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 Mohammed's
Night Journey to Heaven
From D’Ohsson’s Tableau
Général de l’Empire Othoman.
In the seventeenth sura of the Koran it is written that upon a
certain night Mohammed was transported from the temple at
Mecca to that of Jerusalem, but no details are given of the
strange journey. In the Mishkatu ’l-Masabih, Mohammed is made
to describe his ascent through the seven heavens into the icy
presence of the many-veiled God and his subsequent return to
his own bed, all in a single night. Mohammed was awakened in
the night by the Angel Gabriel, who, after removing the
Prophet’s heart, washed the cavity with Zamzam water and
filled the heart itself with faith and science. A strange
creature, called Alborak, or "the lightning bolt", was brought
for the conveyance of the Prophet. Alborak is described as a
white animal of the shape and size of a mule, with the head of
a woman and the tail of a peacock. According to some versions,
Mohammed rode Alborak to Jerusalem, where, dismounting upon
Mount Moriah, he caught hold of the lower rung of a golden
ladder lowered from heaven and, accompanied by Gabriel,
ascended through the seven spheres separating the earth from
the inner surface of the empyrean. At the gate of each sphere
stood one of the patriarchs, whom Mohammed saluted as he
entered the various planes. At the gate of the first heaven
stood Adam; at the gate of the second, John and Jesus
(sisters’ sons); at the third, Joseph; at the fourth Enoch; at
the fifth, Aaron; at the sixth, Moses; and at the seventh,
Abraham. MPH |
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Mohammed's Ascent to
Heaven
A Persian
Manuscript, c.1636
The central figure evidently represents the
Prophet riding on a cloud of flame with a palm leaf-shaped
nimbus behind his head. As is usual the face is veiled showing
only the tip of his beard. |
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Leaf from an Old Persian
History
17th C.
(Sedona 1983 No.15)
The artist of this work was unable to
accommodate his drawing to the space allotted by the scribe so
he merely extended the horse at the left into the margin. Most
such books were very popular and descend to us either badly
worn or as fragments.
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"I said to the tulip; O bride
of the garden,
Thy appearance is beautiful and
thy quality is good.
Then tell me, how is it that
thy heart has turned black,
Perhaps it hast been injured by
a friend?
It replied: No, No! But I have
gold,
Gold! Which is the means of
Joyfulness!"
Anbarior Qalam (Perfumed Pen) —Abdur-Rahim,
1692 |
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"Alas! My eyes have been
disabled from seeing,
Woe! Woe! That, at last, my eyes have
betrayed me!
People say: Thou hast lost thy eyes
through thy writing. But my writing used to give light to
others' eyes."
—Mohammad Ismail, 1692 |
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Fragments of an
Illuminated Persian Manuscript, 17th century |
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Fragments of an
Illuminated Persian Manuscript, 17th century |
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Fragments of an
Illuminated Persian Manuscript, 17th century |
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Fragments of an
Illuminated Persian Manuscript, 17th century |
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