Sidrat al-Muntaha
Encyclopedia
Sidrat al-Muntahā is a Lote tree
that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass, according to Islamic beliefs. On the 27th of Rajab
during the Isra and Mi'raj
, Muhammad
, being the only one allowed, travelled with the archangel
Gabriel
to the Sidrat al-Muntaha where it is said that God assigned the five daily prayers
to all Muslims (El-Sayed El-Aswad 84). According to Twelver Shi'a belief, only the Fourteen Infallibles
can go into the Sidrat al-Muntaha. This view is not shared by the rest of the Muslims.
In the Bahá'í Faith
, the Sidrat al-Muntahā (usually transcribed as "Sadratu'l-Muntahá" in Bahá'í writings; see Bahá'í orthography
) is a metaphor for the Manifestation of God
.
Lote tree
The Lote Tree is an Islamic metaphor concerning the uppermost boundary in knowledge a human being can possess concerning Allah.-Quran sources:...
that marks the end of the seventh heaven, the boundary where no creation can pass, according to Islamic beliefs. On the 27th of Rajab
Rajab
Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. The lexical definition of Rajaba is "to respect", of which Rajab is a derivative.This month is regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which battles are prohibited...
during the Isra and Mi'raj
Isra and Mi'raj
The Isra and Mi'raj , are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islamic tradition, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621. It has been described as both a physical and spiritual journey...
, Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, being the only one allowed, travelled with the archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
Gabriel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
to the Sidrat al-Muntaha where it is said that God assigned the five daily prayers
Salat
Salah is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta'lī Ismailis...
to all Muslims (El-Sayed El-Aswad 84). According to Twelver Shi'a belief, only the Fourteen Infallibles
The Fourteen Infallibles
The Fourteen Infallibles are Twelver Shī‘ah Islam religious figures from between the 6th and 9th century whom Twelvers believe are infallible, i.e. "divinely bestowed [with] freedom from error and sin". This quality of infallibility is known as Ismah...
can go into the Sidrat al-Muntaha. This view is not shared by the rest of the Muslims.
In the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
, the Sidrat al-Muntahā (usually transcribed as "Sadratu'l-Muntahá" in Bahá'í writings; see Bahá'í orthography
Bahá'í orthography
Bahá'í orthography refers to the standardized system of orthography when rendering Persian or Arabic words into English in the literature of the Bahá'í Faith...
) is a metaphor for the Manifestation of God
Manifestation of God
The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called prophets. The Manifestations of God are a series of personages who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization...
.
Further reading
- Lambden, Stephen. (2009). The Sidrah (Lote-Tree) and the Sidrat al-Muntaha (Lote-Tree of the Extremity): Some Apects of their Islamic and Bābī-Bahā'ī Intepretations.