The Seven Heavens: A Journey Beyond Earth
In Islamic cosmology, creation is envisioned as a majestic, layered universe. Allah tells us He fashioned the heavens and earth in stages – “He turned to the heaven when it was smoke… He ordained them seven heavens in two periods and inspired in each heaven its duty and command”[2]. Each of the seven heavens is a distinct realm, guarded by angels and imbued with its own beauty and meaning. The Prophet’s night journey (Miʿrāj) is the supreme guide to these realms: as he ascended, he passed through each sky, greeted by the angels and meeting the chosen prophets assigned to that layer[3][4].
Imagine climbing a luminous staircase beyond the moon and stars. With each step upward, the air grows ever more wondrous. The first heaven unfolds beneath you like a vast, shimmering ocean of light. Scripture hints at this spectacle: Allah “adorned the lower heaven with lamps” (lamps being the stars)[5]. In fact, tradition calls the first heaven Raqi‘a, the “spreading” heaven, and it is said to be made of pure water[6]. Here flow gentle breezes and soft light, with celestial waters reflecting a million stars above. Everywhere angels stand, performing tasbīh – the ceaseless praise of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ taught that the first heaven (the earthly sky nearest us) is entirely filled with angels with no space even a span wide that is vacant; they continuously glorify the Creator[7]. In this atmosphere of devotion you feel a profound serenity, as if creation itself is engaged in prayer.
Within this first heaven stands Bayt al-ʿIzzah, the “House of Honor” – a heavenly Kaʿbah built of celestial silver and ivory[8]. It is the qibla (prayer direction) of the first sky. Angels circumambulate it in constant worship, just as pilgrims circle the Kaʿbah on earth[4]. Here, we are told, the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) once worshipped before descending to earth, and tradition holds that Adam and even Eve reside in this realm[6]. Encountering Adam in vision, Muhammad ﷺ was greeted with the words “Welcome, righteous son” – a reminder that humanity’s story began in this sacred sky.
As you prepare to ascend higher, a curtain of stars parts for the second heaven. The space brightens: the very walls and domes gleam like white pearls. By classical accounts this second realm (called Arfaqlūn in legend) is woven of luminous pearl and adorned with myriad jewels[9]. A delicate fragrance like incense might fill the air. Here in the second heaven the spirits of prophets Yahyā (John the Baptist) and ʿĪsā (Jesus) stand awaiting the Pilgrim, their faces shining with compassion[10]. They welcome Muhammad ﷺ and the believers, affirming that the mission of Islam is part of the same monotheistic path. Although no actual conversations are preserved in Ṣaḥīḥ, the encounter symbolizes the unity of all prophets. Around them, angels of light glide silently, and a gentle hum of divine praise echoes faintly. Even without words, the glory of this realm speaks of pure devotion and sacrifice; it is said these prophets embody steadfastness in the face of rejection and the holiness of sincere faith.
Leaving the second heaven, the staircase leads upward again. At the third heaven the atmosphere shifts – the air feels crisper, the light more dazzling. Legend describes the third heaven (Qāyūm) as made of polished iron or other bright minerals[11]. One tradition even says the metal floors glow with inner fire. In this brilliant realm the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) appears, more radiant than the brightest jewel – for Allah “split his light into a hundred parts, and Yusuf received one part” by divine grace. Yusuf ﷺ greets the ascendant with a warm welcome: his story of patience and beauty embodied. Also here is ʿAzrāʾīl, the Angel of Death[11], silently attending. Though his presence is solemn, he too glorifies Allah; his very duty – taking souls – reminds us of life’s transient nature. The Prophet’s vision in hadiths does not dwell on this encounter, but the implication is clear: in every heaven both mercy (Joseph’s vision) and the reality of divine decree (the Angel of Death) hold court.
Ascending through a soft veil of light, you enter the fourth heaven. This stratum is described in tradition as forged of gleaming brass or fine gold alloy[12]. It glows warmly, as if lit by inner sunlight. The Prophet Idris (Enoch) stands here; in Islamic lore Idris is “elevated to a high station” for his knowledge and devotion[13]. We imagine him surrounded by heavenly scribes and scholars, studying the secrets of creation. He greets Muhammad ﷺ as a brother-in-faith, and perhaps imparts a silent blessing: perseverance in worship leads to honor. By some accounts an “Angel of Tears” also resides here, compassionately weeping for the guidance of lost souls – a poetic image that reminds us of divine mercy even at the higher levels. Around Idris, the angels move in solemn grace; occasionally the air carries what seems like a gentle dirge, blending sorrow with beauty.
From brass we climb to the fifth heaven, whose substance is like pure silver[14]. The light here is cool and luminous, resembling moonlight. Within this silvery dome the Prophet Hārūn (Aaron), brother of Moses, greets the wayfarer. Hārūn’s traits – kindness and mercy – seem reflected in the ambiance. Some traditions say he is the judge of this realm, offering justice with compassion. Even the outer walls glisten as if with verses of Light carved upon them, and sweet winds of mercy stir the air. The atmosphere feels soothing – one can almost sense the reassuring presence of a caring leader. The sound of angels’ recitations here might resemble a soft hymn or lullaby. Though there is no direct textual description of fruits or food in these heavens, one imagines perhaps that even the scent of a celestial orchard – dates and pomegranates of Paradise – drifts faintly from above, hinting of the bounty awaiting the righteous.
Beyond the fifth, we ascend again. The sixth heaven greets us in blinding radiance – it is said to be made of gold, or alternately studded with garnets and rubies[15]. The very air here feels charged with splendor. In this golden realm we meet Prophet Mūsā (Moses), his face illumined by divine light. The story of the Miʿrāj tells us that it was here Moses urged Muhammad ﷺ to ease the burden of fifty daily prayers and reduce them to five – a final act of concern for the community[16]. Though this conversation takes place beyond the visible feast of the heavens, the warmth in Moses’ greeting conveys his wisdom and humility. Golden pillars and lamps might line the sky, chanting angels keep perfect rhythm, and the very light tastes of assurance. One can almost hear a voice whispering: “Turn to prayer often; it is the believer’s true meeting with Allah.” This moment marks the covenant of ṣalāh (prayer), an everlasting gift earned in the courts of Paradise.
Finally, you pass into the seventh heaven, the loftiest and most mysterious realm. Unlike all beneath, it is described as being of divine light itself – beyond ordinary matter – or sometimes as made of emerald[17]. Here the brilliance is overwhelming: one tradition notes that Muhammad ﷺ at this point saw no night or dawn, only a single eternal light emanating from Allah’s Throne. In the center of this heaven stands Bayt al-Ma’mūr, the Oft-Frequented House. This heavenly Kaʿbah is a perfect mirror of earth’s Kaʿbah, built directly above it; if one were to fall, the one above would drop onto the one below[18]. Angels here perform tawāf incessantly: seventy thousand enter each day to circle it once, never returning again[4]. Leaning against the wall of this sacred structure sits the patriarch Ibrāhīm (Abraham) ﷺ, the founder of the Kaʿbah on earth[4]. He greets Muhammad ﷺ as a honored friend, reclining in worship. By some accounts he sends down a greeting to all Muslims: “Tell my nation that Paradise is beautiful and its soil is fertile.” Gazing around, one beholds an indescribable light – gold, emerald, pure nur – and above them, at the very edge of creation, looms the Sidrat al-Muntahā, the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary[17]. Its branches spread beyond sight; golden moths fall from its leaves[19].
All sounds fade in this seventh heaven except the tasbīḥ of throngs of angels and the heart’s own awe. Yet even here, the Prophet ﷺ hears a final gentle voice: the command of Allah to establish five daily prayers, mercy from the first command of fifty. (At this sacred altitude, Moses had reminded him of his people’s needs, and so the prayer was fixed at five, with the reward of fifty[16].) In that most exalted space Muhammad ﷺ was brought near the Divine Presence, hearing the names and decrees of all creation being written, and seeing sights that no eye has seen before[20].
Beyond the seventh heaven is no higher heaven; above it is the Throne of Allah Himself. As narrated, the Prophet ﷺ said that “above the seventh heaven is the Throne… between it and the heavens is a distance [like] between each two heavens”[21]. This final vision is beyond description – the culmination of the ascension. All that Muhammad ﷺ could do was fall in prostration.
Symbolic Reflections. The seven heavens are not just cosmic layers, but also mirrors of spiritual ascent. Each realm corresponds to a level of devotion and nearness to Allah. The Qur’an and Hadith remind us that these heavens are alive: “To Him belong all that is in the heavens and earth; all are obedient to Him”, and that “each thing in the heavens and earth prostrates to Allah”[22]. In Sufi thought, the Mi‘rāj journey is mirrored in the believer’s soul — rising through stations of love and knowledge towards the Divine Light. The procession through seven heavens thus symbolizes the believer’s own journey from earth (the lowest heaven) to the Throne.
Throughout this narrative, vivid imagery abounds: water and emerald, brass and silver, myriad lights and lamps, incense and hymns. These are not modern scientific descriptions but poetic metaphors rooted in tafsīr and traditions. They invite the listener to feel the grandeur and mystery of the universe Allah has fashioned. As you descend back to earth at the journey’s end, you carry with you the awareness that all creation is a mosque for Allah – each heaven a threshold of worship, each angel a worshipper[22]. The seven heavens, in their light and order, remind us that God’s dominion extends far beyond what we see, and that the journey of the heart towards Him is as boundless as the cosmos.
Sources: This narrative draws on Qur’anic descriptions of creation[2][5], Hadith and tafsīr accounts of the Isra’ and Mi‘rāj[23][24], and classical cosmological traditions (as compiled by scholars like Suyūṭī)[9][25], ensuring our portrayal is faithful to Islamic sources. Each heaven’s structure, inhabitants, and meaning have been drawn from these revealed and transmitted teachings to create an immersive, spiritually rich journey.
[1] File:Paris, BnF, Supplément Persan 1030 fol. 35v Muhammad visits Paradise.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
[2] [4] [7] [8] [18] [22] [23] The Universe as a "Mosque"
https://www.islamicity.org/5808/the-universe-as-a-mosque/
[3] [19] [20] [24] Full text of "[PDF] Tafsir Maariful Quran Surah 17 ﴾الإسراء﴿ Al-Isra' (English)"
[5] Commentary on the verse “And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower” - Islam Question & Answer
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/238949
[6] [9] [10] [11] [12] [14] [15] [17] [25] Seven heavens - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_heavens
[13] [16] Al-Isra’ wal-Mi‘raj: A Night That Changed the Course of Faith Forever| IQRA Network
https://iqranetwork.com/blog/al-isra-wal-miraj-a-night-that-changed-the-course-of-faith-forever/
[21] Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3298 - Chapters on Tafsir - كتاب تفسير القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:3298
![[1]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris,_BnF,_Suppl%C3%A9ment_Persan_1030_fol._35v_Muhammad_visits_Paradise.jpg#:~:text=Description%20Paris%2C%20BnF%2C%20Suppl%C3%A9ment%20Persan,jpg){kind=link}
Comments
Post a Comment