The Future For Islam

64 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

was just before dawn he woke us up and when it was morning we prayed together

and he said, '0 Umm HXni', last evening I prayed with you in this valley, then I

went to Jerusalem and prayed there. And now here I am having said the morning

prayer with you, as you see.'

"He then arose to leave, but I took hold of the hem of his cloak and said, '0

Messenger of God, do not make that statement to people; they will surely

disbelieve you and do you harm.'

"But he replied, 'By God, I will certainly tell it to them!' And he did tell them

and they did disbelieve."

Ibn Ishaq went on (and the Prophet (SAAS) told the sceptical, tr.) 'LAnd the

proof of this is that I passed by the caravan of such-and-such a tribe in such-

and-such a valley, and the sound of the animal (al-Buraq) startled them and so

one of their camels ran away. I led them to it, being then on my way to al-Sh%.

Then I continued on until I reached DajanXn, where I passed a caravan of such-

and-such a tribe. I found the people asleep. They had a vessel with water in it that

they had covered over with something. I took off the cover and drank the water

and replaced its cover. And the proof of this is that their caravan is now making

its way down from the pass at al-Tan'im al-Baydz. Leading it is an ash-coloured

camel on which are two sacks, one of which is black, the other black and white.

"On hearing this, people hurried to the pass. The first camel, which was as he

had described to them, was insufficient proof for them, so they asked about the

vessel and the camel, and those in the caravan did tell them just as the Prophet

(SAAS) had recounted."

Ynnus b. Bukayr related, from Asha!, from Ismacil alSuddi, that the sun had

almost set before that caravan arrived and so he prayed to God, Almighty and

Glorious is He, who slowed it down until they came, just as he had described it

to them.

He stated, "And the sun was never slowed for anyone except on that day for

him, and also for Yashac uoshua) b. Nan."

Al-Bayhaqi related this account.

Ibn Ishaq stated, "A source I do not doubt quoted Aha Sacid as having said, 'I
heard the Messenger of God (SAAS) say, "When I had finished in Jerusalem, the
mi%aj, the ladder, was brought to me. Never before did I see anything finer; it is
that to which your dying turn their eyes at the point of death.
""'My companion (Gabriel) led me up it until I reached one of the gates of
heaven known as the bab al-hafi?a, 'the guards' gate'. It is overseen by an atten-
dant who is an angel, and his name is Ismacil. He commands 12,000 angels, each
of whom controls 12,000 more."'
"He (Ah3 Sacid) stated, 'The Messenger of God (SAAS) whenever he tells
this hadith recites, "And no one but He knows the armies of your Lord'" (swat
al-Muddaththir; LXXIV, v.34).