'Abdallah b. 'Amr reported God's messenger as saying, "My pond is a month's journey and its sides are equal. Its water is whiter than milk, its odour is sweeter than musk, and its jugs are like the stars in the sky. He who drinks of it will never thirst." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Shal b. Sa'd reported God's messenger as saying, "I shall go to the Pond before you; he who comes to me will drink, and he who drinks will never thirst. Folk whom I know and who know me will come down to me, but something will come between them and me. I shall say that they belong to me, but I shall be told that I do not know what innovations they have produced since I departed from them. I shall then say, `Destruction, destruction to those who have made changes since my departure'!" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "The believers will be restrained on the day of resurrection so that they will be concerned about that and express a desire to find an intercessor with their Lord that He may relieve them from the position in which they are placed. They will go to Adam and say, `You are Adam, the father of mankind, whom God created by His hand, whom He caused to dwell in His garden, to whom He made the angels do obeisance, and whom He taught the names of everything. Intercede for us with your Lord so that He may relieve us from this position in which we are placed.' But he, mentioning the sin he committed by eating of the tree when he had been forbidden to do so, will reply, `I am not in a position to do that for you; go to Noah, the first prophet God sent to the inhabitants of the earth.' They will then go to Noah and he, mentioning the sin he committed by making request of his Lord without knowledge,[1] will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Abraham, the friend of the Compassionate One.' They will then go to Abraham and he, mentioning three lies he told, will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Moses, a servant to whom God brought, the Torah, to whom He spoke, and whom He brought near Him as a confidant.' They will then go to Moses and he, mentioning the sin he committed when he took a life, will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Jesus, God's servant and messenger, God's spirit and word.' They will then go to Jesus and he will say, `I am not in a position to do that for you, but go to Muhammad, a servant whose former and latter sins have been forgiven him by God.' They will then come to me and I shall ask permission to enter my Lord's abode. When this is granted and I see Him I shall fall down in prostration, and God will leave me as long as He wishes to do so. He will then say, `Rise, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make intercession, it will be accepted, and if you make a request, it will be granted.' I shall then raise my head and extol and laud my Lord in a manner He will teach me. I shall then make intercession, but He will appoint a limit for me after which I shall go out, bring them forth from hell and bring them into paradise. I shall return a second time and ask permission to enter my Lord's abode. When this is granted and I see Him I shall fall down in prostration, and God will leave me as long as He wishes to do so. He will then say, ...

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the day of resurrection comes mankind will be in confusion and will go to Adam and say, `Intercede with your Lord,' and he will reply, `I am not capable, but go to Abraham, for he is the friend of the Compassionate One.' They will go to Abraham and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Moses, for he is God's interlocutor.' They will then go to Moses and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Jesus, for he is God's spirit and word.' They will then go to Jesus and he will say, `I am not capable, but go to Muhammad.' Then they will come to me and, saying I am capable, I shall ask permission to enter my Lord's presence. When this is granted He will teach me certain utterances of praise which I do not know at present, and I shall use them and fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted." I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people,' and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a grain of barley. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return and use those utterances of praise, then fall down prostrating myself Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people,' and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a mote or a grain of mustard-seed. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return and use those utterances of praise, then fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, and if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then say, `0 my Lord, my people, my people, and shall be told to go away and bring forth from hell those in whose hearts there is as much faith as the smallest smallest, smallest grain of mustard-seed. I shall go and do so, after which I shall return a fourth time and use those utterances of praise then fall down prostrating myself. Then will be said, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you speak you will be listened to, if you make a request it will be granted, arid if you make intercession it will be accepted.' I shall then ...

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, "The one who will be most fortunate by reason of my intercession on the day of resurrection will be the one who says there is no god but God sincerely from his heart," or, "his soul." Bukhari transmitted it.

He told that once when the Prophet was brought some meat and was offered the foreleg, which was a part he liked, he bit off a piece of it and then said, ``I shall be the lord of mankind on the day of resurrection, the day when mankind will stand up before the Lord of the universe and the sun will draw near. Mankind will then experience a degree of care and anxiety which they will be unable to bear, so they will ask one another whether they cannot see anyone who may intercede for them with their Lord and will go to Adam." He then mentioned the tradition about intercession and said, "I shall then set off and come below the Throne and fall down prostrating myself before my Lord, and after God has revealed to me some utterances of His praise and of a worthy manner of extolling Him which He had not revealed to anyone before me He will say, `Raise your head, Muhammad. If you make a request, it will be granted, and if you make intercession, it will be accepted.' I shall then raise my head and say, `My people, O my Lord; my people, O my Lord; my people, O my Lord,' and the reply will be given, `Bring in by the right gate of paradise, Muhammad, those of your people who are not taken into account, though they may equally enter by other gates along with mankind'." He then said, "By Him in whose hand my soul is, the distance between the two halves of the gates of paradise is like that between Mecca and Hajar." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

In the tradition about intercession Hudhaifa reported God's messenger as saying, "Fidelity and ties of relationship will be sent and will stand on the two sides of the path, right and left." Muslim transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. `Amr b. al- `As told that the Prophet recited the words of God most high in [sura] Ibrahim, "My Lord, they have indeed led astray many people, but he who follows me belongs to me[1] and the words of Jesus, "If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants[2]," then, raising his hands, he said, "0 God, my people, my people," and wept. God most high then said, "Go to Muhammad, Gabriel although your Lord is best informed, and ask him what is making him weep." Gabriel then went to him and asked him, and God's messenger informed him of what he had said. God most high then said to Gabriel, "Go to Muhammad and tell him that We shall please him and not grieve him concerning his people." 1. Quran, 14:36. 2. Quran, 5:118. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when some people asked God's messenger whether they would see their Lord on the day of resurrection he replied, "Yes. Do you disagree about seeing the sun at noonday when it is unconcealed and there are no clouds, or do you disagree about seeing the moon on the night when it is full when it is unconcealed and there are no clouds?" On their replying that they did not, he said, "You will not disagree about the vision of God on the day of resurrection any more than you do about seeing one of them. When the day of resurrection comes a mu'adhdhinwill cry, `Let every people follow what it was worshipping.' Then all who worshipped idols and stones apart from God will fall one after the other into hell, and when only the righteous and wicked who worshipped God are left the Lord of the universe will come to them and say, `What are you waiting for? Let every people follow what it was worshipping.' They will reply, `Our Lord, we kept separate from the people in the world though we felt great need of them, and did not associate with them.' (In Abu Huraira's version they will say, `This is our place till our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes to us we shall recognize Him.') In Abu Sa'id's version He will say, `Is there a sign between you and Him by which you will recognize Him? On their replying that there is, things will be made plain[1]. Those who prostrated themselves before God for His sake will all be permitted by God to prostrate themselves, but those who prostrated themselves for self-protection and show will all have their backs made into one piece by God and will fall on the back of their necks as often as they wish to prostrate themselves. The bridge will then he set up over Jahannam and intercession will be allowed, and they[2] will say, `O God, keep safe, keep safe.' The believers will then pass over like the twinkling of an eye, like lightning, like wind, like a bird, like the finest horses and camels. Some will escape and be kept safe, some will be lacerated and let go, and some will be pushed into the fire of Jahannam. Then when the believers are safe from hell, I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is that none of you is more eager to claim a right when it has become clear to you than those who believe in God will be on the day of resurrection to make claims on behalf of their brethren who are in hell. They will say, `0 our Lord, they were fasting along with us, praying and performing pilgrimage, and ...

He reported God's messenger as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise enter paradise and the inhabitants of hell enter hell God most high will say, `Bring forth those in whose hearts there is as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed.' They will then be brought forth burned and turned to charcoal and be cast into the river of life, and they will sprout as does a seed in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Have you not seen that it comes out yellow and twisted?" (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira told that the people asked, "Messenger of God, shall we see our Lord on the day of resurrection?" and then mentioned something to the same general effect as Abu Sa'id's tradition, except for "things will be made plain[1]." The Prophet then said, "The Path will be set over the main part of jahannam and I shall be the first of the messengers to take his people across. On that day only the messengers will speak and what they say that day will be, `0 God, keep safe, keep safe.' In jahannam there will be pronged flesh-hooks like sadan[2] thorns whose size is known only to God, and they will seize people for their deeds, some being confined for what they have done and others being cut in small pieces and escaping. Then when God finishes judging His servants and desires to take out of hell such people as He pleases among those who testified that there is no god but God, He will command the angels to bring out those who worshipped God. They will do so, recognising them by the marks of prostration, God most high having prevented hell from devouring the mark of prostration, for hell will devour everything in the sons of Adam except the mark of prostration. They will come forth from hell having been burned, the water of life will be poured over them, and they will sprout as a seed does in the rubbish carried away by a flood. Bat a man who will be the last of the inhabitants of hell to enter paradise will remain between paradise and hell facing hell and will say, `0 my Lord, turn my face away from hell, for its odour has annoyed me and its fierce blaze has burned me; but God will reply, 'If I do that you will perhaps ask something else.' He will say, `No, by Thy might,' giving God such covenant and agreement as God wishes, and He will turn his face away from hell. When he is turned to face paradise and sees its beauty, he will remain silent as long as God wishes him to remain so, and will then say, 'O my Lord, bring me forward to the gate of paradise.' God who is blessed and exalted will reply, `Did you not give covenants and agreement that you would not ask anything beside what you have asked?' and he will say, `O my Lord, let me not be made the most miserable of Thy creatures.' He will ask, `What else are you likely to ask for if you are granted that?' and he will reply, `No, by Thy might, I shall ask nothing else.' He will then give his Lord such covenant and agreement as He wishes, and He will bring him forward to the gate of paradise. ...

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "The last to enter paradise will be a man who will walk at one moment, stumble at another, and be burned by hell at another. Then when he gets beyond it he will turn to it and say, `Blessed is He who has saved me from you. God has given me something He has not given to anyone of those in earlier or later times. His attention will then be drawn to a tree and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree so that I may shelter in its shade and drink some of its water.' God will reply, `Son of Adam, if I grant you that you will perhaps ask me for something else,' and he will say, `No, my Lord' and make a covenant with Him not to ask Him for anything else. His Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring, so He will bring him near it and he will shelter in its shade and drink some of its water. His attention will then be drawn to a tree more beautiful than the first and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree in order that I may drink some of its water and shelter in its shade. I shall not ask Thee for anything else.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, did you not covenant with me not to ask anything else?' and He will add, `If I bring you near it you will perhaps ask me for something else.' He will then covenant with Him not to ask for anything else, and his Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring, so He will bring him near it and he will shelter in its shade and drink some of its water. His attention will then be drawn to a tree at the gate of paradise more beautiful than the first two and he will say, `O my Lord, bring me near this tree so that I may shelter in its shade and drink some of its water, and I shall not ask Thee for anything else.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, did you not covenant with me not to ask me for anything else?' and he will say, `Certainly, my Lord, but I shall not ask Thee for anything else than this.' So his Lord will excuse him because he is seeing something he cannot help desiring and will bring him near it; but when He does so he will hear the voices of the inhabitants of paradise and say, `0 my Lord, bring me into it.' He will reply, `Son of Adam, what will bring an end to your making requests of me? Will it please you if I give you the world and a like amount along with it?' He will `say, '0 my Lord, art Thou mocking me when Thou art the Lord of the universe?'" Ibn Mas'ud then laughed and asked his hearers why they ...

`Imran b. Husain reported God's messenger as saying, "People will come forth from hell by Muhammad's intercession, will enter paradise and be named the Jahannamis." Bukhari transmitted it.

A version has "Some of my people will come forth from hell by my intercession and be named the Jahannam is." `Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, " I know the last of the inhabitants of hell to come out of it and the last of the inhabitants of paradise to enter. He is a man who will come crawling out of hell and God will say, `Go and enter paradise.' When he comes to it he will be made to think it is full, so he will say, `O my Lord, I have found it full.' God will reply, `Go and enter paradise, for you will have the equivalent of the world and ten times as much.' He will say, `Art Thou making fun of me?' or `Art Thou laughing at me when Thou art the King?' "He told he had seen God's messenger laughing to such an extent that his back teeth were visible. It was said that that was the inhabitant of paradise who would have the lowest rank. (Bukhari and Muslim,)

Abu Dharr reported God's messenger as saying, "I know the last of the inhabitants of paradise to enter it and the last of the inhabitants of hell to come out of it. He is a man who will be brought on the day of resurrection and then a command will be given to confront him with his small sins and remove from him his serious sins. He will then be confronted with his small sins and told, `On such and such a day you did such and such, and on such and such a day "you did such and such.' He will agree, being unable to deny it, and he will be afraid that he will be confronted with his serious sins. He will be told that in place of every evil deed he will have a good deed, and he will say, `My Lord, I have done things I do not see here'." He said he had seen God's messenger laughing to such ail extent that his back teeth were visible. Muslim transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "Four men will be taken out of hell and presented before God. Command will then be given that they should be sent to hell, but one of them will turn and say, 0 my Lord, I was hoping that when Thou tookest me out of it Thou wouldest not send me back into it.' ' God will then save him from it." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "The believers will be rescued from hell and restrained at a bridge between paradise and hell. Retaliation will be taken from some for others for wrongs done among them in the world, and when they have been cleansed and purified permission will be granted them to enter paradise. By Him in whose hand Muhammad's soul is, one of them shall find the way more easily to his dwelling in paradise than he did to his dwelling which he owned in the world." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "No one will enter paradise without being shown his place in hell, which will cause him all the more gratitude if he has done evil, and no one will enter hell without being shown his place in paradise, which will be a cause of grief to him if he has done good." Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "When the inhabitants of paradise come to paradise and the inhabitants of hell come to hell, death will be brought and placed between paradise and hell, then slain. A crier will call, `Inhabitants of paradise, there is no death, and inhabitants of hell, there is no death.' This will add joy to the joy of the inhabitants of paradise and grief to the grief of the inhabitants of hell." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Thauban reported the Prophet as saying, "My pond is like the distance between Aden and 'Amman in al-Balqa'[*]. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey, and its cups are as numerous as the stars in the sky. He who takes one drink of it will never thirst thereafter. The first to come down to it will be the poor emigrants, those with dishevelled heads and dirty clothes who do not marry delicate women and do not have doors opened for them ." *'Amman, capital of the modern state of Jordan, is farther from Aden than Aila mentioned in the corresponding tradition. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Zaid b. Aqram told that when they were with God's messenger he said when they arrived at a halting place, "You are not a hundred thousandth part of those who will come down to the pond." He was asked what their number was that day and replied that it was seven or eight hundred. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Samura[*] reported God's messenger as saying, "Every prophet has a pond and they will vie with one another about which of them will have the largest number coming down to it. I hope that I may have the largest number." *Samura b. Jundub. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas told that he asked the Prophet to intercede for him on the day of resurrection, and when he replied that he would do so he asked God's messenger where he should look for him. He replied, "Look for me first at the Path." He asked, "Supposing I do not find you at the Path?" and received the reply, "Look for me at the scale." He asked, "Supposing I do not find you at the scale?" and received the reply, "Look for me at the pond, for I shall not go beyond these three places." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn Mas'ud told that when the Prophet was asked the meaning of the praiseworthy station[*] he replied, "That will be on the day when God will descend on to His throne and it, whose extent is as great as the distance between heaven and earth, will creak like a new pack-saddle owing to its being compressed. You will then be brought barefoot, naked and uncircumcised, and the first to be clothed will be Abraham. God most high will say, `Clothe my friend,' and two white seamless garments of paradise will be brought. I shall then be clothed after him and shall stand in a place a t God's right hand for which those of earliest and latest times will envy me." *Quran, 17:97. Darimi transmitted it.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God's messenger as saying, "On the day of resurrection the distinguishing sign of the believers on the Path will be, `My Lord, keep safe, keep safe'." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, "My intercession will be for those of my people who have committed major sins." Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on Jabir's authority.

`Auf b. Malik reported God's messenger as saying, "One came to me from my Lord and gave me a choice between half of my people entering paradise and intercession, and I chose intercession. It will apply to those who have died and have associated nothing with God." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

`Abdallah b. Abul Jad'a' told that tie heard God's messenger say, "More than the number of the B. Tamim[*] will enter paradise through the intercession of a man of my people." *'Abdallah b. Abul Jad'a' belonged to Tamim himself. See Isti'ab, p. 343 Tirmidhi, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying, "Some of my people will intercede for & large number, some for a tribe, some for a group, and some for a single man, till they enter paradise." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is great and glorious has promised me that four hundred thousand of my people will enter paradise without being taken to account." Abu Bakr asked God's messenger to tell them more, and he replied that God did thus, taking up two handfuls and joining his hands together. Abu Bakr asked him to tell them more, and he did the same again. `Umar then said, "Let the matter alone, Abu Bakr," to which Abu Bakr replied, "What harm would it do you if God were to bring us all into paradise?" `Umar said, "If God who is great and glorious wishes to bring all His creatures into paradise simultaneously, He can do so," and the Prophet said, "`Umar has spoken the truth." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of hell will be drawn up in line, and when one of the inhabitants of paradise passes them one of them will say, `So and so, do you not recognise me? I am the one who gave you a drink.' And one of them will say, `I am the one who gave you water for ablution.' He will then intercede for him and bring him into paradise." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "Two men of those who enter hell will shout loudly, and the Lord most high will say, `Bring them out.' He will ask them why they shouted so loudly and they will reply, `We did that in order that Thou mightest have mercy on us.' He will say, `My mercy to you is that you should go and throw yourselves where you were in hell.' One of them will do so and God will make it coolness and peace for him, but the other will stand and not do so. The Lord most high will ask him, `What has prevented you from throwing yourself in as your companion did?' and he will reply, 'My Lord, I hope that Thou wilt not send me back into it after taking me out of it.' The Lord most high will then say to him, `You will have your hope realised and they will both be brought into paradise by God's mercy." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God's messenger as saying, "Mankind will go down to hell and then come up from it because of their deeds, the first of them like a flash of lightning, next like the wind, next like a horse's gallop, next like one riding on his pack-saddle, next like a man's running, next like his walking." Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn `Umar reported God's messenger as saying, "Before you will be my pond, the distance between whose sides is like that between Jarba' and Adruh." One of the transmitters said they are villages in Syria three days' journey apart[*]. A version has "Beside it there are vessels as numerous as the stars in the sky. He who comes down to it and drinks of it will never thirst afterwards." *Yaqut, Mu'jam, 1:174, says Adhruh was in the neighbourhood of al-Balqa' and 'Amman and quotes statements that the distance between Adhruh and Jarba', which he calls al-Jarba', was s mile or less. For Jarba' see also 2:45. Mirqat, 5:281. says the tradition really means the distance between Medina and those two villages, and refers to a version by Daraqutni to that effect. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Hudhaifa and Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "God who is blessed and exalted will collect mankind and the believers will stand till paradise is brought near them. They will then go to Adam and say, `Ask, father, that paradise may be opened for us,' but he will reply, `Has anything but your father's sin put you out of paradise? I am not the one to do that; go to my son Abraham, God's friend.' Then Abraham will say, `I am not the one to do that, for I was only a friend long, long ago; but apply to Moses to whom God spoke.' They will then go to Moses, but he will say, `I am not the one to do ta t; go to Jesus, God's word and spirit.' Jesus will say, `I am not the one to do that, so they will go to Muhammad and he will stand and be given permission. Faithfulness and ties of relationship will be sent and will stand on the sides of the Path, right and left, and the first of you will pass like lightning (Abu Huraira telling that he interpolated, " You for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, what is there like the movement of lightning?" and received the reply, "Have you not seen how the lightning goes and returns like the twinkling of an eye?"), next like the passing of the wind, next like the passing of a bird and the running of men whose deeds cause them to run, your prophet standing on the Path and saying, 0 my Lord, keep safe, keep safe,' till men's deeds are so weak that a man comes able only to creep. On both sides of the Path pronged flesh-hooks placed under command will be hung and will seize those about whom they receive command, some being lacerated and escaping and others being thrown Pell Mell into hell. By Him in whose hand Abu Huraira's soul is[*], the pit of Jahannam is a seventy years' journey down." *There is some doubt as to whether the end of the tradition gives the Prophet's or Abu Huraira's word, this oath suggesting the latter. In the text "on both sides of the Path" is preceded by "he said." One wonders. Therefore, whether from there to the end Abu Huraira is making an addition to his own. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "People will come forth from hell like tha'arir because of the intercession." He was asked the meaning of tha'arir and replied that it meant small cucumbers. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

`Uthman b. 'Affan reported God's messenger as saying, "Three groups will make intercession on the day of resurrection, the prophets, next the learned, next the martyrs." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger us saying, "The place occupied by a whip in paradise is better than the world and what it contains." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "A morning or evening expedition in God's path is better than the world and what it contains. If one of the women of paradise were to look down to the earth she would illuminate the space in between, fill the space in between with fragrance, and her scarf on her head is better than the world and what it contains." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a tree in whose shade a rider can travel for a hundred years without reaching the end of it, and the length of a bow of one of you in paradise is better than that on which the sun rises or sets." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise the believer will have a tent of a single hollowed pearl whose breadth (a version saying, whose length) is sixty miles, in each corner of which there will be a family out of sight of one another, each of which the believer will visit in turn. He will also have two gardens whose vessels and contents will be of silver and two gardens whose vessels and contents will be of gold. The only thing intervening to hinder the people from looking at their Lord will be the mantle of grandeur over His face in the garden of Eden." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "In paradise there is a market to which they will come every Friday. The north wind will blow and will scatter [fragrance] on their faces and their clothing, and they will be increased in beauty and loveliness. They will then return to their families, having been increased in beauty and loveliness, and their families will say to them, `We swear by God that you have been increased in beauty and loveliness since leaving us, to which they will reply, `You also, we swear by God, have been increased in beauty and loveliness since we left you'." Muslim transmitted it.

Aba Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The first party to enter paradise will be in the form of the moon on the night when it is full; then will come those who will be near them, like the brightest shining planet in the sky, their hearts like one man's heart with no disagreement or mutual hatred among them. Every man among them will have two wives from the large-eyed maidens the marrow of whose legs will be visible through the bone and the flesh owing to their slender beauty. They will glorify God morning and evening, they will not become ill, or pass water, or void excrement, or spit, or suffer from catarrh. Their vessels will be of gold and silver, their combs will be of gold, the fuel of their braziers will be aloes, and their sweat will be musk. All will be alike in the form of their father Adam, sixty cubits tall." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will eat and drink in it, but they will not spit, or pass water, or void excrement, or suffer from catarrh." He was asked what would happen to the food and replied, "It will produce belching and sweat like musk. They will give vent to glorifying and praising of God as easily as you breathe." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "He who enters paradise will be in affluent circumstances and will not be destitute, his clothing will not wear out and his youth will not pass away." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id and Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "A crier will call, `You will have the privilege of being healthy and never ailing, you will have the privilege of living and never dying, you will have the privilege of retaining your youth and never becoming decrepit, you will have the privilege of being in affluent circumstances and never being destitute'." Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's messenger as saying, "The inhabitants of paradise will look at those in the upper apartments above them as you look at a shining planet which remains in the east or west horizon[*], on account of the superiority some have over others." God's messenger was asked whether those were the dwellings of the prophets which no one else would reach and replied, "Yes, they will. By Him in whose hand my soul is, men who believed in God and acknowledged the truth of the messengers will reach them." *It can be seen in the morning after daybreak, or in the west before the darkness descends. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

(1) with no jealousy, rancour, deceit, or hatred; (2) in trepidation, being on their guard; (3) with complete trust, as birds trust God for their food. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as telling that God most high will say to the inhabitants of paradise, "O inhabitants of paradise," to which they will reply, "At Thy service and pleasure, our Lord, in whose hands is all good." He will ask them if they are pleased, and they will reply, "Why should we not be pleased, O Lord, when Thou hast given us what Thou hast not given to any of Thy creatures?" He will say, "Shall I not give you something more excellent than that?" and they will reply, "0 Lord, what can be more excellent than that?" He will say, "I shall cause my good pleasure to alight on you and I shall never afterwards be displeased with you." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "The lowest place of any of you in paradise will be that God will tell him to express his wish, and he will wish and wish. He will then ask him if he has expressed his wish and when he replies that he has, He will tell him that he will have what he has wished and an equal amount along with it." Muslim transmitted it.