Al-Mi‘raj of Mustafa ﷺ (Part 7): The Third Heaven — The Perfection of Yusuf’s Beauty and the Meeting with the Angel of Death

Honoured readers! In this blessed Mi‘raj series of 2026, we have now reached a station where beauty itself reaches its limit.

After gathering the divine manifestations of the Second Heaven, the Bridegroom of the Universe ﷺ now enters the sacred boundaries of the Third Heaven (Al-Ma’dhūn) — a heaven described by the scholars as shining like pure ruby, filled with mysteries that unveil Allah’s unmatched power and wisdom.

Here, beauty is no longer a metaphor. Here, beauty stands in person.

1. Sayyiduna Yusuf عليه السلام — Half of the Beauty of the Universe

Awaiting the arrival of the Beloved Prophet ﷺ in the Third Heaven was Sayyiduna Yusuf عليه السلام, the embodiment of physical beauty in creation.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Explanation by Imam Ahmad Raza Khan (A‘la Hazrat)

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمه الله explains this Hadith in Fatawa Razawiyyah with profound insight:

• Allah divided the beauty of the entire universe into two portions.
• One complete portion was bestowed entirely upon Muhammad ﷺ.
• From the remaining portion, half was granted to Yusuf عليه السلام, and the rest was distributed among the beauty of all creation.

This explanation safeguards the supremacy of the beauty of the Prophet ﷺ, a belief firmly rooted in Ahl-e-Sunnah creed.

This couplet is not poetry alone — it is aqeedah wrapped in verse.

2. The Meeting with Malak-ul-Maut (Sayyiduna ‘Azra’eel عليه السلام)

Renowned scholars of Seerah and Hadith — including Imam Jalal-ud-Din As-Suyuti in Al-Khasa’is al-Kubra — mention that during this heavenly ascent, the Prophet ﷺ was granted a meeting with Malak-ul-Maut, the Angel of Death.

The Vision

The Prophet ﷺ saw a majestic angel before whom the entire world appeared like a dining spread, and in whose presence was a register of divine command.

The Dialogue

When the Beloved Prophet ﷺ asked about his Ummah, the Angel replied with humility:

This moment reframes death — not as terror — but as a merciful transition for believers, by the honour of Muhammad ﷺ.

3. The Immense Congregation of Angels

In the Third Heaven, the Prophet ﷺ witnessed uncountable multitudes of angels, whose numbers are known only to Allah.

Clarification: While Bayt al-Ma‘mūr (the Ka‘bah of the angels) is in the Seventh Heaven, the Third Heaven also contains a grand celestial sanctuary, where angels stand in disciplined rows, immersed in worship.

Their Tasbih

These words echoed across the heaven like waves of light.

4. Ṣarīf al-Aqlām — The Sound of the Pens of Destiny

At this elevated station, the Prophet ﷺ heard something extraordinary: the sound of pens writing decrees — known in Hadith as Ṣarīf al-Aqlām.

Scholarly Insight

Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمهم الله state that this vision proves:

1. The Mi‘raj was physical and conscious.
2. The Prophet ﷺ was shown administrative secrets of divine governance.
3. Qadr (Destiny) is active, precise, and constantly unfolding.

This was not symbolic — it was direct witnessing.

5. The Defense of Ahl-e-Sunnah by the Four Imams

According to the scholars of Ahl-e-Sunnah, the meeting with Sayyiduna Yusuf عليه السلام was not merely an encounter of beauty — it was a prophetic parallel.

Just as Yusuf عليه السلام forgave his brothers saying:

So too, Muhammad ﷺ would later forgive his enemies at the Conquest of Makkah, transforming Yusufi forgiveness into Mustafawi mercy. This is why the scholars say: Kamal-e-Yusufi culminated in Kamal-e-Mustafawi.

---

Trust Signal: All references in this article are taken from authentic Ahl-e-Sunnah sources including Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, classical scholars, and Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمه الله.