Part 1
The Revelation
A Jew who conducted business with us told us of the day of judgement, the resurrection, the reckoning, of paradise and of hell. He said “A prophet will arise in the direction of this country”, pointing to Mecca. But that Jew refused to become a believer, even after the apostle had promulgated Islam. We said, “Woe be to you! Did you not yourself inform us about the prophet?” And he replied, “Indeed! But not about this one!” {This Jew, who predicted the coming of a prophet based on scripture, rejected Muhammad as one who qualified for the position.}
There was also a Syrian Jew who as his death approached said: “I have come to this country to await the arrival of a prophet. His time is near at hand, for he will be sent to shed the blood, and to capture the children and women, of those who oppose him.” Years later, when the apostle of Allah besieged the Banu Quraysah, the friends of the dead Jew said, “By Allah! This is the prophet foretold to us.”
They (the Jews) accordingly came down from their fort, made profession of Islam, and thus preserved their lives, their property and families. {Or stated alternatively, they accepted Islam to avoid being killed, having their wives and children taken as slaves and their property usurped.}
The Arabs were struck with fear at the sight of the shooting stars. The apostle said, “Allah foils the evil djinns by hurling stars to prevent them eaves dropping on angels and then passing on news to soothsayers.”
Several nobles of the Quraysh, Abu Talib (uncle of Muhammad) said, “Your nephew has insulted our gods and condemned our religion. He considers our young men to be fools, and our fathers to have erred. You must either restrain him or allow us free action against him.”
The Quraysh assembled to agree on their attitude toward the apostle. They said, “The best will be to say that he is a sorcerer, because he has come with words which are sorcery and which separate a man from his father or from his brother, or from his wife, or from his family.”
Abu Bakr said, “I have a black boy, smarter and stronger in your (pagan) faith than Bilal; I shall give him to you in exchange for Bilal (a Quraysh slave who accepted Islam).” Accordingly Abu Bakr gave Ummaya his slave and took Bilal, whom he presented with his freedom, as he did six other slaves who professed Islam. {Apparently if a slave accepted Islam it was permissible to exchange them with non-believing ones.}
Night Journey
There I saw a beast, white in colour, resembling part mule and part donkey, with two wings covering its hind legs, and with its forelegs placed as far as its sight could reach.
In the morning he told the Quraysh what had happened to him; but most of them exclaimed, “This is obviously nonsense!” And many believers lapsed from the faith.
The apostle of Allah further said: “When I had ended my visit to Jerusalem a ladder was brought to me. This is the ladder which the dead yearn to see brought forth. Gabriel made me ascend until we arrived at the gates of heaven.”
“Wouldst thou order him to show me the fire?” He said, “Show Muhammad the fires of hell!” Accordingly Malik removed the cover thereof, and it raged and ascended in such a manner that I thought it would devour all that I saw.
When I entered the heaven which is next to the earth I beheld a man sitting therein, to whom the souls of men are delivered. {There is a heaven next to earth which apparently astronomers have no yet picked up on their telescopes.}
Next I observed men with bellies the like of which I had never seen, and on the road were crocodiles rushing upon them like mad camels and driving them into the fire, trampling upon them so that they could never escape from it. I asked, “Who are these, O Gabriel?” and he replied, “They are those who collect interest.”
Then I saw women hanging by their breasts and asked, “Who are these?” And Gabriel replied, “They are women who attribute to their husbands, children they did not father.” The wrath of Allah is very great towards a woman who introduces into the family one who does not belong to it.
After this, Gabriel took me up to the second heaven, and it contained the two cousins, Jesus the son of Mary, and John the son of Zakariah. {Jesus resides in the second of the seven heaven. Apparently not seated on the right hand side of God as he states in the bible.}
Then he made me go up to the special heaven, where I beheld an old man. I asked, “Who is this, O Gabriel?” and he said, “This is thy ancestor Abraham.” I have never seen a man resemble me more closely.
They arrived in the seventh heaven, where the Apostle met his Lord, who made fifty daily prayers incumbent upon him. {Muhammad had to haggle with the help of Moses, to get Allah to have this reduced to five a day.}
Muhammad said “Whosoever among you recites these five prayers, believing wholly in their efficacy and validity, will receive the reward due for the fifty prayers originally prescribed”
“The apostle of Allah came (to a hillside meeting with tribes surrounding Mecca) and said, “I call on you to protect me as you would protect your own women and children!” A man called al‑Bara then took hold of his hand, and swore, “We shall protect you. Accept our allegiance. We are warriors who have inherited the right to arms.” Al-Abbas asked the people, “Are you aware of the conditions on which you pledge allegiance to this man? You pledge yourselves to him, to wage war against all and sundry.” They asked, “But what will be our reward if we keep our promise?” The apostle replied, “Paradise.” {After no success with the Meccans, Muhammad made a pact with surrounding tribes who were willing to make war. For which Muhammad promised the grandiose payment of ‘paradise’!}