speak and you will be heard, ask and you will be granted, and intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’

So I raise my head and praise my Lord with forms of laudation, exaltation, and glorification that He will teach me; then I intercede, and He will set me a limit. I bring them out and admit them into Paradise.”

Hammām said: I heard him say, “I will bring them out of the Fire and admit them into Paradise—so no one will remain in the Fire except those whom the Qur’an has confined,” meaning those upon whom eternal abiding has become obligatory. Qatādah then recited: “It may be that your Lord will raise you to a Praiseworthy Station” (al-Isrāʾ 17:79), and he said, “That is the Praiseworthy Station which Allah—Exalted is He—promised His Prophet ﷺ.”

Al-Bukhārī also transmitted this report in the Book of Tawḥīd in suspended form, saying: “Ḥajjāj ibn Minhāl narrated from Hammām…,” and he related it in substance. ⦗1⦘

Further independent routes from Anas

Al-Bukhārī said in the Book of Tawḥīd: “Sulaymān ibn Ḥarb narrated to us; Ḥammād ibn Zayd narrated to us; Maʿbad ibn Hilāl ⦗2⦘ al-ʿAnazī narrated:

A group of us from Basra gathered and went to Anas ibn Mālik. We took with us Thābit al-Bunnānī to ask him on our behalf about the ḥadith of intercession. We found Anas in his residence; we met him while he was performing the ḍuḥā prayer. We sought permission, and he granted it while seated on his couch.

We said to Thābit, ‘Do not ask him about anything before the ḥadith of intercession.’

Thābit said, ‘O Abū Ḥamzah, these are your brothers from Basra who have come to ask you about the ḥadith of intercession.’

Anas replied: ‘Muhammad ﷺ told us:

“When the Day of Resurrection comes, people will throng against one another. They will go to Adam and say: ‘Intercede for us with your Lord.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for that; rather, go to Abraham, for he is the Close Friend of the All-Merciful.’

“They will go to Abraham, who will say: ‘I am not fit for that; rather, go to Moses, for he is the one to whom Allah spoke directly.’

“They will go to Moses, who will say: ‘I am not fit for that; rather, go to Jesus, for he is a spirit from Allah and His Word.’

“They will go to Jesus, who will say: ‘I am not fit for that; rather, go to Muhammad ﷺ.’

“They will come to me, and I will say: ‘I am fit for it.’ I will ask permission to approach my Lord, and permission will be granted. He will inspire me with praises by which I shall extol Him—praises that do not come to me now. I will praise Him with those praises and then fall before Him in prostration.

“It will be said: ‘O Muhammad, raise your head; speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted, ask and you will be given.’

“I will say: ‘My Lord, my community, my community.’

“He will say: ‘Go, and bring out from it—that is, from Hell—whoever has in his heart the weight of a barley grain of faith.’ I will go and do so. Then I will return, praise Him with those same praises, and fall before Him in prostration.

“It will be said: ‘O Muhammad, raise your head; speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted, ask and you will be given.’

“I will say: ‘My Lord, my community, my community.’

“He will say: ‘Go, and bring out from it whoever has in his heart…’”