Sayyiduna Malik bin Sa’sa’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Once, I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness near the House (the Ka’bah). Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a third man lying between two men. (Then he said:) After that, a golden basin was brought to me, filled with wisdom and faith. My chest was split open up to the lowest part of my belly, then my belly was washed with Zamzam water and filled with wisdom and faith. After that, a mount was brought to me, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey, that is, Buraq. I mounted it and went with Jibreel (peace be upon him). When we reached the lowest heaven, it was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He replied: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! Then I came to Adam (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O dear son and good Prophet.

After that, we reached the second heaven. The same question was asked: Who is this? He said: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met ‘Isa and Yahya (peace be upon them), and they also welcomed me, saying: Welcome, O brother and Prophet.

Then we came to the third heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent and righteous arrival in a good place! There I met Yusuf (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O dear brother and Prophet, what an excellent arrival in a good place!

From there, we came to the fourth heaven. The same question was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met Idris (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: Welcome, O brother and Prophet.

From there, we came to the fifth heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Who is with you? He said: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He replied: Yes. Then it was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There we met Harun (peace be upon him), and I greeted him. He said: Congratulations, O brother and Prophet, you have come to a good and spacious place.

From there, we came to the sixth heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel. It was asked: Is there anyone else with you? He said: Yes, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been called? He said: Yes. It was said: Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival in a good place! There I met Musa (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: O brother and Prophet, welcome to a good and spacious place! When I moved ahead from there, he began to weep. Someone asked: O elder, why are you weeping? He replied: O Allah, this young man who has been given Prophethood after me, more people from his Ummah will enter Paradise than from my Ummah.

After that, we came to the seventh heaven. Again, it was asked: Who is this? He replied: Jibreel (peace be upon him). It was asked: Is there anyone with you? He replied: Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It was asked: Has he been sent for? He said: Yes. Welcome, what an excellent arrival! There I met Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and greeted him. He said: O my son and Prophet, welcome, you have come to a blessed and spacious place.

After that, I was shown the Bayt al-Ma’mur. I asked Jibreel (peace be upon him) about it, and he said: This is Bayt al-Ma’mur. Seventy thousand angels pray in it every day, and once one leaves after praying, he never returns. And I was also shown Sidrat al-Muntaha. Its fruits were like the jars of Hajar (a place), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. Four rivers flowed from its roots: two hidden and two visible. I asked Jibreel (peace be upon him) about them, and he said: The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the two visible ones are the Nile and the Euphrates in the world.

After that, fifty prayers were made obligatory upon me. When I returned and met Musa (peace be upon him), he asked: What have you been commanded? I replied: Fifty prayers have been made obligatory upon me. He said: I know people better than you; I have had much experience with the Children of Israel. Your Ummah will not be able to bear so many prayers. So return to your Lord and request a reduction. I returned, and Allah reduced them to forty. Still, Musa (peace be upon him) insisted on his advice (i.e., to seek further reduction). This time, they were reduced to thirty. Again, he said the same, so Allah reduced them to twenty. Again, Musa (peace be upon him) said the same, and this time, when I presented my request before the Lord of Might, Allah reduced them to ten. When I came to Musa (peace be upon him), he still insisted on seeking further reduction, and this time Allah reduced them to five. When I met Musa (peace be upon him), he again asked: What happened? I said: Allah has made them five. Even then, he insisted on seeking further reduction. I said: Now I have entrusted it to Allah. Then a voice came: I have established My obligation (of five prayers) and have reduced it for My servants, and I reward one good deed tenfold.