´'Abdullah bin 'Amr narrated:` "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) came out to us with two books in hand. And he said: 'Do you know what these two books are?' We said: 'No, O Messenger of Allah ! Unless you inform us.' He said about the one that was in his right hand: 'This is a book from the Lord of the worlds, in it are the names of the people of Paradise, and the name of their fathers and their tribes. Then there is a summary at the end of them, there being no addition to them nor deduction from them forever.' Then he said about the one that was in his left: 'This is a book from the Lord of the worlds, in it are the names of the people of Fire, and the name of their fathers and their tribes. Then there is a summary at the end of them, there being no addition to them nor deduction from them forever.' The companions said: 'So why work O Messenger of Allah! Since the matter is already decided (and over)?' He said: 'Seek to do what is right and draw nearer, for indeed the inhabitant of Paradise, shall have his work sealed off with the deeds of the people of Paradise, whichever deeds he did. And indeed the inhabitant of Fire, shall have his work sealed off with the deeds of the people of Fire, whichever deeds he did.' Then the Messenger of Allah motioned with his hands, casting them down and said: 'Your Lord finished with the slaves, a group in Paradise, and a group in the Blazing Fire.'" Another chain reports a similar narration.
‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr said: God’s messenger came out with two books in his hands and asked, “Do you know what these two books are?” We replied, “No, messenger of God, unless you tell us.” Of the one in his right hand he said, “This is a book from the Lord of the universe containing the names of those who will go to paradise, as well as the names of their fathers and their tribes. It is completed to the last man, so there will never be any increase or diminution in their numbers.” Of the one in his left hand he then said, “This is a book from the Lord of the universe containing the names of those who will go to hell, as well as the names of their fathers and their tribes. It is completed to the last man, so there will never be any increase or diminution in their numbers.” His Companions asked, “What then, messenger of God, is the good of doing anything if the matter is already decided?” He replied, “Follow a right course and keep as near to it as you can, for the last act of one who is to go to paradise will be an act appropriate for those who go to paradise no matter what he may have done; but the last act of one who is to go to hell will be an act appropriate for those who go to hell no matter what he may have done.” God’s messenger then made a gesture with his hands throwing the books away and said, “Your Lord has decided everything about mankind; a section will be in paradise and a section in the blaze.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Takhrij: [سنن ترمذي 2141]
Hadith Authentication: The chain of this hadith is hasan (good). ◈ It has been narrated by Ahmad ibn Hanbal [167/2 ح 6563], al-Nasa’i [السنن الكبريٰ : 11473], Ibn Abi ‘Asim [السنة : 348], ‘Uthman ibn Sa‘id al-Darimi [الرد على الجهمية : 263], Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Firyabi [كتاب القدر : 45، 46], al-Bayhaqi [كتاب القضاء والقدر : 56، 57], Abu Bakr al-Ajuri [الشريعة ص 173، 174 ح 333، 334], and Abu Nu‘aym al-Isbahani [حلية الاولياء 168/5], among others: from the chain of narration of «ابوقبيل حي بن هانئ المعافري عن سفي بن ماتع عن عبدلله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنه». ◈ Imam al-Tirmidhi said: «هذا حديث حسن صحيح غريب» And it has been narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Wahb [كتاب القدر : 13] and Ibn Jarir [تفسير طبري 5/25]: from the chain of narration of «ابوقبيل عن شفي عن رجل من اصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم». ◈ Shafi‘ ibn Mati‘ is a trustworthy (thiqa) narrator. See: [تقريب التهذيب : 2813] ◈ Abu Qabil Hayy ibn Hani’ has been declared trustworthy and truthful (thiqa wa saduq) by Imam Yahya ibn Ma‘in and the majority of hadith scholars, therefore he is hasan al-hadith. The criticism attributed to Imam Yahya ibn Ma‘in through Saji is not established against him. The statement of the “researchers” of Musnad Imam Ahmad in al-Mawsu‘ah al-Hadithiyyah, declaring this narration “its chain is weak” (isnaduhu da‘if) on the basis of it being shaadh (anomalous) and against the majority, is incorrect and rejected.
Fiqh of the Hadith: ➊ The belief in divine decree (qadar) is true. ➋ It is correct for every person to be attributed to his father. ➌ After verification, attribution to tribes is correct. ➍ Holding religious books in both hands is permissible. ➎ Since no one knows what is written about him in Allah’s decree, one should continue to act upon the Book and the Sunnah with correct belief in every respect until death, so that the end is upon faith.
Source: Adwa al-Masabih fi Tahqiq Mishkat al-Masabih, Page: 96