حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ جَالِسًا وَفِي يَدِهِ عُودٌ يَنْكُتُ بِهِ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا وَقَدْ عُلِمَ مَنْزِلُهَا مِنْ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ قَالَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَلِمَ نَعْمَلُ قَالَ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ أَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَى
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 621
It was narrated that 'Ali said: One day the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting with a stick in his hand, with which he was hitting the ground. He raised his head and said: "There is no soul among you but his place in Paradise or Hell is known." They said: O Messenger of Allah, why should we strive? He said: "Keep striving, for everyone will be helped to do that for which he was created. 'As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him. And believes in Al-Husna (RA) We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And belies Al-Husna, We will make smooth for him the path for evil. [al-Lail 92:5-10].”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020