45 – Husayn ibn al-Junayd narrated to us; Ghassan ibn ʿUbayd narrated to us; ʿIkrimah ibn ʿAmmar narrated, from Damdam ibn Jaws al-Hiffani, who said:

“I entered the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ looking for a companion of mine. There, I saw a man with wide, dark eyes and gleaming front teeth. He said to me, ‘O Yamami, come closer.’ I drew near, and he continued, ‘O Yamami, never say to anyone, “By Allah, Allah will never forgive you, nor will He admit you to Paradise.”’

“I asked, ‘Who are you—may Allah have mercy on you?’ He replied, ‘I am Abu Hurayrah.’ I said, ‘You have just forbidden me something I often uttered in anger against my household and servants.’ He answered, ‘Do not do that, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

‘“Two men once lived among the Children of Israel. One of them was given to sinful excess, while the other was a devoted worshipper. The worshipper kept telling him, ‘Will you not desist? Will you not restrain yourself?’ The sinner would reply, ‘What concern is that of yours? Leave me alone with my Lord.’

‘“One day the worshipper came upon him committing a major sin and declared, ‘By Allah, Allah will never forgive you; by Allah, Allah will never admit you to Paradise.’

‘“Allah then sent an angel who took both of their souls. When they were brought before Allah, He said to the sinner, ‘Enter Paradise by My mercy.’ Then He said to the worshipper, ‘You have barred My servant from My mercy. Were you able to control what is in My Hand? Take him away to the Fire.’”’

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ added, ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, that man uttered a word which destroyed his life in this world and the Hereafter.’”