Seven Heavens

3 Judaism

In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to the seven divisions of the Heaven, the
abode of immortal beings, or the visible sky, the expanse containing the Sun, Moon and the stars.[1] This
concept dates back to ancient Mesopotamian religions
and similar concept is also found in some Indian religions such as Hinduism, and in some Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Islam and Catholicism.[2] Some
of these traditions also have concept of seven earths or
seven underworlds, which also includes Jainism.

According to the Talmud, the universe is made of seven

heavens (Shamayim)[9]
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.[10]

4 Islam
1

Mesopotamian religion

The idea of seven heavens was originated in ancient

Mesopotamia. It was probably a symbolic concept.[3]
In Sumerian language, the words for heaven (or sky)
and earth are An and Ki.[4] Sumerian incantations of the
late second millennium BCE make references to seven
heavens and seven earths. One such incantation is: animin-bi ki-imin-bi (the heavens are seven, the earths are
seven.)[1][5]
The notion of seven heavens may have been derived from
the "magical" properties of the number seven, like the
seven demons or the seven thrones. The number seven
appears frequently in Babylonian magical rituals.[6] The
seven Jewish and the seven Islamic heavens may have had
their origin in Babylonian astronomy.[1]
In general, heaven is not a place for humans in
Mesopotamian religion. As Gilgamesh says to his friend
Enkidu, in the Epic of Gilgamesh: Who can go up to
heaven, my friend? Only the gods dwell with Shamash
forever. Along with the idea of seven heavens, the
idea of three heavens was also common in ancient
Mesopotamia.[7]

Hinduism
A depiction of Muhammeds Paradise. A Persian miniature
from The History of Mohammed.

According to some Puranas, the Brahmanda is divided

into fourteen worlds. Among these worlds, seven are upper worlds which constitute of Bhuloka (the Earth), Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, Janarloka, Tapoloka and
Satyaloka, and seven are lower worlds which constitute
of Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and
Patala.[8]

The Qur'an frequently mentions the existence of seven

samaawat (), plural of samaa'a (), which is
customarily translated as 'heaven'. The word is cognate to
Hebrew shamayim (). Some of the verses in which
1

7 NOTES

Qur'an mentions seven samaawat,[11] are as follows:

So He completed them as seven rmaments in two Days,
and He assigned to each heaven its duty and command.
And We adorned the lower heaven with lights, and (provided it) with guard. Such is the Decree of (Him) the
Exalted in Might, Full of Knowledge.[Quran 41:12 (Yusuf Ali)]
Allah is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the
earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all)
descends His Command: that ye may know that Allah
has power over all things, and that Allah comprehends,
all things in (His) Knowledge.[Quran 65:12 (Yusuf Ali)]
See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one
above another,[Quran 71:15 (Yusuf Ali)]
According to some hadiths, the highest level of Jannah is
rdaws, [12] and Sidrat al-Muntaha, a Lote tree, marks
the end of the seventh heaven.

Seven-level underworlds

6 See also
Empyrean
Garden of the gods (Sumerian paradise)
Hermetism and other religions
Hierarchy of angels
Isra and Mi'raj
Jewish angelic hierarchy
Loka
Ogdoad
Seven Logas
Third Heaven

7 Notes
[1] Hetherington, Norriss S. (2014) [1st. pub. 1993].
Encyclopedia of Cosmology (Routledge Revivals) : Historical, Philosophical, and Scientic Foundations of Modern
Cosmology. Routledge. p. 267, 401. ISBN 1-3065-80552. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
[2] Origen, De principiis III,2,1
[3] Barnard, Jody A. (2012). The Mysticism of Hebrews: Exploring the Role of Jewish Apocalyptic Mysticism in the
Epistle to the Hebrews. Mohr Siebeck. p. 62. ISBN 31615-1881-0. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
[4] Sumerian Words And Their English Translation. History World. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
[5] Horowitz, Wayne (1998). Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography. Eisenbrauns. p. 208. ISBN 0-9314-6499-4. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
[6] Collins, Adela Yarbro (2000). Cosmology and Eschatology in Jewish and Christian Apoocalypticism. Brill. ISBN
9-0041-1927-2.
[7] Lange, Armin; Tov, Emanuel; Weigold, Matthias (2011).
The Dead Sea Scrolls in Context: Integrating the Dead Sea
Scrolls in the Study of Ancient Texts, Languages, and Cultures. Leiden: Brill. p. 808. ISBN 9-0041-8903-3. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
[8] Dalal, Roshan (2010). Hinduism:An Alphabetical Guide.
Penguin Books. p. 224. ISBN 0-1434-1421-6.

A cloth painting depicting seven levels of Jain hell. Left panel

depicts the demi-god and his animal vehicle presiding over the
each hell.

[9] Angelology. Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 June

2015.
[10] Scholem, Gershom (1965). Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah
Mysticism, and the Talmudic Tradition. New York: Jewish
Theological Seminary of America. OCLC 635020.

According to Jain cosmology, there are seven levels

of Naraka or hell. These are further divided into
[11] Pickthall, M.M.; Eliasi, M.A.H. (1999). The Holy Qur'an
8,400,000 other hellish locations.[13]
Inanna visited the Sumerian 7-gated underworld.

(Transliteration in Roman Script). Laurier Books Ltd.

ISBN 8-1873-8507-3.

[12] Rustomji, Nerina (2013). The Garden and the Fire:

Heaven and Hell in Islamic Culture. Columbia University
Press. ISBN 0-2315-1183-3.
[13] Jansma, Rudi; Jain, Sneh Rani (2006). Introduction to
Jainism. Prakrit Bharti Academy. ISBN 8189698095.

References
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, 190938. ISBN 0-80185890-9.

External links
Higher Devachanic or Seven Heavenly Spheres

10

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