nothing drove you out of Paradise but your father’s sin! I am not the one for that task. Go to my son Abraham, the Friend of Allah.’
They will go to Abraham, and Abraham will say, ‘I am not the one for it; I was only a friend—far, far below that station. Turn to Moses, the one to whom Allah spoke directly.’
They will go to Moses, and he will say, ‘I am not the one for it; go to Jesus, the word of Allah and His spirit.’
Jesus will say, ‘I am not the one for it.’ Then they will come to Muhammad ﷺ, whereupon he will stand and permission will be granted to him.
The amanah (trust) and the raḥim (ties of kinship) will then be sent forth and will stand on either side of the Ṣirāṭ, one on the right and one on the left. The first of you will cross like lightning.’ I asked, ‘May my father and mother be your ransom, what is crossing like lightning?’ He replied, ‘Have you not seen how it flashes and returns in the blink of an eye? Then some will cross like the wind, then like birds, and the strong among men will run, carried along by their deeds. Your Prophet will be standing on the bridge saying, “My Lord, keep them safe, keep them safe,” until people’s deeds give out and a man comes who can move only by crawling. On either side of the bridge are hooks hanging down, commanded to seize those they are ordered to seize: someone will be scratched yet saved, while another will be hurled headlong into the Fire.
By Him in whose hand is the soul of Abu Hurayrah, the depth of Hell is a fall of seventy years.’ Reported by Muslim.
His phrase ‘far, far’ (min warāʾ warāʾ) may be read with a fatḥah on both words; some read it with a ḍammah and without tanwīn. It means, ‘I am nowhere near that lofty rank,’ and it is said as an expression of humility. I have discussed it at length in my commentary on Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, and Allah knows best.
[Explanation]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—cites, from Hudhayfah and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both), the ḥadīth of intercession, for Allah ﷻ promised His Prophet ﷺ that He would raise him to the Praised Station