Question: What are the names of the rivers that the Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) passed by during the Isra’ (Night Journey)?
Answer: Alhamdulillah Was-Salatu Was-Salamu ‘Ala Rasoolillah Wa ‘Ala Aalihi Wa Sahbihi Ajma’een, Amma Ba’ad.
The rivers that the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) saw during Al-Isra wal-Mi’raj are four rivers: two visible rivers, which are the Nile and the Euphrates, and two hidden rivers in Paradise, and their names were not mentioned by the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam).
The two Shaikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) narrated from Malik bin Sa’sa’ah – and the wording is from Sahih Muslim – from the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) that he saw four rivers emerging from their source, two visible and two hidden. So I said: “O Jibril, what are these rivers?” He said: “As for the two hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise, and as for the two visible rivers, they are the Nile and the Euphrates.”
Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim: “Emerging from their source” refers to the source of Sidrat Al-Muntaha, as mentioned explicitly in Sahih Bukhari and elsewhere. Muqatil said: “The two hidden rivers are As-Salsabil and Al-Kawthar.” End quote.
It is proven from the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) that he mentioned Sayhan and Jeehan, and that they are two rivers of Paradise. However, they were not mentioned in the story of Al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj. Rather, they were mentioned in another hadith narrated by Imam Muslim from Abu Hurairah, who said that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Sayhan, Jeehan, the Nile, and the Euphrates are rivers of Paradise.”
Ibn Hajar said in Al-Fath Al-Bari, commenting on this hadith: “This does not contradict (the other Ahadith), because the meaning is that there are four rivers on earth whose source is from Paradise. At this point, it is not established that Sayhan and Jeehan spring from Sidrat Al-Muntaha as their source, thus the Nile and the Euphrates are distinguished (and virtuous) from them in this regard. And as for the two hidden rivers mentioned in the hadith of this chapter, they are other than Sayhan and Jeehan.” End quote.
[From Islamweb.net]
(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna. Dated: 28th November 2024.)
Saheehus-Seerah 