أَخْبَرَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، صَاحِبُ الدَّسْتُوَائِيِّ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ الْأحْنَفِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنِ الْأَسْوَدِ بْنِ سَرِيعٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: أَرْبَعَةٌ يَحْتَجُّونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، رَجُلٌ أَصَمُّ، وَرَجُلٌ أَحْمَقُ، وَرَجُلٌ هَرِمٌ، وَرَجُلٌ مَاتَ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ، فَأَمَّا الْأَصَمُّ فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ لَقَدْ جَاءَ الْإِسْلَامُ وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ شَيْئًا، وَأَمَّا الْأَحْمَقُ فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ لَقَدْ جَاءَ الْإِسْلَامُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ يَحْذِفُونِي بِالْبَعْرِ، وَأَمَّا الْهَرِمُ فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ لَقَدْ جَاءَ الْإِسْلَامُ وَمَا أَعْقِلُ، وَأَمَّا الَّذِي مَاتَ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ فَيَقُولُ: رَبِّ مَا أَتَانِي لَكَ رَسُولٌ، فَيَأْخُذُ مَوَاثِيقَهُمْ لَيُطِيعَنَّهُ، فَيُرْسِلُ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولًا أَنِ ادْخُلُوا النَّارَ قَالَ: فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ دَخَلُوهَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا.
Sayyiduna Aswad bin Sari’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he (peace be upon him) said: “Four persons will present their arguments on the Day of Resurrection: the deaf, the foolish, the very old, and the one who died during the period «فترة» (the interval between two prophets). As for the deaf person, he will say: ‘O Lord! Islam came but I could not hear anything.’ As for the foolish, he will say: ‘O Lord! Islam came while children were throwing dung at me.’ As for the very old, he will say: ‘O Lord! Islam came but I had no understanding (and my memory was gone).’ As for the one who died during the period «فترة», he will say: ‘O Lord! No messenger of Yours came to me.’ Then He will take a firm covenant from them that they will obey Him, then He will send a messenger to them who will say: ‘Enter the Hellfire.’” He (the Prophet) said: “By Him in Whose hand is my soul! If they enter it, it will become cool and safe for them.”