صحیح ابن حبان
Ibn Hibban
كتاب السيرBook of Expeditions
باب فضل الجهاد - ذكر وصف الدرجات للمجاهدين في سبيل الله-
Chapter on the Virtue of Jihad - On describing the ranks of fighters in Allah's cause
Hadith 4611
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الأَزْدِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا إِِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِِبْرَاهِيمَ ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَامِرٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ ، عَنْ هِلالِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " إِِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِائَةَ دَرَجَةٍ أَعَدَّهَا اللَّهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِينَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ ، بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ ، فَإِِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ الْفِرْدَوْسَ ، فَهُوَ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ ، وَهُوَ أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ ، وَفَوْقَهُ الْعَرْشُ ، وَمِنْهُ تَفَجَّرُ أَنْهَارُ الْجَنَّةِ " . قَالَ أَبُو حَاتِمٍ : قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : فَهُوَ أَوْسَطُ الْجَنَّةِ ، يُرِيدُ بِهِ أَنَّ الْفِرْدَوْسَ فِي وَسَطِ الْجِنَّانِ ، فِي الْعَرْضِ ، وَقَوْلُهُ : وَهُوَ أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ ، يُرِيدُ بِهِ : فِي الارْتِفَاعِ .
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, there are one hundred levels in Paradise which Allah Almighty has prepared for those who strive in His path. The distance between two of these levels is as great as the distance between the sky and the earth. So when you ask Allah Almighty, ask Him for Jannat al-Firdaws, for it is the middle and the highest level of Paradise, and above it is the Throne, and all the rivers of Paradise flow from it." (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) The statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is the middle level of Paradise means that Firdaws is in the middle of Paradise in terms of width. The statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that it is the highest level of Paradise means that in terms of elevation (it is at the top).
