At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, Gabriel, peace be upon him, stopped accompanying the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, because he couldn’t approach any further. Our master Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “If I advanced, I would burn, and if you advanced, you would pierce through!”
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ascended to the highest assembly and rose and ascended to the highest heavenly kingdom. In this unique divine journey, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, witnessed some amazing scenes, among them: The Amazing Bull! And the Sea of Blood!
The Amazing Bull:
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, witnessed in his journey: a small hole from which a bull emerges, growing bigger and bigger and bigger, running everywhere, then trying to return and enter the hole but unable to. So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked our master Gabriel about this bull. Gabriel, peace be upon him, answered him and said: “This bull is like the small word a human says, which spreads and fills the world, and if the human tries to take it back, he is unable.”
A Noble Hadith of the Messenger Prohibiting Speaking Evil:
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said about this: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.” The Messenger of Allah spoke the truth. From Mu’adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, it is said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, will we be punished, meaning will we be punished and held accountable for what we speak?’ So he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: ‘Are people thrown on their faces into the Fire except for the harvests of their tongues?’ Meaning will people be thrown into the Fire except for what they say with their tongues.”
The Sea of Blood:
In the journey of Isra and Mi’raj also, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, witnessed some people swimming in a sea of blood and eating stones. He asked about them! Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to him: “These are those who in the world gave people money with interest, and interest means increase. For example, one gives a person 10 riyals and takes from him 12 or 15 riyals, and this is forbidden.”
Sincerity in Work:
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “The first person to be judged on the Day of Resurrection is a man who was martyred. He was brought, meaning Allah brought him, so He made him recognize His blessings, and he recognized them. He said: meaning Allah said to him: ‘What did you do with them?’ He said: meaning this man: ‘I fought in Your path until I was martyred.’ He said: meaning Allah said to him: ‘You lie. But you fought so it would be said: brave, and it was said.’ Then he was ordered, so he was dragged on his face until he was thrown into the Fire.
And a man who learned knowledge, taught it, and read the Quran. He was brought, meaning Allah brought him, so He made him recognize His blessings, and he recognized them. He said: meaning Allah said to him: ‘What did you do with them?’ He said: meaning the man: ‘I learned knowledge, taught it, and read the Quran for You.’ Allah said: ‘You lie. But you learned knowledge so it would be said: scholar, and you read the Quran so it would be said: reciter, and it was said.’ Then he was ordered, so he was dragged on his face until he was thrown into the Fire.
And a man whom Allah expanded for and gave him from all types of wealth. He was brought, so He made him recognize His blessings, and he recognized them. He said: ‘What did you do with them?’ He said: ‘I didn’t leave any path that You love to be spent in except that I spent in it for You.’ He said: meaning Allah: ‘You lie. But you did it so it would be said: generous, and it was said.’ Then he was ordered, so he was dragged on his face until he was thrown into the Fire.
Why These Were Thrown into the Fire:
All of these were thrown into the Fire because Allah, glorified and exalted is He, accepts no deeds except those sincere for His face, glorified and exalted is He. Among the moralities of Islam is sincerity in work. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said about this: “He has succeeded who has made his heart sincere for faith.” The Messenger of Allah spoke the truth.