Ali Sina - Understanding Muhammad

Muhammad’s Ecstatic Experiences
Then I was taken to the second heaven, and there were the two maternal
cousins, Jesus, son of Mary, and John, son of Zakariah. Then to the third
heaven, and there was a man whose face was as the moon at the full. This was
my brother Joseph, son of Jacob. Then to the fourth heaven, and there as a
man called Idris. ‘And we have exalted him to a lofty place.’ Surah 19:58
Then to the fifth heaven, and there was a man with white hair and a long
beard, never have I seen a more handsome man than he. This was the beloved
among his people, Aaron, son of ‘Imran. Then to the sixth heaven, and there
was a dark man with a hooked nose, like the Shanu’a. This was my brother
Moses, son of ‘Imran. Then to the seventh heaven, and there was a man sitting
on a throne at the gate of the immortal mansion, Paradise. Every day, seventy
thousand angels went in, not to come back until the resurrection day. Never
have I seen a man more like myself. This was my father, Abraham. Then he
took me into Paradise, and there I saw a damsel with dark red lips and asked
her to whom she belonged, for she pleased me much when I saw her, and she
told me ‘Zeid b. Haritha.’ The apostle gave Zeid the good news about her. 207
One tradition says that when Gabriel took Muhammad up to each of the
heavens and asked permission to enter, Gabriel had to inform the guards whom
he had brought, and whether his guest had received a mission or had been sent
for, to which the gate keepers would respond “Allâh grant him life, brother and
friend!” and let them pass until they reached the seventh heaven and there
Muhammad met Allâh. There the duty of fifty prayers a day was laid upon his
followers. On his return he met Moses and here is what he says happened:
On my return, I passed by Moses, and what a fine friend of yours he was! He asked
me how many prayers had been laid upon me, and when I told him fifty, he said,
‘Prayer is a weighty matter, and your people are weak, so go back to your Lord and
ask him to reduce the number for you and your community.’ I did so, and He took
off ten prayers. Again I passed by Moses, and he said the same again, and so it went
on, until only five prayers for the whole day and night were left. Moses again gave
me same advice. I replied that I had been back to my Lord and asked him to reduce
the witness of one man" They replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in
her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses" The
women replied in the affirmative. He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."
207 Some years later in Medina Muhammad fell in love with Zayd’s wife and made his lust
known. Zayd felt compelled to divorce his wife so Muhammad could marry her.
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