Seven Heavens

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Seven Heavens is a part of religious cosmology found in many major religions such as Islam, Judaism and Hinduism and in some minor religions such as Hermeticism and Gnosticism. The Throne of God is said to be above the seventh heaven in Abrahamic religions.

Contents

Background [edit]

See also: 7 (number)#Religion

It is believed that the origin of this goes back to astrology[citation needed]. Ancient astrologists could identify seven great heavenly objects and assumed each was floating in a separate heaven. The number 7 in Biblical references symbolically represented perfect completion, as in the seven-day week, the seven eyes and horns seen on the Lamb of God in The Book of Revelation, and the seventh in the generations of Adam: Lamech who was completely wicked, and Enoch who walked with God.[1] Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir stated in his Tafsir that the seven heavens contained the moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in that order[citation needed], confirming the origin of the belief. The number also has a significance in Quranic numerology.

Judaism [edit]

According to the Talmud, the universe is made of seven heavens (Shamayim):[2][3]

  1. Vilon (וילון), Also see (Isa 40:22) also called "arafel" see Even-Shushan dictionary
  2. Raki'a (רקיע), Also see (Gen 1:17)
  3. Shehaqim (שחקים), See (Ps 78:23, Midr. Teh. to Ps. xix. 7)
  4. Zebul (זבול), See (Isa 63:15, I Kings 8:13)
  5. Ma'on (מעון), See (Deut 26:15, Ps 42:9)
  6. Machon (מכון), See (1 Kings 7:30, Deut 28:12)
  7. Araboth (ערבות), See (Ps 68:4 The seventh Heaven where ofanim, the seraphim, and the hayyoth and the throne of the Lord are located.

The Jewish Merkavah and Heichalot literature was devoted to discussing the details of these heavens, sometimes in connection with traditions relating to Enoch, such as the Third Book of Enoch.[4]

Islam [edit]

Not to be confused with Heaven i.e. Paradise

The word "heaven" is used in the English translation of the Arabic word سماء (Samaa'a). The plural is سماوات (Samaawat), cognate of Hebrew שמים (Shamaim), which translates as "sky" in Modern Arabic.

General Belief [edit]

The seven heavens are the seven layered realms of the spiritual upper world where generally angels and other spiritual beings such as Paradise and Hell and the souls of the prophets exist. The seven heavens are part of Al-Ghayb (Arabic: الغيب‎ The Unseen), the occult or unseen universe in Islamic cosmology as opposed to Al-Shahadah (Arabic: الشهادة‎ The Seen), the universe we know. Some scholars have said that the original meaning of the Arabic word سماوت is the hypothetical multiverse or "worlds of space and time" and not "sky" as is used in Modern Arabic.

Some Sunni traditions record Muhammad visited each of the seven heavens on his Mi'raj. There he met Adam, Īsā and Yahya, Yusuf, Idris (considered by most scholars to be Enoch), Harun, Musa and Ibrāhīm in the first to the seventh heaven in the mentioned order.[5]

Seven Heavens in the Qur'an [edit]

The Qur'an mentions the existence of seven heavens:

See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, and made the moon a light in their midst, and made the Sun a Lamp?(71:15-16)
Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is able to do all things. Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving; Who has created the seven heavens one above another; you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious.(67:1-3)

Names of Seven Heavens [edit]

According to Shi'ite sources, a hadith from Imam Ali mentions the name of the seven heavens[6] as mentioned below:

1. Rafi' (رفیع) the least heaven (سماء الدنیا)
2. Qaydum (قیدوم)
3. Marum (ماروم)
4. Arfalun (أرفلون‏)
5. Hay'oun (هيعون‏)
6. Arous (عروس)
7. Ajma' (عجماء)

Hinduism [edit]

Hinduism also has the concept of seven heavens(Svarga). According to the Puranas and the Atharvaveda there are fourteen worlds. There are the seven higher ones (the heavens), called the Vyahritis (Sanskrit: व्याहृति)

  1. Bhoor-Loka (भूर्लोक i.e. the Earth)
  2. Bhuvar-Loka (भुवर्लोक)
  3. Svar-Loka (स्वर्लोक)
  4. Mahar-Loka (महर्लोक)
  5. Jana-Loka (जनलोक)
  6. Tapa-Loka (तपलोक)
  7. Satya-loka (सत्यलोक)

The God (Lord Vishnu) lives in the seventh heaven, Satya Loka or Vaikuntha

The names of the seven lower ones (the underworlds) called the Patalas (Sanskrit: पाताल) are: Atala (अतल), Vitala (वितल), Sutala (सुतल), Rasaatala (रसातल), Talataala (तलातल), Mahaatala (महातल), Patala (पाताल).

Seven level underworlds [edit]

Main article: Underworld

See also [edit]

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ The NIV Study Bible New International Version. Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation, 1985, LoCCCN 85-5059
  2. ^ The Seven Heavens in the Talmud.(see Ps. lxviii. 5).
  3. ^ http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1521&letter=A#4364
  4. ^ Scholem, Gershom Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and the Talmudic Tradition, 1965.
  5. ^ "Collated Hadith of Isra' and Mi'raj". Retrieved 9 April 2011. 
  6. ^ Al-Burhan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. V. 5. p. 415. 

References [edit]

  • Davidson, Gustav. Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. New York: The Free Press, 1967 (reprinted 1994). ISBN 0-02-907052-X.
  • Ginzberg, Louis. Henrietta Szold (trans.). The Legends of the Jews. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1909–38. ISBN 0-8018-5890-9.

External links [edit]

Wikiversity has learning materials about Seven Heavens
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