Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A man had indulged himself in sin. When death approached, he enjoined his sons, saying: When I die you should burn me, pulverize me, and scatter me to the winds over the sea. By Allah, if Allah is capable, He will punish me in such a way as He has not punished anyone else. They did that to him and when he stood before his Lord, Allah said to him: What made you do what you did? The man said: Fear and awe of You, O Lord. Thus, Allah forgave him due to that.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3481, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2756
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Despite this error in belief, Allah forgave the man and had mercy upon him because of his ignorance. The knowledge about the providence of Allah that had reached him was not denied out of stubbornness or an intention to lie.”
Source: Madārij al-Sālikīn 1/348
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ أَسْرَفَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ أَوْصَى بَنِيهِ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَأَحْرِقُونِي ثُمَّ اسْحَقُونِي ثُمَّ اذْرُونِي فِي الرِّيحِ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ قَدَرَ عَلَىَّ رَبِّي لَيُعَذِّبُنِي عَذَابًا مَا عَذَّبَهُ بِهِ أَحَدًا قَالَ فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ بِهِ فَقَالَ لِلأَرْضِ أَدِّي مَا أَخَذْتِ فَإِذَا هُوَ قَائِمٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ فَقَالَ خَشْيَتُكَ يَا رَبِّ أَوْ قَالَ مَخَافَتُكَ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ
3481 صحيح البخاري كتاب أحاديث الأنبياء باب حديث الغار
2756 صحيح مسلم كتاب التوبة باب في سعة رحمة الله تعالى وأنها سبقت غضبه
قال ابن القيم وَمَعَ هَذَا فَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ وَرَحِمَهُ لِجَهْلِهِ إِذْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ الَّذِي فَعَلَهُ مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِهِ وَلَمْ يَجْحَدْ قُدْرَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى إِعَادَتِهِ عِنَادًا أَوْ تَكْذِيبًا
1/348 مدارج السالكين بين منازل إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين