Muhammad’s Night Journey

In this story, Muhammad is taken on a journey through heaven. It starts with someone cutting his body open and taking out his heart. The person then washed his heart and filled it with belief. A wild animal was brought to Muhammad and the animal’s step was so wide that it reached the nearest heaven. When the animal asked for the gate to be opened it was asked, "Who is it?" It answered, "Gabriel." It was asked, "Who was accompanying you?" Gabriel replied, "Muhammad." It was asked, "Has Muhammad been called?" The response was yes. Then it was said, "He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!" The gate was opened, and when Muhammad went over the first heaven, he saw Adam there. Gabriel said to Muhammad, "This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings." Muhammad and Adam greeted each other. In the second heaven, Muhammad saw John and Jesus, two cousins. He saw Joseph in the third heaven and Idris in the fourth.   In the fifth heaven Muhammad saw Aaron and in the sixth he saw Moses. Moses began to weep when Muhammad left him. In the seventh heaven Muhammad saw Abraham and from there he went to the Lute Tree of the farthest limit. Muhammad was then told that according to their religion, he and his followers were to pray fifty prayers a day. On his way back down Muhammad passed Moses again. Moses asked what he had been ordered to do. Moses told Muhammad to go back to the Lord and ask him to reduce his followers’ burden. This continued multiple times until the number of prayers per day was down to five. Again Moses told Muhammad to ask the Lord to reduce his followers’ burden. Muhammad replied. "I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order."