He will say, “Something still remains. Indeed Allah, exalted is He, says, ‘For those who excelled is the finest reward—and even more.’ ⦗10:26⦘ Lo, the finest reward is Paradise, and the ‘more’ is to gaze upon the Face of Allah—exalted is He.” He cited this as a Companion-level report.

Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Abī Ḥātim likewise transmitted the ḥadith of Abū Tamīmah al-Hujaymī, on the authority of Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “On the Day of Resurrection Allah will send a herald who will call out to the people of Paradise in a voice heard by the first of them and the last of them: ‘Allah promised you al-ḥusnā and an increase. Al-ḥusnā is Paradise, and the increase is the vision of the Face of the All-Merciful.’”

Ibn Jarīr also recorded it through Zuhayr, from someone who heard Abū al-ʿĀliyah say, “Ubayy ibn Kaʿb told us that he asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about Allah’s words—exalted is He—‘For those who excelled is the finest reward—and even more’ ⦗10:26⦘; he replied, ‘The finest reward is Paradise, and the “more” is looking at the Face of Allah—exalted is He.’” ⦗1⦘

Ibn Jarīr further reported it from Ibn Ḥumayd, from Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mukhtār, from Ibn Jurayj, from ʿAṭāʾ, from Kaʿb ibn ʿUjrah, from the Prophet ﷺ concerning His saying, ‘For those who excelled is the finest reward—and even more’ ⦗10:26⦘; he said, “It is looking at the Face of the All-Merciful—exalted is He.” ⦗2⦘

Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿArafah said: “Salm ibn Sālim ⦗3⦘ narrated to us, from Nūḥ ibn Abī Maryam, from Thābit, from Anas ibn Mālik, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about this verse, ‘For those who excelled is the finest reward—and even more’ ⦗10:26⦘; he said: ‘Those who excelled’ refers to righteous deeds in this world; ‘the finest reward’ is Paradise, and ‘the increase’ is looking at the Face of Allah—exalted is He.” Salm and his teacher Nūḥ have been criticized, and Allah knows best. ⦗4⦘

Imām Abū ʿAbd-Allāh Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī said, in the Book of Jumuʿah of his Musnad: “Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad narrated to us; Mūsā ibn ʿUbaydah narrated to me; Abū al-Azhar Muʿāwiyah ibn Isḥāq ibn Ṭalḥah narrated to me, from [ʿAbd-Allāh ibn] ʿUbayd ibn ʿUmayr, that he heard Anas ibn Mālik say: Jibrīl brought a white mirror with a dark spot in it to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ asked, ‘What is this?’ He replied, ‘This is Friday: you and your community have been singled out for it, while the rest of the people—Jews and Christians—follow your lead. Within it you have great good, and in it there is an hour that no believer meets while supplicating Allah for some good without receiving an answer. With us it is called Yawm al-Mazīd (the Day of Increase).’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘O Jibrīl, what is the Day of Increase?’ He said, ‘Your Lord has made in al-Firdaws a broad valley filled with dunes of musk. When Friday comes, Allah sends down whomever He wills of His angels, and around Him—”