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| Islam's Chief Angel of the Roosters |
Continued from yesterday's post HERE with Muhammad's description of his Night Journey from Humphrey Prideaux's Life of
Mohamet. (The next three posts in the series are HERE, HERE and HERE.)
When Muhammad and Gabriel arrived at the first heaven, Gabriel knocked at the gate, told the porter who he was and that he had brought God's friend with him by divine command. The gates, which Muhammad described as huge, were immediately opened.
Muhammad said that the first heaven was made of pure silver with stars hanging by chains of pure gold, each being as large as Mount Noho near Mecca in Arabia. In these stars angels guarded heaven to keep devils from approaching for fear they might overhear and know what was done in heaven.
On first entering heaven, Muhammad said he met an old decrepit man who turned out to be Adam, who immediately embraced him and gave thanks to God for so great a son as Muhammad, then asked Muhammad to pray for him.
Mohamet. (The next three posts in the series are HERE, HERE and HERE.)
When Muhammad and Gabriel arrived at the first heaven, Gabriel knocked at the gate, told the porter who he was and that he had brought God's friend with him by divine command. The gates, which Muhammad described as huge, were immediately opened.
Muhammad said that the first heaven was made of pure silver with stars hanging by chains of pure gold, each being as large as Mount Noho near Mecca in Arabia. In these stars angels guarded heaven to keep devils from approaching for fear they might overhear and know what was done in heaven.
On first entering heaven, Muhammad said he met an old decrepit man who turned out to be Adam, who immediately embraced him and gave thanks to God for so great a son as Muhammad, then asked Muhammad to pray for him.
As he entered further Muhammad said he saw a multitude of angels in all sorts of of shapes; some angels were in shapes of men, others in shapes of beasts, still others in shapes of birds. Among those who appeared as bird shapes he saw a rooster as white as snow and so large that when his feet stood upon the first heaven his head reached up to the second heaven, which was the distance of five hundred years’ journey according to the rate traveled by camel on earth. However the people, as they related the matter of their prophet's seven heavens, thought it was much higher, saying that the head of the chicken reached up through all seven heavens to the throne of God. Muhammad said that the rooster's wings were covered with rubies and pearls and that it extended one wing to the east and the other to the west, at a distance proportional to its
height.
Muhammad told the Meccans that the angel Gabriel had said that angels interceded with God for all living creatures on earth. Those angels shaped like men interceded for men; those angels shaped like beasts interceded for beasts; and those shaped like birds interceded for birds according to their several kinds. As for the great rooster, he was the chief angel of the roosters. Every morning when God sang a holy hymn (to Himself?) this rooster always joined in with his crowing, which was so loud that all in heaven and earth - except men and fairies - could hear it, and then all the other roosters in
heaven and earth crowed also.
Unfortunately, when the day of judgement draws near, God will command the rooster to draw in his jeweled wings and crow no more. :( This will be a sign that Judgement Day is at hand to all in heaven and earth "except those men and fairies, who were, like before, deaf to his crowing, shall not then be upset of his silence from it." Moslems believe that the celestial rooster is in great favor with God, so much so that it is a common saying among them that there are three voices which God always hears. The first voice is of him that is constant in reading the Quran; the second voice is of him that early every morning prays for the pardon of his sins; and the third voice is of this rooster when he crows, which they say is always most acceptable to God.
The next post will describe Muhammad's heavens 2- 7 after which we’ll talk about Muhammad’s conversation with God (Allah), his descent from the Throne of God back to the Jewish Temple Mount (where today stands the Dome of the Rock), and finally back to Mecca on Lightning.
After that will be the reaction of the Meccans to Muhammad's Night Journey, and finally we will make observations and comments on the entire series of posts. Meanwhile, enjoy the 2 minute video below and know that when Muslims hear a rooster crow they ask Allah's blessings because the rooster has seen an angel.
height.
Muhammad told the Meccans that the angel Gabriel had said that angels interceded with God for all living creatures on earth. Those angels shaped like men interceded for men; those angels shaped like beasts interceded for beasts; and those shaped like birds interceded for birds according to their several kinds. As for the great rooster, he was the chief angel of the roosters. Every morning when God sang a holy hymn (to Himself?) this rooster always joined in with his crowing, which was so loud that all in heaven and earth - except men and fairies - could hear it, and then all the other roosters in
heaven and earth crowed also.
Unfortunately, when the day of judgement draws near, God will command the rooster to draw in his jeweled wings and crow no more. :( This will be a sign that Judgement Day is at hand to all in heaven and earth "except those men and fairies, who were, like before, deaf to his crowing, shall not then be upset of his silence from it." Moslems believe that the celestial rooster is in great favor with God, so much so that it is a common saying among them that there are three voices which God always hears. The first voice is of him that is constant in reading the Quran; the second voice is of him that early every morning prays for the pardon of his sins; and the third voice is of this rooster when he crows, which they say is always most acceptable to God.
The next post will describe Muhammad's heavens 2- 7 after which we’ll talk about Muhammad’s conversation with God (Allah), his descent from the Throne of God back to the Jewish Temple Mount (where today stands the Dome of the Rock), and finally back to Mecca on Lightning.
After that will be the reaction of the Meccans to Muhammad's Night Journey, and finally we will make observations and comments on the entire series of posts. Meanwhile, enjoy the 2 minute video below and know that when Muslims hear a rooster crow they ask Allah's blessings because the rooster has seen an angel.
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