Three beings (angels) came to him in the mosque of the Ka'bah, while he was sleeping in the sacred mosque before it (the Command of Night Journey and Accension) was revealed to him. The rest of the hadith is narrated like that of Thabit. However, some portions have occurred before and some of them have occurred after; some have been added and some deleted.
The Book of Faith - Sahih Muslim 162
This narration from Sahih Muslim describes the visitation of three angels to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the sacred mosque of Ka'bah before the revelation of the Night Journey and Ascension (Isra' wal-Mi'raj).
Scholarly Commentary
The presence of angels in the sacred mosque indicates the sanctity of both the location and the moment. Angels typically descend in places of worship and to righteous servants of Allah.
The timing "before the Command of Night Journey was revealed" suggests this was a preparatory divine encounter, preparing the Prophet's heart for the momentous spiritual journey to come.
The narrator's note about variations in transmission reflects the careful preservation of hadith, where scholars meticulously noted differences between narrations while maintaining the core meaning.
Spiritual Significance
Divine encounters often precede major revelations in prophetic tradition, serving to strengthen the messenger for upcoming challenges and revelations.
The sacred mosque setting emphasizes the connection between earthly worship and celestial realities, where the spiritual and physical realms intersect.