Muhammad's Ascent Through the Seven Heavens - First Heaven

We continue with Humphrey Prideaux's Life Of Mohamet...

The Seven Heavens of Islam

Muhammad's Description of the First Heaven

“On their arrival at the first heaven, the angel Gabriel knocked at the gate and having told the porter who he was and that he brought Muhammad the friend of God with him by divine command, the gates, which he describes to be of an exceptional size, were immediately opened. This first heaven Muhammad tells us 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 kept watch to guard heaven and to keep devils from approaching near for fear that they should overhear and know what was done there in heaven.

“On first entering heaven, Muhammad said he met an old decrepit man, our first father Adam, who immediately embraced him and gave thanks to God for so great a son and then asked Muhammad to pray for him. As he entered further Muhammad said he saw a multitude of angels in all manner of shapes; some angels were in shapes of men, others in shapes of beasts, and others in shapes of birds. Among those who appeared in the several shapes of birds 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 we usually travel here on earth. However, the people, as they relate the matter of the seven heavens of their prophet, think it was much higher, telling us that the head of this chicken reached up through all the seven heavens as far as to the throne of God.

Muhammad's Fake Heavens 2 - 7

Continued from HERE and HERE with Muhammad's description of his Night Journey from Humphrey Prideaux's Life of Mohamet. Keep in mind that Muhammad fabricated his Night Journey (Mi'raj in Arabic) which has no transcendent imagery whatsoever. (The next two posts in the series are HERE and HERE.)

Why did Muhammad need to fly to Jerusalem?
He could have gone to heaven from Mecca.

"From the first heaven Muhammad said he ascended up into the second heaven which was a distance of five hundred years journey above the first. He determines this to be the distance of each of the seven heavens above the other. As in the first heaven the gates were opened for him, where at the entrance he met Noah who greatly rejoiced at the sight of Muhammad and asked Muhammad to pray for him. In this heaven, which was made of pure gold, Muhammad tells us he saw twice as many angels as in the former and among them one of such an extraordinary size that while standing in the second heaven, his head reached into the third.

"From the second heaven Muhammad ascended upwards into the third which was made of precious stones. At the entrance he met Abraham who also asked Muhammad to pray for him. In this third heaven Muhammad said he saw vastly more angels than in the second heaven and among them another large angel of such phenomenal size that the distance between his two eyes was seventy thousand days’ journey, according to our rate of traveling here on earth.

Muhammad Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven's Door

Knock, knock! Who's there? It's ME! Muhammad! Muhammad who? Muhammad the Prophet (peace be upon me)...silence as God consults Himself then says, These are the gates of Heaven. Go thee down that other path which thou hast walked whilst on earth. Knock there and Lucifer will let thee enter. Muhammad trots down to the Gates of Hell. Knock, knock! Who's there!?!! Um...Muhammad?...deathly silence as the gates immediately swing open, then...Welcome, Muhammad. Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter. All that I possess is yours. Oh, it's you! Hi Allah! Where are my 72 virgins!? Right this way (heh heh heh)...excitement in the air as the door to the Chamber of Virgins opens. Tearing at his robe Muhammad races in...then disappears into the infinite realm of Inferno's Eighth Circle, to be "mutilated and split in half with his entrails hanging out, eternally speaking the words: See now how I rend me."

Meanwhile, here's mood music to relax with while 

reading the story of Muhammad's Night Journey.

Muhammad's Ascent through the Seven Heavens

The Seven Heavens
of Islam

We continue with Humphrey Prideaux's Life Of Mohamet...

Muhammad's Description of the First Heaven

“On their arrival at the first heaven, the angel Gabriel knocked at the gate and having told the porter who he was and that he brought Muhammad the friend of God with him by divine command, the gates, which he describes to be of an exceptional size, were immediately opened. This first heaven Muhammad tells us 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 kept watch to guard heaven and to keep devils from approaching near for fear that they should overhear and know what was done there in heaven.

Adam, before he
met Muhammad

“On first entering heaven, Muhammad said he met an old decrepit man, our first father Adam, who immediately embraced him and gave thanks to God for so great a son and then recommended himself to his prayers. As he entered further Muhammad said he saw a multitude of angels in all manner of shapes; some angels were in shapes of men, others in shapes of beasts, and others in shapes of birds. Among those who appeared in the several shapes of birds 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 we usually travel here on earth. However, the people, as they relate the matter of the seven heavens of their prophet, think it was much higher, telling us that the head of this chicken reached up through all the seven heavens as far as to the throne of God.