حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَعِيلُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَدْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ خَيْثَمَةَ عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ حِرَاشٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَی الْأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خُيِّرْتُ بَيْنَ الشَّفَاعَةِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ نِصْفُ أُمَّتِي الْجَنَّةَ فَاخْتَرْتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ لِأَنَّهَا أَعَمُّ وَأَکْفَی أَتُرَوْنَهَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَا وَلَکِنَّهَا لِلْمُذْنِبِينَ الْخَطَّائِينَ الْمُتَلَوِّثِينَ
ابن ماجہ · Hadith 4311
It was narrated from Abu Musa Al-Ashari that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h said: "I was given the choice between intercession and half of my nation being admitted to Paradise, and I chose intercession, because it is more general and more sufficient. Do you think it is for the pious? No, it is for the impure sinners."(Hasan)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020