Mishkat al-Masabih 5735

Abu Hurayrah reported: While the Prophet of God was sitting with his Companions, a cloud came over them. He asked, ‘Do you know what this is?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘These are clouds, the water-bearers of the earth. God drives them to a people who do not thank Him or call upon Him.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you know what is above you?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘It is al-raqi‘: a guarded roof and a restrained wave.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you know what lies between you and it?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Between you and it are five hundred years.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you know what is above that?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Two heavens, with five hundred years between them.’ He continued in this way until he counted seven heavens, ‘the distance between each pair of heavens being like the distance between heaven and earth.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you know what is above that?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Above that is the Throne, and between it and the heaven is the distance between two heavens.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you know what is beneath that?’ They replied, ‘God and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘Beneath it is another earth, with a journey of five hundred years between them.’ He continued until he counted seven earths, with a journey of five hundred years between each pair. Then he said, ‘By Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, if you lowered a rope to the lowest earth, it would descend upon God.’ Then he recited: ‘He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, and He has knowledge of all things.’ Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi transmitted it. Al-Tirmidhi said that the Prophet’s recitation of the verse shows that the intended meaning is descent upon God’s knowledge, power, and authority. God’s knowledge, power, and authority are everywhere, while He is above the Throne, as He described Himself in His Book.