for they do not know of her what we have mentioned. They say, “We saw the Garden, the Fire, and the Resurrection,” mentioning the vision they saw. How far is one abode from the other, and one breadth from the other!
What they saw is this world’s state as God created her: good, obedience, justice in ruling, sincere counsel, exhortation, and reminder. It is known that the Resurrection does not exist now. When seen in worldly life, it is only this world’s resurrection, garden, and fire.
The Garden and Fire came as servants of this world. He, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, “I saw the Garden and Fire across the face of the wall.” During the eclipse prayer he was seen advancing toward his direction of prayer, then withdrawing a great distance, and extending his hand when advancing. When asked about this, [he said], “I saw the Fire when you saw me withdraw, fearing its scorching might strike me. I saw the Garden when I advanced and when I extended my hand to pluck a cluster from it. Had I brought it out to you, you would have eaten from it as long as I remained.” He mentioned seeing in the Fire the woman of the cat and ʿAmr ibn Luhayy, who set votive animals loose.
All this occurred while he prayed, awake. He did not say, “I saw the Hereafter,” or “the Hereafter’s Garden” or its Fire. He said, “Across the face of this wall,” and the wall belongs to this world.
For this reason he, peace be upon him, said, “The Garden was represented to me” across the face of the wall. He did not say “it itself.” He said, “I saw the Garden,” without adding an ascription, and mentioned representation. A thing’s representation is not the thing itself but its likeness. He said, “It was represented to me,” as He said concerning Gabriel, peace be upon him, “He appeared
Notes
Translator’s note TN4155-1: The unvocalized baqīt is read baqītu, “I remained.” Readings such as “it remained” are also possible; no explicit subject noun such as “the world” is supplied in the text.
Translator’s note TN4155-2: The source states both the distinction between a representation and the thing itself and the following identification of the represented Gabriel. The reported vision is left within that argument. The votive animals set loose render sawāʾib.
