What the Prophet (ﷺ) Saw in Paradise and Hell on the Night of Mi'raj

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an, "Blessed is He who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid al-Haram to Al-Masjid al-Aqsa, the surroundings of which We have blessed, to show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing."

— (Surah Al-Isra, Ayah 1)

Mi'raj is a miraculous and extraordinary event, which holds immense significance in the history of Islam. Before the Hijrah, Allah (SWT) granted special honor to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through the journey of Mi'raj, where, during part of the night, he traveled from Makkah to Al-Bayt al-Muqaddas (Jerusalem) and then ascended through the seven heavens to the Throne (Arsh). During this Mi'raj journey, the Prophet (ﷺ) witnessed both Paradise and Hell.

Scenes of Paradise

During the Mi'raj, the Prophet (ﷺ) entered Paradise and saw numerous wonderful and joyous sights. He was shown both Paradise and Hell during this journey. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that the palaces of Paradise were made of pearls and its soil was musk.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 7517)

The Beauty of Paradise:

The Prophet (ﷺ) entered Paradise and saw blessings that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever imagined.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

The Inhabitants of Paradise:

He saw the inhabitants of Paradise living in peace in palaces made of gold and silver, with rivers of milk, honey, water, and sherbet flowing, and fruits coming to them automatically.

The Hoor al-Ayn and Bakhilan:

In Paradise, there are Hoor al-Ayn, beautiful maidens, and Bakhilan, young servants serving the inhabitants of Paradise.

Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) and the Children:

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.) caring for children in Paradise. This indicates that Muslim children who die at a young age will enter Paradise.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) met Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.), he conveyed his greetings to the Prophet’s Ummah. Ibrahim (A.S.) told him to inform the Ummah that the soil of Paradise is pure and fragrant, its water is sweet, and its land is fertile and even. Its trees are like the phrase: "SubhanAllah, walhamdulillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wallahu Akbar."

— (Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3462)

The Prophet (ﷺ) also described the physical appearance of Musa (A.S.) and Isa (A.S.), mentioning that he resembled Ibrahim (A.S.) in his stature.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 3394)

Scenes of Hell

During the Mi'raj, the Prophet (ﷺ) also saw Hell, which was terrifying, shocking, and a warning to all.

Punishment of the Disobedient:

He saw people who used to deal in usury, lie, gossip, or commit sins being punished in various horrifying ways. Some had their bodies cut, some had their mouths mutilated, and others were being scorched in the fire.

Punishment of Women:

He saw some women being punished who were disobedient, did not fulfill their husband's rights, gossiped, or wore indecent clothing.

In another narration from Jabir (R.A.), the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I saw a woman who had tied up a cat and did not feed it or set it free so it could eat insects. Eventually, the cat died from hunger."

— (Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 904)

He also saw a group of women being punished, with snakes biting their breasts. When asked what had happened to them, he was told that these women had prevented their children from breastfeeding.

— (Mustadrak Hakim, Hadith: 2837)

Scratching Faces with Copper Nails:

He saw people scratching their faces and chests with copper nails. Jibril (A.S.) explained that these were gossips, those who slandered others and ate people's flesh.

— (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith: 13340; Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith: 4878)

Lying:

The Prophet (ﷺ) also mentioned seeing a person lying on his back with a metal hook tearing his face and other parts of his body. Jibril (A.S.) explained that this person was one who spread lies that were harmful to others.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 7047)

The Fornicators:

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a furnace-like pit with naked men and women in it, screaming in pain as flames from below touched them. These were the fornicators, both men and women.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 7047)

The Usurer:

The Prophet (ﷺ) also saw a river like flowing blood, with a man swimming in it. On the riverbank was another person who would throw a stone into the mouth of the swimmer each time he returned after swimming. This was the punishment for those who engaged in usury.

— (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 7047)

Lessons from the Mi'raj

Through the Mi'raj, the Prophet (ﷺ) was shown the sights of Paradise and Hell to warn his Ummah. This serves as an important lesson for Muslims—obedience to Allah will lead to the reward of Paradise, while disobedience will result in the punishment of Hell.