Part 2 — Qur’anic Reference and Meaning
And there is nothing except that it exalts (Allah) with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification.
The Sidrat al-Muntahā is mentioned in the Qur’an in Surah An-Najm (53:13–18) — one of the most sacred and mysterious passages describing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s heavenly journey (Mi‘rāj). These verses speak not with scientific detail but with language of awe and nearness, pointing to a reality that lies beyond human measure.
These verses reveal the sanctity of the Sidrah as a point where all created existence stops, and beyond which lies only the knowledge of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ saw this tree during the journey of the Mi‘rāj, where even the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) said: “If I go beyond this point, I will burn.” This shows that Sidrat al-Muntahā is the final boundary, the edge of creation itself.
But what is deeply meaningful is that Allah chose a tree—not a mountain, not a star, not a throne—to represent this cosmic limit. A tree is a symbol of life, connection, and rootedness. From its roots in the unseen, it rises toward the light. Its branches stretch outward, giving shade, fruit, and shelter. In this way, the Sidrah mirrors the structure of the universe itself:
- Roots in the unseen world (al-ghayb),
- Trunk in the realm of existence,
- Branches reaching upward toward divine light.
Every tree on our planet is a reflection, a small echo, of that heavenly Sidrah. It reminds us that creation is connected, from the highest heaven to the soil beneath our feet. The air we breathe, the trees that clean it, the rivers that flow, the animals that live — all are sustained by the same divine command that brought forth the Sidrat al-Muntahā.
When the Qur’an speaks of “what covered the tree” (إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ), it reminds us that there are realities hidden from our eyes — layers of existence beyond our science or imagination. Just as the tree in the heavens is veiled by divine light, so too the deeper wisdom of nature around us is veiled by our limited sight.
The Sidrat al-Muntahā therefore is not only a place in the heavens but also a sign within the heart — a reminder of boundaries, reverence, and humility before the Creator. It calls us to honor the trees and the earth, because every living thing, from a leaf to a galaxy, is part of the same divine pattern.
In the Qur’an, Allah often swears “by the fig and the olive,” “by the sun and its brightness,” and “by the night when it covers.” All these oaths teach us that the material world is sacred when seen through faith. In the same way, Sidrat al-Muntahā is a cosmic oath — a testimony that all life points toward its Creator.
So when we look at a tree on this earth, we should remember the Tree beyond all measure — the one that stands where the angels stop and the light of Allah shines without veil. It teaches us that the ecology of the earth and the spiritual order of the heavens are one harmony — both nourished by the same Lord, Rabb al-‘Ālamīn, the Sustainer of all worlds.