English Translation

Abu Mu'awiyah told us: al-A'mash told us, from Minhal ibn Amr, from Zadhan, from al-Bara' ibn Azib, who said: We went out with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the funeral procession of a man of the Ansar, and we reached the grave before it had been prepared with a niche. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sat down, and we sat around him, as if birds were on our heads, and in his hand was a stick with which he was scratching the ground. He raised his head and said, "Seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave," twice or three times. Then he said: "When the believing servant is departing this world and turning toward the Hereafter, angels with bright faces come down to him from heaven, as if their faces were the sun, bringing with them a shroud from the shrouds of Paradise and perfume from the perfume of Paradise, until they sit at a distance from him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes, peace be upon him, until he sits at his head and says, 'O good soul, come out to forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure.' So it comes out flowing like a drop flows from the mouth of a waterskin, and he takes it. When he takes it, they do not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye, but take it and place it in that shroud and that perfume, and there comes out from it a fragrance like the sweetest musk found on the face of the earth. They ascend with it, and they do not pass by any assembly of angels but they say, 'What is this good spirit?' And they say, 'So-and-so, son of so-and-so,' by the best names they used to call him in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven, and they seek that it be opened for him, and it is opened for him, and the angels near to Allah of every heaven escort him to the next heaven, until he is brought to the seventh heaven. Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says, 'Write the record of My servant in Illiyyun, and return him to the earth, for I created them from it, and to it I will return them, and from it I will bring them out another time.' So his soul is returned to his body, and two angels come to him and make him sit up, and they say to him, 'Who is your Lord?' He says, 'My Lord is Allah.' They say, 'What is your religion?' He says, 'My religion is Islam.' They say, 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He says, 'He is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.' They say, 'What is your knowledge?' He says, 'I read the Book of Allah, so I believed in it and confirmed it.' Then a caller calls out from heaven: 'My servant has spoken the truth, so furnish him from Paradise, and clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a door to Paradise.' Its fragrance and pleasantness come to him, and his grave is made spacious for him as far as the eye can see. And there comes to him a man of handsome face, fine clothing, and pleasant fragrance, and he says, 'Rejoice at what pleases you; this is your day which you were promised.' He says to him, 'Who are you? Your face is a face that brings good.' He says, 'I am your righteous deed.' Then he says, 'My Lord, establish the Hour, so that I may return to my family and my wealth.' And as for the disbelieving servant, when he is departing this world and turning toward the Hereafter, angels with black faces come down to him from heaven bringing coarse garments, and they sit at a distance from him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes until he sits at his head and says, 'O wicked soul, come out to the wrath and anger of Allah.' So it disperses through his body, and he wrenches it out as a skewer is wrenched out of wet wool. He takes it, and when he takes it, they do not leave it in his hand for the blink of an eye, but place it in that coarse garment, and there comes out from it a stench like the foulest smell of a corpse found on the face of the earth. Then they ascend with it, and they do not pass by any assembly of angels but they say, 'What is this wicked spirit?' And they say, 'So-and-so, son of so-and-so,' by the worst names he used to be called in this world, until he is brought to the lowest heaven, and it is sought that it be opened for him, but it is not opened for him." Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, recited: "The gates of heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of a needle." "Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says, 'Write his record in Sijjin, in the lowest earth,' and his soul is cast down forcefully." Then he recited: "And whoever associates partners with Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds snatched him, or the wind blew him to a far-off place." "Then his soul is returned to his body, and two angels come to him and make him sit up, and they say to him, 'Who is your Lord?' He says, 'Ah, ah, I do not know.' They say, 'What is your religion?' He says, 'Ah, ah, I do not know.' They say, 'Who is this man who was sent among you?' He says, 'Ah, ah, I do not know.' Then a caller calls out from heaven: 'He has lied, so furnish him from the Fire, and open for him a door to the Fire.' So its heat and scorching wind come to him, and his grave is constricted upon him until his ribs interlock, and there comes to him a man of ugly face, foul clothing, and repulsive smell, and he says, 'Receive the news of what will grieve you; this is your day which you were promised.' He says, 'Who are you? Your face is a face that brings evil.' He says, 'I am your wicked deed.' Then he says, 'My Lord, do not establish the Hour.'" Ibn Numayr told us: al-A'mash told us: al-Minhal ibn Amr told us, from Abu Umar Zadhan, who said: I heard al-Bara' ibn Azib say: We went out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the funeral procession of a man of the Ansar, and we reached the grave before it had been prepared with a niche. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sat, and we sat with him—and he mentioned something similar, and said, "So he wrenches it out, and the veins and sinews are severed with it." My father said, and Za'idah said likewise: Mu'awiyah ibn Amr told us: Za'idah told us: Sulayman al-A'mash told us: al-Minhal ibn Amr told us: Zadhan told us, who said: al-Bara' said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the funeral procession of a man of the Ansar—and he mentioned something similar, except he said, "and there appeared to him a man of fine clothing and handsome face," and concerning the disbeliever he said, "and there appeared to him a man of ugly face and foul clothing."