445 – While I was lying down at <<Hatim>>, someone came to me and cut me open between here and here (from the throat to the lower part of the abdomen) and took out my heart. Then a golden tray full of belief was brougth to me and my heart was washed with the water of Zam-zam then filled with wisdom and belief and put back in its place. Then a beast was brought to me, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey, white in colour, called al-Buraq, whose step can reach as far as he can see. I was mounted on it, then set out with (the angel) Gabriel until he reached the nearest heaven and asked to have it opened. Someone asked: <<Who is it?>> He said: <<Gabriel>>, <<Who is accompanying you?>> Gabriel said: <<Muhammad.>> It was said: <<Has he been called?>> <<Yes,>> said Gabriel. Then it was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> The gate was opened. When i went in, I found Adam there. Gabriel said: <<This is your father Adam, greet him.>> So I greeted him and he returnedmy greeting and said: <<Welcome to you, O good Prophet and good son.>>

Then he ascended with me to the second heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> Gabriel said: <<Gabriel.>> It was said: <<Who is with you?>> He said: <<Muhammad.>> It was asked: <<Has he been called?>> He said: <<Yes.>> It was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> The gate was opened. When I entered I found Jesus and Yahya (John the Baptist) and they are my cousins ( the sons of my mother’s sister.) Gabriel said: <<This is Yahya (John) and ’Issa (Jesus), greet them>>. When I greeted them, they returned my greeting and said: <<Welcome to you, O Good brother and good Prophet.>>

Then he ascended with me to the third heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> He said: <<Gabriel.>> It was said: <<Who is with you?>> He said: <<Muhammad.>> It was asked: <<Has he been called?>> He said: <<Yes.>> It was said: << He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> The gate was opened. When I entered I found Yussuf (Joseph). Gabriel said: <<This is Yussuf, greet him.>> And Yussuf said: << Welcome to you, O Good brother and good Prophet.>>

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> <<Gabriel>> he said. It was said: <<Who is with you?>> <<Muhammad>> he said. It was asked <<Has he been called?>> He said: <<Yes.>> It was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> The gate was opened and I found Idriss. Gabriel said: <<This is Idriss, greet him.>> I did and he returned my greeting and said: <<Welcome to you, O Good brother and good Prophet.>>

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> <<Gabriel>> he said. It was said: <<Who is with you?>> <<Muhammad>> he said. It was asked: <<Has he been called?>> <<Yes>>, he answered. It was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> When I entered, I found Haroon (Aaron). Gabriel said: <<This is Haroon, greet him.>> I did and he returend my greeting and said: <<Welcome to you, O Good brother and good Prophet.>>

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> <<Gabriel,>> he answered. It was said: <<Who is with you?>> <<Muhammad>> he said. It was asked: <<Has he been called?>> <<Yes,>> he said. It was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> When I entered I found Musa (Moses), Gabriel said: <<This is Musa, greet him.>> I did and he returned my greeting and said: <<You are welcomed, O Good brother and good Prophet.>>

When I proceeded on, he started weeping. He was asked: <<Why are you weeping?>> He said: <<I weep because the followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.>>

Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked to have it opened. It was said: <<Who is it?>> <<Gabriel>> he replied. It was said: <<Who is with you?>> <<Muhammad>> he said. It was asked: <<Has he been called?>> <<Yes,>> he said. It was said: <<He is welcomed, what a wonderful visit his is.>> When I entered, I found Ibraheem (Abraham). Gabriel said: <<This is your father Ibraheem, greet him.>> I did, and he greeted me back saying: <<Welcome to you, O Good son and good Prophet.>>

Then I was shown Sidrat-al-Muntaha (i.e. a tree in the sevent heaven) and  I saw its Nabik fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (i.e. a town in Arabia) and its leaves were like the ears of elephants. Gabriel said: <<This is Sidrat-al-Muntaha.>> Four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked: <<O Gabriel! What are these?>> He said: <<The two hidden are rivers in Paradise and the apparent ones ar the Nile and the Euphrates. Then I was shown al-Bait al-Ma’mur I said: <<O Gabriel! What is this?>> He said: <<This is al-Bait al-Ma’mur where seventhy thousand angels enter every day and when they leave it, they never return to it.

Then three containers were brought to me, the first full of wine, the second full of milk and the third full of honey. I took the one full of milk. Gabriel said to me then: <<You have taken the right path which you and you followers follow.>> Then fifty prayers were enjoined on me. So I went back till I met Moses who asked me: <<What was enjoined on you?>> I said: <<Fifty prayers have been enjoined on me daily.>> He said: <<Your followers cannot perform fifty prayers daily. By Allah, I had experience with people before you and I had the hardest experience trying to bring the Children of Isreal to obedience. Return to you Lord and request Him to reduce (the number of prayers) enjoined on you followers.>>

I returned and Allah reduced (the prayers) by ten. I returend to Moses who repeated his advice, and I returned back and Allah reduced the number by ten. I returned to Moses and the same thing happend over and over until the prayers were reduced by Allah to five prayers a day. So I returned to Moses, and he said: <<What was enjoined on you?>> I said: <<Five prayers were enjoined on me daily.>> He said: <<Your followers cannot perform five prayers daily. I had experience with people before you and I had the hardest time trying to bring the Children of Israel to obedience. Return to your Lord and request Him to reduce the number of prayers.>> I said: <<I did that so many times that I feel embarrassed to ask again. But I accept and surrender (to Allah’s orders).>> When I went on, I heard a voice saying: I have decreed My obligation and have reduced the burden on My servants.

(Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim according to Malek Ibn Sa’sa’ah)
Tagit ur boken ”Selection of Prophetic Hadiths & Muhammadan Wisdoms” by As-sayed Ahmad al-Hashimi translated info english by Salma al-Houry, nummer: 445.