647 — Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sandalī narrated to us, saying: Zuhayr ibn Muhammad informed us, saying: ʿAlī ibn Uthmān al-Lāhiqī informed us, saying: Hammād ibn Salama narrated to us, saying: Thābit informed us, from Anas ibn Mālik, from Abd Allah ibn Masʿūd, who reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“The last person to enter Paradise will be a man walking across the Bridge. At times he will stumble, at times he will walk, and at times the Fire will singe him. Once he has passed beyond it, he will turn toward it and say, ‘Blessed is He who saved me from you! Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—has certainly given me something He has given to no one among the former or the latter.’

“A tree will then be raised before him, and he will say, ‘My Lord, bring me near it so that I may take shelter in its shade and drink from its water.’ Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—will say, ‘Son of Adam, perhaps if I grant you that, you will ask Me for something else.’ He will say, ‘No, my Lord,’ and will covenant with Him not to ask for anything else. His Lord—Mighty and Majestic is He—knows that he will ask again. He will bring him near it, and the man will take shelter in its shade and drink from ⦗1065⦘ its water.

“Another tree, more beautiful than the first, will then be raised before him. He will say, ‘My Lord, bring me near this one so that I may drink from its water and take shelter in its shade.’ Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—will say, ‘Son of Adam, did you not covenant with Me that you would ask Me for nothing else?’ He will say, ‘My Lord, but only this one; I shall ask You for nothing beyond it.’ His Lord—Mighty and Majestic is He—knows that he will ask again. He—Mighty and Majestic is He—will say, ‘Perhaps if I bring you near it, you will ask Me for something else?’ The man will covenant with Him not to ask for anything else, while his Lord—Mighty and Majestic is He—knows that he will ask again. He will bring him near it, and the man will take shelter in its shade and drink from its water.

“Then a tree at the gate of Paradise, more beautiful than the first two, will be raised before him. He will say, ‘My Lord, bring me near this one. I shall ask You for nothing else.’ His Lord—Mighty and Majestic is He—knows that he will ask again, yet He excuses him because the man sees something he cannot resist. He will bring him near it, and the man will hear the voices of the people of Paradise. He will say, ‘My Lord, admit me into Paradise.’ Allah will say, ‘Son of Adam, did you not covenant with Me that you would ask Me for nothing else?’ He will say, ‘My Lord, admit me into it.’ Allah will say, ‘Son of Adam, what would satisfy you from Me? Would it satisfy you if I gave you this world and another like it besides?’ He will say, ‘My Lord, are You mocking me when You are the Lord of the Worlds—Mighty and Majestic is He?’”

Ibn Masʿūd laughed and said, “Will you not ask me what makes me laugh?” They asked, “What makes you laugh?” He replied, “This is what the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did.” He then laughed and said, “Will you not ask me what makes me laugh?” Then he said, “It is because the Lord of the Worlds—Mighty and Majestic is He—laughs at him when he says, ‘Are You mocking me?’ He replies, ‘I am not mocking you; rather, I have power over whatever I will.’ Then He admits him into Paradise.”