Seventh Heaven
Encyclopedia
Seven Heavens is a part of religious cosmology
found in many major religions such as Islam
, Judaism
and Hinduism
and in some minor religions such as Hermeticism
and Gnosticism
. The Divine Throne
is said to be in or above the seventh heaven
in most Abrahamic religions
.
. Ancient astrologists could identify seven great heavenly objects and assumed each was floating in a separate heaven. The number 7 in Biblical
references symbolically represented perfect completion, as in the seven-day week
, the seven eyes and horns seen on the Lamb of God in The Book of Revelation
, and the seventh in the generations of Adam
: Lamech
who was completely wicked, and Enoch
who walked with God
. Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir
stated in his Tafsir
that the seven heavens contained the moon
, Mercury
, Venus
, the Sun
, Mars
, Jupiter
and Saturn
in that order, confirming the origin of the belief. The number also has a significance in Quranic numerology
.
, the universe is made of seven heavens (Shamayim
) as below:
The Jewish Merkavah and Heichalot literature was devoted to discussing the details of these heavens, sometimes in connection with traditions relating to Enoch, such as the Third Book of Enoch
.
The word "heaven" is used in the English translation
of the Arabic word سماء (Samaa'a). The plural is سماوت (Samaawat), cognate of Hebrew שמים (Shamaim), which translates as "sky
" in Modern Arabic.
and Hell
and the souls of the prophets exist. The seven heavens are part of Al-Ghayb
( The Unseen), the occult
or unseen universe in Islamic cosmology as opposed to Al-Shahadah ( The Seen), the universe we know. Some scholars have said that the original meaning of the Arabic word سماوت is the hypothetical multiverse
or "worlds of space and time" and not "sky" as is used in Modern Arabic.
Sunni sources record Muhammad visited each of the seven heavens on his Mi'raj. There he met Adam
, Īsā
and Yahya, Yusuf, Idris
(considered by most scholars to be Enoch
), Harun, Musa
and Ibrāhīm in the first to the seventh heaven in the mentioned order. He made the travels to ultimately meet God and The Divine Throne above the heavens.
mentions the existence of seven heavens:
from Imam Ali
mentions the name of the seven heavens as mentioned below:
According to the Puranas
and the Atharvaveda
there are fourteen worlds. There are the seven higher ones (the heavens), called the Vyahritis (Sanskrit
: व्याहृति)
The god Brahma
lives in the seventh heaven, Satya Loka.
The names of the seven lower ones (the underworld
s) called the Patalas
(Sanskrit
: पाताल) are:
Atala (अतल),
Vitala (वितल),
Sutala (सुतल),
Rasaatala (रसातल),
Talataala (तलातल),
Mahaatala (महातल),
Paataala
(पाताल) and
Naraka
(नरक i.e. Hell)
Religious cosmology
A Religious cosmology is a way of explaining the origin, the history and the evolution of the universe based on the religious mythology of a specific tradition...
found in many major religions such as Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and in some minor religions such as Hermeticism
Hermeticism
Hermeticism or the Western Hermetic Tradition is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus...
and Gnosticism
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
. The Divine Throne
Throne of God
The Throne of God is the reigning centre of the chief deity of the Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The throne is said by various holy books to reside above the Seventh Heaven called Araboth in Judaism.-Judaism:...
is said to be in or above the seventh heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
in most Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
.
Why seven?
It is believed that the origin of this myth goes back to astrologyAstrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
. Ancient astrologists could identify seven great heavenly objects and assumed each was floating in a separate heaven. The number 7 in Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
references symbolically represented perfect completion, as in the seven-day week
Seven-day week
The seven-day week is used by the majority of the world and is the international standard as specified in ISO 8601.- Origins :The origin of the seven-day week is the religious significance that was placed on the seventh day by ancient cultures, including the Babylonian civilization and the Jewish...
, the seven eyes and horns seen on the Lamb of God in The Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, and the seventh in the generations of Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
: Lamech
Lamech
Lamech is a character in the genealogies of Adam in the Book of Genesis. He is the sixth generation descendant of Cain ; his father was named Methusael, and he was responsible for the "Song of the Sword." He is also noted as the first polygamist mentioned in the Bible, taking two wives, Ada and...
who was completely wicked, and Enoch
Enoch (ancestor of Noah)
Enoch is a figure in the Generations of Adam. Enoch is described as Adam's greatx4 grandson , the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah...
who walked with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
stated in his Tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
that the seven heavens contained the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, Mercury
Mercury (planet)
Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
, Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
, the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
and Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
in that order, confirming the origin of the belief. The number also has a significance in Quranic numerology
Numerology
Numerology is any study of the purported mystical relationship between a count or measurement and life. It has many systems and traditions and beliefs...
.
Judaism
According to Jewish teachings in the TalmudTalmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, the universe is made of seven heavens (Shamayim
Shamayim
Shamayim is the Hebrew word for "heaven"-Heaven in the Old Testament:Shamayim comes from shameh, a root meaning to be lofty. It literally means the sky."Shamayim" is a crucial concept in the Bible...
) as below:
- Vilon (וילון), Also see also called "arafel" see Even-Shushan dictionary
- Raki'a (רקיע), Also see
- ShehaqimThird HeavenThe Third Heaven is a spiritual division of the universe within Judeo-Christian cosmology. In some traditions it is considered the abode of God, and in others a lower level of Paradise, commonly one of seven.-Hebrew Bible:...
(שחקים), See - ZebulZebulZebul , ruler of Shechem under AbimelechHe informed his master of the intention of the people of Shechem to transfer their allegiance to the Hivite tribe of Hamor. This led to Abimelech's destroying the city, when he put its entire population to the sword, and sowed the ruins with salt.Another...
(זבול), See - Ma'on (מעון), See
- Machon (מכון), See
- Araboth (ערבות), The seventh Heaven where ofanim, the seraphim, and the hayyoth and the throne of the LordThrone of GodThe Throne of God is the reigning centre of the chief deity of the Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The throne is said by various holy books to reside above the Seventh Heaven called Araboth in Judaism.-Judaism:...
are located.
The Jewish Merkavah and Heichalot literature was devoted to discussing the details of these heavens, sometimes in connection with traditions relating to Enoch, such as the Third Book of Enoch
3 Enoch
3 Enoch is an Old Testament Apocryphal book. 3 Enoch purports to have been written in the 2nd century CE, but its origins can only be traced to the 5th century...
.
Islam
- Not to be confused with HeavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
i.e. ParadiseParadiseParadise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
The word "heaven" is used in the English translation
English translations of the Quran
-Early translations:The earliest known translation of the Qur'an into the English Language was The Alcoran of Mahomet in 1649 by Alexander Ross, chaplain to King Charles I. This, however, was a translation of the French work L'Alcoran de Mahomet by the Sieur du Ryer, Lord of Malezair...
of the Arabic word سماء (Samaa'a). The plural is سماوت (Samaawat), cognate of Hebrew שמים (Shamaim), which translates as "sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
" in Modern Arabic.
General Belief
The seven heavens are the seven layered realms of the spiritual upper world where generally angels and other spiritual beings such as ParadiseParadise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
and Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
and the souls of the prophets exist. The seven heavens are part of Al-Ghayb
Ghaib
In Islamic context, Ghaib is unseen and unknown, in reference to Allah and the forces that shape the world. The Qur'an states that man is unable to see Allah and his attributes. Belief in al-Ghaib is considered an important Muslim characteristic, as it allows for prayer and faith....
( The Unseen), the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
or unseen universe in Islamic cosmology as opposed to Al-Shahadah ( The Seen), the universe we know. Some scholars have said that the original meaning of the Arabic word سماوت is the hypothetical multiverse
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
or "worlds of space and time" and not "sky" as is used in Modern Arabic.
Sunni sources record Muhammad visited each of the seven heavens on his Mi'raj. There he met Adam
Islamic view of Adam
Adam is one of the most important figures in the history of the Islamic faith, as he is believed by most Muslims to have been the first human being and the first prophet. Adam's role as the father of the human race is looked upon by Muslims with reverence, who also venerate his wife, Eve, as the...
, Īsā
Islamic view of Jesus
In Islam, Jesus is considered to be a Messenger of God and the Masih who was sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture, the Injīl or Gospel. The belief in Jesus is required in Islam, and a requirement of being a Muslim. The Qur'an mentions Jesus twenty-five times, more often, by...
and Yahya, Yusuf, Idris
Idris (prophet)
Idris‘ is an Islamic prophet mentioned in the Qur'an whom the Qur'an says was exalted by God to a high station in life. Although Idris is, at times, identified with the Biblical Enoch, the true Biblical identity of Idris remains uncertain...
(considered by most scholars to be Enoch
Enoch (ancestor of Noah)
Enoch is a figure in the Generations of Adam. Enoch is described as Adam's greatx4 grandson , the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and the great-grandfather of Noah...
), Harun, Musa
Islamic view of Moses
Musa , known as Moses in the Old Testament, is considered an Islamic prophet, messenger, lawgiver and leader in Islam. Moses is mentioned more in the Quran than any other individual, and his life is narrated and recounted more than that any other prophet...
and Ibrāhīm in the first to the seventh heaven in the mentioned order. He made the travels to ultimately meet God and The Divine Throne above the heavens.
Seven Heavens in the Qur'an
The Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
mentions the existence of seven heavens:
- See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, and made the moon a light in their midst, and made the Sun a Lamp?(71:15-16)
- Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is able to do all things. Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving; Who has created the seven heavens one above another; you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious.(67:1-3)
Names of Seven Heavens
According to Shi'ite sources, a hadithHadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
from Imam Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
mentions the name of the seven heavens as mentioned below:
- Rafi' (رفیع), the lowest heaven (السماء الدنیا)
- Qaydum (قیدوم)
- Marum (ماروم)
- Arfalun (أرفلون)
- Hay'oun (هيعون)
- Arous (عروس)
- Ajma' (عجماء)
Hinduism
Hinduism also has the concept of seven heavens.According to the Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
and the Atharvaveda
Atharvaveda
The Atharvaveda is a sacred text of Hinduism and one of the four Vedas, often called the "fourth Veda"....
there are fourteen worlds. There are the seven higher ones (the heavens), called the Vyahritis (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: व्याहृति)
- Bhoor-Loka (भूर्लोक i.e. the Earth)
- Bhuvar-Loka (भुवर्लोक)
- Svar-Loka (स्वर्लोक)
- Mahar-Loka (महर्लोक)
- Jana-Loka (जनलोक)
- Tapa-Loka (तपलोक)
- Satya-loka (सत्यलोक)
The god Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
lives in the seventh heaven, Satya Loka.
The names of the seven lower ones (the underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
s) called the Patalas
Patala
Patala is a town and a nagar panchayat in Ghaziabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Patala had a population of 9730. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Patala has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of...
(Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: पाताल) are:
Atala (अतल),
Vitala (वितल),
Sutala (सुतल),
Rasaatala (रसातल),
Talataala (तलातल),
Mahaatala (महातल),
Paataala
Patala
Patala is a town and a nagar panchayat in Ghaziabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Patala had a population of 9730. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Patala has an average literacy rate of 61%, higher than the national average of...
(पाताल) and
Naraka
Naraka
Naraka is the Sanskrit word for the underworld; literally, of man. According to Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism, Naraka is a place of torment, or Hell...
(नरक i.e. Hell)
seven level underworlds
- Naraka (Jainism)Naraka (Jainism)Naraka नरक is the name given to realm of existence in Jain cosmology having great suffering. Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell" or "purgatory". However, a Naraka differs from the hells of Abrahamic religions as souls are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and...
- Inanna visited sumerian 7 gated underworld.
See also
- Hierarchy of angelsHierarchy of angelsThe most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was that put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 4th or 5th century in his book De Coelesti Hierarchia . During the Middle Ages, many schemes were proposed, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius, others suggesting completely...
- Jewish angelic hierarchyJewish angelic hierarchyMaimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest:- Kabbalistic angelic hierarchy :...
- EmpyreanEmpyreanEmpyrean, from the Medieval Latin empyreus, an adaptation of the Ancient Greek ἔμπυρος empyrus "in or on the fire ", properly Empyrean Heaven, is the place in the highest heaven, which in ancient cosmologies was supposed to be occupied by the element of fire .-Use in literature:The Empyrean was...
- Hermetism and other religionsHermetism and other religionsThis is a comparative religion article which outlines both similarities between Hermetism, Hermeticism, and other thought systems as well as their interactions between one another.- Christianity :...