Sidrat al-Muntaha
- philhoraia
- Sep 9, 2023
- 5 min read
Sidrat al-Muntaha is supposedly a tree in one of the seven skies.
S 53:13-14 He saw him in another descent, / At Sidrat al-Muntaha.
How might he have seen Allah/Jibril in a descent if Sidrat al Muntaha is up?
The Prophet (ﷺ) added:
I was raised to the Lote Tree and saw four rivers, two of which were coming out and two going in. Those which were coming out were the Nile and the Euphrates, and those which were going in were two rivers in paradise. Then I was given three bowls, one containing milk, and another containing honey, and a third containing wine. I took the bowl containing milk and drank it. It was said to me, "You and your followers will be on the right path (of Islam)."
Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“While I was traveling through Paradise, a river appeared before me whose banks had tents of pearl. I said to the angel: ‘What is this?’ He said: ‘This is Al-Kauthar, which Allah has granted you.’” He said: “Then he put his hand in the clay, and removed musk from it, then I was raised up to Sidrat Al-Muntaha so I saw a magnificent light at it.”
The Arabic actually says that the tree was raised to him.
Al-Kawthar appears in S 108.
Narrated Abu Salamah:
from Ibn 'Abbas regarding Allah's saying: And indeed he saw him at a second descent. Near Sidrat Al-Muntaha (53:13 & 14). So He revealed to His worshiper whatever he revealed (53:10). And was a distance of two bow lengths or less (53:9). Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Him."
Narrated Ash-Sha'bi:
"Ibn 'Abbas met Ka'b at Arafat, so he asked him about something and he kept on saying the Takbir until it reverberated off of the mountains. So Ibn 'Abbas (finally) said: 'We are Banu Hashim.' So Ka'b said: 'Indeed Allah divided His being seen and His speaking between Muhammad and Musa. He spoke to Musa two times, and Muhammad saw Him two times.' Masruq said: 'I entered upon 'Aishah and asked her if Muhammad saw his Lord.' She said: 'You have said something that makes my hair stand on end.' I said: 'Take it easy.' Then I recited: Indeed he saw of the great signs of his Lord (53:18). So she said: 'What do you mean by that? That is only Jibra'il. Whoever informed you that Muhammad saw his Lord, or that (ﷺ) concealed something he was ordered with, or he knew of the five things about which Allah, [Most High] said: Verily Allah, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain (31:34) - then he has fabricated the worst lie. Rather he (ﷺ) saw Jibra'il, but he did not see him in his (real) image except two times. One time at Sidrat Al-Muntaha and one time in Jiyad, he had six-hundred wings which filled the horizon.'"
It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah (b. Umar) that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was taken for the Night journey, he was taken to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha, which is situated on the sixth heaven, where terminates everything that ascends from the earth and is held there, and where terminates every- thing that descends from above it and is held there. (It is with reference to this that) Allah said:
" When that which covers covered the lote-tree" (al-Qur'an, Iiii. 16). He (the narrator) said: (It was) gold moths. He (the narrator further) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was given three (things): he was given five prayers, be was given the concluding verses of Sura al-Baqara, and remission of serious Sins for those among his Ummah who associate not anything with Allah
Narrated Abu Dhar:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "While I was at Mecca the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it. Then he took my hand and ascended with me to the nearest heaven, when I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered: 'Gabriel.' He asked, 'Is there anyone with you?' Gabriel replied, 'Yes, Muhammad I is with me.' He asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel said, 'Yes.' So the gate was opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left. When he looked towards his right, he laughed and when he looked toward his left he wept. Then he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' He replied, 'He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.' Then he ascended with me till he reached the second heaven and he (Gabriel) said to its gatekeeper, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper said to him the same as the gatekeeper of the first heaven had said and he opened the gate. Anas said: "Abu Dhar added that the Prophet (ﷺ) met Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham, he (Abu Dhar) did not mention on which heaven they were but he mentioned that he (the Prophet (ﷺ) ) met Adam on the nearest heaven and Abraham on the sixth heaven. Anas said, "When Gabriel along with the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by Idris, the latter said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Idris." The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "I passed by Moses and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Moses.' Then I passed by Jesus and he said, 'Welcome! O pious brother and pious Prophet.' I asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Jesus. Then I passed by Abraham and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Abraham. The Prophet (ﷺ) added, 'Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.' Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.' Then Gabriel took me till we '' reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundary) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."
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