[Al-Quran 50:6-8] Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and how it has no rifts? And the earth - We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind, Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].

Showing posts with label signs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label signs. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

The Sun, The Moon & The Planets

  قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Say, "He (is) Allah, the One.
Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute.
Not He begets and not He is begotten.
And not is for Him equivalent any [one]."
[Al-Quran 112]

Topic 

The Sun and Moon as Signs of Allah, and their appearance in dreams. 


Full Text 

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لَا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُون

And of His portents are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon; but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if it is in truth Him Whom ye worship
[Al-Quran 41:37, Translation: Pickthal]

Islam [Q22:26, Q22:78] is about acknowledging that there is only one deity: Allah, and to Him alone is complete submission and worship due. Worship of heavenly bodies and ancestors, particularly worship of the Sun and the Moon has been prevalent among various mythologies around the world. 

Prophet Abraham was a Hanif [Q2:135, Q3:67, Q6:161], from the group of Prophet Noah [Q37:83]. Abraham lived at a time when his father and nation were polytheists [Q6:74], and the King claimed absolute power over life and death [Q2:258]. Among the narratives in The Quran, we find two mentions of the Sun as regards to Prophet Abraham:  

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِي حَاجَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي رَبِّهِ أَنْ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّيَ الَّذِي يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا أُحْيِي وَأُمِيتُ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْتِي بِالشَّمْسِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَبُهِتَ الَّذِي كَفَرَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِين

Bethink thee of him who had an argument with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom; how, when Abraham said: My Lord is He Who giveth life and causeth death, he answered: I give life and cause death. Abraham said: Lo! Allah causeth the sun to rise in the East, so do thou cause it to come up from the West. Thus was the disbeliever abashed. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk
[Al-Quran 2:258, Translation: Pickthal]


Allah has full control over all His creation, whether big or small. Though the Sun and Moon are among His Signs, yet they are not worthy of worship: 

6:74  وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ آزَرَ أَتَتَّخِذُ أَصْنَامًا آلِهَةً إِنِّي أَرَاكَ وَقَوْمَكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِين

6:74  (Remember) when Abraham said unto his father Azar: Takest thou idols for gods? Lo! I see thee and thy folk in error manifest

6:75  وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِين

6:75  Thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he might be of those possessing certainty

6:76  فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ رَأَىٰ كَوْكَبًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَا أُحِبُّ الْآفِلِين

6:76  When the night grew dark upon him he beheld a star planet. He said: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: I love not things that set

6:77  فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْقَمَرَ بَازِغًا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمْ يَهْدِنِي رَبِّي لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الضَّالِّين

6:77  And when he saw the moon uprising, he exclaimed: This is my Lord. But when it set, he said: Unless my Lord guide me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray

6:78  فَلَمَّا رَأَى الشَّمْسَ بَازِغَةً قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَا أَكْبَرُ فَلَمَّا أَفَلَتْ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُون

6:78  And when he saw the sun uprising, he cried: This is my Lord! This is greater! And when it set he exclaimed: O my people! Lo! I am free from all that ye associate (with Him)

6:79  إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين

6:79  Lo! I have turned my face toward Him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not of the idolaters

6:80  وَحَاجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِ وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ رَبِّي شَيْئًا وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُون

6:80  His people argued with him. He said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at all that which ye set up beside Him unless my Lord willeth aught. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then remember

6:81  وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مَا أَشْرَكْتُمْ وَلَا تَخَافُونَ أَنَّكُمْ أَشْرَكْتُم بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا فَأَيُّ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْنِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُون

6:81  How should I fear that which ye set up beside Him, when ye fear not to set up beside Allah that for which He hath revealed unto you no warrant? Which of the two factions hath more right to safety? (Answer me that) if ye have knowledge

6:82  الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُون

6:82  Those who believe and obscure not their belief by wrongdoing, theirs is safety; and they are rightly guided

6:83  وَتِلْكَ حُجَّتُنَا آتَيْنَاهَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيم

6:83  That is Our argument. We gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! thy Lord is Wise, Aware
[Al-Quran 6:74-83, Translation: Pickthal; edited in italics for clarity]


Joseph's Dream 

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِين

When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me

...

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقًّا وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُم مِّنَ الْبَدْوِ مِن بَعْدِ أَن نَّزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِّمَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيم

And he placed his parents on the dais and they fell down before him prostrate, and he said: O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream of old. My Lord hath made it true, and He hath shown me kindness, since He took me out of the prison and hath brought you from the desert after Satan had made strife between me and my brethren. Lo! my Lord is tender unto whom He will. He is the Knower, the Wise
[Al-Quran 12:4, ..., 12:100; Translation: Pickthal]

In Surah Yusuf (Joseph), he dreams a dream in which he sees the sun (الشَّمْسَ), the moon (الْقَمَرَ) and eleven planets (كَوْكَبًا). When his dream is realised, the sun corresponds to his father, the moon to his mother, and the eleven planets are his eleven bothers. 


Isaac's Dream

The Testament of Abraham is regarded as a pseudepigraphic text of the Old Testament by the Jews, but is considered scripture by the Beta Israel. It has two versions: long and short. In Chapter 7 (long recension)/Chapter 7:1-18 (short recension), Isaac's dream is explained, in which the Sun represents his father Abraham, and the Moon represents his mother, both of whom are to be taken away by the very bright light that is brighter that seven suns. The interpretation of the dream is that they are soon to taken away by death.  


The Meeting with The Lord   

Returning back to Q41:37, night and day, Sun and Moon, are the Signs of Allah. The presence of parents is a wonderful gift of our Creator, but they are also creations, and can be taken away at any time. The Sun and the Moon are also wonderful gifts of our Creator, and while we enjoy and benefit from their presence, we must remember that the true Creator and Sustainer is Allah, and to Him alone is prostration and worship due. There awaits a reckoning, when the Sun and Moon are united: 


75:1  لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة

75:1  Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection

75:2  وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَة

75:2  Nay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true)

75:3  أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنسَانُ أَلَّن نَّجْمَعَ عِظَامَه

75:3  Thinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones

75:4  بَلَىٰ قَادِرِينَ عَلَىٰ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَه

75:4  Yea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers

75:5  بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَه

75:5  But man would fain deny what is before him

75:6  يَسْأَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَة

75:6  He asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection

75:7  فَإِذَا بَرِقَ الْبَصَر

75:7  But when sight is confounded

75:8  وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَر

75:8  And the moon is eclipse

75:9  وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَر

75:9  And sun and moon are united

75:10  يَقُولُ الْإِنسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرّ

75:10  On that day man will cry: Whither to flee

75:11  كَلَّا لَا وَزَر

75:11  Alas! No refuge

75:12  إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرّ

75:12  Unto thy Lord is the recourse that day

75:13  يُنَبَّأُ الْإِنسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّر

75:13  On that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind

75:14  بَلِ الْإِنسَانُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَة

75:14  Oh, but man is a telling witness against himself

75:15  وَلَوْ أَلْقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَه

75:15  Although he tender his excuses

75:16  لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِه

75:16  Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it

75:17  إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَه

75:17  Lo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof

75:18  فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَه

75:18  And when We read it, follow thou the reading

75:19  ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَه

75:19  Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof

75:20  كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَة

75:20  Nay, but ye do love the fleeting No

75:21  وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَة

75:21  And neglect the Hereafter

75:22  وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَة

75:22  That day will faces be resplendent

75:23  إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَة

75:23  Looking toward their Lord

75:24  وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَاسِرَة

75:24  And that day will other faces be despondent

75:25  تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَة

75:25  Thou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them

75:26  كَلَّا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِي

75:26  Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat

75:27  وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاق

75:27  And men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now)

75:28  وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاق

75:28  And he knoweth that it is the parting

75:29  وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاق

75:29  And agony is heaped on agony

75:30  إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمَسَاق

75:30  Unto thy Lord that day will be the driving

75:31  فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّى

75:31  For he neither trusted, nor prayed

75:32  وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى

75:32  But he denied and flouted

75:33  ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ يَتَمَطَّى

75:33  Then went he to his folk with glee

75:34  أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

75:34  Nearer unto thee and nearer

75:35  ثُمَّ أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَى

75:35  Again nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom)

75:36  أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنسَانُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدً

75:36  Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless

75:37  أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِّن مَّنِيٍّ يُمْنَى

75:37  Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth

75:38  ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

75:38  Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned

75:39  فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى

75:39  And made of him a pair, the male and female

75:40  أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَن يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى

75:40  Is not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life

[Al-Quran 75, Translation: Pickthal; typos corrected]








References & Links 

https://www.thetorah.com/article/yhwhs-war-against-the-egyptian-sun-god-ra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_worship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parents%27_Worship_Day 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_of_Abraham

...


Last updated on: December 16, 2020


Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Gamma Rays, Visible Light & The Electromagnetic Spectrum

 قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Say, "He (is) Allah, the One.
Allah, the Eternal, the Absolute.
Not He begets and not He is begotten.
And not is for Him equivalent any [one]."
[Al-Quran 112]


Abstract
Exploring the erased sign of the night according to the ayaat of The Quran and recent scientific discoveries. 


Full Text 


وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ آيَتَيْنِ فَمَحَوْنَا آيَةَ اللَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَا آيَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلًا

And We have made the night and the day (as) two signs. Then We erased (the) sign (of) the night, and We made (the) sign (of) the day visible, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know (the) number (of) the years, and the account. And every thing - We have explained it (in) detail.
[Al-Quran 17:12]

The alternation of the day and night make it easy to keep count of passing time. The Sun and the Moon are used to calculate time of the day, number of months and the years. A variety of calculation systems have been employed over the ages, yet they all are based on the Sun and/or the Moon. 

In Surah Fussilat (Explained in Detail), it is stated: 

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لَا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

And of His Signs (are) the night and the day and the sun and the moon. (Do) not prostrate to the sun and not to the moon, but prostrate to Allah the One Who created them, if you, Him alone, worship.
[Al-Quran 41:37]

The sun and the moon have been deified in many mythologies and worshipped by many people. In Surah Yunus, the reason given for the sign of the night and the day and their signs, in Q17:12, is again repeated, mentioning the sun and moon explicitly in this ayat, while reiterating the fact that Allah  ﷻ created them: 

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

He (is) the One Who made the sun a ضِيَاءً, and the moon a نُورًا and determined for it phases, that you may know (the) number (of) the years and the count (of time). Not created Allah that except in truth. He explains the Signs for a people (who) know.
[Al-Quran 10:5; Translation edited to retain Arabic terms]

The moon is described as a nur (نُورًا), and Surah anNur informs us that Allah  ﷻ is نُورُ of the السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ: 

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Allah (is the) نُورُ (of) the heavens and the earth. (The) example (of) His نُورِ (is) like a niche in it (is) a lamp; the lamp (is) in a glass, the glass as if it were a planet brilliant (which) is lit from a tree blessed - an olive, not (of the) east and not (of the) west, would almost its oil glow, even if not touched it fire. نُّورٌ upon نُورٍ. Allah guides to His نُورِ whom He wills. And Allah sets forth the examples for the mankind. And Allah of every thing (is) All-Knower.
[Al-Quran 24:35; Translation edited]

In Surah arRa`d, we read: 

هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنشِئُ السَّحَابَ الثِّقَالَ
وَيُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ الصَّوَاعِقَ فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُمْ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ

He (is) the One Who shows you the lightning, a fear and a hope and brings up the heavy clouds.
And glorifies the thunder [with] and the Angels for fear of Him. And He sends the thunderbolts and strikes with it whom He wills, yet they dispute about Allah. And He (is) Mighty (in) Strength.
[Al-Quran 13:12-13]

When Moses (Musa عليه السلام)  desired to see Allah  ﷻ : 

وَلَمَّا جَاءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَاتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُ رَبُّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ لَن تَرَانِي وَلَٰكِنِ انظُرْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ اسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُ فَسَوْفَ تَرَانِي فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And when Musa came to Our appointed place and spoke to him his Lord, he said, "O my Lord! Show me (that) I may look at You." He said, "Never you (can) see Me, but look at the mountain [then] if it remains in its place then you will see Me." But when revealed (His) Glory his Lord to the mountain, He made it crumbled to dust and Musa fell down unconscious. And when he recovered he said, "Glory be to You! I turn (in repentance) to you, and I am (the) first (of) the believers."
[Al-Quran 7:143]

When the Bani Israel demanded to see Allah  ﷻ : 
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

And when you said, "O Musa! Never (will) we believe in you until we see Allah manifestly." So seized you the thunderbolt while you (were) looking.
Then We revived you from after your death, so that you may (be) grateful.
[Al-Quran 2:55-56]

The Day when Allah  ﷻ comes:  
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ

Are they waiting [except] that comes to them Allah in (the) shadows of [the] clouds, and the Angels, and is decreed the matter? And to Allah return (all) the matters.
[Al-Quran 2:210]

On the Day of Judgement:

وَأَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

And (will) shine the earth with (the) نُورِ (of) its Lord and (will) be placed the Record and (will) be brought the Prophets and the witnesses, and it (will) be judged between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.
[Al-Quran 39:69, Translation edited]



Putting together the knowledge provided in the eleven ayaat quoted above with what science has so far discovered: 


ضِيَاءً
The Quran uses this root six times, and is variously understood as light that shines, illuminates, flashes or glows. The sun, when above the horizon, is the brightest object in the sky. It emits the visible light humans use to see, as well as other shorter and longer wavelengths of light. The visible light is a very narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum.


نُورًا
The Quran uses the word نُور several times, and is variously translated as light which is reflected, lustrous, beautiful, enlightening. The root of this word is shared by the word نَارًا which means fire. We know that fire is produced in a process where heat energy is also generated along with the light. 

The moon is visible to humans, most nights of the month, through the sunlight it reflects. It waxes and wanes, and the phases of the moon are used by many calendar systems.

A full moon is the brightest object in the night sky. The Quran also informs us that Allah  ﷻ has made the moon a nur (جَعَلَ ... الْقَمَرَ نُورًا). However, Q17:12 informs us that the sign of the night has been erased or blotted out, that is made invisible to us. As mentioned above, the visible light is only a narrow band of the electromagnetic spectrum. When the moon is viewed in other wavelengths, it is a wonderful spectacle. Especially,  in gamma rays of greater than 20 MeV, the moon is the brightest object in the sky, outshining everything else, while the sun cannot usually be even seen at these energies:   


The Moon is not the only source of high energy gamma ray emissions. There are other regions of the earth and sky emitting gamma rays as well. An intense celestial Gamma Ray Burst from within our own galaxy has also been recorded a day after the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004...

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes have energies up to 20 MeV (million electron volts). Gamma Rays are also known to be emitted by lightning discharges, in the range of 10-20 MeV. It has been estimated that several hundred terrestrial gamma ray flashes occur daily.

Gamma Ray Bursts are flashes of gamma rays. They are the most energetic and most luminous form of light in the Universe. Very-high energy gamma radiation, having photon energies from 100GeV to 100 TeV have been detected in emissions from astronomical sources. Scientists theorise the existence of Ultra-high energy gamma rays with photon energies higher than 100 TeV, however these have not been detected yet.

Moreover, there is a diffuse Cosmic Gamma Ray Background Radiation all around, such that, it is said that if we had gamma vision, there would be no dark place anywhere. The source of this radiation remains unidentified.




The Electromagnetic Spectrum 

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَا تُبْصِرُونَ
وَمَا لَا تُبْصِرُونَ
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

But nay! I swear by what you see,
And what not you see,
Indeed, it (is) surely (the) Word (of) a Messenger noble. 
[Al-Quran 69:38-40]

The Quran is indeed a message from the Almighty Allah  ﷻ , who has sent His messengers with guidance. Gamma rays occupy the shortest wavelength, and thus the highest photon energy, in the Electromagnetic Spectrum. We humans can see a very narrow band of the Electromagnetic Spectrum, which is the Visible Light:  


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electromagnetic-Spectrum.png
Attribution: transferred by Penubag (talk · contribs) on 05:04, 15 May 2008 [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons


And then, we know nothing yet about the dark energy and dark matter, which scientists believe constitutes most of our Universe.

اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ
Allah (is the) Creator (of) all things, and He (is) over all things a Guardian. 

لَّهُ مَقَالِيدُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
For Him (are the) keys (of) the heavens and the earth. And those who disbelieve in (the) Verses (of) Allah, those - they (are) the losers. 

قُلْ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَأْمُرُونِّي أَعْبُدُ أَيُّهَا الْجَاهِلُونَ
Say, "Is (it) other than Allah you order me (to) worship, O ignorant ones?" 

وَلَقَدْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And verily, it has been revealed to you and to those who (were) before you, if you associate (with Allah) surely, will become worthless your deeds and you will surely be among the losers. 

بَلِ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُن مِّنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ
Nay! But worship Allah and be among the thankful ones. 

وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

And not they appraised Allah (with) true appraisal, while the earth entirely (will be) in His Grip (on the) Day (of) the Resurrection, and the heavens (will be) folded in His Right Hand. Glory be to Him! And High is He above what they associate (with Him). 

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ
And (will) be blown [in] the trumpet, then (will) fall dead whoever (is) in the heavens and whoever (is) on the earth except whom Allah wills. Then (it will) be blown [in it] a second time, and behold! They (will be) standing waiting. 

وَأَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
And (will) shine the earth with (the) light نُورِ (of) its Lord and (will) be placed the Record and (will) be brought the Prophets and the witnesses, and it (will) be judged between them in truth, and they will not be wronged. 

وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ
And (will) be paid in full every soul what it did; and He (is the) Best-Knower of what they do. 

وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ رَبِّكُمْ وَيُنذِرُونَكُمْ لِقَاءَ يَوْمِكُمْ هَٰذَا قَالُوا بَلَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَةُ الْعَذَابِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
And (will) be driven those who disbelieve to Hell (in) groups until when they reach it, (will) be opened its gates and (will) say to them its keepers, "Did not come to you Messengers from you reciting to you (the) Verses (of) your Lord and warning you (of the) meeting (of) your Day this?" They (will) say, "Yes!" But has been justified (the) word (of) punishment against the disbelievers.

قِيلَ ادْخُلُوا أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا فَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ
It will be said, "Enter (the) gates (of) Hell (to) abide eternally therein, and wretched is (the) abode (of) the arrogant." 

وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءُوهَا وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمْ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلُوهَا خَالِدِينَ
And (will) be driven those who feared their Lord, to Paradise (in) groups until when they reach it and (will) be opened its gates and (will) say to them its keepers, "Peace be upon you, you have done well, so enter it (to) abide eternally."
 
وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُ وَأَوْرَثَنَا الْأَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَاءُ فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ
And they will say, "All praise (be) to Allah, Who has fulfilled for us His promise and has made us inherit the earth, we may settle [from] (in) Paradise wherever we wish. So excellent (is the) reward (of) the workers."

وَتَرَى الْمَلَائِكَةَ حَافِّينَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْعَرْشِ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

And you will see the Angels surrounding [from] around the Throne glorifying (the) praise (of) their Lord. And (will) be judged between them in truth, and it will be said, "All praise be to Allah, (the) Lord (of) the worlds."
[Al-Quran 39:62-75; Translation edited (in italics)]




Last updated on November 17, 2022

Thursday, July 5, 2018

When the Earth Sways!

Warnings & Examples  
… Not (is) the command but for Allah. He has commanded that not you worship but Him Alone … [Q12:40] 

Abstract
Our world is facing catastrophic changes. Surah alMulk draws attention to the ability of the Earth to swallow up objects when cracks or holes open up on its exterior, and informs us that the Earth will begin to move/sway/quake. 

Full Text

أَأَمِنتُم مَّن فِي السَّمَاءِ أَن يَخْسِفَ بِكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَمُورُ

Do you feel secure (from Him) Who (is) in the heaven not He will cause to swallow you the earth when it sways?
[Al-Quran 67:16]

Can you ever feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up when, lo and behold, it begins to quake?
[Al-Quran 67:16, Translation: Asad]

Do ye feel secure that He Who is in heaven will not cause you to be swallowed up by the earth when it shakes (as in an earthquake)?
[Al-Quran 67:16, Translation: Yusuf Ali]

Are you secure of those in the heaven that He should not make the earth to swallow you up? Then lo! it shall be in a state of commotion.
[Al-Quran 67:16, Translation: Shakir] 

Our world is facing catastrophic changes, the news of which is reaching us with increasing frequency, almost daily, from all over the world. Earthquakes are associated with volcanic activity, sinkholes and other phenomenon. Seismic activity is continuously going on in the Earth's interior.

Two key words in the ayat quoted above are: يَخْسِفَ and تَمُورُ . Looking up in The Quran:


يَخْسِفَ


Screenshot from corpus.quran.com
Surah alMulk draws attention to the ability of the Earth to swallow up objects when cracks or holes open up on its exterior. Q28:81 refers to an individual and his home which were swallowed up; while Q29:40 refers to entire cities being destroyed by earthquakes.

فَخَسَفْنَا بِهِ وَبِدَارِهِ الْأَرْضَ فَمَا كَانَ لَهُ مِن فِئَةٍ يَنصُرُونَهُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُنتَصِرِينَ
Then We caused to swallow up, him and his home, the earth. Then not was for him any group (to) help him besides Allah, and not was (he) of those who (could) defend themselves.
[Al-Quran 28:81] 

فَكُلًّا أَخَذْنَا بِذَنبِهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ حَاصِبًا وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَخَذَتْهُ الصَّيْحَةُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَغْرَقْنَا وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
So each We seized for his sin. Then of them (was he) who, We sent on him a violent storm, and of them (was he) who, seized him the awful cry and of them (was he) who, We caused to swallow him, the earth and of them (was he) who, We drowned. And not was Allah to wrong them but they were themselves doing wrong.
[Al-Quran 29:40] 

Historically, many earthquakes have occurred with devastating consequences, the ruins of which bear testimony to what the scriptures warn us about. Furthermore, there are many events happening in the world now, from major and minor earthquakes, to individual sinkholes opening up, swallowing up people, cars, homes, neighbourhoods! Many a cities are located on fault lines. Major rifts have opened up recently.
Links under References at the bottom of this post.    


تَمُورُ
Surah alMulk draws attention to a particular earthquake in the future:   
Screenshot from corpus.quran.com

Q52:9 informs us of the sky being in commotion, and Q67:16 informs us that the Earth will begin to move/sway/quake! Nobody knows when the final quake will happen, yet those alive still have time to repent from sins and seek forgiveness before the time is up.

Surah alMulk begins by informing us that the Kingdom is in the Hands of God who is able to do all things, and that death and life have been created to test who is the best in deeds. It goes on to inform us of how the heavens are being protected from the devils, and that a dreadful punishment has indeed prepared for the disbelievers. As discussed in other posts, Hell is brewing within the planet [1, 2, 3]. In spite of a lot of violent processes going on within it, our Earth is a relatively safe place. Q67:15 draws attention to it:

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
He (is) the One Who made for you the earth subservient, so walk in (the) paths thereof and eat of His provision, and to Him (is) the Resurrection.
 [Al-Quran 67:15] 

Surah alMulk concludes thus:

وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هَٰذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
قُلْ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةً سِيئَتْ وُجُوهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَقِيلَ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنتُم بِهِ تَدَّعُونَ
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَهْلَكَنِيَ اللَّهُ وَمَن مَّعِيَ أَوْ رَحِمَنَا فَمَن يُجِيرُ الْكَافِرِينَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
قُلْ هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ آمَنَّا بِهِ وَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا فَسَتَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ
قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ مَاؤُكُمْ غَوْرًا فَمَن يَأْتِيكُم بِمَاءٍ مَّعِينٍ

And they say, "When (is) this promise, if you are truthful?"
Say, "Only the knowledge (is) with Allah, and only I am a warner clear."
But when they (will) see it approaching, (will be) distressed (the) faces (of) those who disbelieved, and it will be said, "This (is) that which you used to for it call."
Say, "Have you seen, if destroys me Allah and whoever (is) with me or has mercy upon us, then who (can) protect the disbelievers from a punishment painful."
Say, "He (is) the Most Gracious; we believe in Him, and upon Him we put (our) trust. So you will know who (is) it (that is) in error clear."
Say, "Have you seen, if becomes your water sunken, then who could bring you water flowing?"
[Al-Quran 67:25-30]


Like Surah alMulk, Surah Hud also informs us:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

And He (is) the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His throne has been upon the water that He might test [you] which of you (is) best (in) deed. But if you say, "Indeed, you (will be) resurrected after [the] death," surely would say those who disbelieved, "This is not but a magic clear."
[Al-Quran 11:7]



Water plays a key role in the creation and government of God. We are largely composed of water. Initially, water was sent to the Earth, and the end days signs include when the seas boil and/or are set on fire. The dynamic combination of water with other processes plays an important role in sinkholes and earthquakes. Even moving ice cause glacial earthquakes!



The Quran repeatedly invites us to believe, repent and seek forgiveness from God. Surah alAn`am warns us:

هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَن تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ رَبُّكَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَ بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي بَعْضُ آيَاتِ رَبِّكَ لَا يَنفَعُ نَفْسًا إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِن قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْرًا قُلِ انتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ

Are they waiting except that comes to them the Angels or comes your Lord or comes some (of) (the) Signs (of) your Lord? (The) Day (when) comes some (of) (the) Signs (of) your Lord, not will benefit a soul its faith, (if) it had not believed before or earned through its faith any good. Say, "Wait. Indeed, we (are) those who wait."
[Al-Quran 6:158] 

About the ancient civilisations whose ruins still dot the Earth, Surah Ghafir informs us:

فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنفَعُهُمْ إِيمَانُهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوْا بَأْسَنَا سُنَّتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي قَدْ خَلَتْ فِي عِبَادِهِ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ الْكَافِرُونَ

But did not benefit them their faith when they saw Our punishment. (Such is the) Way (of) Allah which (has) indeed preceded among His slaves. And are lost there the disbelievers. 
[Al-Quran 40:85]



References & Links

Earthquake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake

Earthquake Lists, Maps, and Statistics
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/browse/

Seismic Monitor
https://ds.iris.edu/seismon/

Giant crack opens in East African Rift Valley
http://temblor.net/earthquake-insights/new-cracks-appear-in-east-african-rift-valley-6678/

Water distribution on Earth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_distribution_on_Earth

Glacial earthquake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_earthquake

Induced seismicity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_seismicity

Hydraulic fracturing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing

Earthquakes—Rattling the Earth’s Plumbing System

Sinkhole
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole

Sinkholes
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/sinkhole/

What is a sinkhole?
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-sinkholes?qt-news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products

Why a Massive Sinkhole Tore Open in New Zealand
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/new-zealand-sinkholes-volcanic-fault-lines-science-spd/

Top 10 Biggest Sinkholes In The World
https://exploredia.com/top-10-biggest-sinkholes-in-the-world/

Recent sinkholes around the world - and what caused them

Huge sinkhole near World Cup stadium
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-latin-america-27954163/huge-sinkhole-near-world-cup-stadium

Florida 'sinkhole' swallows car
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-29996605/florida-sinkhole-swallows-car-in-pasco-county

Huge sinkhole opens up in Naples
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-31594542/sinkhole-opens-up-in-naples-following-a-broken-water-pipe

Sinkhole swallows S Korean pedestrians

First up-close look at Bucks sinkhole 

What causes sinkholes?

New sinkholes open in Florida, Maryland, at White House

Images (licensed for reuse) 


Nepal Earthquake 2015
Attribution: By Krish Dulal [CC BY-SA 4.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Good Friday Earthquake - Alaska 1964
Attribution: By A. Grantz. - http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/show_picture.cgi?ID=ID.%20Alaska%20Earthquake%20%20326&SIZE=large Web page includes photo descrption, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12206328
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Good_Friday_Earthquake#/media/File:1964_Alaska_Quake_L_Street_Slide.jpg 

Collapse sinkhole in karstified gypsum; near 25 m in diameter, some 25 m deep. Chinchón, Madrid, Spain. c.1991
Attribution: By Luis Fernández García [CC BY-SA 4.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Dead Sea Sinkholes
Attribution: Neukoln [CC BY-SA 3.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Rift in Iceland. North view along western wall.
Attribution: By Rjglewis [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons 
Retreat of the Helheim Glacier, Greenland
Attribution: By NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons




Last updated on: July 6, 2018






Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Muhammad ﷺ – Ascension & Return

On the Day we are resurrected, Allah will question the descendants of Adam of their covenant: 
 وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِي هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ...  
... And that you worship Me? This (is) a Path Straight. [Al-Quran 36:61]


Abstract
The belief in the ascension and return of Muhammad ﷺ  as an extension of the belief in Adam عليه السلام ’s descent, Enoch (Idris عليه السلام) and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام)’ ascent and Moses (Musa عليه السلام)’ conversation with God. 
Understanding and identifying the sacred months in the context of ascension and pilgrimage. 

Appended Slides 
  1. The Correct Religion 
  2. Surah al-Isra: Precepts of Wisdom 
  3. Surah al-Isra: Establish Prayer 

Full Text
Many Muslims believe that Muhammad ﷺ physically ascended to meet Allah ﷻ and returned within the same night. Muslims also believe that Adam عليه السلام was sent from The Garden to Earth. They also believe that Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) was raised alive and is yet to return. Jews, Christians and Muslims also believe that God spoke with Moses (Musa عليه السلام). It is also believed that when the time comes, the Believers who have been forgiven will be able to leave Earth and ascend to inherit The Gardens, as an ever-lasting reward by Allah ﷻ the Most-Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful, the Most-Appreciative!     

The ascension of Muhammad ﷺ is mentioned in the very first ayat of Surah al-Isra:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things ).
[Al-Quran 17:1, Translation: Yusuf Ali]


Physical Journey  
As can be seen in the usage of the word across The Quran, the word is used to mean to go from one place to another:

Screenshot from corpus.quran.com

The Prophet’s journey was a physical journey, not an OBE (out-of-the-body) experience, simply because both The Bible and The Quran state that the human is made of dust. The human is essentially the dust he/she is made of, as explored in another post Human: Body or Soul?  Therefore, it must be a physical journey that involved transportation of the body from The Sacred Mosque to The Farthest Mosque.


Farthest Mosque 
The Quran describes the Earth as situated within the innermost layer of the seven concentric skies/heavens, and the Throne of God above it. Therefore the farthest mosque from Earth must be at or very near The Mighty Throne, possibly Bait-ul-Mamoor whose oath has been taken in Q52:4. [related Hadith at the end of this post] 

A common misconception is that alMasjid alAqsa in Q17:1 refers to the mosque in Jerusalem. The subsequent ayaat of the same surah clarify that the Temple of Solomon had already been completely destroyed and didn’t exist then. Masjid alAqsa is supposed to have been built later, by a Muslim ruler, on the empty site where Caliph Umar رضي الله عنه had prayed after conquering Jerusalem during his caliphate. There was no Masjid alAqsa in Jerusalem, at the time of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ’s ascension.


Show Signs
Q17:1 states that the reason for the Ascension was to show signs. Then, we read in Q17:60:

وَمَا مَنَعَنَا أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الْأَوَّلُونَ وَآتَيْنَا ثَمُودَ النَّاقَةَ مُبْصِرَةً فَظَلَمُوا بِهَا 
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ بِالْآيَاتِ إِلَّا تَخْوِيفًا
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لَكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ أَحَاطَ بِالنَّاسِ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْنَاكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَالشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ
وَنُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَانًا كَبِيرًا
And not stopped Us that We send the Signs except that denied them the former (people) And We gave Thamud the she-camel (as) a visible sign, but they wronged her.
And not We send the Signs except (as) a warning.
And when We said to you, "Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the mankind." And not We made the vision which We showed you except (as) a trial for mankind, and the tree the accursed in the Quran.
And We threaten them but not it increases them except (in) transgression great.
[Al-Quran 17:59 - 60]

Curiously, another term used in Q17:60 is what is translated as vision or dream. The words translated as show in Q17:1 and and vision in Q17:60 share the same root in Arabic. The following screenshots give an idea of their usage in some other ayaat of The Quran as well:    


 ...

Screenshots from corpus.quran.com

Interestingly, a similar combination of seeing and vision is there is Surah Yusuf (Q12:4,5; Q12:100). Moreover, Q12:6 quotes Prophet Jacob (Yaqub عليه السلام) stating that God will teach Joseph (Yusuf عليه السلام) the interpretation of ‘ahadith’ (narratives/statements). The Quran also uses the same word for itself:

إِذْ قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ كَوْكَبًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ لِي سَاجِدِينَ
قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَقْصُصْ رُؤْيَاكَ عَلَىٰ إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُوا لَكَ كَيْدًا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
  وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَجْتَبِيكَ رَبُّكَ وَيُعَلِّمُكَ مِن تَأْوِيلِ الْأَحَادِيثِ وَيُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ كَمَا أَتَمَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَبَوَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
When said Yusuf to his father, "O my father! Indeed, I I saw eleven star(s) and the sun and the moon; I saw them to me prostrating."
He said, "O my son! (Do) not relate your vision to your brothers lest they plan against you a plot. Indeed, the Shaitaan (is) to man an enemy open.
And thus will choose you your Lord and will teach you of (the) interpretation (of) the narratives and complete His Favor on you and on (the) family (of) Yaqub as He completed it on your two forefathers before - Ibrahim and Ishaq. Indeed, your Lord (is) All-Knower, All-Wise."  
[Al-Quran 12:4-6]


وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا وَقَالَ يَا أَبَتِ هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّي حَقًّا وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِي إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِي مِنَ السِّجْنِ وَجَاءَ بِكُم مِّنَ الْبَدْوِ مِن بَعْدِ أَن نَّزَغَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِي إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٌ لِّمَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ 
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
And he raised his parents upon the throne and they fell down to him prostrate. And he said, "O my father! This (is the) interpretation (of) my dream, (of) before. Verily, has made it my Lord true. And indeed, He was good to me when He took me out of the prison, and brought you from the bedouin life after [that] had caused discord the Shaitaan between me and between my brothers. Indeed, my Lord (is) Most Subtle to what He wills. Indeed, He, He (is) the All-Knower, the All-Wise.
Verily, (there) is in their stories a lesson for men (of) understanding. Not (it) is a narration invented, but a confirmation (of that) which (was) before it and a detailed explanation (of) all things, and a guidance and mercy for a people who believe.   
[Al-Quran 12:100-12:111]


  تِلْكَ آيَاتُ اللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَ اللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ
These (are the) Verses, (of) Allah We recite them to you in truth. Then in what statement after Allah and His Verses will they believe? 
[Al-Quran 45:6]


  فَبِأَيِّ حَدِيثٍ بَعْدَهُ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Then in what statement after it will they believe? 
[Al-Quran 77:50]

From the little scientists know about dreams, an on-going subject of research and discovery, the brain and the senses are actively involved in dreaming. In some cases, even the body is actively engaged in the dream. Electrical activity in the brain is being mapped. Different brain waves have been measured, correlating with different states. Of special relevance to this study may be the Gamma waves.   

As discussed under Physical Journey above, we learn from The Quran that the human is created from dust, so the involvement of the body is essential for any physical travel. More on this under Ascension and Instantaneous Transportation below. 

The Quran informs us of past and future events as dire warnings as well as glad tidings. So, perhaps, for a living person, to be taken on a physical journey to experience the otherwise unseen reality, as well be shown future (and/or past) events, as in a dream, is a combination of both the mind and body phenomena. For Muhammad ﷺ as the Messenger and the Prophet, the journey was probably experiential of the past, present and future.  Allah ﷻ knows best! 


Trial
Q17:60 links that which was shown to Muhammad ﷺ and the cursed tree mentioned in the Quran, explaining that both were intended as a trial for mankind! The Quran mentions the tree that Adam عليه السلام was forbidden to eat from, and it also mentions the tree of 'az-zaqqum' (شَجَرَةُ الزَّقُّومِ), growing from the core of Hell, which is meant as a trial for the unjust.   

Our story on Earth begins with Adam عليه السلام ’s descent after he was tried with the tree in The Garden. The Quran details the consequence of the disobedience: Adam عليه السلام and his wife lost their natural clothing, with the evidence in our genomes. Allah ﷻ creates good everything that He creates (Q32:7) and He did perfect our forms (Q40:64). Yet, our genomes bear the evidence of many of the errors, transgressions and sins of the collective human misadventures (Q4:79, Q30:9, Q30:41). Some are manifested while most remain dormant by the grace of Allah ﷻ. We humans have gone from being created excellently to having very lowly, imperfect bodies, yet sporting the most complex brains on the planet. The descendants of Adam عليه السلام have indeed been honoured above many creatures, in many ways, and our transportation is of particular significance:

 وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا
And certainly, We have honored (the) children of Adam and We carried them on the land and the sea, and We have provided them of the good things and We preferred them over many of those whom We have created (with) preference.
[Al-Quran 17:70]
             
Satan is the enemy. The Quran warns of the origin and objective of Satan’s enmity to Adam عليه السلام and his descendants. The Quran also informs us of the similarity in the creation of Adam عليه السلام and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام):

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Indeed, (the) likeness (of) Isa near Allah (is) like (the) likeness (of) Adam. He created him from dust then He said to him, "Be," and he was. 
[Al-Quran 3:59]

Iblis led Adam عليه السلام to be expelled from The Garden to Earth. Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) was raised up from the Earth. At the end of our allotted time, when the Anti-Christ is supposed to be leading multitude of descendants of Adam عليه السلام astray, Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) is expected to return to help rescue the Believers. More on this in Jesus (عليه السلام) – Ascension & Return. 

Enoch (Idris عليه السلام) is a famous Biblical prophet. His ascension is mentioned in the Bible. The Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work. He is also mentioned in Surah Maryam and Surah alAnbiya as Idrees.

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِدْرِيسَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا
وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا
And mention Idris in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet,
And We raised him high in Heaven.
[Al-Quran 19:56-57, Translator: Shakir]

Thus a prerequisite to the belief in Muhammad ﷺ ’s ascension, and return, is the belief in Adamعليه السلام ’s coming to Earth, Enoch (Idris عليه السلام) and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) being raised alive, and God speaking with Moses (Musa عليه السلام). All these are matters of faith as, as far as I know, there were no human witnesses who saw Moses (Musa عليه السلام) talking with God, or witnessed Enoch (Idris عليه السلام) or Jesus (Isa عليه السلام)’ ascension, or Adam عليه السلام ’s descent, or Muhammad ﷺ ’s ascension and return. Their companions took these events on faith. God showed many clear signs through Moses (Musa عليه السلام) and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام), yet those who were not to believe, rejected them all.   


Ascension 

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ فَأَبَىٰ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلَّا كُفُورًا
وَقَالُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ يَنبُوعًا
أَوْ تَكُونَ لَكَ جَنَّةٌ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَعِنَبٍ فَتُفَجِّرَ الْأَنْهَارَ خِلَالَهَا تَفْجِيرًا
أَوْ تُسْقِطَ السَّمَاءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِيَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبِيلًا
أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَؤُهُ 
قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا
And verily We have explained to mankind in this Quran from every example, but refused most (of) the mankind except disbelief. And they say, "Never we will believe in you until you cause to for us from the earth a spring. Or you have for you a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause to the rivers within them abundantly. Or you cause to fall the sky, as you have claimed, upon us (in) pieces or you bring Allah and the Angels before (us). Or is for you a house of ornament or you ascend into the sky. And never we will believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we could read it."
Say, "Glorified (is) my Lord! "What am I but a human, a Messenger."
[Al-Quran 17:89-93]
             
The triliteral root rā qāf yā (ر ق ي) occurs in the Quran as follows:

Screenshot from corpus.quran.com

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ إِلَّا أَن قَالُوا أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَلَائِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولًا
قُلْ كَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا بَصِيرًا
And what prevented the people that they believe when came to them the guidance except that they said, "Has Allah sent a human Messenger?"
Say, "If (there) were in the earth Angels walking securely, surely We (would) have sent down to them from the heaven an Angel (as) a Messenger."
Say, "Sufficient is Allah (as) a witness between me and between you. Indeed, He is of His slaves All-Aware, All-Seer."
[Al-Quran 17:94-96]


The Unseen
In Q17:85 the question about the RUH is briefly addressed.  Before and after Q17:93, which mentions the people’s disbelief in Muhammad ﷺ ’s ascension, wondrous concepts such as Allah ﷻ ’s command, angels, belief in the unseen are mentioned – wondrous concepts, yet made easy to trust for the believing heart.


Instantaneous Transportation
Q27:40 mentions the instantaneous transportation of an object from one country to another by a person who had been given knowledge from the The Book.  As Q13:39 informs us that the Mother of the Book is with Allah ﷻ . For someone who authors and controls the software of all creation, nothing is impossible for Him! In Q66:8, we read that: 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
O you who believe! Turn to Allah (in) repentance sincere! Perhaps your Lord [that] will remove from you your evil deeds and admit you (into) Gardens flow from underneath it the rivers, (on the) Day not Allah will disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will run before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord Perfect for us our light and grant forgiveness to us. Indeed, You (are) over every thing All-Powerful."
[Al-Quran 66:8] 

Is this ayat informing us of teleportation? Does 'perfection of light (نُورُ) mean complete conversion into energy, which will be beamed to The Gardens along the correct trajectory (الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ), to be restored back into matter upon arrival there? Surah alIsra itself declares that Allah ﷻ, who separated us into individuals before, is able to recollect us: 

قُلْ كُونُوا حِجَارَةً أَوْ حَدِيدًا
أَوْ خَلْقًا مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ فِي صُدُورِكُمْ فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا قُلِ الَّذِي فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَ قُلْ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا
Say, "Be stones or iron.
Or a creation of what (is) great in your breasts." Then they will say, "Who will restore us?" Say, "He Who separated you (the) first time." Then they will shake at you their heads and they say, "When (will) it (be)?" Say, "Perhaps that (it) will be soon."
[Al-Quran 17:50-51; Translation edited (in italics)]   

In this era of science and technology, when there are theories about the multiverse, theories about quantum teleportation, when interstellar travel no longer seems like an improbable dream, when there is active search for a hospitable planet to migrate to; it is far easier to believe that the Creator of Everything can and did transport Adam عليه السلام , Enoch (Idris عليه السلام), Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) and Muhammad ﷺ . 


Travel to Meet God

مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ
From Allah, Owner (of) the ways of ascent.
[Al-Quran 70:3] 

Adam عليه السلام descended; Enoch (Idris عليه السلام) and Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) ascended. Muhammad ﷺ ascended and descended. The Quran doesn't seem to explicitly state the details of these travels, such as vehicle, time taken, route, etc. All these travels happened as per the Will and Command of Allah ﷻ . However, when Pharaoh attempted to reach God:  

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرِي فَأَوْقِدْ لِي يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِّي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ
And Firaun said, "O chiefs! Not I know for you any god other than me. So kindle for me O Haman! Upon the clay and make, for me a lofty tower so that [I] I may look at (the) God (of) Musa. And indeed, I [I] think that he (is) of the liars."
[Al-Quran 28:38]


وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا هَامَانُ ابْنِ لِي صَرْحًا لَّعَلِّي أَبْلُغُ الْأَسْبَابَ
أَسْبَابَ السَّمَاوَاتِ فَأَطَّلِعَ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّهُ كَاذِبًا
وَكَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِفِرْعَوْنَ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَصُدَّ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ 
وَمَا كَيْدُ فِرْعَوْنَ إِلَّا فِي تَبَابٍ
And said Firaun, "O Haman! Construct for me a tower that I may reach the ways
(The) ways (to) the heavens so I may look at (the) God (of) Musa; and indeed, I [I] surely think him (to be) a liar."
And thus was made fair-seeming to Firaun (the) evil (of) his deed, and he was averted from the way.
And not (was the) plot (of) Firaun except in ruin.
[Al-Quran 40:36 - 37] 

Surah al-Isra categorically states:

قُل لَّوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ آلِهَةٌ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذًا لَّابْتَغَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِي الْعَرْشِ سَبِيلًا
Say: If there had been (other) gods with Him, as they say,- behold, they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne! 
[Al-Quran 17:42, Translator: Yusuf Ali] 

Much as we desire to escape and ascend to The Gardens, we will not be able to do so until Allah ﷻ permits it:

يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَن تَنفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانفُذُوا 
لَا تَنفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ
O assembly (of) the jinn and the men! If you are able to pass beyond [of] (the) regions (of) the heavens and the earth, then pass.
Not you (can) pass except by authority.
[Al-Quran 55:33]

To eventually leave this planet and ascend again, we need to earn Allah ﷻ ’s forgiveness, as detailed in the scriptures:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Indeed, those who believe and do good deeds and humble themselves before their Lord, those (are the) companions (of) Paradise, they in it (will) abide forever.
[Al-Quran 11:23]


يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَسْعَىٰ نُورُهُم بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِم بُشْرَاكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
يَوْمَ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتُ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا انظُرُونَا نَقْتَبِسْ مِن نُّورِكُمْ قِيلَ ارْجِعُوا وَرَاءَكُمْ فَالْتَمِسُوا نُورًا 
فَضُرِبَ بَيْنَهُم بِسُورٍ لَّهُ بَابٌ بَاطِنُهُ فِيهِ الرَّحْمَةُ وَظَاهِرُهُ مِن قِبَلِهِ الْعَذَابُ
(On the) Day you will see the believing men and the believing women, running, their light before them and on their right, "Glad tidings for you this Day - gardens flowing from underneath it the rivers, abiding forever therein. That [it] (is) the success the great."
(On the) Day will say the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women to those who believed, "Wait for us, we may acquire of your light." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light."
Then will be put up between them a wall, for it a gate its interior, in it (is) mercy but its exterior, facing towards [it] the punishment.
[Al-Quran 57:12-13]


سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

Race to (the) forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden its width (is) like (the) width (of) the heaven and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. That (is the) Bounty (of) Allah, He gives (to) whom He wills. And Allah (is) the Possessor of Bounty, the Great.
[Al-Quran 57:21]


Pilgrimage in the Sacred Months 

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
 مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ
وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
Indeed, (the) number (of) the months with Allah (is) twelve months in (the) ordinance (of) Allah (from the) Day He created the heavens and the earth;
of them, four (are) sacred. That (is) the religion the upright, so (do) not wrong therein yourselves.
 And fight the polytheists all together, as they fight you all together. And know that Allah (is) with the righteous.
[Al-Quran 9:36] 


إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
Indeed, (the) First House set up for the mankind (is) the one which (is) at Bakkah, blessed and a guidance for the worlds.
In it (are) signs clear, standing place of Ibrahim, and whoever enters it - is safe. And (due) to Allah upon the mankind (is) pilgrimage (of) the House (for one) who is able to [it] (find) a way. And whoever disbelieved then indeed, Allah (is) free from need of the universe. 
[Al-Quran 3:96-97] 

وَأَذِّن فِي النَّاسِ بِالْحَجِّ يَأْتُوكَ رِجَالًا وَعَلَىٰ كُلِّ ضَامِرٍ يَأْتِينَ مِن كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ
And proclaim to [the] mankind [of] the Pilgrimage; they will come to you (on) foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every mountain highway distant.
[Al-Quran 22:27]

Pilgrimage (alHajj) to the Kaaba in Makkah has been ordained for all people. The dates for alHajj fall in the month of Dhu-al-Hijjah, which is preceeded by Dhu-al-Qadah and followed by Muharram. Surah alBaqarah mentions the new moons, sacred months, and pilgrimage directives, and fighting prohibition and permission during the pilgrimage months from Q2:189 till Q2:218. Though alHajj is performed on fixed dates, the dates and months for the pilgrimage have been well-known from ancient times. Even in Moses (Musa عليه السلام)' agreement for work, the number of years were discussed in numbers of Hajj (حِجَجٍ) as in Q28:27.

 ... الْحَجُّ أَشْهُرٌ مَّعْلُومَاتٌ 
(For) the Hajj (are) months well known, ... 
[Al-Quran 2:197] 

 ... وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْدُودَاتٍ
And remember Allah during days numbered. ... 
[Al-Quran 2:203] 


Q3:97 informs us that there are clear signs at The First House set up for mankind. Q17:1 informs us that Muhammad ﷺ 's ascension from The Sacred Mosque to The Farthest Mosque was to show him signs. It is believed that the month in which the ascension took place was Rajab.

Though there is some debate on which are the four sacred months, the most popularly accepted opinion is based on a Hadith attributed to Prophet-Messenger Muhammad ﷺ . According to it, the four sacred months are: Rajab, Dhu-al-Qadah, Dhu-al-Hijjah and Muharram.

However, Surah at-Taubah, which begins with the declaration of war gives a four-month notice to the Meccans. From the fifth ayat, it seems that these are the same sacred months; and since it is a notice period, it should logically be four continuous months: 

بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
فَسِيحُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللَّهِ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مُخْزِي الْكَافِرِينَ
وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللَّهِ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُوا لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom ye made a treaty.
Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the disbelievers (in His Guidance).
And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligation to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve,
Excepting those of the idolaters with whom ye (Muslims) have a treaty, and who have since abated nothing of your right nor have supported anyone against you. (As for these), fulfil their treaty to them till their term. Lo! Allah loveth those who keep their duty (unto Him).
Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
[Al-Quran 9:1-5, Translator: Pickthal]



A Prayer from Surah al-Isra 

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ
 وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا
وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا
And say, "My Lord! Cause me to enter an entrance sound, and cause me to an exit sound 
and make for me from near You an authority helping."
And say, "Has come the truth and perished the falsehood. Indeed, the falsehood is (bound) to perish."
[Al-Quran 17:80-81] 


Concluding Ayah of Surah al-Isra 

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ 
الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ
 وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ 
وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا
And say, "All Praise (is) for Allah 
the One Who has not taken a son and not is for Him a partner in the dominion, 
and not is for Him any protector out of weakness. 
And magnify Him (with all) magnificence."
[Al-Quran 17:111]



Surah al-Isra contains the prayer instructions (Q17:78-79), and it contains a list of ten commandments (Q17:22-39):





Hadith about Ascension

حَدَّثَنَا هُدْبَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ،‏.‏ وَقَالَ لِي خَلِيفَةُ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، وَهِشَامٌ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ بَيْنَا أَنَا عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ بَيْنَ النَّائِمِ وَالْيَقْظَانِ ـ وَذَكَرَ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ ـ فَأُتِيتُ بِطَسْتٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ مُلِئَ حِكْمَةً وَإِيمَانًا، فَشُقَّ مِنَ النَّحْرِ إِلَى مَرَاقِّ الْبَطْنِ، ثُمَّ غُسِلَ الْبَطْنُ بِمَاءِ زَمْزَمَ، ثُمَّ مُلِئَ حِكْمَةً وَإِيمَانًا، وَأُتِيتُ بِدَابَّةٍ أَبْيَضَ دُونَ الْبَغْلِ وَفَوْقَ الْحِمَارِ الْبُرَاقُ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ مَعَ جِبْرِيلَ حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قِيلَ مُحَمَّدٌ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى آدَمَ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنِ ابْنٍ وَنَبِيٍّ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الثَّانِيَةَ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قِيلَ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى عِيسَى وَيَحْيَى فَقَالاَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنْ أَخٍ وَنَبِيٍّ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الثَّالِثَةَ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قِيلَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قِيلَ مُحَمَّدٌ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ يُوسُفَ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنْ أَخٍ وَنَبِيٍّ فَأَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الرَّابِعَةَ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قِيلَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قِيلَ مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ قِيلَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى إِدْرِيسَ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا مِنْ أَخٍ وَنَبِيٍّ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الْخَامِسَةَ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ قِيلَ مُحَمَّدٌ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى هَارُونَ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنْ أَخٍ وَنَبِيٍّ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى السَّمَاءِ السَّادِسَةِ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قِيلَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى مُوسَى، فَسَلَّمْتُ ‏{‏عَلَيْهِ‏}‏ فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنْ أَخٍ وَنَبِيٍّ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزْتُ بَكَى‏.‏ فَقِيلَ مَا أَبْكَاكَ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ، هَذَا الْغُلاَمُ الَّذِي بُعِثَ بَعْدِي يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ أَفْضَلُ مِمَّا يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي‏.‏ فَأَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ السَّابِعَةَ، قِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قِيلَ جِبْرِيلُ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ مَعَكَ قِيلَ مُحَمَّدٌ‏.‏ قِيلَ وَقَدْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ، وَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ‏.‏ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِكَ مِنِ ابْنٍ وَنَبِيٍّ، فَرُفِعَ لِيَ الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ، فَسَأَلْتُ جِبْرِيلَ فَقَالَ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ يُصَلِّي فِيهِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ، إِذَا خَرَجُوا لَمْ يَعُودُوا إِلَيْهِ آخِرَ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَرُفِعَتْ لِي سِدْرَةُ الْمُنْتَهَى فَإِذَا نَبِقُهَا كَأَنَّهُ قِلاَلُ هَجَرٍ، وَوَرَقُهَا كَأَنَّهُ آذَانُ الْفُيُولِ، فِي أَصْلِهَا أَرْبَعَةُ أَنْهَارٍ نَهْرَانِ بَاطِنَانِ وَنَهْرَانِ ظَاهِرَانِ، فَسَأَلْتُ جِبْرِيلَ فَقَالَ أَمَّا الْبَاطِنَانِ فَفِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرَانِ النِّيلُ وَالْفُرَاتُ، ثُمَّ فُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ خَمْسُونَ صَلاَةً، فَأَقْبَلْتُ حَتَّى جِئْتُ مُوسَى، فَقَالَ مَا صَنَعْتَ قُلْتُ فُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ خَمْسُونَ صَلاَةً‏.‏ قَالَ أَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِالنَّاسِ مِنْكَ، عَالَجْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَشَدَّ الْمُعَالَجَةِ، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتَكَ لاَ تُطِيقُ، فَارْجِعْ إِلَى رَبِّكَ فَسَلْهُ‏.‏ فَرَجَعْتُ فَسَأَلْتُهُ، فَجَعَلَهَا أَرْبَعِينَ، ثُمَّ مِثْلَهُ ثُمَّ ثَلاَثِينَ، ثُمَّ مِثْلَهُ فَجَعَلَ عِشْرِينَ، ثُمَّ مِثْلَهُ فَجَعَلَ عَشْرًا، فَأَتَيْتُ مُوسَى فَقَالَ مِثْلَهُ، فَجَعَلَهَا خَمْسًا، فَأَتَيْتُ مُوسَى فَقَالَ مَا صَنَعْتَ قُلْتُ جَعَلَهَا خَمْسًا، فَقَالَ مِثْلَهُ، قُلْتُ سَلَّمْتُ بِخَيْرٍ، فَنُودِيَ إِنِّي قَدْ أَمْضَيْتُ فَرِيضَتِي وَخَفَّفْتُ عَنْ عِبَادِي، وَأَجْزِي الْحَسَنَةَ عَشْرًا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ هَمَّامٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Malik bin Sasaa: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "While I was at the House in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the `Abdomen and then my `Abdomen was washed with Zamzam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al- Buraq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Gabriel. When I reached the nearest heaven. Gabriel said to the heaven gate-keeper, 'Open the gate.' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Gabriel.' The gate-keeper,' Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' The gate-keeper said, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Adam and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said, 'Muhammad' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!" Then I met Jesus and Yahya (John) who said, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is with you? Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' 'Yes,' said Gabriel. 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' (The Prophet (ﷺ) added: ). There I met Joseph and greeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet!' Then we ascended to the 4th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idris and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcomed O brother and Prophet.' Then we ascended to the 5th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. there I met and greeted Aaron who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and a Prophet". Then we ascended to the 6th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Moses who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and. a Prophet.' When I proceeded on, he started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said, 'O Lord! Followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.' Then we ascended to the seventh heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Abraham who said, 'You are welcomed o son and a Prophet.' Then I was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma'mur (i.e. Allah's House). I asked Gabriel about it and he said, This is Al Bait-ul-Ma'mur where 70,000 angels perform prayers daily and when they leave they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).' Then I was shown Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. a tree in the seventh heaven) and I saw its Nabk fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (i.e. a town in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Gabriel about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.' Then fifty prayers were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Moses who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty prayers have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you, because I had the hardest experience to bring Bani Israel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, return to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the number of prayers.' I returned and requested Allah (for reduction) and He made it forty. I returned and (met Moses) and had a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allah for reduction and He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Moses who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allah reduced it to five. When I came to Moses again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allah has made it five only.' He repeated the same advice but I said that I surrendered (to Allah's Final Order)'" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was addressed by Allah, "I have decreed My Obligation and have reduced the burden on My slaves, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds."

Sahih al-Bukhari 3207









References & Links

external links: 
Aqsa Mosque means "Bait ul Mamoor" Which is the Farthest Mosque.

Dream States: A Peek into Consciousness https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dream-states/

Gamma Waves, “Aha” Moments & Dreaming

EEG oscillations during sleep and dream recall: state- or trait-like individual differences?

How muscles are paralyzed during sleep: Finding may suggest new treatments for sleep disorders

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Is Lucid Dreaming Real?






Last updated on: Jumada al Awwal 7, 1448 AH
October 19, 2026