How did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) see the conditions of the people of Paradise and the Fire on the night of the Isra, when the Hour has not yet risen and no reward or reckoning has taken place?

The questioner : The questioner asks: How did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) see the conditions of the people of Paradise and the Fire on the night of the Isra, when the Hour has not yet risen and no reward or reckoning has taken place?

The Shaykh : We say that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of this, and that he saw Paradise and the Fire, and he saw groups of people being punished and groups of people being granted blessings. And Allah knows best the manner of that, because matters of the unseen are not perceived by the senses. So when such matters come to us, it is obligatory for us to believe in them as they are reported, and not to engage in seeking the manner of them, nor to ask why, because our minds are too short and low to comprehend this matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of matters that cannot be grasped by the intellect. He (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, every night, and He says: It is known now that the third of the night rotates around the Earth, so when it moves from one side, it settles on another side. You might say, how is that? We say to you: you must believe in what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed you of, and do not say "how," because your mind is too low and short to encompass such unseen matters. It is upon us to submit and not say "how" or "why." For this reason, some scholars mentioned a concise and beneficial phrase, saying: "Say what Allah has commanded, and do not say why Allah commanded it". This is reasonable. "Say what Allah has commanded, and do not say why Allah commanded it". Because if you say "what Allah has commanded," you are asking about the commanded thing in order to do it. But if you say "why," it means you may be being difficult, asking about the wisdom if it becomes apparent to you, or otherwise you are being arrogant. And the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), when she was asked: she said: "Indeed, prayer is repeated every day, and there is hardship in making it up for the menstruating woman, whereas fasting does not come in the year except once, and it is easy for her to make it up." So Aisha said this. What did she say? She said: . What is the wisdom? The wisdom is that this is the Shari'ah, it is the command of Allah and His Messenger. So if we know that this is the command of Allah and His Messenger, then we know with certainty that it is based on wisdom.