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The '''Mi'raj''' (the Holy Ascension of Prophet Muhammad)

This version of the Mi'raj of Muhammad is from the Naqshbandi Sufi tradition and is sourced from Hajjah Amina Adil's ''Muhammad: The Messenger of Islam''. The book draws heavily on Sufi sources written in Ottoman Turkish. The creation myth contains various Gnostic themes and motifs.

The Seven Heavens are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Heaven !! Name !! Heaven made of !! Guardian !! Gate !! Lock !! Number of angels
|-
| 1 ||  ||  || Isma’il || red ruby stone (Bab al-Hifz) || pearls || 100,000?
|-
| 2 || Qaydum || red coral || Mikha’il || pearls || Light || 200,000
|-
| 3 || Zaytun || copper || Arina’il || white pearls || Light || 300,000
|-
| 4 || Zahir || raw silver/white pearl || Salsa’il || Light || Light || 400,000
|-
| 5 || Safiya || red gold || Kalqa’il ||  ||  || 500,000
|-
| 6 || Khalisa || yellow gem || Samkha’il ||  ||  || 600,000
|-
| 7 || Ghariba || Light || Afra’il ||  ||  || 700,000
|}

==1st Heaven==
We then reached the first Heaven, Jibra’il knocked upon its gate, crying, ‘Open up!’
:The name of this gate is‚ ‘'''Bab al-Hifz'''’, the '''Gate of Protection''', and it is made of '''red ruby stone''',
:whereas its '''lock''' is made of '''pearls'''.
:From within the guardian of this gate, '''Isma’il''', called out in a voice such as I have never heard before, ‘Who is this demanding entry?’
:Jibra’il thereupon answered, ‘It is I, Jibra’il.’
:‘And who is that with you?’ demanded the keeper of the gate.
:‘That is Muhammad,’ replied Jibra’il.
:The keeper of the gate then asked, ‘Has he been given prophethood?’
:‘Yes,’ replied Jibra’il, ‘he has been given prophethood.’
:‘Has he been cited and invited to come here?’ Isma’il demanded to know.
:‘Yes, he has been invited to come,’ Jibra’il replied.
:Then Isma’il said, ‘Welcome, welcome to you! What a delightful visitor!’
:With these words he opened the gate.

*Meeting Isma`il

==2nd Heaven==
The Lord Almighty, praised be His Name, has created this Heaven from '''red coral''' and called it '''Qaydum'''.
:The name of its gatekeeper is '''Mikha’il'''.
:This Heaven appeared to me to be especially full of light and splendor, so much so that I was blinded and had to squint.
:The '''door''' of this Heaven is of '''pearls'''
:and its '''lock''' is of '''light'''.
:Jibra’il knocked upon this door and requested entry.
:The keeper of the gate, Mikha’il, called from inside, ‘Who is it requesting the opening of this gate?’
:‘I am Jibra’il,’ replied Jibra’il,
:and again the angel asked, ‘And who is this with you?’
:‘This is Muhammad,’ answered Jibra’il.
:Again the gatekeeper asked, ‘Has he been given prophethood?’
:‘Yes.’ Replied Jibra’il.
:‘Has he come here upon invitation and request?’ asked Mikha’il.
:‘Yes,’ said Jibra’il, ‘invitation and request have gone before.’
:Then the gatekeeper said, ‘Welcome to you, oh welcome guest! How agreeable a visitor!’
:With that, he opened the gate.
:I entered and beheld the guardian angel of this Heaven, Mikha’il.
:There were 200,000 angels at his service, each one of whom had another 200,000 helpers to assist him.
:I greeted him and he returned my greetings with reverence.
:He gave me the joyous news of the many honors and blessings the Almighty was to bestow on me.

*`Isa and Yahya
*The Angel of Provision

==3rd Heaven==
The Lord Almighty created this Heaven from '''copper''' and has named it '''Zaytun'''.
:The name of its guardian angel is '''Arina’il'''.
:Its '''gate''' is of '''white pearls'''
:and it has a '''lock''' of '''light'''.
:When Jibra’il knocked upon the gate, the guardian angel called from within, ‘Who is it requesting entry?’
:Jibra’il answered, ‘It is I, Jibra’il.’
:‘And who is this with you?’ asked the keeper of the gate.
:‘It is Muhammad,’ replied Jibra’il.
:Again he asked, ‘Has he been given prophethood?’
:‘Yes, he has,’ answered Jibra’il.
:‘Has he received summons and invitation?’
:‘Yes, he has,’ replied Jibra’il.
:Then Arina’il opened the gates, saying, ‘Welcome to you, how pleasing a guest!’
:I entered this Heaven and I beheld Arina’il to be a great and majestic angel.
:He had at his command 300,000 angels.

*Tasbih of Yusuf
*Tasbih of the Tyrants
*The Guardian Angel of Hell
*Beholding the Inhabitants of Jahannam
*Allah Grants the Prophet Intercession
*Other Guardians of Hell

==4th Heaven==
The Fourth Heaven is created of '''raw silver''' or, according to a different narration, from '''white pearl'''.
:The name of this Heaven is '''Zahir'''.
:Its '''gate''' was of '''Light'''
:and the '''lock''' to the gate was of '''Light''' and written upon it were the words, ‘''La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah''.’
:The angel guarding the gate to this Heaven was the angel '''Salsa’il'''.
:After we had knocked on the gate and had answered the same questions as before, we were admitted and the gates were opened to us.
:I beheld the angel in charge, Salsa’il.
:He was responsible for all that happened here.
:Under his command were 400,000 angels,
:and each one of these angels commanded another 400,000 angelic lieutenants.

*Tasbih of the three groups of angels
*Tasbih of Idris
*Tasbih of the Prophet Nuh
*Mansions of Maryam, Buhayyid and Asiya

==5th Heaven==
Allah Almighty created this Heaven from '''red gold''' and its name is '''Safiya'''.
:The keeper of the gate is called '''Kalqa’il'''.
:As before, we requested entry at its gates.
:After a set exchange of certain questions and answers, the gates opened and we entered.
:Upon entering, I beheld the guardian of this Heaven seated upon a throne of light.
:I greeted him, and he returned my Salams with much respectfulness.
:500,000 angels are at his service,
:and each one of these has another 500,000 attendants at his disposal.

*Prophets Isma’il, Ishaq, Ya’qub, Lut and Harun

==6th Heaven==
Allah Almighty has created this Heaven from a '''yellow gem''' and has called it '''Khalisa'''.
:Its guardian is '''Samkha’il'''.
:We came to its gates and requested their opening;
:the customary question and answering took place and the gates opened for us.
:As we entered, I beheld the angel Samkha’il.
:He had 600,000 angels at his command,
:and each of these had another 600,000 helpers under him.

==7th Heaven==
Allah Almighty has it created from '''Light'''.
:Its name is '''Ghariba'''
:and the name of its guardian angel is '''Afra’il'''.
:Jibra’il requested entry at the keeper of the gates as he had done before, and after a succession of questions and answers, the gates swung open and we were admitted.
:I beheld Afra’il and the 700,000 angels under his command.
:Each one of these had in turn 700,000 helpers.

*The Bayt-al-Ma’mur (The Heavenly House)
*The Sidratul Muntaha
*The Four Streams of Paradise
*Ramadan, the Blessed
*The Angel Jibra’il’s Appearance
*The Vision of the Divine Beauty
*The Tahiyyat Prayer
*Allah Complains About the Ummah

==Paradise==
*About the Paradise Gardens
*The Tuba Tree
*The Waters of Kawthar
*The Duration of the Mi’raj
*The Prophet’s Return From Mi’raj

==See also==
*[[Naqshbandi creation myth]]
*[[Creation of the Light of Muhammad]]

==References==
<references/>
*Hajjah Amina Adil. 2002. ''Muhammad: The Messenger of Islam''. Washington, DC: Islamic Supreme Council of America. ISBN 9781618429131.

[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Sufism]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Mysticism]]