68 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMADThe dispute over this question perplexed the early scholars just as it does
those who succeeded them. God alone knows best.
Then the Messenger of God (SAAS) came hack down to Jerusalem. And it
seems clear that the prophets descended with him to express their respect for
him on his return from the glorious Divine Presence, as is the custom for those
who visit; visitors do not assemble with others before meeting that person to
whom they have been summoned.
That is why when he passed by one of them Gabriel would say, as each
approached to greet hi, 'LThis is so-and-so; greet him."
If he had met with them before his ascent he would not have needed intro-
duction to them a second time.
Substantiation for this is given in his saying, "And when it was time for the
prayer, I acted as their Imb." The only time for that, then, would have been
the dawn prayer. He came forward as their Imm on the instruction of Gabriel,
relaying what his Lord, Almighty and Glorious is He, told hi.
Some scholars deduce from this that the most eminent Imsm takes precedence
over the master of the house, since Jerusalem was their (the other prophets) place
of residence.
He then left there, riding on al-Burzq, and returned to Mecca. Next morning
he was hack, in a state of complete securily, peace and dignity.That night he saw such signs and things as to make anyone else who saw them,
even in part, either utterly amazed or even insane.
He, however, became merely sombre, quiet that is, and was fearful that if he
started to tell his people what he had seen they would have promptly disbelieved
him.
And so at first he told them calmly that he had been to Jerusalem that night.
That was when Aha Jahl, God damn him, saw the Messenger of God (SAAS),
in the sacred mosque sitting in sombre silence and spoke to him, asking, "Well,
anything new?" He replied, "Yes." "What is it?" Aha Jahl asked. "I was taken
this night to Jerusalem."
"To Jerusalem?"
"Yes."
Aha Jahl asked, "If I were to call your people over to you for you to tell them,
would you say to them what you said to me?"
"Yes, I would," he replied.
Aha Jahl wanted to assemhle Quraysh to hear that from him, and so too did
the Messenger of God (SAAS) also want to gather them to tell them and so give
them information.
Aha Jahl then said, "Come, 0 tribe of Quraysh!" They gathered there from
their assemblies. He then said, "Well, tell your people what you told me."
The Messenger of God (SAAS) related to them what he had seen, that he had
gone to Jerusalem that night and prayed there.