Under his command were four hundred thousand angels, and each one of these angels commanded another four hundred thousand angelic lieutenants.
“These angels praised the Lord in the following words:
Subhana khaliq-iz-zulumati wa-n-nur,
Subhana khaliq-ish-shamsi wal-qamar-il-munir, Subhana-r-rafi’-il-‘ala.
(Praise be to the Creator of darkness and light,
Praise be to the Creator of the sun and the shining moon; Praise be to the Highest of the High.)
“Among these angels I noticed a special group; some of them stood in Qiyam, some were prostrated in Sajda, their gaze unswerving from the place of their prostration, so rapt were they in devotion. Another party of those in Sajda were so entranced that they remained gazing at their noses.
The Tasbih of these three groups of angels was this: Subbuhun quddus, Rabbun-ar-Rahman-ar-Rahim illadhi la ilaha illa huwa.
(Glorified be our Lord, the All-Holy, the All-Compassionate, The All-Merciful, besides whom there is no other god.)
“I then asked Jibra’il, “Is this their form of worship?’ Jibra’il replied,
‘Ever since they were created, they have remained in this pose of humility. Make supplication for your nation that they, too, might be given this form of worship.’ I prayed and asked this for my nation, and my nation, too, was given this attitude of humility during their prayer.
“Then I met the Prophets Idris and Nuh. I gave them Salams and they replied reverentially, saying, ‘Greetings to you, oh righteous brother, oh righteous Prophet of Allah !’ and they gave me glad tidings of many good things to come.”
This was the Tasbih of Idris: Subhanal-mujibi-s-sa’ilin, Subhana qabzil-jabbarin,
Subhana-lladhi ‘ala fa la yablughu ‘uluwwahu ahad. (Glorified be He who answers those who ask of Him, Praised be He who constrains the tyrants,
Praised be He whose lofty height none can reach but He.)
The Tasbih of the Prophet Nuh was this:
Subhanal-Hayyil-Halim, Subhanal-Haqqil-Karim, Subhanal-Azizil-Hakim.
(Glory be to God, the Living and Gentle, Glory to God, the True and Munificent, Glory to God, the Powerful and Wise.)
Mansions of Maryam, Buhayyid and Asiya
“Thereafter, I saw Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, and the mother of Musa, Buhayyid, and the wife of Fir’ awn, Asiya – may Allah be well pleased with them. They all came to greet me. Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, had seventy thousand mansions, all made of white pearls. The mother of Musa had seventy thousand mansions all made of green emeralds. Finally, Asiya had seventy thousand mansions made of red corals.
“After this, I came to a great sea, the water of which was white with snow. ‘What sea is this?’ I asked. Jibra’il told me, ‘This sea is called the ‘Sea of Snow’.’ After we had passed by there, we came to the sun.”
According to one narration, the size of the sun was one hundred and sixty times the size of the earth. According to Ibn ‘Abbas, the sun is as great as a distance of seventy years’ wayfaring.
After Allah Almighty had created the Sun, He created a boat of pure gold in which He placed a throne of red ruby. This throne stands on three hundred and sixty legs and an angel holds on to each one of them. In this way they place the Sun in this boat and every day three hundred and sixty angels guide the sun-boat from east to west, and every night they guide it back from west to east. Then these angels engage in worship and the following day, another three hundred sixty angels come and perform this duty, and so it will go on until the Day of Resurrection. Every group of angels will only perform this duty once.
In the Holy Quran this verse refers to the movement of the sun:
And the sun, it runs to a fixed resting-place; that is the ordaining of the All-Mi
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5966
Lord Almighty has appointed me to my post, I have been living in fear of not being able to discharge my duty and of not being able to fulfill my responsibility. That is why I appear gloomy and depressed.’ Then I asked him about the vessel he had before him, and he said, ‘That is the entire world; everything from east to west, from one end of the world to the other is contained in this dish. I dispose of it at will.’
“Again I asked him, ‘What is this tablet you are looking at?’ and he said to me, ‘This is the Lauh al-Mahfuzh, the Preserved Tablet, on which is inscribed the doom of those who are to die within the year. The angels write them down and hand the list to me. That is the Tablet.’ ‘And what is this page?’ I asked. ‘On this page is written the exact hour of time when these souls are to be taken away.’ And what is this tree?’ I asked. He said, ‘It is the tree of the lives of those living in the world. When a man is born, a leaf unfurls upon that tree upon which his name is written. When his time to die approaches, his leaf begins to yellow and wither and his name appears on the Tablet. I give this leaf to the angels, and they take it and mix it in his food so that he eats it. When he has eaten it, by the leave of Allah he falls ill, and when his time is up, his name is erased from the Tablet. I stretch out my hand and seize his soul, whether he be in the east or in the west of this world. If he is among the blessed, I hand him to the angels on my right, for they are the angels of Mercy. But if he is one of the sinners, I hand him to the angels to my left, for they are the angels of Wrath.’ May Allah preserve us from the doom of the wretched sinners, Amin.
“Again I asked, ‘How many of those angels are there?’ and Azra’il replied, ‘I do not know their number, but whenever I seize a person’s soul, six hundred angels of Mercy and six hundred angels of Wrath are ready to do their duty. They wait expectantly to see to which group it will belong. These angels do their duty only once, the same angels never come twice, and so it will be until the Day of Judgment.’ After this, I asked again, ‘Oh Angel of Death, how do you take the soul of every single individual?’ He replied, ‘Since the time I was created, I have never moved from this spot. Seventy thousand angels are there to serve me, and each one of these has another seventy thousand helpers.
“Whenever I have to seize a person’s soul, I give my order to them and they go out and bring the person’s soul up into his throat. After that, I just stretch out my hand and grasp it from there.’ I said to him, ‘What I would wish for is that my nation, which is a weak nation, experience death in a mild and gentle manner.’ He replied, ‘By Allah, the Lord of Might and Majesty who has made you the Seal of the Prophets, He Almighty addresses me seventy times during one day and night, saying to me, ‘Take the souls of those belonging to Muhammad’s nation with lightness and ease, and judge their deeds kindly.’ Therefore, I am given to more compassion towards your nation than to any of those who went before them.
“After this, Jibra’il called the Adhan and Iqama and I led the angels and all inhabitants of the second Heaven in a prayer of two Rak’ats. Then I continued my ascent to the Third Heaven.”
The Third Heaven
The Mercy to all Humankind continues in his narration, details of the Third Heaven:
“The Lord Almighty created this Heaven from copper and has named it Zaytun. The name of its guardian angel is Arina’il. Its gate is of white pearls and it has a lock of light. When Jibra’il knocked upon the gate, the guardian angel called from within, ‘Who is it requesting entry?’ Jibra’il answered, ‘It is I, Jibra’il.’ ‘And who is this with you?’ asked the keeper of the gate. ‘It is Muhammad ,’ replied Jibra’il. Again he asked, ‘Has he been given prophethood?’ ‘Yes, he has,’ answered Jibra’il. ‘Has he received summons and invitation?’ ‘Yes, he has,’ replied Jibra’il. Then Arina’il opened the gates, saying, ‘Welcome to you, how pleasing a guest!’ I entered this Heaven and I beheld Arina’il to be a great and majestic angel.
“He had at his command three hundred thousand angels who engaged in this Tasbih:
Subhanal-mutiyl-wahhab, Subhanal-fattahil-‘alim, Subhanal-mujibi liman da’ahu.
(Praise be to the Giver of all things, the generous Bestower,
Praise to the Opener of All Ways, the All-Knowing, Praise to Him who answers all prayers.)”
“I greeted this angel and he responded with full reverence and gave me news of many and varied blessings and gifts that were to come to me. After that, I went on and came upon a large group of angels ranged in rows and all in the position of Sajda. While bowing thus, they were engaged in this Tasbih:”
Subhanal-khaliqil-azhim,
Subhana-lladhi la mafarra wa la malja’a minhu illa ilayhi, Subhanal-‘aliyyil-a’la.
(Praised be the Almighty Creator,
Praise be to Him from whom there is no escape and no refuge but in Him; Praised be the Highest of All.)
“Jibra’il then said to me, ‘They are perpetually engaged in this form of worship. Pray that the Lord grant that also to your nation.’ Then I prayed to the Lord and He granted to my nation the Sajda in their prayer. This is the reason why the Sajda in our prayer is doubled: when I came and saluted them, they raised their heads from their Sajda to receive my salute, then they again bowed down. Therefore, my nation was obliged to perform the Sajda twice in their prayer.”
Tasbih of Yusuf
“I then passed on, and I saw Yusuf in all his great beauty. Of all existing beauty, Yusuf was given one half. I gave him my Salams and he returned them with dignity and bade me welcome. He informed me of many miracles to come and he prayed for me.
“His Tasbih was this:
Subhanal-karimil-akram, Subhanal-jalilil-ajall, Subhanal-fardil-witr; Subhana-abadiyyil-abad.
(Praised be the Most Bounteous of the Bountiful;
Praised be the Greatest of the Great; Praised be the Peerless, Unique; Praised be Eternal, Never-Ending.)
“After we had passed him, I saw Da’ud and his son Sulayman. I greeted them both and they returned my Salams with respect. They gave me great good tidings and said, ‘Pray in this night that you might be given intercession for your nation and that the Lord grant them security.’ In this way they counseled me.”
“Da`ud’s Tasbih was this:
Subhana khaliqi-n-nur; Subhana-t-tawwabil-wahhab. (Praised be the Creator of Light;
Praised be He who accepts Repentance and the Bestower of All Good.). “Sulayman’s Tasbih was this:
Subhana malikil-mulk , Subhanal-qahiril-jabbar,
Subhana man ilayhi tasir-al-umur. (Praise to the Lord of All Dominions, Praise to the Compeller, the Imposing;
Praised be to whom all Things must return.)
Tasbih of the Tyrants
“After I left them, I came to an angel seated upon a throne. This angel had seventy heads and seventy pairs of wings, each pair spanning all the way from the east to the west. All around him I beheld enormous angels, each of which was extremely tall. These angels were punishing a certain group of sinners, beating them with sticks until they fell apart. Then they became whole again and the angels began beating them again. I asked whom this great angel was who I saw seated upon the throne. Jibra’il told me that he was the angel Soha’il and he told me that those I saw being punished were the unjust tyrants and cruel
oppressors from among my nation. In this way they would be punished until the Day of Judgment.
“Their Tasbih was as follows:
Subhana man huwa fauqal-jabbarin; Subhanal-musalliti fauqal-musallitin; Subhanal-muntaqimi mim-man asahu. (Glory to Him who is above all oppressors; Glory to Him who attacks all attackers;
Glory to Him who takes revenge on whomever disobeys Him.)
“After this, I beheld a Sea of Fire surrounded on its shores by fierce and terrible angels. ‘What is this?’ I asked, and Jibra’il explained to me, ‘This sea is the ‘Sea of Sa’q’ (Lighting), and these angels here throw down thundering bolts of fire and lightning from the heavens onto the earth.’ As it written in this Holy Verse of the Quran:
He looses the thunderbolts, and smites with them whomsoever He will.
(Thunder, 13)
The Guardian Angel of Hell
“After this I beheld a door, which was made all of camphor wood. Its lower groundsill reached down to the lowest level of the earth, while its upper doorsill reached to just below the Divine Throne. This door was a double door, on which was mounted a lock as great as Heaven and earth together. I asked in amazement, ‘What is this door?’ and Jibra’il answered me, ‘The name of this door is ‘Bab al-Aman’, the Door of Safety.’ I asked why it was so called and Jibra’il told me, ‘The Lord Almighty created Hell and filled it with various torments. There came a breath out of Hell, and all the creatures on earth and in the heavens appealed to the Lord for help and protection. Then, the Lord of All Majesty created this door between Hell and the rest of all creation, so that all the creatures of the seven heavens and earths will find safety from it. Therefore, the name of this door is the Door of Safety.’
“I then asked to see what was behind that door and asked for it to be opened, but Jibra’il said, ‘Behind this door you will find Hell, is that
really what you want to see?’ ‘Yes, indeed, I wish to see it,’ I said. Thereupon a Divine Command was heard, saying, ‘Oh My Beloved, upon a sign of your finger, this door will open.’
“I then signaled with my hand and the door opened. I looked beyond it and this is what I saw: a great Minbar of iron, which had six hundred thousand pedestals. Upon it sat a great and terrible angel created from fire. He was busy twisting ropes of fire, making shackles and fetters of fire. His face was awesome and frightful to behold. His hand was powerful and his anger was plain to see.
“His head was bowed forward and he recited this Tasbih: Subhana-lladhi la yajuru wa huwal-malik-al-jabbar; Subhanal-muntaqimu min ‘ada’ihi,
Subhanal-mu’ti li-man yasha’a, Subhana man laysa ka-mithlihi shay’un.
(Praised be He who commits not injustice and He is the Almighty, Omnipotent King;
Glory to Him who triumphs in revenge over His foes,
Praised be He who bestows on whomever He wilt; Glory to Him who is unlike anything.)
“Flames leapt from his mouth as high as mountains, and from his nose
darted flares of fire. This angel was exceedingly angry and full of rage, and his eyes, each one of which was as great as the whole world, blazed with fury. As I beheld this angel in all his awesome aspect, I felt afraid. Were it not for the grace and generous support from the Lord Almighty, I would have perished from fear. I asked Jibra’il, ‘Who is this, the sight of whom makes me tremble?’ Jibra’il told me, ‘Be unafraid, for there is nothing there for you to fear. This is the Guardian of Jahannam (Hell) and his name is Malik. Allah Almighty has created him from His Wrath and since the day of his creation, he has never smiled yet. His fury increases with every passing moment. Go up to him now and salute him.’ Thereupon, I went up and gave him my Salams, but he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he lifted not even his head. Jibra’il passed in front of him and spoke to him, ‘Oh Malik, he who has just given you Salams is the Prophet of Allah,
Muhammad .’
“Jibra’il thus introduced me, and when he heard my name, this terrible angel rose to his feet and honored me with many compliments and respectful greetings, after which he spoke, saying to me, ‘Oh Muhammad , good tidings to you! For the Lord has vouchsafed to you many miraculous doings; and He is pleased with you: He has forbidden your body to the fires of Hell. From love and respect for you, He has also forbidden the fires to touch those who follow you. He has ordered me to treat the disobedient from among your nation with mildness and restraint. I shall wreak my revenge on those who refuse to believe in you.’
Beholding the Inhabitants of Jahannam
“I then said to Jibra’il, ‘Ask him to show me Hell.’ When Jibra’il told him of my request, he opened a hole the size of a needlepoint through which I could look into Hell. At first, a thread of black smoke came wafting through the hole. Had that smoke come from the hole for the period of one hour, all the heavens and the earth would have been filled with it. The light of the sun and the moon and all other luminaries would have been occluded, all would have been steeped in darkness and laid waste. But Malik stopped up that hole with his hand and the smoke ceased pouring forth. Then he said to me, ‘Look through this hole and behold Hell.’
“I looked through the hole and I saw the seven layers of Hell stacked one upon another. The uppermost was the one reserved for the disobedient from among my nation and it is called ‘Jahannam ’. The punishments meted out here were less severe than in the deeper layers of Hell.
“I had not the strength to gaze at the extreme chastisements of those in the lower levels of Hell, so I only saw what went on in the first level in which were the unrepentant of my nation. I saw that in it there were seventy seas of fire along the shores of each of which was a city of fire. In each of these cities there were seventy thousand houses of fire and in each of the houses there were seventy thousand chests of fire. Each of these chests contained men and women, imprisoned therein, surrounded by snakes and scorpions. I asked the Guardian of Hell, ‘Oh Malik, who are these people locked in these chests?’ He told me,
‘Some of them are people who oppressed their fellows and unfairly enriched themselves through their belongings. Others are those who became proud, and appointed themselves to be leaders and tyrants and ruled by cruel oppression. Greatness and Pride are attributes of Allah Almighty and befit Him alone.’
“Then I beheld a people whose lips were as the lips of dogs and camels. Their bellies were bloated and the Zabaniya (demons of Hell; myrmidons) beat them with mallets of fire until their entrails were ripped up and trailed out from their rear ends. Each time this happened, their entrails were recreated and the Zabaniya tormented them anew, and thus it continues. I asked who were these people, and Malik told me, ‘These are the people who wrongfully took for themselves what belonged to orphans.’
“Then I saw another people whose bellies were swollen up like huge mountains. They were filled with snakes and scorpions that crawled about within and caused them great torment. Whenever they wished to rise to their feet, they could not do so for the greatness of their stomachs and the motion of the vermin in them, and they fell back down. I asked the angel, ‘Who are they?’ Malik replied, ‘These are the people of your nation who committed usury.’
“Then I came upon a group of women who were suspended by their hair. I asked who they were and Malik said, ‘These are the women who concealed not their hair and faces from unrelated menfolk and who revealed their beauty to men other than their husbands and caused their husbands pain and chagrin.’
“After them, I beheld a group of men and women who were suspended from their tongues by means of fiery hooks. Their fingernails were made of copper and with them they clawed and tore up their own faces. ‘Who are these?’ I asked, and Malik told me, ‘These are people who swore by false testimony, and who were talebearers, spreading slander and gossip.’
“Then I beheld a group of women some of whom were suspended by their breasts while others were tied by their feet, head down. They were yelling and screaming incessantly. I asked about them, and Malik said, ‘These are women who committed adultery, and such women who killed their children.’
“After these I saw a group of men who were tearing flesh from their own sides and placing it in their mouths. But they did not swallow it; they just hid it in their mouths. The Zabaniya were at them, forcing them to eat the flesh, and again, the same thing would take place: they tore of some flesh, placed it in their mouths and the demons of Hell would force them to eat it. This was their punishment. I asked who they were and I was told, ‘They are those from among your nation who openly criticize and belittle people, and who talk behind their backs and spread malicious gossip about them as well. And those who wink and poke fun at people, making signs of derision with their hands, lips, brows or eyes.’
“Then I came upon another people whose bodies resembled the trunks of pigs, whose faces were like the faces of dogs, and who emitted fire from their rear ends. Snakes and scorpions were biting them, their flesh being eaten by them. ‘Who are those?’ I asked the Angel of Hell, and Malik answered me, ‘They are those from among your nation who neglected to pray or perform their ritual ablutions, and who went about in a state of (ritual) impurity.’
“After that, I came to another group of people who were suffering from extreme thirst, and desperately crying for water. In response to their pleas, they were given goblets of fire filled to the brim with boiling water, and they were commanded to drink from these. Being forced to do so, as soon as the goblets came near to their lips, all the flesh of their faces began to bubble from the extreme heat of the water until it fell off and dropped into their goblets. When they had drunk the water, their intestines fell apart and emerged in tatters from their backsides. “Who are they?’ I asked and Malik told me, ‘These are people from your nation who used to drink wine and other intoxicants.’
“After this, I saw a group of women who were suspended from their feet, with their tongues protruding and hanging out. Angels with fiery shears clipped them off, but they grew back each time. All the while they were braying like asses and howling like dogs. ‘Who are they?’ I asked the angel, and he answered, ‘These are the wailing women who used to loudly bemoan the dead.’
“Then I passed a group of men and women who were seated in copper ovens that were set upon a raging fire, whose flames licked their heads
and enfolded their entire bodies. A vile stench arose from here. I asked the angel about them and he said, ‘These are men and women who committed adultery.’ ‘And what is this terrible smell?’ I asked. ‘That smell comes from the discharge of their genitals.’
“Next I saw a group of women who were hung up while their hands were tightly bound to their necks. ‘Who are these?’ I asked. ‘These are women who deceived their husbands and spent their husband’s wealth without his knowledge,’ answered Jibra’il.
“Next I saw a group of men and women who were being punished in the fire and the demons of Hell set upon them, beating them with fiery rods. The more they screamed, the harder they beat them. They drove blades of fire into their stomachs and whipped them with whips of fire. Their chastisement appeared very severe to me. I asked about them and Malik said to me, ‘These are such as opposed and disobeyed their mothers and fathers.’
“Then I saw a people who wore great rings of fire around their necks. ‘Who are these?’ I asked the angel. ‘These are the ones who defrauded goods left in their safekeeping.’
“Then I came to a group who were being slaughtered by the Zabaniya with knives of fire, but instantly they came to life, only to be slaughtered anew. ‘Who are these?’ I asked, and Malik told me, ‘They are those who killed a soul without justification.’
“Then I saw people who were eating the most disgusting, stinking carcass. ‘Who are these people?’ I asked the angel. He told me, ‘These are the people who spread slanderous gossip, and thereby ate the flesh of their brethren.’
“Next I saw a place in Hell which had two divisions, one for the men and one for the women, and both were being punished in a terrible fashion. I asked Malik who they were and he said, ‘These are men who went out before their kings and rulers, beating with whips the weak and poor of the people, driving them away with cruelty. And these are women who seemingly dressed in a modest fashion, but in reality were naked and displayed themselves to strangers, for when they went about, they adorned themselves to make themselves appear attractive. Therefore, their heads have grown as big as a camel’s hump, and they cannot enter the peace and safety of Paradise.’
“After this, I saw another group of men and women, all being punished in different ways, each distinct from the other. They were made to suffer the worst castigations of all those punished on this level of Hell. For example: they were impaled on poles of fire on which their flesh began to boil and drop off until only their bones remained. But Allah Almighty caused their flesh to grow back forthwith and their torment began anew. Some others were bound with shackles and fetters of fire, and that was their penalty. ‘Who are these?’ I asked again, and Malik answered and said, ‘These are such people who whilst they were alive and well, neglected their prayers and abandoned worship.’
“Then I said to the Guardian Angel of Hell, ‘Oh Malik, shut the Gates of Hell, for I have not the strength to regard any more of its sights.’ Malik then said, ‘Oh Rasulullah , you have witnessed the terrors of Hell with your own blessed eyes so that you might pass on what you have seen to your nation as a warning. And may it serve to increase their fear of Allah and keep them from rebellion and disobedience, and make them steadfast in their worship and submission to Allah. Jahannam has seven levels. What you have seen, is only its very first layer, and the punishments therein are light; they are as nothing compared to the deeper levels of Hell.’
Allah Grants the Prophet Intercession
The Holy Prophet then began to weep from pity for his nation and for the terrors that lay in store for it, and as he wept, the great angels Jibra’il and Mikha’il and all the Muqarrabin wept with him and joined in his appeal for mercy. At last there came a call from the Lord Almighty, saying, “Oh my Beloved, for the esteem you hold in the Divine Presence, your prayer is answered and your intercession is granted; so be easy, for on the Day of Judgment, I will give you a special station of intercession and I will spare as many sinners as you ask for, until you say: it is enough! For We have chosen your nation above all other nations, and I have made you their intercessor, so intercede for whomever you wish, I will accept your supplication.”
Other Guardians of Hell
Apart from Malik, there are eighteen other guardians of Hell, nineteen in all. Their eyes are like flashes of lightning and from their mouths issue tongues of
flame and they never once feel mercy or pity, Their rage waxes continuously, for punishment and chastisement is their only task. They are of huge stature, so great that with one hand they pick up and throw seventy thousand sinners into the fires of Hell. Each of their teeth is big as Mount Uhud – so if one tooth alone is as great as a mountain, how great must their whole head, their entire body be! The breadth of the shoulders is a distance of nine days’ traveling, and the thickness of their skin is a distance of three days’ traveling! If he can grab seventy thousand sinners in the palm of one hand, how unimaginably immense must be the stature of this vengeful angel!
Each one of these angels of Hell commands a division of demons (Zabaniya) whose number is known to Allah alone. It is related that Allah described these angels to His Prophet in the revelation of the verse:
I shall surely roast him in Saqar; and what will teach thee what is Saqar? It spares not, neither leaves alone scorching the flesh; over it are nineteen. We have appointed only angels to be masters of the Fire and their number We have appointed only as a trial for the unbelievers, that those who were given the Book may have certainty.
(Shrouded, 26-31)
When the Holy Prophet received this revelation, concerning the nineteen guardians of Hell, he became distressed on account of his nation, and pleaded for them to be spared. The Lord then addressed him, saying, “I have included in this Book (the Holy Quran) nineteen letters for your nation, oh Muhammad ; if your nation persists in constant recital and application of the words (comprising those letters), I will make them safe from the nineteen Guardians of Hell and their army of assistant demons.” “What is this word of nineteen letters?” asked Muhammad . “It is the phrase: ‘Bismillahi-r-rahmani-r-rahim’,” spoke the Lord.
May the Lord Almighty spare us all and reprieve us on the Day of Judgment from the punishment of Hell for the sake of His Beloved Prophet Abul-Qasim Muhammad ! Amin.
The Holy Prophet continued:
“The Guardian of Hell closed the hole to Hell and Jibra’il called the Adhan for prayer. I led the prayer as Imam and all the angels and inhabitants of the third Heaven prayed two Rak’ats behind me. After this we proceeded to the Fourth Heaven.”
The Fourth Heaven
The Seal of Prophethood narrates, regarding his journey to the Fourth Heaven:
“The Fourth Heaven is created of raw silver or, according to a different narration, from white pearl. The name of this Heaven is Zahir. Its gate was of Light and the lock to the gate was of Light and written upon it were the words, ‘La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah.’ The angel guarding the gate to this Heaven was the angel Salsa’il. After we had knocked on the gate and had answered the same questions as before, we were admitted and the gates were opened to us. I beheld the angel in charge, Salsa’il. He was responsible for all that happened here. Under his command were four hundred thousand angels, and each one of these angels commanded another four hundred thousand angelic lieutenants.
“These angels praised the Lord in the following words:
Subhana khaliq-iz-zulumati wa-n-nur,
Subhana khaliq-ish-shamsi wal-qamar-il-munir, Subhana-r-rafi’-il-‘ala.
(Praise be to the Creator of darkness and light,
Praise be to the Creator of the sun and the shining moon; Praise be to the Highest of the High.)
“Among these angels I noticed a special group; some of them stood in Qiyam, some were prostrated in Sajda, their gaze unswerving from the place of their prostration, so rapt were they in devotion. Another party of those in Sajda were so entranced that they remained gazing at their noses.
The Tasbih of these three groups of angels was this: Subbuhun quddus, Rabbun-ar-Rahman-ar-Rahim illadhi la ilaha illa huwa.
(Glorified be our Lord, the All-Holy, the All-Compassionate, The All-Merciful, besides whom there is no other god.)
“I then asked Jibra’il, “Is this their form of worship?’ Jibra’il replied,
‘Ever since they were created, they have remained in this pose of humility. Make supplication for your nation that they, too, might be given this form of worship.’ I prayed and asked this for my nation, and my nation, too, was given this attitude of humility during their prayer.
“Then I met the Prophets Idris and Nuh. I gave them Salams and they replied reverentially, saying, ‘Greetings to you, oh righteous brother, oh righteous Prophet of Allah !’ and they gave me glad tidings of many good things to come.”
This was the Tasbih of Idris: Subhanal-mujibi-s-sa’ilin, Subhana qabzil-jabbarin,
Subhana-lladhi ‘ala fa la yablughu ‘uluwwahu ahad. (Glorified be He who answers those who ask of Him, Praised be He who constrains the tyrants,
Praised be He whose lofty height none can reach but He.)
The Tasbih of the Prophet Nuh was this:
Subhanal-Hayyil-Halim, Subhanal-Haqqil-Karim, Subhanal-Azizil-Hakim.
(Glory be to God, the Living and Gentle, Glory to God, the True and Munificent, Glory to God, the Powerful and Wise.)
Mansions of Maryam, Buhayyid and Asiya
“Thereafter, I saw Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, and the mother of Musa, Buhayyid, and the wife of Fir’ awn, Asiya – may Allah be well pleased with them. They all came to greet me. Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, had seventy thousand mansions, all made of white pearls. The mother of Musa had seventy thousand mansions all made of green emeralds. Finally, Asiya had seventy thousand mansions made of red corals.
“After this, I came to a great sea, the water of which was white with snow. ‘What sea is this?’ I asked. Jibra’il told me, ‘This sea is called the ‘Sea of Snow’.’ After we had passed by there, we came to the sun.”
According to one narration, the size of the sun was one hundred and sixty times the size of the earth. According to Ibn ‘Abbas, the sun is as great as a distance of seventy years’ wayfaring.
After Allah Almighty had created the Sun, He created a boat of pure gold in which He placed a throne of red ruby. This throne stands on three hundred and sixty legs and an angel holds on to each one of them. In this way they place the Sun in this boat and every day three hundred and sixty angels guide the sun-boat from east to west, and every night they guide it back from west to east. Then these angels engage in worship and the following day, another three hundred sixty angels come and perform this duty, and so it will go on until the Day of Resurrection. Every group of angels will only perform this duty once.
In the Holy Quran this verse refers to the movement of the sun:
And the sun, it runs to a fixed resting-place; that is the ordaining of the All-Mi
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=5966