Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 17493

Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Haydah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There was a servant among the servants of Allah Almighty to whom Allah Almighty had given wealth and children, but he did not do any deed for the pleasure of Allah Almighty. He carried on like this until his life passed away. When his final moment drew near, it occurred to him that he had not sent forth any good at all to the court of Allah Almighty. He called his sons and said: 'O my sons, what kind of father do you know me to be?' They replied: 'You are our best father.' He said: 'By Allah, whatever wealth of mine any one of you has, I will take it back from you, or else you must do what I command you.' Then he took a firm pledge from his children and said: 'When I die, take my body and throw me into the fire, until when I become charcoal, scatter me.'" The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed his blessed hand on his thigh and said: "'Grind me and scatter me, so that I may escape from Allah Almighty.' That was done with him, by the Lord of Muhammad! When he died, he was brought in a better form than before (perhaps a better bodily state is meant), and he was presented before his Lord. The Lord asked: 'Why did you go into the fire?' He replied: 'O my Lord, out of fear of You.' The Lord said: 'I heard that you disliked this.' (Here the narrator Yazid reported these words:) 'I heard you as one who wished to escape.' So his repentance was accepted."