Two inspiring excerpts linking our hearts to our Beloved Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s journey to his Lord Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, highlighting the implications this miraculous event has on all of us being blessed to be of the Ummah of Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.
‘Saddened by the despicable treatment he had received during the day our Master SallAllahu alaihi wasallam prayed before lying down to sleep. His blessed heart ached and his eyes mosit with tears. He had barely dropped off to sleep, when the Lord of Majesty said:
“O Gabriel, do you know what night this is? Tonight, convey my command and good tidings to all My worlds! Tonight I shall take My beloved to My station. My Heavens, My Lotus Tree, My Prosperous House, My Throne, My Footstool and My Paradise will be adorned with the dust of My beloved SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s feet. Tell Israfil to leave his trumpet for tonight; I have commanded him to wait at My beloved’s service. Let Michael postpone the distribution of provisions. Let Azra’il leave the gathering of souls for tonight. To them and to you I have granted the honour of serving My beloved. For tonight, let Malik put out the fire of Hell. Let the wardens of hell not stir from their places. Let My Paradise be decked out afresh. Tell Ridwan that the houries, pages and attendants must be ready. Let them wear new heavenly clothes and put on their finery. They must get ready to receive My beloved. Tonight I have invited My beloved Muhammad. Let them clothe the sun in the empyrean. Let the sky be more splendidly arrayed than on an ordinary night. Let the stars shine brighter than usual. Let the souls of the Prophets prepare to greet Muhammad! O Gabriel, go to Paradise and fetch for My beloved a splendid robe, a crown , a belt and the heavenly steed called Buraq. Let him don the robe, set the crown upon his head and gird himself with the belt. Let him mount Buraq; let him ride to see My Throne, My Footstool and My Paradise! Give my salutations to that messenger! He is now lying in the home of Umm Hani, sad and dismayed by the cruelty of those unbelievers. ….”
“During my Ascension I saw a dome of light. Four rivers issued from this dome. One of these rivers was of water, one of honey, one of wine and the other of milk. These four rivers flowed, bubbling, from that dome of light. Gabriel said to me: ‘O Messenger of Allah, would you not like to see the source of these rivers?’ When I said: ‘Yes’, the dome opened up. Inscribed within it was the sentence:
Bismillahi’r-rahmani’r-rahim
In the Name of Allah, All-Merciful and Compassionate.
“The river of water flowed from the Arabic letter of mim in the word bismi-llah, the River of Honey from the ha, the River of Milk from the hole in the centre of the Arabic letter mim in rahman and the River of Wine from the hole in the centre of the mim in rahim. When I said: ‘Who will drink from these rivers, Gabriel?’, the reply came from the Exalted Lord, ‘O Muhammad, if any member of your Community mentions Me by My Names and says: Bismillahi’r-rahmani’r-rahim with sincere intention, then on the Day of Resurrection, I shall allow that servant of Mine to drink from these rivers while everyone else goes thirsty. O Muhammad, if any member of your Community makes ablution and says: “There is no god but Allah,” for the sake of My Majesty, I shall give that servant of Mine a Paradise as great as this world.’”
Our Master reached the Two Bow-lengths. There he saw a huge chest made of light, on which there was a lock also made of light. Our Master said: “My Lord, what does this chest of light contain? I would like to see. Where is the key to it?” The Lord of Glory said:
“O My Messenger, the key to it is you. It opens with ‘There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’” Our Master then made this affirmation of Divine Unity and the box opened. An infinite ocean was visible within it. Within that ocean, there was a bird and on the bird’s claw was a piece of mud. In answer to the question: “My Lord, what do these things represent?” The Lord said:
“My beloved, that infinite sea is My Mercy; that bird is your Community; the mud on the bird’s claw represents the sine committed by your Community. Compared to My Mercy their sin is no greater than the mud on the bird’s claw. You have seen the ocean of My Mercy and you have also seen the sins of your Community. When set against the ocean of My Mercy, their sins are no greater than an atom. Just as a bit of mud will disappear if it falls into the sea, their offences are as nothing compared to My Mercy. I am the Most Merciful of the Merciful; I am All-Forgiving; All-Generous…..
Our Master says: “On that night I begged ,y Lord for my Community seven hundred times and my Lord gave me my Community. He promised paradise and its beauty to my Community. That night, my Community attained divine pardon and grace.”
Our Master said: “When by divine decree, I came back to the house of the venerable Umm Hani, my bed was still warm. Time had been created within time and space within space. Thus did my Lord show me His favour toward my Community that night.”
From: Irshad Wisdom of a Sufi Master by Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi
One day after his SallAllahu alaihi wasallam’s Mi’raj, the Angel Jibra’il Alaihis Salam came again to the Holy Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam who was in a state of vexation because of his nation. (see Brother Yursil’s entry regarding this here) The Angel said to him:
“Oh Prophet of Allah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, do not grieve all that much over your nation, for today I have come to you with great good tidings.” The good tidings he brought were these:
In the fourth Heaven there is an Angel who commands twelve thousand Angels. During your Mi’raj when all the other Angels rose from their places to greet you, this Angel did not rise to his feet along with the others. Today when I passed by the gate of that Heaven, I heard the sound of moaning, and when I turned to look, I saw that the sad sound came from that particular Angel whom I was used to seeing. I saw that his wings had been plucked, and his light had been taken from him, he lay bundled in a corner, sighing pitifully. When he saw me he began to weep. I said to him, ‘Why do you weep, you who are such a great and honoured Angel?’ He said, ‘I am that Angel, but I have committed a great error. For my Lord has reproached me, saying, ‘Why, when My Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam came from the heavens to visit you, did you not rise to welcome him?’ I answered, ‘Oh my Lord, at that time I was absorbed in my worship and adoration of Your Almighty Holiness that I did not think of deflecting my attention to anything else. I saw Muhammad SallAllahu alaihi wasallam coming, but I did not think it so important an event.’
“’The Lord then loosened His Wrath against me, and brought me into this condition in which you behold me now, my light withdrawn, my feathers plucked, and myself demoted from my angelic station. Oh Jibra’il, pray, intercede for me with my Lord!’ I therefore prayed to the Lord and begged Him to pardon His Angle’s failing, who pledged never to commit another act of negligence. The Lord Almighty then replied, ‘Let him recite Salat-wa-Salam on My Holy Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, and I will forgive him.’
“I went and told this to the Angel, who immediately started reciting peace and blessings upon the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and when he had recited them ten times, all his wing feathers had grown back, and he flew off joyfully.”’
This is the good news I have come to tell you oh Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. For the Lord will forgive and pardon all those from your nation who recite peace and blessings to you with a loving heart and He will grant them access to Paradise.”
When the Holy Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam came out to his Companions RadhiAllahu anhum after this, his face was as radiant as the moon at its fullest, and he smiled so broadly that his back teeth showed. He then informed his Companions RadhiAllahu anhum of the good tidings the Angel had brought him, of how the Lord would forgive all those who recited Salat-wa-Salam upon him, and all his blessed Companions RadhiAllahu anhum rejoiced with him.
Allahumma salli wa sallam wa barik ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadan wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam tasliman, wal-humdu-lillahi-rabbil-‘alamin.
From: Muhammad the Messenger of Islam, His Life and Prophecy by Hajjah Amina Adil.
May our gratitude soar as we reflect upon all this amazingly beautiful night signifies.
And may our love intensify for our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Ameen.
Allahumma salli wa sallam wa barik ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadan wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam tasliman, wal-humdu-lillahi-rabbil-‘alamin.
All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.
