Seven heavens - wikipedia Seven heavens This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2014 ) 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. This concept dates back to ancient Mesopotamian religions and can be found in the Abrahamic religions such as Islam, Judaism and Christianity, a similar concept is also found in some Indian religions such as Hinduism. Some of these traditions, including Jainism, also have a concept of seven earths or seven underworlds. The cross-cultural focus on the number seven may correspond to the seven classical planets : the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. These were the only objects in the sky visible to ancient astronomers ( who had no telescopes ) that move in predictable, repeated patterns ( in contrast to comets ) against the daily rotation of the fixed stars. Contents 1 Mesopotamian religion 2 Islam 3 Judaism 4 Christianity 5 Hinduism 6 Seven - level underworlds 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links Mesopotamian religion The idea of seven heavens was originated in ancient Mesopotamia. It was probably a symbolic concept. In Sumerian language, the words for heaven ( or sky ) and earth are An and Ki. Sumerian incantations of the late second millennium BCE make references to seven heavens and seven earths. One such incantation is : `` an - imin - bi ki - imin - bi '' ( the heavens are seven, the earths are seven. ) 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. The seven Jewish and the seven Islamic heavens may have had their origin in Babylonian astronomy. 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. Islam A depiction of `` Muhammed 's Paradise ''. A Persian miniature from The History of Mohammed. The Qur'an frequently mentions the existence of seven samaawat ( سماوات ), plural of samaa'a ( سماء ), which is customarily translated as ' heaven '. The word is cognate to Hebrew shamayim ( שמים ). Some of the verses in which Qur'an mentions seven samaawat, are,,. There are two interpretations of using the number `` seven ''. One viewpoint is that the number `` seven '' here simply means `` many '' and is not to be taken literally ( the number 7 is often used to imply that in the Arabic language ). But many other commentators use the number 7 literally. One interpretation of `` heavens '' is that all the stars and galaxies ( including the Milky Way ) are all part of the `` first heaven '', and `` beyond that six still bigger worlds are there, '' which have yet to be discovered by scientists. In other sources, the concept is presented in metaphorical terms. Each of the seven heavens is depicted as being composed of a different material, and Islamic prophets are resident in each. The first heaven is depicted as being made of silver and is the home of Adam and Eve, as well as the angels of each star. The second heaven is depicted as being made of gold and is the home of John the Baptist and Jesus. The third heaven is depicted as being made of pearls or other dazzling stones ; Joseph and Azrael are resident there. The fourth heaven is depicted as being made of white gold ; Enoch and the Angel of Tears resides there. The fifth heaven is depicted as being made of silver ; Aaron and the Avenging Angel hold court over this heaven. The sixth heaven is composed of garnets and rubies ; Moses can be found here. The seventh heaven, which borrows some concepts from its Jewish counterpart, is depicted as being composed of divine light incomprehensible to the mortal man. Abraham is a resident of the seventh heaven. According to some hadiths, the highest level of Jannah is firdaws, and Sidrat al - Muntaha, a Lote tree, marks the end of the seventh heaven. The Seven Heavens according to Shi'ite sources : Rafi ' ( رفیع ) Qaydum ( قیدوم ) Marum ( ماروم ‎ ‎ ) Arfalun ( أرفلون ‏ ) Hay'oun ( هيعون ‏ ) Arous ( عروس ) Ajma ' ( عجماء ) Judaism According to the Talmud, the universe is made of seven heavens ( Shamayim ) 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. Christianity An epistle of the Apostle Paul, included in the New Testament, contains an explicit reference to the Third Heaven. In a letter to the Corinthian church he writes, `` I know a man in Christ '' ( usually interpreted as : himself ) `` who fourteen years ago was caught up to the Third Heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know -- God knows. And I know that this man -- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows -- was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. '' ( 2 Corinthians 12 : 2 -- 4 ) The Greek says `` caught away '', not `` caught up '' possibly reflecting Jewish beliefs that Paradise was somewhere other than the uppermost heaven. In the Second Book of Enoch, Enoch travels through the seven heavens and gives geographical and visual documentation of them, describing houses, olive oil and flowers. He passes through the Garden of Eden in the Third Heaven on his way to meet the Lord in the 7th Heaven. Hinduism 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. Seven - level underworlds A cloth painting depicting seven levels of Jain hell. Left panel depicts the demi - god and his animal vehicle presiding over each hell. According to Jain cosmology, there are seven levels of Naraka or hell. These are further divided into 8,400,000 other hellish locations. Inanna visited the Sumerian seven - gated underworld. 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 Notes ^ Jump up to : Hetherington, Norriss S. ( 2014 ) ( 1st. pub. 1993 ). Encyclopedia of Cosmology ( Routledge Revivals ) : Historical, Philosophical, and Scientific Foundations of Modern Cosmology. Routledge. pp. 267, 401. ISBN 1 - 306 - 58055 - 2. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Jump up ^ Origen, De principiis III, 2, 1 Jump up ^ 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 3 - 16 - 151881 - 0. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sumerian Words And Their English Translation ''. History World. Retrieved 2 June 2015. Jump up ^ Horowitz, Wayne ( 1998 ). Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography. Eisenbrauns. p. 208. ISBN 0 - 931464 - 99 - 4. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Jump up ^ Collins, Adela Yarbro ( 2000 ). Cosmology and Eschatology in Jewish and Christian Apoocalypticism. Brill. ISBN 90 - 04 - 11927 - 2. Jump up ^ 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 90 - 04 - 18903 - 3. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Jump up ^ Pickthall, M.M. ; Eliasi, M.A.H. ( 1999 ). The Holy Qur'an ( Transliteration in Roman Script ). Laurier Books Ltd. ISBN 81 - 87385 - 07 - 3. ^ Jump up to : `` What Is Meant By ' Seven Heavens ' ?, '' Al-Islam.org Jump up ^ Richard Webster. `` Living in Your Soul 's Light : Understanding Your Eternal Self ''. Missing or empty url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Peter D'Epiro & Mary Desmond Pinkowish ( 1998 ). What Are the Seven Wonders of the World ? And 100 Other Great Cultural Lists : Fully Explained. Doubleday. pp. 219 -- 220. ISBN 0 - 385 - 49062 - 3. Jump up ^ Hotel and Restaurant Employee 's International Alliance & Bartenders ' International League of America ( 1918 ). Mixer and Server. 27. p. 51. Jump up ^ Rustomji, Nerina ( 2013 ). The Garden and the Fire : Heaven and Hell in Islamic Culture. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0 - 231 - 51183 - 3. Jump up ^ `` Angelology ''. Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 June 2015. Jump up ^ Scholem, Gershom ( 1965 ). Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and the Talmudic Tradition. New York : Jewish Theological Seminary of America. OCLC 635020. Jump up ^ E.W. Bullinger A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek `` 2, 14, To this `` Third heaven '' and `` Paradise '' Paul was caught away, 2 Cor. xii. 2, 4, ( not `` up '', see under `` catch '' ) in `` visions and revelations of the Lord '', 2 Cor. xii. 1. One catching away -- with a double revelation of the New heaven and the... '' Jump up ^ Edward Langton ( 11 July 2014 ). Good and Evil Spirits : A Study of the Jewish and Christian Doctrine, Its Origin and Development. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 248 --. ISBN 978 - 1 - 62564 - 991 - 1. Jump up ^ Dalal, Roshan ( 2010 ). Hinduism : An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books. p. 224. ISBN 0 - 14 - 341421 - 6. Jump up ^ Jansma, Rudi ; Jain, Sneh Rani ( 2006 ). Introduction to Jainism. Prakrit Bharti Academy. ISBN 81 - 89698 - 09 - 5. 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, 1909 -- 1938. ISBN 0 - 8018 - 5890 - 9. External links Wikiversity has learning resources about Seven Heavens Higher Devachanic or Seven Heavenly Spheres Afterlife locations Abrahamic religions Judaism 7 Heavens and 7 Earths Throne of God Garden of Eden Olam Haba Sheol Christianity Heaven Hell Kingdom of God Garden of Eden Paradise Purgatory Limbo New Jerusalem Pearly gates Islam Barzakh Naar Jannah ( and Jabarut ) Sidrat al - Muntaha A'raf As - Sirāt Mormonism Celestial Kingdom Terrestrial Kingdom Telestial Kingdom Spirit world European mythologies Celtic Otherworld Annwn Tír na nÓg Mag Mell Tech Duinn Finnic Tuonela Germanic Asgard Fólkvangr Valhalla Neorxnawang Gimlé Helheimr Greek Hades Elysium Erebus Orcus Asphodel Meadows Myth of Er Empyrean Tartarus Fortunate Isles Slavic Iriy Eastern / Asian religions Buddhism Naraka Sagga Hinduism 14 planetary systems Ādi Śeṣa Svarga Naraka Vaikuntha Kailash Goloka Akshardham Sikhism Sach Khand Taoism Grotto - heavens Chinese Tian Diyu Youdu Japanese Takama - ga - hara Yomi Zoroastrianism Chinvat Bridge Hamistagan Others Mesoamerican Mictlan Tamoanchan Thirteen Heavens Tlalocan Xibalba Plains Indians Happy hunting ground Tupi Land without evil Wicca The Summerland Theosophy Summerland Devachan Nirvana Ancient Egyptian Aaru Duat Millennialism Utopianism Great unity Golden Age Arcadia Avalon The Guf Well of Souls Existential planes Underworld List of mythological places Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seven_Heavens&oldid=801309832 '' Categories : Heaven Islamic mysticism Islamic terminology Jewish mysticism Religious cosmologies Christian terminology Hindu cosmology Mythological cosmologies Afterlife places Conceptions of heaven Hidden categories : Pages using web citations with no URL Articles needing additional references from July 2014 All articles needing additional references Use dmy dates from June 2011 Talk Contents About Wikipedia বাংলা Čeština Deutsch فارسی 한국어 Bahasa Melayu 日本 語 Português Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 22 : 51. 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Question: where did the phrase 7th heaven come from
Answer: 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 can be found in the Abrahamic religions such as Islam, Judaism and Christianity