intercession and the granting of his request, since the report relates that he returns repeatedly and asks his Lord concerning the sinners of his community. Each time, He accepts his intercession and grants his plea on their behalf, made at their request.

I say: This occurs in the hadith of the Ascension transmitted by Sharīk. Al-Khattābī, however, was mistaken here, confusing the hadith of the Ascension with the hadith of intercession. The hadith of intercession contains the words: “Then I seek permission to enter into my Lord’s presence in His abode, and permission is granted to me. When I see Him, I fall down in prostration.” This is mentioned three times. It appears in the Sahīh, as narrated by Qatāda from Anas. As for that other wording, it occurs in the hadith of the Ascension transmitted by Sharīk. This is not the place to discuss that.

Al-Khattābī said: “Another instance of this is that some of them claimed that