Ibn Hibban

Uqbah bin Muslim narrates: Shafi’ Asji informed him that once he entered the mosque of Madinah, and there was a man present with people gathered around him. Shafi’ asked: Who is this man? The people replied: This is Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). Shafi’ says: I went close to him and sat in front of him. He was conversing with the people. When he became silent and was alone, I asked him: I beseech you by your right upon me, tell me a hadith that you heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), understood it, and knew it well. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will do so. I will tell you a hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told me, and I understood it and knew it well. Then Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) sighed, and after a while, when he regained composure, he said: I will tell you a hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told me. At that time, in that house, only I and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were present. No one else was with us. Then Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) sighed a second time and remained silent for a while. When he regained composure, he wiped the sweat from his face and said: I will do so. I will narrate a hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated to me. At that time, in that house, only I and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were present. No one else was with us. Then Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) sighed more intensely and leaned forward as if he would fall on his face. This time, his condition lasted longer. When he regained composure, he said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told me: “When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah Almighty will descend to judge between His servants, and every nation will be on its knees. The first to be called will be a man who gathered the Qur’an (i.e., acquired its knowledge), a man who was killed in the way of Allah, and a man who had abundant wealth. Allah Almighty will say to the scholar of the Qur’an: Did I not teach you what I revealed to My Messenger? He will reply: Yes, my Lord! Allah Almighty will say: What did you do with the knowledge you acquired? He will reply: I spent the night and day with it (reciting and teaching). Allah Almighty will say: You have lied. The angels will also say to him: You have lied. Allah Almighty will say: You wanted it to be said: So-and-so is a scholar of the Qur’an, and it was said. Then the wealthy man will be brought, and Allah Almighty will ask: Did I not grant you abundance, so much so that I made you independent of need from anyone? He will reply: Yes, my Lord! Allah Almighty will say: What did you do with what I gave you? He will reply: I maintained family ties and gave charity. Allah Almighty will say: You have lied. The angels will also say to him: You have lied. Allah Almighty will say: You wanted it to be said: So-and-so is generous, and it was said. Then the man who was killed in the way of Allah will be brought, and he will be asked: Why were you killed? He will reply: I was commanded to fight in Your way, so I fought until I was killed. Allah Almighty will say: You have lied. The angels will also say to him: You have lied. Allah Almighty will say: You wanted it to be said: So-and-so is brave, and it was said.” (Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says) Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) struck his knees and said: “O Abu Hurairah! These will be the first three of Allah’s creation by whom the Fire will be kindled on the Day of Resurrection.” (i.e., they will be the first to be thrown into Hellfire.)

Walid bin Abu Walid narrates: Uqbah told me this. The narrator named “Shafi’” presented himself before Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and informed him about this hadith. Abu ‘Uthman Walid narrated this. ‘Ala bin Abu Hakim narrated that he was the executioner of Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). He narrates: Once a man came to him and narrated this hadith from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), so Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If this will happen to these people, then what about the rest of the people? Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) wept so much that we thought he would perish. We said: This man has brought a calamity. Then Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) recovered, wiped his face, and said: Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth. “Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornment, We shall repay them in full for their deeds therein, and they will not be deprived therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter except the Fire, and whatever they did in the world will be lost, and their deeds will be nullified.”

(Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) All the words of warning in the Book and Sunnah are conditional, and that is: If Allah wills, He can forgive the person who commits these acts by His grace, and He can pardon these mistakes, and not punish the person. And all the words of promise in the Book and Sunnah are conditional upon the person not committing anything that would necessitate punishment for that act, until he is punished if he is not granted pardon. Then the person will receive the reward that was promised for that act.