some aspects of it from the reliable narrators. One of these was that he presented it as a dream; the scholars therefore deemed him mistaken on that account. Hence, in my view, the hadith does not rise above the rank of good. And Allah knows best.

3540. “Indeed, Allah has angels who roam the earth, apart from the angels who record people’s deeds, seeking out gatherings of remembrance. When they find a group remembering Allah, they call out to one another: ‘Come to what you seek!’ Then they come and surround them up to the lowest heaven. Allah then says: ‘What did you leave My servants doing?’ They say: ‘We left them praising You, glorifying You, and remembering You.’ He says: ‘Have they seen Me?’ They say: ‘No.’ He says: ‘How then, if they had seen Me?’ They say: ‘Had they seen You, they would have been even more ardent in praising, glorifying, and remembering You.’ He says: ‘What do they seek?’ They say: ‘They seek Paradise.’ He says: ‘Have they seen it?’ They say: ‘No.’ He says: ‘How then, if they had seen it?’ They say: ‘Had they seen it, they would have been even more eager for it and more ardent in seeking it.’ He says: ‘From what do they seek refuge?’ They say: ‘From the Fire.’ He says: ‘Have they seen it?’ They say: ‘No.’ He says: ‘How then, if they had seen it?’ They say: ‘Had they seen it, they would have fled from it more intensely and feared it more greatly.’ He says: ‘I call you to witness that I have forgiven them.’ They say: ‘Among them is so-and-so, a sinful man; he did not intend them, but came only for some need.’ He says: ‘They are a people whose companion will not be wretched because of them.’”

It was reported by al-Bukhari (6408), Muslim (8/68), Abu Nu‘aym in al-Hilyah (8/117), al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (1/495), al-Bayhaqi in al-Asma’ wa al-Sifat (207) and Shu‘ab al-Iman (1/399/531), al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah (5/11–12/1241), and Ahmad in al-Musnad (2/251, 252, 358, 359, 382, and 383), from Abu Salih.