The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 536
CH. 17 BANI ISRĀ'ĪL removes all the obscurities and ambiguities that have confused the popular mind in regard to this important subject. In Surah An-Najm we have: It is nothing but a revelation that is revealed. The One of mighty powers has taught him (this knowledge): the One Possessor of strength. So He manifested His ascendance (over everything) and He revealed His Word when he was on the uppermost horizon. Then he drew nearer (to God); then he came down to (His creatures), so that he became, as it were, the one chord of two bows or closer still. And He revealed to His servant that which He revealed. The heart (of the Prophet) was not untrue to that which he saw. Will you then dispute with him concerning that which he saw? And certainly he saw Him a second time, near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass, near which is the Garden of Abode. This was when a wonderful and glorious Divine manifestation covered the Lote-tree. The eye deviated not nor did it wander. Surely, he saw the greatest of the Signs of his Lord. (53:5-19). These verses give a graphic description of the Mi'raj, for the facts mentioned in them all relate to it, e. g. the Holy Prophet went up to the Lote- tree; (2) the Lote-tree was covered with "something"; (3) the Prophet saw the Paradise (the Garden of Abode) near the Lote-tree; (4) he became, as it were, the one chord of two bows; (5) he saw God (and the heart of the Prophet was not untrue to that which he saw); and (6) the word PT. 15 of God descended on the Lote-tree. All these details have also been mentioned in the traditions which deal with the Mi'raj. As for the Lote- tree, Abu Hurairah (as reported by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abū Hātim, Ibn Merdawaih, Abū Ya'la and Baihaqi) says, "In the night of Mi'raj, after having seen other Prophets of God in heaven, the Holy Prophet proceeded further till he reached the Lote-tree. " The same fact has been mentioned in the tradition quoted on the authority of Abū Sa'īd al-Khudri by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Mundhir, Ibn Abi Ḥātim, Ibn Merdawaih, Baihaqī, and Ibn 'Asākir, and in the tradition quoted on the authority of Malik Ibn Ṣa'ṣā' by Ahmad bin Hanbal, Bukhārī, Muslim and Ibn Jarīr and in the tradition quoted on the authority of Anas by Bukhārī (Bukhārī, chapter on Mi'raj, & Al-Khaṣā'iṣul-Kubrā, vol. 1, pp. 153, 167 & 174). 1744 The second important detail mentioned in Surah An-Najm is that when the Prophet reached the Lote- tree, he saw it covered with some extraordinary thing (53:17). This has also been mentioned in the traditions that deal with Mi'rāj. In the tradition reported by Abu Hurairah to which reference has been made above we read sei. e. when the Holy Prophet reached the Lote-tree, the light of the Powerful and Glorious Creator covered it (Al-Khaṣā'iṣul- Kubrā, vol. 1, p. 174). Similarly, in the tradition reported by Anas we have: "Then the Lote-tree became covered with a special Divine grace so much so that in its newly changed condition its beauty defied all