793 — Abū Jafar Muhammad ibn Sālih ibn Dharīh al-Ukbarī informed us: Hannād ibn al-Sarī narrated to us: Abda—that is, Ibn Sulaymān—narrated to us, from Saīd ibn Abī Arūba, from Qatāda, from Abū al-Malīh, from Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashjaī, who said ⦗1225⦘:

“We were with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—during one of his journeys.” He then related a lengthy hadith in which he said: “The Prophet of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—came to us and said, ‘Tonight, a messenger came to me from my Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and gave me the choice between intercession and having half of my nation admitted into Paradise. I chose intercession.’

“We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, include us in your intercession.’ He replied, ‘You are among those for whom I will intercede.’

“We then proceeded with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to the people, and he said, ‘Tonight, a messenger came to me from my Lord, Mighty and Majestic, and gave me the choice between intercession and having half of my nation admitted into Paradise. I chose intercession.’

“They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, include us among those for whom you will intercede.’ The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘I call everyone present with me to witness that my intercession is for anyone from my nation who dies without associating anything with Allah.’”