English Translation

He said, Isma'il ibn Ibrahim told us: Hisham al-Dastuwa'i told us, from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir, from Hilal ibn Abi Maymuna, from Ata' ibn Yasar, from Rifa'a al-Juhani, who said: We came forth with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, until, when we were at al-Kadid — or he said, at Qudayd — some men among us began asking permission to go to their families, and he granted it to them. Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood up, praised Allah and extolled Him, then said, 'What is the matter with men, for whom the side of the tree nearer to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is more hateful to them than the other side?' We saw none among the people at that but weeping. Then a man said, 'Whoever asks your permission after this is indeed foolish.' He then praised Allah, and said at that time, 'I bear witness before Allah: no servant dies bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah, truthfully from his heart, and then remains steadfast, except that he is guided into the Garden. My Lord, Mighty and Majestic, has promised me that He will admit seventy thousand of my nation without reckoning and without punishment, and I hope that they will not enter it until you and whoever among your fathers, spouses, and offspring who were righteous have settled into dwellings in the Garden.' And he said, 'When half the night has passed — or he said, two-thirds of the night — Allah, Mighty and Majestic, descends to the lowest heaven and says: I do not ask anyone about My servants but Myself. Who is it that asks My forgiveness, that I may forgive him? Who is it that calls upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is it that asks of Me, that I may give him?' — until the dawn breaks. He said, Abu al-Mughira told us: al-Awza'i told us: Yahya ibn Abi Kathir told us, from Hilal ibn Abi Maymuna, from Ata' ibn Yasar, from Rifa'a ibn Arraba al-Juhani, who said: We set out from Mecca with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the people began to ask his permission to leave — and he related the hadith. He said: And Abu Bakr said, 'Whoever asks your permission after this is indeed foolish in my view.' Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, praised Allah and spoke good words, then said, 'I bear witness before Allah' — and when he swore, he would say, 'By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad — no servant believes in Allah and the Last Day, and then remains steadfast, except that he is guided into the Garden' — and he related the hadith. Hasan ibn Musa told us: Shayban told us, from Yahya — meaning Ibn Abi Kathir — who said: Hilal ibn Abi Maymuna, a man from the people of Medina, told me, from Ata' ibn Yasar, from Rifa'a ibn Arraba al-Juhani, who said: We came forth with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, until, when we were at al-Kadid — or he said, at Arafah — and he related the hadith.