Muhammad ibn Maymūn al-Makkī narrated to us, saying: Sufyān narrated to us, saying: Someone the like of whom your eyes have never seen narrated to me. Then, on another occasion, he narrated to us, saying: The righteous narrated to us. We asked, “Who?” He replied, “ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Saʿīd ibn Abjar and Mutarrif ibn Tarīf, from al-Shaʿbī, who said ⦗165⦘: I heard al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah say from his pulpit: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Moses asked his Lord, Mighty and Majestic, ‘My Lord, tell me about the lowest in rank among the people of Paradise.’

“He replied, ‘He is a servant who comes after the people of Paradise have entered Paradise. He will be told, “Enter,” but he will say, “How can I enter when the people of Paradise have settled there, taken their dwellings and received their portions?” He will be told, “Would you not be pleased to have the equivalent of what one of the kings of this world possessed?” He will say, “Yes.” He will be asked, “Would you then be pleased to have the equivalent of what two kings of this world possessed?” He will say, “Yes.” He will be asked, “Would you be pleased to have the equivalent of what three kings of this world possessed?” He will say, “My Lord, I am pleased.” He will be told, “You shall have the like of that, as much again, and ten times that. There you shall have whatever your soul desires and whatever delights your eyes.”’

“Moses said, ‘My Lord, then tell me about the highest of them in rank.’ He replied, ‘This is what I intended, and I shall tell you.’ He said, ‘I planted with My hand what I have prepared in their honor and set a seal upon it. No eye has seen it, no ear has heard it, nor has it occurred to any human heart.’

“The confirmation of this is in the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

‘No soul knows what delights of the eyes are kept hidden for them as a reward for what they used to do.’

[Al-Sajdah: 17]”