The Messenger of God Before the Throne

'The messenger of God shall go to collect all the prophets, to whom he shall speak, praying them to go with him to pray God for the faithful. And every one shall excuse himself for fear; nor, as God liveth, would I go there, knowing what I know. Then God, seeing this, shall remind his messenger how he created all things for love of him, and so his fear shall leave him, and he shall go nigh unto the throne with love and reverence, while the angels sing: "Blessed be thy holy name, O God, our God."'

'And when he hath drawn nigh unto the throne, God shall open [his mind] unto his messenger, even as a friend unto a friend when for a long while they have not met. The first to speak shall be the messenger of God, who shall say: "I adore and love thee, O my God, and with all my heart and soul I give thee thanks for that thou didst vouchsafe to create me to be thy servant, and madest all for love of me, so that I might love thee for all things and in all things and above all things; therefore let all thy creatures praise thee, O my God." Then all things created by God shall say: "We give thee thanks, O Lord, and bless thy holy name." Verily I say unto you, the demons and reprobates with Satan shall then weep so that more water shall flow from the eyes of one of them than is in the river of Jordan. Yet shall they not see God.'

'And God shall speak unto his messenger, saying: "Thou art welcome, O my faithful servant; therefore ask what thou wilt, for thou shalt obtain all." The messenger of God shall answer, "O Lord, I remember that when thou didst create me, thou saidst that thou hadst willed to make for love of me the world and paradise, and angels and men, that they might glorify thee by me thy servant. Therefore, Lord God, merciful and just, I pray thee that thou recollect thy promise made unto thy servant."'

'And God shall make answer even as a friend who jesteth with a friend, and shall say: "Hast thou witnesses of this, my friend Mohammed?" And with reverence he shall say: "Yes, Lord." Then God shall answer: "Go, call them, O Gabriel." The angel Gabriel shall come to the messenger of God, and shall say: "Lord, who are thy witnesses?" The messenger of God shall answer: "They are Adam, Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, David, and Jesus son of Mary."'

'Then shall the angel depart, and he shall call the aforesaid witnesses, who with fear shall go thither. And when they are present God shall say unto them: "Remember ye that which my messenger affirmeth?" They shall reply: "What thing, O Lord?" God shall say: "That I have made all things for love of him, so that all things might praise me by him." Then every one of them shall answer: "There are with us three witnesses better than we are, O Lord." And God shall reply: "Who are these three witnesses?" Then Moses shall say "The book that thou gavest to me is the first"; and David shall say: "The book that thou gavest to me is the second"; and he who speaketh to you shall say: "Lord, the whole world, deceived by Satan, said that I was thy son and thy fellow, but the book that thou gavest me said truly that I am thy servant; and that book confesseth that which thy messenger affirmeth." Then shall the messenger of God speak, and shall say: "Thus saith the book that thou gavest me, O Lord." And when the messenger of God hath said this, God shall speak, saying: "All that I have now done, I have done in order that every one should know how much I love thee." And when he hath thus spoken, God shall give unto his messenger a book, in which are written all the names of the elect of God. Wherefore every creature shall do reverence to God, saying: "To thee alone, O God, be glory and honour, because thou hast given us to thy messenger."'