سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 4751

Anas bin Malik said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the garden of the palm trees of Banu al-Najjar. He heard a voice and was terrified. He asked: Who are the people buried in these graves? The people replied: Messenger of Allah! These are some people who died in the pre-Islamic times. He said: Seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the fire, and the trail of Antichrist. They asked: Why is it that, Messenger of Allah? He said: When a man is placed in his grave, an angel comes to him and says to him: Whom did you worship? Allah then guides him and he says: I worshiped Allah. He is then asked: What was your opinion of this man? He replies: He is Allah’s servant and His Messenger. He will not then be asked about anything else. He will then be taken to his abode in Hell and will be told: This was your abode in Hell, but Allah protected you and had mercy on you substituted for you an abode in Paradise for it. He will say: Leave me so that I may go and give glad tidings to my family. He will be told: Dwell. When an infidel is placed in his grave, an angel comes to him, reprimands him and asks him: Whom did you worship? He replies: I do not know. He will be told: You neither knew nor did you follow (the believers). He is then asked: What was your opinion on this man? He replies: I held the opinion that the other people held. He will then give him a blow between his ears with an iron hammer and will utter a shout which will be heard by all the creatures (near him) with the exception of men and jinn.

Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020