Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36934 — Reports on the breadth of the mercy

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that among the nation before you there was a man who lived among a people of disbelievers, and among them there were also some righteous people. This man said: "Long have I been in this disbelief of mine; I will surely go to this righteous town so that I may become one of the righteous." He set out to go to that town, and death overtook him. The angel and Satan disputed about him. One said: "I have the greater right to him," and the other said: "I have the greater right." Allah Almighty decided between them through some of His troops. He said to them: "Measure the distance between the two towns; whichever town he is nearer to, he will be counted among its people." They measured the distance and found him nearer to the town of the righteous, so he became one of them.