Hadith of Zaynab the fragrance seller

Abu Abdullah (asws) said: ‘Zaynab the perfume seller came to the wives and the daughters of the Prophet (saww), and she used to sell the perfume to them. The Prophet (saww) came over whilst she was among them. So he (saww) said: ‘You bring aroma to our (saww) house’. She said, ‘Your (saww) house is better in aroma due to your (saww) fragrance, O Rasool Allah (saww)!’ He (saww) said: ‘When you sell, do it well and do not cheat, for it would be more pious and protective of the wealth’. She said, ‘O Rasool Allah (saww), I did not come to sell anything, but rather I came to ask you (saww) about the Magnificence of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic’. So he (saww) said: ‘Majestic is the Majesty of Allah (azwj). I (saww) shall tell you about some of that’. Then he (saww) said: ‘This earth with what is upon it, compared to that which is below it, it like a ring thrown in the desert, and these two with what is within them and what is upon them, compared to what is beneath them is like a ring thrown in the desert, and the third one, until it ends with the seventh’. And he (saww) recited this Verse: “[65:12] Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a similar number”. The seven earths (firmaments) along with all that is contained within it and what is on it are upon the back of the rooster, like a ring thrown in the desert. And the rooster has two wings to it – a wing in the east and a wing in the west, and its legs are on the fringes of it, and the seven (firmaments) and the rooster and all that is contained with these and whatever is on it, are upon a rock, like a ring thrown in the desert. And the rock along with all that it contains, and all that is on it, are upon the back of the whale like a ring thrown in the desert. And the seven (firmaments), and the rooster, and the rock, and the whale along with that they contain and what is on them are upon the dark ocean like a ring thrown in the desert. And the seven (firmaments), and the rooster, and the rock, and the whale, and the dark ocean are upon the outgoing air like a ring thrown in the desert. And the seven (firmaments), and the rooster, and the rock, and the whale, and the dark ocean, and the air are upon the soil (Al-Sarayy) like a ring thrown in the desert’. Then he (saww) recited this Verse: “[20:6] To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil”. Then the information about the soil (Al-Sarayy) is terminated. And the seven (firmaments), and the rooster, and the rock, and the whale, and the dark ocean, and the air, and the soil (Al-Sarayy) along with all that these contain and whatever is on it, compared to the first sky is like a ring thrown in the desert. And all of this, and the sky of the world along with what is on it and what is contained within it, compared to that which is above it, is like a ring thrown in the desert. And these two skies and whatever these two contain, and what is on them, compared to what is above these two, are like a ring thrown in the desert. And these three, along with what is contained within them and whatever is on them, compared to the fourth, are like a ring thrown in the desert, (and it is like this) until it ends with the seventh. And these and all that is contained within them and whatever is on them, compared to the ocean hidden from the people of the earth, is like a ring thrown in the desert. And these seven, and the hidden ocean, compared to the cold mountain are like a ring thrown in the desert’. And he (saww) recited this Verse: “[24:43] And He sends down of the clouds that are (like) mountains wherein is hail”. And these seven, and the hidden ocean, and the cold mountain, compared to the air which the hearts are confused about, are like a ring thrown in the desert. And these seven, and the hidden ocean, and the cold mountain, and the air, compared to veils of the light are like a ring thrown in the desert. And these seven, and the hidden ocean, and the cold mountain, and the air, and the veils of the light, compared to the Chair (Al-Kursy) are like a ring thrown in the desert’. And he (saww) recited this Verse: “[2:255] His Throne (Chair) includes the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous”. And these seven, and the hidden ocean, and the cold mountain, and the air, and veils of the light, and the Chair, compared to the Throne are like a ring thrown in the desert’. And he (saww) recite this Verse: “[20:5] The Beneficent One, Who is established on the Throne”. (And in the report of Al-Hassan) – ‘The veils before the air about which the hearts are confused’.