Tāne Mahuta: separator of heaven and earth

The Waipoua forest can be enjoyed by day or night. For a truly magical
experience, stay overnight in Hokianga and join the night tour. Photo
credit: Mitsuro Aoyagi
From Te Kore (the great void where nothing existed) and Te Pō (the
perpetual night of darkness) comes the Māori story of creation.
In this darkness, imprisoned between their parents who were locked in
a never-ending embrace, lived the children of the gods - Ranginui 'sky
father' and Papatuanuku 'earth mother'.
The love between Ranginui and Papatuanuku was so immense that they
could not bear to be apart. Yet, by clinging to each other,the parents
were also keeping their six childrenfrom the light.
That was until one day when, as Ranginui stirred, a single beam of
light shone from Papatuanuku's armpit onto her children. Amazed by
this radiance, the children yearned to free themselves and enter the
world of light. So the children began to work on breaking the embrace
that had kept their universe dark for solong. But their parents' love
was strong and theirefforts were fruitless.
Then the mighty Tāne Mahuta (god of the forest) lay on his back and
dug his shoulders deep into his mother's body. With his legs, Tāne
pushed against his fatherand, with all the strengthhe could summon,
attempted to let light into the world.
Ignoring his mother's cries to stop, Tāne pushed even harder and the
bond between his parents began to tear. Drawing on his very last
reserves, Tāne fully extended his powerful legs, forcing Ranginui to
the heavens and floodingthe world with bright light. Today, when
Ranginui's tears fall from the sky as rain onto his beloved
Papatuanuku, it is a reminder of his grief and longing for her.
Papatuanuku's pain is visible in the red ochre clays of the earth,
still stained by the blood drawn during the separation.
Tāne Mahuta - lord of theforest
The greatest legacy of this legend is the mighty 'lord of the forest'
Tāne Mahuta standing victorious in Waipoua forest, with his shoulders
still pushed hard against his 'mother earth' and hisfeet stretched
high towards the heavens of his 'sky father'. Tāne Mahuta, one of the
oldestand largest trees in the world at 51m high and with a girth of
13.8 metres, stands in the great Waipoua kauri forest that is home to
three quarters of New Zealand's kauri trees.
Waipoua forest is in the Hokianga region on Northland's west coast.
Tāne Mahuta is a short walk from the Waipoua forest carpark on State
Highway 12.
Local tourism operator Footprints Waipoua offers guided evening tours
interpreting the forest and Māori legends under cover of darkness.
Tāne Mahuta is a giant kauri tree (Agathis australis) in the Waipoua
Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand. Its age is unknown but is
estimated to be between 1,250 and 2,500 years old. It is the largest
kauri known to stand today. ItsMāori name means "Lord of the Forest"
(see Tāne), from the name of a god in the Māori pantheon.
The tree is a remnant of the ancient subtropical rainforest that once
grewon the North Auckland Peninsula. Other giant kauri are found
nearby, notably Te Matua Ngahere. Tāne Mahuta is the most famous tree
in New Zealand, along with Te Matua Ngahere. It is thought it was
discovered (by Westerners, as it was already known to Maori) and
identified in the 1920s when contractors surveyed the present State
Highway 12 route through the forest. In 1928 Nicholas Yakas and other
bushmen, who were building the road, also identified the tree.

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Reconciling between the reports that Jibreel, Adam and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) sawParadise, and the hadeeth “… that which no eye has seen…”

It is well known that in Paradise there is that which no eye has seen
and no ear has heard, but wasn't Adam in Paradise? Didn't the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enter Paradise too?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Allaah
says: 'I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has
seen, no ear has heard and it has never crossed the mind of man. All
of that is reserved, besides which all that you have known is as
nothing.' Then he recited: 'No person knows what is kept hidden for
them of joy as a reward for whatthey used to do' [al-Sajdah 32:17 –
interpretation of the meaning]."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3072) and Muslim (2824) -- the report
narrated by Muslim adds:"apart from that of which Allaah has informed
you."
Secondly:
With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
seeing Paradise and entering it, that is proven in many hadeeths. Imam
al-Bukhaari, in his book al-Sharee'ah, quoted some of these hadeeths
under the chapter heading Baab Dukhool al-Nabi (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) al-Jannah (The Prophet'sentering Paradise) in which he
narrated several hadeeths, including the following:
It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whilst I was walking in Paradise, I
saw a river whose bankswere domes of hollow pearls." I said, "What is
this, O Jibreel?" He said: "This is al-Kawthar which your Lord has
given to you." The angel struck it with his hand and its mud or its
perfume was of the mostfragrant (or pure) musk.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6201).
According to another report: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) was taken up to heaven (the Mi'raaj), [he said:] I
came to a river whose banks …
According to a version narrated in Musnad Ahmad (19/66): "I entered
Paradise and saw a river whose bankswere pavilions of pearls."
Thirdly:
With regard to the issue mentioned by the questioner, it may be said:
This that has been prepared in Paradise for the righteous slaves of
Allah has not been seen by anyone, as it states in the texts. As for
what Adam and our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon them) saw, it was only part of in Paradise because Paradise, "in
which there is that which no eye has seen" is not necessarily that
which no one has ever seen. Rather it may be that there are in it
things that some eyes have seen, even though there is in it that which
is stored up and hidden, no eye has seen it and no ear has heard, and
noone can imagine it or describe it.
Perhaps the above meaning is supported bythe hadeeth of al-Mugheerah
ibn Shu'bah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "Moosa asked his Lord: 'Who will be the
lowest of the people of Paradise in status?' He said: 'He will be a
man who will come after I have admitted the people of Paradise to
Paradise and it will be said to him: "Enter Paradise." He will say: "O
Lord, how, when the people have taken their places and been given
their portions?" It will besaid to him: "Would it please you if you
had the like of what one of the kings of the world had?" He will say:
"I would be pleased, O Lord." He will say, "You will have that, and as
much again, and as much again, and as much again, and as much again."
The fifth time, he will say, "I am pleased, O Lord." He will say: "You
will have that and ten times as much, and you will have what your
heart desires and what will delight your eyes." He will say: "I am
pleased, O Lord."' (Moosa) said: 'My Lord, who will be the highest of
them in status?' He said, 'They will be the ones whom I have chosen,
and I have planted their honour with My own hand. I have set a seal
over it and no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered the
heart of man.'" He said: And the confirmation thereof is in the Book
of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted: "No person knows what is
kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do"
[al-Sajdah 32:17].
Narrated by Muslim, 189.
It is as if those who are highest in status are those who have the
greatest share of this hidden treasure and blessing that no eye has
seen and no mind has imagined.
And Allah knows best.

Does the squeezing in the grave apply to the Prophets (peace be uponthem)?

I read a hadeeth according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "In the grave there is squeezing; and if
anyone were to be saved from it, Sa'd ibn Mu'aadh would have been
saved from it." Does this squeezing affect everybody, including the
Prophets, the righteous, the martyrs and the siddeeqs? Is there any
way to be protected from it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 131627 we spoke of the squeezing of the
grave and quoted the hadeeths that have been narrated concerning that,
and discussed some of the issues surrounding it. Please refer to this
question.
One of the things we didnot discuss there is the question that is
asked here: does the squeezingin the grave affect the Prophets?
The answer to that is that there was nothing proven concerning that in
the texts of Revelation, but we have come across comments of many
scholars saying that the Prophets will beexempted from squeezing. This
opinion is based on the view those who say that the severity of the
squeezingin the grave will vary according to the individual's level of
sin. The Prophets are protected against major sins and are protected
against persisting in minor sins, so they will not be affected by the
squeezing or questioning in the grave.
As-Suyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) quoted a hadeeth about the
grave squeezing Yahya (peace be upon him), but this hadeeth is weak
and there is a problem with its isnaad. The well-known view is that
the Prophets will not experience this squeezing.
End quote from Sharh as-Sudoor bi Sharh Haal al-Mawta wa'l-Quboor, p. 114
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:The reports indicate
thatno one will be spared the squeezing in the grave, whether one is
righteous or otherwise, but the Prophets are exempted, as was stated
by the author – i.e., as-Suyooti – in al-Khasaa'is.
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 5/434
He also said: But al-Hakeem – i.e., al-Hakeem al-Tirmidhi – made an
exception in the case of the Prophets and awliya' (close friends of
Allah) and wasof the opinion that they will not be squeezed or
questioned.
My opinion is that the exemption in the case ofthe Prophets is
obvious. With regard to the awliya' it cannot be true.Have you not
seen the high status of Sad ibn Mu'aadh, and he was squeezed
nevertheless?
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 5/398
Shaykh Ahmad an-Nafraawi al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: With regard to the Prophets, some of them said: it is not known
that the Prophets will be squeezed or questioned in their graves
because they are protected from sin.
End quote from al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani,2/688
Sulaymaan al-Bujayrimi ash-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:With regard to the squeezing of the grave, it applies to everyone
who dies even if he is not accountable and no one is saved from it
except the Prophets and Faatimah bint Asad.
End quote from Tuhfat al-Habeeb 'ala Sharh al-Khateeb, 2/586
There is no proof for the exemption of Faatimah bint Qays in the
Sunnah; rather the suggestion that she is exempted is based on a
fabricated or very weak hadeeth that was quoted by Ibn Shabbah in his
book Tareekh al-Madinah, 1/124. The isnaad of the hadeeth includes
some unknown narrators, among whom is 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn
al-Miswar ibn Makhramah, of whom Ibn Hibbaan (may Allah have mercy on
him) said:He made a lot of mistakes in narration and he even narrated
from trustworthy narrators things that do not resemble proven
hadeeths. Therefore he deserves to be rejected.
End quote from al-Majrooheen, 2/27
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez al-Raajihi (may Allah preserve him) said: With
regard to the Prophets, we do not know whether they are squeezed in
their graves.
End quote from Sharh al-'Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 307
So it seems that the squeezing of the grave includes the martyrs,
righteous and awliya', but it does not include the Prophets.
And Allah knows best.

Will the meezaan on theDay of Resurrection havea pointer?

Is there any evidence to say that the meezan (thescale)on the day of
resurrection will have a lisaan (tongue)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The meezaan (balance) which will weigh people's deeds on the Day of
Resurrection is proven in the Qur'aan and mutawaatir Sunnah.With
regard to its description, it is proven that it will have two pans, in
which good deeds and bad deeds will be placed, as it says in the
well-known hadeeth about the one with the piece of paper. Some
scholars said that the meezaan will have a pointer, and there is a
report concerning that from Ibn 'Abbaas and al-Hasan al-Basri, but
there is no saheeh, marfoo' hadeeth concerning that.
Shaykh Saalih ibn 'Abd al-Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh (may Allah preserve
him)said: It is narrated in the Sunnah that the meezaan will have two
pans, one in which bad deeds will be placed andone in which good deeds
will be placed; theone whose pan of good deeds weighs more heavily
will have attained success and willenter Paradise, and the one whose
pan of bad deeds weighs more heavily will be subject tothat which
Allah warned him of.
Some of the scholars said that part of the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah
isthat the meezaan will have two pans and a pointer.
The idea of the meezaanhaving a pointer was mentioned by Ibn Qudaamah
in al-Lam'ah and by others, but there is no clear evidence for this,
or I have not come across any clear evidence for it. Rather they based
this idea on the fact that the pointer will indicate which pan is
heavier, so they looked at the apparent meaning of the words and took
that as proof that it has a pointer, but the matter requires more
research.
End quote from Sharh al-'Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah
The wording of Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) referred to
appears in Lam'at al-I'tiqaad, wherehe says: The meezaan has two pans
and a pointer, and deeds are weighed in it. "Then, those whose scales
(of good deeds) are heavy, -these, they are the successful. And those
whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they arethose who lose their
ownselves, in Hell will they abide." [al-Mu'minoon 23:102, 103]. End
quote.
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq ibn 'Abd al-Muhsin al-'Abbaas (may Allah
preserve him) said: Al-meezaan: part of believing in the Last Day is
believing in the meezaan that will be set up on the Day of
Resurrection: "And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of
Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. Andif
there be the weight ofa mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient
are We as Reckoners." [al-Anbiya' 21:47]. So deeds, records and people
will be weighed. It is a real meezaan which has two pans. In one pan
good deeds willbe placed and in the other bad deeds will be placed.
That is referred to the hadeeth of the piece of paper, which mentions
the two pans, as it says: "The piece of paper will be placed in one
pan and the scrolls in the other." In some reports it says: "It has a
pointer and two pans." This was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah
be pleased with him) and was quoted by Abu'sh-Shaykh via al-Kalbi. It
was also narrated from al-Hasan. However, there is no mention of the
pointer in any marfoo' hadeeth, but the hadeeths that speak of the
meezaan are mutawaatir. And the Qur'aan is filled with references to
the meezaan, which is a meezaan that can weighthe smallest amounts:
"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small
ant), shall see it.
And whosoever does evilequal to the weight of an atom (or a small
ant), shall see it."
[az-Zilzaal :7-8].
End quote from al-Tuhfah as-Saniyyah Sharh Qaseedat Ibn Abi Dawood al-Haa'i
And Allah knows best.

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