843 – Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Umar ibn Hafs informed us; he said: Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ibrahim informed us; he said: Abu al-Muthanna Mu'adh ibn al-Muthanna al-Anbari narrated to us; he said: Ali ibn Uthman informed us; he said: Hammad ibn Salamah informed us; he said: Ali ibn Zayd informed us, from Abu Nadrah, who said:

Ibn Abbas addressed us from this pulpit—the pulpit of Basra—and said: The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“No prophet was sent except that he had a supplication which he brought to fulfilment in this world. But I have reserved my supplication as an intercession for my Ummah. I shall be the master of Adam’s descendants on the Day of Resurrection—without boasting. I shall be the first over whom the earth will split open on the Day of Resurrection—without boasting. The Banner of Praise will be in my hand—without boasting. Adam and all those below him will be beneath my banner—without boasting.

“The Day of Resurrection will become long for the people, until some of them say to others, ‘Let us go to Adam, the father of mankind, so that he may intercede with our Lord for us, that He may judge between us.’ So they will come to Adam”—and he mentioned the hadith. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “They will come to Adam”—and he mentioned the hadith. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Then they will come to me and say, ‘O Muhammad, intercede with your Lord for us, that He may judge between us.’ I shall say, ‘Yes, I am fit for it,’ until Allah grants permission to whomever He wills and is pleased with. When He intends to judge between His creation, a caller will call out: ‘Where is the unlettered Prophet and his Ummah?’

“We are the last, yet the first: the last of the nations, but the first to be called to account ⦗540⦘. The nations will make way for us, and we shall proceed with radiant faces and limbs, from the traces of ablution. The nations will say, ‘This Ummah nearly appears to consist entirely of prophets.’

“Then I shall come to the gate of Paradise, take hold of its ring, and knock upon the gate. It will be said, ‘Who are you?’ I shall say, ‘I am Muhammad.’ Then it will be opened for me. I shall come to my Lord, exalted is He, while He is upon His Kursi—or His couch. He will manifest Himself to me, and I shall fall prostrate before Him, praising Him with praises by which none before me has praised Him, nor will anyone after me praise Him. Then it will be said to me: ‘Raise your head. Intercede, and your intercession will be heard; ask, and you will be given; intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’ I shall raise my head and say, ‘My Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah,’” and he related the hadith at length.