Fath al-Rabbani

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Bara’ bin ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, when a servant is in the state of transition from this world to the Hereafter, angels descend to him from the sky, their faces white like the sun, with them is a shroud from the shrouds of Paradise and perfume from the perfumes of Paradise. They sit by him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death (peace be upon him) comes and sits by his head and says: O pure soul! Come out to the forgiveness and pleasure of Allah Almighty. So it flows out just as a drop of water flows from a water-skin. Then he takes it, and when he takes it, the other angels do not leave it in his hand even for the blink of an eye; they take it themselves and place it in that shroud and perfume. From it comes a fragrance like the best musk found on the face of the earth. Then the angels ascend with that soul, and whenever they pass by a group of angels, they say: Whose pure soul is this? They reply: This is so-and-so, son of so-and-so, calling him by the best names by which he was known in the world, until they bring him to the lowest heaven and ask for the door to be opened. So the door is opened for them, and the angels closest to each heaven accompany him to the next heaven, until the soul is brought to the seventh heaven. Allah Almighty says: Record the book of My servant in ‘Illiyyin and return him to the earth, for I created them from it, and into it I shall return them, and from it I shall bring them forth again. So his soul is returned to his body, then two angels come to him, make him sit up, and say: Who is your Lord? He says: My Lord is Allah. They say: What is your religion? He says: My religion is Islam.