Arabic (Original)
قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ نُعَيْمٍ الْمُجْمِرِ عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَلْنِي أُعْطِكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْظِرْنِي أَنْظُرْ فِي أَمْرِي قَالَ فَانْظُرْ فِي أَمْرِكَ قَالَ فَنَظَرْتُ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ أَمْرَ الدُّنْيَا يَنْقَطِعُ فَلَا أَرَى شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنْ شَيْءٍ آخُذُهُ لِنَفْسِي لِآخِرَتِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ مَا حَاجَتُكَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اشْفَعْ لِي إِلَى رَبِّكَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَلْيُعْتِقْنِي مِنْ النَّارِ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَمَرَكَ بِهَذَا فَقُلْتُ لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَمَرَنِي بِهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَكِنِّي نَظَرْتُ فِي أَمْرِي فَرَأَيْتُ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا زَائِلَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ آخُذَ لِآخِرَتِي قَالَ فَأَعِنِّي عَلَى نَفْسِكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُودِ.
English Translation
He said: Abu al-Yaman told us: Isma'il ibn Ayyash told us, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq, from Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Ata', from Nu'aym al-Mujmir, from Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me: Ask me and I will give you. I said: O Messenger of Allah, give me time to consider my situation. He said: Then consider your situation. I considered, and said: The affairs of this world come to an end, so I see nothing better than something I take for myself for my Hereafter. So I went in to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said: What is your need? I said: O Messenger of Allah, intercede for me with your Lord, Mighty and Majestic, that He may free me from the Fire. He said: Who commanded you to say this? I said: No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, no one commanded me to say it, but I considered my situation and saw that this world passes away from its people, so I loved to take something for my Hereafter. He said: Then help me on your behalf by prostrating much.