Paradise by virtue of his deeds⦗1⦘.”
They asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Not even I, unless Allah envelops me in mercy and favor from Him⦗2⦘.”
Anas ibn Mālik—may Allah be pleased with him—said, “Three ledgers will be brought forward for the servant on the Day of Resurrection: a ledger containing his good deeds, a ledger containing his bad deeds, and a ledger recording the blessings that Allah bestowed upon him⦗3⦘. The Lord—exalted is He⦗4⦘—will say to the blessings, ‘Take your due from the good deeds of My servant.’ The smallest of them will step forward and consume all his good deeds, yet it will still say, ‘By Your might, I have not yet taken all that is owed to me.’ When Allah wills to show mercy to His servant, He grants him those blessings outright, forgives his misdeeds, and multiplies his good deeds⦗5⦘.”
[This report is soundly established]⦗6⦘ from Anas⦗7⦘, and it is the clearest proof of the Companions’ perfect knowledge of their Lord and His rights.
(1) Omitted from the base manuscript; attested in manuscript B.
(2) Agreed upon, with wording close to that cited by the author: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Heart-Softening Narrations, chapter 18, “Moderation and Constancy in Deeds,” 7:232-233, no. 6463; and Sahih Muslim, Book of the Characteristics of the Hypocrites, chapter 17, “None Will Enter Paradise by His Deeds,” 4:2169, nos. 71-78.
(3) Manuscript C adds fihi (in it).
(4) Manuscript C reads Allah.
(5) The word lahu (for him) is omitted from manuscript C.
(6) The base manuscript reads wa-hal athabahu (and did He reward him?); the adopted reading is from manuscripts B and C.
(7) The author’s report is mawquf (attributed to the Companion) from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, but I was unable to locate it. Al-Bazzar transmitted a similar report from Anas, marfu (ascribed to the Prophet), peace and blessings be upon him: Kashf al-Astar an Zawaid al-Bazzar, by al-Haythami, 4:160, no. 3444. Al-Haythami said in Majma al-Zawaid, 10:648: “It contains Salih al-Murri, who is weak.” The editor of Majma al-Zawaid added: “It also contains Dawud ibn al-Muhabbar, who has been accused of fabricating hadith” (10:647).