Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, when the believer is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels from heaven descend with bright faces, as if their faces were the sun, with them are the shrouds and perfumes of Paradise, until they sit from him a distance as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death, upon him be peace, comes until he sits by his head and he says: O pure soul, come out to the forgiveness of Allah and His pleasure! He takes it out like a drop from a water-skin and holds it, never to leave his hand for the blink of an eye until he places it in that shroud and perfume. The scent coming from it is more pleasant than any musk you would find on the face of the earth. He ascends and passes by no gathering of angels but that they say: What a pure spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the best names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven and seeks entry and it will be opened for him. The company of each heaven bring him closer to the heaven following it until he stops at the seventh heaven. Allah Almighty will say: Write the record of My servant in the righteous register and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I return them, and from it I will take them out once again. His spirit will be returned to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: My Lord is Allah. They will say: What is your religion? He will say: My religion is Islam. They will say: Who is this man sent you? He will say: He is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. They will say: How did you know? He will say: I read the Book of Allah, had faith in it, and believed in it. A heavenly announcement will be made: My servant has spoken the truth! Spread out carpets for him in Paradise, clothe him for Paradise, and open a gate for him to Paradise! Its comforts and fragrances will come to him and his grave will become spacious as far as his eye can see. A handsome man, with fine clothes and wonderful fragrance, will come and say: Glad tidings of what pleases you, for this was your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are you with such a handsome face? He will say: I am your righteous deeds! He will say: O Lord, begin the Hour that I may return to my family and property!”
The Prophet continued, “Verily, when the unbeliever is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels descend from heaven with darkened faces and with them sack-cloth. They will sit away from his as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death approaches until he sits by his head and he says: O filthy soul, come out to the displeasure of Allah and His wrath! He will be separated from his body like the tearing of skewers from wet wool and he holds it in his hand, never to leave it for the blink of an eye, until he places it in this sack-cloth. The scent coming from it is like the most foul corpse found upon the face of the earth. They will ascend with him and not pass by a gathering of angels but that they say: What a filthy spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the ugliest names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven. They will request it to be opened for him but it will not open.” Then, the Prophet recited the verse, “The gates of heaven will never open for them, nor will they enter Paradise, until the camel goes through the eye of the needle,” (7:40). The Prophet said, “Allah Almighty will say: Write his record in the wicked register in the lowest earth. His spirit will be thrown down,” then the Prophet recited the verse, “It is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place,” (22:31). The Prophet said, “His spirit will return to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: What is your religion? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: Who is this man sent to you? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! A heavenly announcement will be made: He has lied! Spread carpets for him in Hellfire and open a gate for him to Hellfire! Its heat and its flames will approach him, and he will be squeezed in his grave until his ribs press together. An ugly man, with hideous clothing and a foul stench, will approach him and say: Glad tidings of what despairs you, for this is your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are with your evil face? He will say: I am your wicked deeds! He will say: O Lord, do not begin the Hour!”
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 18534
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Arna’ut
عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِي صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي انْقِطَاعٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَإِقْبَالٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَائِكَةٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِيضُ الْوُجُوهِ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الشَّمْسُ مَعَهُمْ كَفَنٌ مِنْ أَكْفَانِ الْجَنَّةِ وَحَنُوطٌ مِنْ حَنُوطِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَجْلِسُوا مِنْهُ مَدَّ الْبَصَرِ ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ فَيَقُولُ أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الطَّيِّبَةُ اخْرُجِي إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَرِضْوَانٍ فَتَخْرُجُ تَسِيلُ كَمَا تَسِيلُ الْقَطْرَةُ مِنْ فِي السِّقَاءِ فَيَأْخُذُهَا فَإِذَا أَخَذَهَا لَمْ يَدَعُوهَا فِي يَدِهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ حَتَّى يَأْخُذُوهَا فَيَجْعَلُوهَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْكَفَنِ وَفِي ذَلِكَ الْحَنُوطِ وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا كَأَطْيَبِ نَفْحَةِ مِسْكٍ وُجِدَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَيَصْعَدُونَ بِهَا فَلَا يَمُرُّونَ يَعْنِي بِهَا عَلَى مَلَإٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِلَّا قَالُوا مَا هَذَا الرُّوحُ الطَّيِّبُ فَيَقُولُونَ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ بِأَحْسَنِ أَسْمَائِهِ الَّتِي كَانُوا يُسَمُّونَهُ بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَنْتَهُوا بِهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَسْتَفْتِحُونَ لَهُ فَيُفْتَحُ لَهُمْ فَيُشَيِّعُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ سَمَاءٍ مُقَرَّبُوهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي تَلِيهَا حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ فَيَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَ عَبْدِي فِي عِلِّيِّينَ وَأَعِيدُوهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَإِنِّي مِنْهَا خَلَقْتُهُمْ وَفِيهَا أُعِيدُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا أُخْرِجُهُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَى قَالَ فَتُعَادُ رُوحُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ فَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَنْ رَبُّكَ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّيَ اللهُ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَا دِينُكَ فَيَقُولُ دِينِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي بُعِثَ فِيكُمْ فَيَقُولُ هُوَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ وَمَا عِلْمُكَ فَيَقُولُ قَرَأْتُ كِتَابَ اللهِ فَآمَنْتُ بِهِ وَصَدَّقْتُ فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ أَنْ صَدَقَ عَبْدِي فَأَفْرِشُوهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَلْبِسُوهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَافْتَحُوا لَهُ بَابًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ فَيَأْتِيهِ مِنْ رَوْحِهَا وَطِيبِهَا وَيُفْسَحُ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ مَدَّ بَصَرِهِ وَيَأْتِيهِ رَجُلٌ حَسَنُ الْوَجْهِ حَسَنُ الثِّيَابِ طَيِّبُ الرِّيحِ فَيَقُولُ أَبْشِرْ بِالَّذِي يَسُرُّكَ هَذَا يَوْمُكَ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تُوعَدُ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ مَنْ أَنْتَ فَوَجْهُكَ الْوَجْهُ يَجِيءُ بِالْخَيْرِ فَيَقُولُ أَنَا عَمَلُكَ الصَّالِحُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّ أَقِمِ السَّاعَةَ حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَهْلِي وَمَالِي
قَالَ وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْكَافِرَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي انْقِطَاعٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَإِقْبَالٍ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَلَائِكَةٌ سُودُ الْوُجُوهِ مَعَهُمُ الْمُسُوحُ فَيَجْلِسُونَ مِنْهُ مَدَّ الْبَصَرِ ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ حَتَّى يَجْلِسَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ فَيَقُولُ أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْخَبِيثَةُ اخْرُجِي إِلَى سَخَطٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَغَضَبٍ قَالَ فَتُفَرَّقُ فِي جَسَدِهِ فَيَنْتَزِعُهَا كَمَا يُنْتَزَعُ السَّفُّودُ مِنَ الصُّوفِ الْمَبْلُولِ فَيَأْخُذُهَا فَإِذَا أَخَذَهَا لَمْ يَدَعُوهَا فِي يَدِهِ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ حَتَّى يَجْعَلُوهَا فِي تِلْكَ الْمُسُوحِ وَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا كَأَنْتَنِ رِيحِ جِيفَةٍ وُجِدَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَيَصْعَدُونَ بِهَا فَلَا يَمُرُّونَ بِهَا عَلَى مَلَأٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِلَّا قَالُوا مَا هَذَا الرُّوحُ الْخَبِيثُ فَيَقُولُونَ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ بِأَقْبَحِ أَسْمَائِهِ الَّتِي كَانَ يُسَمَّى بِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يُنْتَهَى بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيُسْتَفْتَحُ لَهُ فَلَا يُفْتَحُ لَهُ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى يَلِجَ الْجَمَلُ فِي سَمِّ الْخِيَاطِ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اكْتُبُوا كِتَابَهُ فِي سِجِّينٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ السُّفْلَى فَتُطْرَحُ رُوحُهُ طَرْحًا ثُمَّ قَرَأَ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ قَالَ فَتُعَادُ رُوحُهُ فِي جَسَدِهِ وَيَأْتِيهِ مَلَكَانِ فَيُجْلِسَانِهِ فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَنْ رَبُّكَ فَيَقُولُ هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدرِي فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَا دِينُكَ فَيَقُولُ هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدْرِي فَيَقُولَانِ لَهُ مَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي بُعِثَ فِيكُمْ فَيَقُولُ هَاهْ هَاهْ لَا أَدْرِي فَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَنْ كَذَبَ فَافْرِشُوا لَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ وَافْتَحُوا لَهُ بَابًا إِلَى النَّارِ فَيَأْتِيهِ مِنْ حَرِّهَا وَسَمُومِهَا وَيُضَيَّقُ عَلَيْهِ قَبْرُهُ حَتَّى تَخْتَلِفَ فِيهِ أَضْلَاعُهُ وَيَأْتِيهِ رَجُلٌ قَبِيحُ الْوَجْهِ قَبِيحُ الثِّيَابِ مُنْتِنُ الرِّيحِ فَيَقُولُ أَبْشِرْ بِالَّذِي يَسُوءُكَ هَذَا يَوْمُكَ الَّذِي كُنْتَ تُوعَدُ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ أَنْتَ فَوَجْهُكَ الْوَجْهُ يَجِيءُ بِالشَّرِّ فَيَقُولُ أَنَا عَمَلُكَ الْخَبِيثُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّ لَا تُقِمِ السَّاعَةَ
18534 مسند أحمد بن حنبل
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