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سَابِقُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ٢١
Compete each other in proceeding towards forgiveness from your Lord and to Paradise the width of which is like the width of the sky and the earth. It has been prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah; He gives it to whomsoever He Wills and Allah is the Lord of the great bounty.
— T. Usmani
Race [i.e., compete] toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allāh and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allāh which He gives to whom He wills, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.
— Saheeh International
ایک دوسرے سے آگے بڑھنے کی کوشش کرو اپنے رب کی مغفرت اور اس جنت کی طرف جس کی وسعت آسمان اور زمین جیسی ہے۔ وہ تیار کی گئی ہے ان لوگوں کے لیے جو ایمان لائے اللہ پر اور اس کے رسولوں پر۔ یہ اللہ کا فضل ہے جس کو بھی وہ چاہے گا دے گا۔ اور اللہ بہت بڑے فضل والا ہے۔
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
دوڑواپنے رب کی معافی کی طرف اور ایسی جنت کی طرف جس کی وسعت آسمان اور زمین کی وسعت کے برابر ہے وہ ان لوگوں کے لیے تیار کی گئی ہے جو اللہ اور اس کے رسول پر ایمان لائیں ، یہ اللہ کا فضل ہےوہ اس کو دیتا ہے جسے وہ چاہتا ہے اور اللہ بڑا فضل والا ہے
— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
[https://quran.com/al-hadid/21]
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Green Carpet Hadith from Muhammad ﷺ
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه – {لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى} قَالَ رَأَى رَفْرَفًا أَخْضَرَ سَدَّ أُفُقَ السَّمَاءِ.
Narrated `Abdullah: Regarding the Verse: "Indeed he (Muhammad) did see. Of the Signs of his Lord, The Greatest!" (53.18) That the Prophet (ﷺ) had seen a green carpet spread all over the horizon of the sky.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3233
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3233
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When Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى took Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the Night Journey and Ascension (al-Isra wa al-Mairaj), he ﷺ informs us that he ﷺ saw a green carpet all over the horizon of the sky.
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The Quran informs us that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has layered the sky into seven skies. In Surah Aal-e-Imran (The Family of Imran), we read about the size of a garden compared to the sky in plural (skies/heavens (ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ)):
۞ وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ١٣٣
Race with one another towards Forgiveness from your Lord and towards a paradise the width of which spans the heavens and the earth. It has been prepared for the God-fearing,
— T. Usmani
And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous
— Saheeh International
اور مسابقت کرو اپنے رب کی مغفرت کے حصول کے لیے اور اس جنت کو حاصل کرنے کے لیے جس کا پھیلاؤ آسمانوں اور زمین جتنا ہے وہ تیار کی گئی ہے (اور سنواری گئی ہے) اہل تقویٰ کے لیے
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
اور دوڑو اپنے رب کی بخشش کی طرف اور اس جنت کی طر ف جس کی وسعت آسمانوں اور زمین جیسی ہے وہ تیار کی گئی ہے اللہ سے ڈرنے والوں کے ليے
— Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
[https://quran.com/ali-imran/133]
Meeting People Hadith from Muhammad ﷺ
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
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3207
When Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى took Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on the Night Journey and Ascension (al-Isra wa al-Mairaj), he ﷺ informs us that at first, prior to the journey, he ﷺ had to undergo a surgical procedure for purification, and then he ﷺ was taken on the journey. Once he ﷺ had crossed the first gate in the sky, he ﷺ met our father Adam عليه السلام , and on subsequent ascents into higher skies, he ﷺ met Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) & John (Yahya عليه السلام), Joseph (Yusuf عليه السلام), Enoch (Idris عليه السلام), Aaron (Harun عليه السلام), & Moses (Musa عليه السلام).
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Separation of Skies and Earth
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