—by Allah’s mercy—while others will enter Paradise through my intercession. I shall go on interceding until writs of release are placed in my hand for men of mine who have already been dispatched to the Fire, so that Malik, the keeper of Hell, will exclaim, “O Muhammad, you have left none of your Lord’s wrath with which to afflict your community.” (1)

Ismaʿil ibn ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmar (2) ibn Abi Karima narrated to us; he said: Muhammad ibn Salamah (3) related to me, from Abu ʿAbd al-Rahim, who said: Zayd ibn Abi Unaysah told me, from al-Minhal ibn ʿAmr, from ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Harith, from Abu Hurayrah, who said:

“People will be mustered naked. Their eyes will stare upward toward the sky as they gather, awaiting the final verdict, standing for forty years. Then Allah—Exalted is He—will descend from the Throne to the Kursi (Footstool), and the first to be called will be Abraham the Intimate Friend (peace be upon him); he will be clothed in two Coptic robes from Paradise. He will then say, ‘Bring me the unlettered Prophet, Muhammad.’

“I shall stand, and a suit from the garments of Paradise will be placed upon me. The Pond will be caused to flow for me—its width equal to the distance between Aylah and the Kaʿbah. I shall drink from it and bathe, while the throats of all creatures will be parched with thirst. Then I shall stand to the right of the Kursi; on that day no one will occupy that station but me. It will then be said, ‘Ask and you will be given; intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’

“A man asked, ‘Do you hope for anything on behalf of your parents, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘I shall certainly intercede for them, whether I am granted or refused, yet I entertain no particular hope for them.’

“Al-Minhal added: ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Harith also told me that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said: ‘I will pass by a group from my community who have been ordered into the Fire. They will say, “O Muhammad, we beseech you for intercession!” I will command the angels to detain them, then I will go and seek permission from my Lord—Exalted is He. Permission will be granted, and I shall prostrate and say, “My Lord, a people of my community have been sentenced to the Fire.” He will say, “Go and bring some of them out.” I will go and remove whomever Allah allows me to remove.

‘“Those who remain will call out, “O Muhammad, we implore you for intercession!” I will return to the Lord—Exalted is He—ask leave, be granted it, and fall in prostration. I will be told, “Raise your head; ask and you will be given; intercede and your intercession will be accepted.” I shall rise and extol Allah with praises the like of which no one has ever voiced. Then I will say, “My Lord, a people from my community have been sentenced to the Fire.” He will say, “Go and take them out.” I will say, “My Lord, may I bring out anyone who said lā ilāha illā Allāh (there is no god but Allah) and anyone who carries in his heart even the weight of a grain of faith?” He will answer, “O Muhammad, that is not yours; that is Mine.” I will then go and extract whomever Allah allows me to extract.

‘“Some people will still remain and will enter the Fire. The inhabitants of Hell will reproach them, saying, ‘You used to worship Allah without associating anything with Him; what has brought you into the Fire?’ This will distress and grieve them.

‘“Then Allah will send an angel holding a handful of water; he will sprinkle it over the Fire in which the monotheists are. None of those who said lā ilāha illā Allāh will remain but that a drop of it falls upon his face. By that they will be recognized, and the people of Hell will envy them. They will then come out and enter Paradise, and it will be said to them, ‘Go, receive your guests; if all of them were to alight upon a single man, he would still have room enough for them.’”