The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 173
172 Ā'ĪNA-E-KAMĀLĀT-E-ISLĀM―DĀFI‘UL-WASĀWIS and close companion of the Holy Prophet's, and the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Prophet as was flowing continuously, what does the delay in the descent mean? THE ANSWER: Let it be clear that the notion that the Holy Spirit sometimes ascends into the heavens leaving the Prophets alone is only a misconception which has been caused by misunderstanding the terms 'descent' and 'ascent. Let it remain no secret that 'descent' certainly does not mean that an angel leaves its assigned station and abode in the heavens and descends to the earth. Such an interpretation is opposed to the clear dicta of the Quran and Hadith. For instance, the following tradition is reported by Ibn Jarīr in Fath-ul-Bayan on the authority of Hadrat Ayeshah, may Allah be pleased with her: AUTHOR'S MARGIN NOTE قَالَتْ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ مَوْضِعُ قَدَمٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ مَلَكُ سَاجِدٌ أَوْ قَائِمٌ، وَذَلِكَ Authentic ahadith of the قَوْلُ الْمَلَائِكَةِ : وَمَا مِنَّا إِلَّا لَهُ مَقَامٌ مَعْلُومٌ. 1 Holy Prophet prove that the angels do not leave their heavenly station, because leaving would inevitably mean that their assigned station in the heavens would be emptied; and this is impossible. Meaning that Haḍrat Ãyeshah, may Allah be pleased with her, reports that the Messenger of Allah, peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him, said that there is not a foot of space empty in the heavens which is not occupied by an angel in prostration or standing upright. The same is the interpretation of the [Quranic] verse; ² that is, every one of us has a fixed and ascertained abode from which it is impossible to move even a single step, up or down. Now observe how clearly this hadith proves that the angels do not 1. Fatḥul-Bayan, vol. 11, Tafsir Surah aṣ-Ṣāffāt, p. 432, published by al-Maktabah al-'Aşriyyah, Beirut, 1996 [Publisher] 2. Surah aş-Şaffāt, 37:165 [Publisher]