Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed at night reciting a single verse until morning, by which he would bow and prostrate, “If You punish them, they are Your servants. If You forgive them, You are the Almighty, the Wise,” (5:118). When the Prophet awoke in the morning, I said, “O Messenger of Allah, you continued to recite this verse until morning, bowing and prostrating by it.” The Prophet said, “Verily, I asked my Lord for the intercession of my nation and He gave it to me. It will be granted, if Allah wills, to whoever does not associate anything with Allah.”
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 21328
Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Arna’ut
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً فَقَرَأَ بِآيَةٍ حَتَّى أَصْبَحَ يَرْكَعُ بِهَا وَيَسْجُدُ بِهَا إِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا زِلْتَ تَقْرَأُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ حَتَّى أَصْبَحْتَ تَرْكَعُ بِهَا وَتَسْجُدُ بِهَا قَالَ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُ رَبِّي الشَّفَاعَةَ لِأُمَّتِي فَأَعْطَانِيهَا وَهِيَ نَائِلَةٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ لِمَنْ لَا يُشْرِكُ بِاللهِ شَيْئًا
21328 مسند أحمد
35/257 المحدث شعيب الأرناؤوط خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده حسن في تخريج المسند