English Translation

Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim informed us, saying: Ubayd Allah ibn Mu'adh narrated to us, saying: my father narrated to us, saying: Shu'bah narrated to us from Abd Allah ibn Abi al-Saghir that he heard Abu Salamah mentioning from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah the Exalted has angels who roam the paths seeking the people of remembrance. When they find a people remembering Allah the Exalted, they call to one another: Come to what you seek! And they surround them with their wings up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord asks them, though He knows better than they: What do My servants say? They say: They glorify You, magnify You, praise You, and exalt You. He says: Have they seen Me? They say: No, by Allah, they have not seen You. He says: How would it be if they had seen Me? They say: If they had seen You, they would be more devoted in worship to You, and more glorifying of You, and more declaring You free from imperfection. He says: What do they ask of Me? They say: They ask You for Paradise. He says: Have they seen it? They say: No, by Allah, O Lord, they have not seen it. He says: How would it be if they had seen it? They say: If they had seen it, they would be more eager for it, and more seeking of it, and more desirous of it. He says: From what do they seek refuge? They say: From the Fire. He says: Have they seen it? They say: No, by Allah, O Lord, they have not seen it. He says: How would it be if they had seen it? They say: If they had seen it, they would be fleeing from it more, and would fear it more. He says: I make you witness that I have forgiven them. One of the angels says: Among them is so-and-so who is not one of them; he only came for some need. He says: They are the sitting companions, and their companion will not be wretched.'