The Hadeeth about the Prophet's, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, night journey

12-5-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the entire Hadeeth about the Prophet’s, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, journey to heaven and seeing people being punishing in Hell?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

Ahmad reported in his Musnad and Abu Daawood in his Sunan that Anas ibn Maalik may Allaah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “When I ascended to Heaven, I passed by some people with copper nails scratching their faces and chests.  I asked: ‘Who are these, O Gabriel?’ He said, ‘They are those who (eat people’s meat) by slandering and dishonoring them.’”

Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be pleased with him reported the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I saw the night I ascended when we reached the seventh heaven, as I looked up a thunder, some lightings some thunderbolts.” He, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I came to some people whose stomachs were like rooms filled with snakes that can be seen from outside their stomachs.  I asked Jibreel (Gabriel): ‘Who are these?’  He said, ‘These are the people who eat Riba.’ When I descended to the last heaven I looked down I saw a wind, heard some voices and saw some smoke.  I said: ‘What’s this, O Jibreel?’ He said, ‘These are Satans who distort the eyes of the children of Adam preventing them from pondering over the Kingdom of Allaah in Heavens and earths. Had it not been this, they (the children of Aadam) would have seen miracles.’”

Al-Haythami may Allaah have mercy upon him said this Hadeeth was reported by Ahmad. In its chain of narrators, there is one Abu As-Silt who is unknown and nobody reported from him except ‘Ali ibn Zayd.

Al-Haarith may Allaah have mercy upon him reported in his Musnad a Hadeeth which also contains a left out narrator and a weak one in its chain.  Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri may Allaah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:

“Al Buraaq was brought to me. It is a white animal with restless ears, bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule.  It (Al-Buraaq) puts its hoof where its sight reaches.  I mounted it then it took me to Bayt Al Maqdis…. I saw the souls being exposed before him.  When the soul of a believer passes by him he would say, ‘A good soul and a good smell.’  But when the soul of a disbeliever (Kaafir) passed by him he said, ‘A filthy soul and a disgusting smell.’  Then I went on and found myself where there were blueweeds on which there was stinking meat and blueweeds on which there was good meat.  There were men eating the stinking meat with voracity and avoiding the good meat.  I asked: ‘Who are these?’ He said, ‘These are the fornicators and adulterers who leave what is lawful and seek what is forbidden.’

“Then, I continued until I found myself in front of some men given the task of opening wide the mouths of some people and other men bringing stones from Hell and throwing them (the stones) into the mouths of those people and the stones came out of their anuses.  I asked: ‘Who are there, O Gabriel?’ He said, ‘These are the people who eat the property of orphans without legal right.  What they eat in is nothing but Hell and they will get its Blaze.’”

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, continued:

“Then I went on until I saw some people whose mouths are being wide opened by men allotted the task of doing so and other men responsible of cutting their flesh and forcing that flesh with its blood into their mouths.  I asked: “Who are these O! Gabriel?”  He said, “These are the backbiters, the slanders”. 

Then the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, recited this verse:  {Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only a fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!} The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, resumed:

“I went on until I saw some people being hanged with their breasts. I said: ‘Who are these, O Gabriel?’ He said, ‘Those are the nursing ladies who killed their children.’  Then I went on and finished by reaching the road of the Pharaohs, there I saw men whose bellies were like rooms, when the Pharaohs are exposed to Hell in the morning and the evening, they are stood for the Pharaohs laying on their backs and their bellies. The Pharaohs walk upon them scratching them with their feet. I asked: ‘Who are these, O Gabriel?’  He said, ‘These are Riba eaters.’ 

Then the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, read this verse: {…neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting)…} Although this Hadeeth is considered weak, most of what it contains is in the Hadeeth of Samurah may Allaah be pleased with him which is reported by Al-Bukhari and An-Nasaa’i may Allaah have mercy upon them.

Allaah Knows best.

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