بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Alhamdulillah,
Many times we Muslimss take for granted the never ending Mercy of Allah, so much so that we almost with a guarantee expect to enter Paradise, like its something our fathers own and surely we will inherit it. We do not think that the fire was created and its fuel is men and stones. May Allah save us from the fire. However even the last person to enter paradise will have a huge reward after they have paid their debt to the Creator for all the evil they have done. These ahadith below demonstrate the endless possibilities for even the lowest of the people, and the eventual reward that person will get.
HUMBLING CONVERSATION BETWEEN ALLAH
AND THE LAST MAN TO LEAVE THE FIRE
The Prophet ﷺ has told us that the first person to enter Jannah will be him ﷺ and we know if there is a first there has to be a last, and this is the topic regarding the last man who will be brought out of Hell and into Paradise and this is a great honor and a blessing, so I want you to imagine long after every one has settled in and we know the concept of time is different in the akhira, so just imagine all the people have entered jannat, the vast majority has ended up in the fire, and as they are pulled out one by one or in groups the time comes for the last one to be taken out from the torment of Jahannam may Allah save us from the adhab of the fire, so the conversation that will take place between him and his Rabb, and the incredibly great honour that Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will bestow upon him is the topic of this article here, in sha Allah.
First of all what is Jannah,
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لاَ عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ، وَلاَ أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ، وَلاَ خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ ”.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah said: “I have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye has ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard nor a human heart can ever think of.”
Ibn al-Ithir collected all the hadith on this topic in Jami’ al-Usool, however I want to quote to you the following 3 hadeeth in sha Allah:
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ آخِرَ أَهْلِ النَّارِ خُرُوجًا مِنْهَا، وَآخِرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ دُخُولاً رَجُلٌ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ النَّارِ كَبْوًا، فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ اذْهَبْ فَادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ. فَيَأْتِيهَا فَيُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهَا مَلأَى، فَيَرْجِعُ فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ وَجَدْتُهَا مَلأَى، فَيَقُولُ اذْهَبْ فَادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ. فَيَأْتِيهَا فَيُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهَا مَلأَى. فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ وَجَدْتُهَا مَلأَى، فَيَقُولُ اذْهَبْ فَادْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ، فَإِنَّ لَكَ مِثْلَ الدُّنْيَا وَعَشَرَةَ أَمْثَالِهَا. أَوْ إِنَّ لَكَ مِثْلَ عَشَرَةِ أَمْثَالِ الدُّنْيَا. فَيَقُولُ تَسْخَرُ مِنِّي، أَوْ تَضْحَكُ مِنِّي وَأَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ ”. فَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ضَحِكَ حَتَّى بَدَتْ نَوَاجِذُهُ، وَكَانَ يُقَالُ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ مَنْزِلَةً.
Narrated `Abdullah ibn M’asud:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I know the person who will be the last to come out of the (Hell) Fire, and the last to enter Paradise. He will be a man who will come out of the (Hell) Fire crawling, and Allah will say to him, ‘Go and enter Paradise.’ He will go to it, but he will imagine that it had been filled, and then he will return and say, ‘O Lord, I have found it full.’ Allah will say, ‘Go and enter Paradise, and you will have what equals the world and ten times as much (or, you will have as much as ten times the like of the world).’ On that, the man will say, ‘Do you mock at me (or laugh at me) though You are the King?” I saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (while saying that) smiling that his premolar teeth became visible. It is said that will be the lowest in degree amongst the people of Paradise. RAWAHU BUKHAARI
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمَّارٍ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنِ الْمَعْرُورِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ أَوَّلَ رَجُلٍ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَآخَرَ رَجُلٍ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ النَّارِ، يُؤْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَيُقَالُ: اعْرِضُوا عَلَيْهِ صِغَارَ ذُنُوبِهِ وَيُخَبَّأُ عَنْهُ كِبَارُهَا، فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: عَمِلْتَ يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، كَذَا، وَهُوَ مُقِرٌّ، لا يُنْكِرُ، وَهُوَ مُشْفِقٌ مِنْ كِبَارِهَا، فَيُقَالُ: أَعْطُوهُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ سَيِّئَةٍ عَمِلَهَا حَسَنَةً، فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ لِي ذُنُوبًا مَا أَرَاهَا هَاهُنَا..
Narrated by Abu Dhar radiAllahu anhu says:
Rasoolullah ﷺ said, I know that person well who will enter Jannah first and also that person who will be the last one to be taken out of Jahannam. On the Day of Qiyaamah a person will be brought forward to the court of Almighty Allah. It shall be commanded that all the minor sins of that person be put forward to him and the major sign be concealed. When the minor sins are disclosed to that person, he will accept that he had committed them, as there will be no room for refuting them. (He will begin to tremble and say in his heart that these are only the minor sins, what will happen when the major sins are exposed.) During this happening it shall be commanded that for every sin of that person he be given the ajr (thawaab-reward) of a good deed. Upon hearing this person himself will say I still have many sins left to account for, that are not seen here.
Abu Dhar radiyallahu anhu says, Rasoolullah ﷺ while narrating the words of that person began laughing until his mubarak teeth began to show. (The reason being that the person himself disclosed the very sins he was frightened of.) RIYAD US SALIHEEN
وعن المغيرة بن شعبة رضي الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “سأل موسى صلى الله عليه وسلم ربه، ما أدنى أهل الجنة منزلة ؟ قال: هو رجل يجيء بعد ما أدخل أهل الجنة-الجنة، فيقال له : ادخل الجنة، فيقول: أي رب كيف وقد نزل الناس منازلهم، وأخذوا أخذاتهم؟ فيقول له: أترضى أن يكون لك مثل ملك ملك من ملوك الدنيا؟ فيقول: رضيت رب فيقول: لك ذلك ومثله ومثله ومثله ومثله، فيقول في الخامسة: رضيت يا رب فيقول: هذا لك وعشرة أمثاله، ولك ما اشتهيت نفسك، ولذت عينك، فيقول: رضيت رب، قال رب فأعلاهم منزلة؟ قال: أولئك الذين أردت؛ غرست كرامتهم بيدي، وختمت عليها، فلم تر عين، ولم تسمع أذن، ولم يخطر على قلب بشر” ((رواه مسلم)).
Al-Mughirah bin Shu’bah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Musa (Moses) (ﷺ) asked his Rubb: ‘Who amongst the inhabitants of Jannah will be the lowest in rank?’ He said: ‘It will be a person who will be admitted into Jannah last of all when all the dwellers of Jannah have entered Jannah. It will be said to him: Enter Jannah. But he will say: O my Rubb! How should I enter while the people have settled in their apartments and taken their shares? It will be said to him: Will you be satisfied and pleased if you have a kingdom like that of a monarch of the world? He will say: I will be content, my Rubb. Allah will say: For you is that, and like that and like that and like that and like that. He will say at the fifth time: I am well-pleased, my Rubb. Allah will say: It is for you and ten times more like it. You will have whatever your soul desires and whatever your eyes could delight in. He will say: I am well-pleased, my Rubb.’ Musa (ﷺ) said: ‘Who will be of the highest rank in Jannah.’ Allah said: ‘They are those whom I chose and I established their honour with My Own Hand. I attest with My Seal that they will be blessed with such bounties as no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no human mind has perceived.” RAWAHU MUSLIM
And in the version of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, he adds, “Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will tell him, “ask for such and such” and when he has stated his wishes, Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) will say, “You will have them and ten times more”. Then he will enter his house [in Paradise] and his two wives from among al-hoor al-‘eeyn will enter and say, “Praise be to Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) who has created you for us and created us for you”. He (the person entering) will say, “No one has ever been given anything like that which I have been given.”
[reported by Muslim, no.188 Kitaab al-Imaan, Baab adna Ahl al-Jannah manzilatan]
It is a short story about the nature of the human being that comes in the form of a narrative about the last person to enter Paradise. He was a man who, with the permission of God, crawled out of the fires of Hell. At first the man was grateful to be in the space between Paradise and Hell and blessed God for His kindness and mercy. Sometime passed however and he realised that a tree had been raised up. He looked at its sturdy trunk, strong branches, twigs and leaves and longed to be under its shade and quench his thirst from its water source. As the narrative continues we see that each time God gives the man what he desires, the man needed something else; just a little more.
These SAHIH HADITHS highlight the fact that the banu Adam is almost never completely satisfied, he always wants something more. Although this might come as a surprise to someone who has never thought about the circle of wants, needs and desires that many of us find ourselves in, it is not news to Allah. He Subhanaahu, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, is well aware of the nature of His creatures.
Allah, al-Khaliq has perfect knowledge. He knows all that is tangible and intangible; He knows what has been and what will be. He is the All-Hearer All-Knower. Allah has said that he is closer to us then our own jugular vein, nothing escapes his knowledge. We might be able to hide our bad traits and qualities from our peers and family but Allah sees all; not only that, He understands what motivates us and what we fear, love or desire. And that is why He is constantly forgiving and bestowing His mercy on us. When we need Allah’s mercy no matter what the situation we have only to ask for it.
“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein.” (Quran 50:19)
The dictionary defines mercy as the disposition to be kind and forgiving, and the feeling that motivates compassion. The Arabic term for mercy is rahmah and two of the most important names of God derive from this word, Ar-Rahman – the Most Gracious and Ar-Raheem – the Most Merciful. The Mercy of God is that ethereal quality that embodies gentleness, care, consideration, love and forgiveness. When these qualities are observable in this world, they are a mere reflection of God’s Mercy towards His creation. In this story we are able to see God’s Mercy manifest in the gentle way with which He deals with this last man to crawl out of the fires of Hell.
At this point it is thought-provoking to notice that this man did not enter Paradise through his good deeds, far from it. In the end he entered Paradise by the Mercy of God. It could be said that God bestows His mercy even though it may not, to the human eye, be deserved. God has in fact promised that anyone who has the true belief in his heart even if he has committed many sins will one day enter into Paradise. To reinforce this understanding Prophet Muhammad left us with the following saying:
“Whoever dies without committing shirk (associating partners) with God shall enter Paradise.”
The fact that people including the man under discussion will be brought out of Hell and admitted to Paradise will not cause these blessed people any sorrow or distress. This is because God tells us that Paradise is the abode of delight. There is nothing in either the Quran or the traditions of Prophet Muhammad to suggest that these people will live with regret after entering Paradise due to the punishment that they experienced in Hell. This is clear from the man’s delight and joy when he found himself in the space between Paradise and Hell. He seems to have immediately recovered and is already looking towards the future. In other traditions from Prophet Muhammad we know that Paradise will cause the Muslim to forget all hardship that he faced in this world, thus it is not farfetched to say that this also includes the hardships experienced in Hell before admittance to Paradise. The Messenger of God (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) said:
“The most affluent of the people in this world, of those who will go to Hell, will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and dipped once in the Fire. Then it will be said: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything good? Did you ever have any pleasure? He will say: No, by God, O Lord. Then the most destitute of the people in this world, of those who will enter Paradise, will be brought and dipped once in Paradise, and it will be said to him: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything bad? Did you ever experience any hardship? He will say: No, by God, O Lord. I never saw anything bad and I never experienced any hardship.”
Another indication that one dip in the bliss of Paradise will take away all hardship that came before it, even the hardship of being punished in Hell, is the saying of the Prophet: “Whoever enters Paradise will enjoy bliss and will not be miserable, his clothes will not wear out and his youth will not fade.”
This blessing shows that misery will be erased for the one who enters Paradise, and it is general in meaning and includes everyone who enters it, whether they entered Hell beforehand or not.
The Mercy of God knows no bounds. Prophet Muhammad also said:
“God has one hundred parts of mercy, of which He sent down one between the jinn, mankind, the animals and the insects, by means of which they are compassionate and merciful to one another, and by means of which wild animals are kind to their offspring. And God has kept back ninety-nine parts of mercy with which to be merciful to His slaves of the Day of Resurrection.”
ONE MORE HADITH WHICH COMES IN THE CLUSTER OF THESE AHADITH AND THIS ONE SPEAKS OF THE GOOD DEEDS OF A PERSON AND IS RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ، مَوْلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ” لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ ”. قَالُوا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” لاَ، وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِي اللَّهُ بِفَضْلٍ وَرَحْمَةٍ فَسَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَلاَ يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِمَّا مُحْسِنًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَزْدَادَ خَيْرًا، وَإِمَّا مُسِيئًا فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعْتِبَ ”.
Haddathana Abu Huraira:
I heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ saying, “The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise.” (i.e., None can enter Paradise through his good deeds.) They (the Prophet’s companions) said, ‘Not even you, O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ?’ He said, “Not even myself, unless Allah bestows His favor and mercy on me.” So be moderate in your religious deeds and do the deeds that are within your ability: and none of you should wish for death, for if he is a good doer, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to Allah.”
May Allah allow us all to see our good deeds on the right hand of the scale when the hour is established, may Allah bless you and your loved ones with long lives full of good deeds.
والله تعالى أعلم
وصلى اللهم وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه والتابعين
أخوك أبو ناصر
Zinaid Abu Naser 