Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 36989 — The words of Sulayman bin Dawud

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: A son of Sulayman (peace be upon him) died, and he (peace be upon him) felt intense grief over it, so much so that its effect was perceived in his person and in his judgments. Then one day, when he came (to his court of judgment), two angels (in the form of men) came before him to have a dispute settled. One of them said: "I sowed seed, and when it had ripened and was ready for harvest, this (other man) passed by and ruined it." He (peace be upon him) asked the other: "What do you say?" He replied: "He speaks the truth. I was going along the road when I came upon his field. I looked right and left, but the road was just that (on which he had grown his field), so I walked on through (his field) itself (and so it was ruined)." (Hearing this,) Sulayman (peace be upon him) asked the first man: "Why did you sow seed on the road? Did you not know that people have to pass along the road?" At this the man replied: "O Sulayman (peace be upon him), (if that is so,) then why do you grieve (so much) over your son, when you know that one day you too will die, and (you also know) that all people are moving on towards the Hereafter?"