English Translation

He said, Yahya ibn Sa'id told us: Hisham — meaning al-Dastuwa'i — told us: Yahya ibn Abi Kathir told us, from Hilal ibn Abi Maymuna, who said: Ata' ibn Yasar told us, that Rifa'a al-Juhani told him, 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 began asking permission to go to their families, and permission was granted to them. He said: So he praised Allah and extolled Him, and spoke good words, and said, 'I bear witness before Allah: no servant dies bearing witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, truthfully from his heart, and then remains steadfast, except that he is guided into the Garden.' Then he said, 'My Lord has promised me that He will admit seventy thousand of my nation without reckoning, and I hope that they will not enter it until you and whoever among your spouses and offspring who were righteous have settled into dwellings in the Garden.' And he said, 'When half the night passes — or a third 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 forgive him? Who is it that calls upon Me, that I answer him? Who is it that asks of Me, that I give him?' — until the dawn breaks.