and al-Tabarani also recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir (The Great Lexicon), through Mujalid ibn Sa'id, from al-Sha'bi, from 'Adi ibn Hatim, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said it. This is al-Tabarani's wording. After attributing it to him, al-Haythami said: “It contains Mujalid ibn Sa'id: al-Nasa'i declared him trustworthy, while a group of scholars deemed him weak.”
I say: However, the hadith is authentic by virtue of its numerous supporting reports found in the six books and elsewhere. I have cited a number of them in al-Irwa' (901), and the hadith of Ibn Ali will come, Allah willing, under no. 1917.
- “When death approaches a believer, the angels of mercy come to him with white silk and say: ‘Come forth content, with Allah pleased with you, to Allah’s mercy and bounty, and to a Lord who is not angry.’ It then comes forth with a fragrance sweeter than musk, until they pass it from one to another, until they bring it to the gate of heaven. They say: ‘How sweet is this fragrance that has come to you from the earth!’ Then they bring it to the spirits of the believers, who rejoice over it more intensely than any one of you rejoices when an absent loved one returns. They ask him: ‘What became of so-and-so? What became of so-and-so?’ They say: ‘Leave him, for he was in the distress of worldly life.’ Then, if he says, ‘Has he not come to you?’ they say: ‘He has been taken to his abode, the Abyss.’
“When the disbeliever is at the point of death, the angels of punishment come to him with a coarse cloth and say: ‘Come forth displeased and under wrath, to Allah’s punishment.’ It then comes forth with a stench fouler than that of a carcass, until they bring it to the gate of the earth. They say: ‘How foul is this smell!’ Then they bring it to the spirits of the disbelievers.”
Al-Nasa'i (1/260), Ibn Hibban (733), and al-Hakim (1/352 and 353) recorded it through Qatadah, from Qasamah ibn Zuhayr, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said it. Al-Hakim said: