The Angels and Gatherings of Remembrance

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَوْ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالاَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلاَئِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَضْلاً عَنْ كُتَّابِ النَّاسِ فَإِذَا وَجَدُوا أَقْوَامًا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ تَنَادَوْا هَلُمُّوا إِلَى بُغْيَتِكُمْ فَيَجِيئُونَ فَيَحُفُّونَ بِهِمْ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَلَى أَىِّ شَيْءٍ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي يَصْنَعُونَ فَيَقُولُونَ تَرَكْنَاهُمْ يَحْمَدُونَكَ وَيُمَجِّدُونَكَ وَيَذْكُرُونَكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ فَهَلْ رَأَوْنِي فَيَقُولُونَ لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ فَكَيْفَ لَوْ رَأَوْنِي قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ لَوْ رَأَوْكَ لَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ تَحْمِيدًا وَأَشَدَّ تَمْجِيدًا وَأَشَدَّ لَكَ ذِكْرًا ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ وَأَىُّ شَيْءٍ يَطْلُبُونَ قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ يَطْلُبُونَ الْجَنَّةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ وَهَلْ رَأَوْهَا قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ فَكَيْفَ لَوْ رَأَوْهَا قَالَ فَيَقُولُونَ لَوْ رَأَوْهَا كَانُوا لَهَا أَشَدَّ طَلَبًا وَأَشَدَّ عَلَيْهَا حِرْصًا ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ مِنْ أَىِّ شَيْءٍ يَتَعَوَّذُونَ قَالُوا يَتَعَوَّذُونَ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ وَهَلْ رَأَوْهَا فَيَقُولُونَ لاَ ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُ فَكَيْفَ لَوَ رَأَوْهَا فَيَقُولُونَ لَوْ رَأَوْهَا كَانُوا مِنْهَا أَشَدَّ هَرَبًا وَأَشَدَّ مِنْهَا خَوْفًا وَأَشَدَّ مِنْهَا تَعَوُّذًا ‏.‏ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ فَإِنِّي أُشْهِدُكُمْ أَنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَهُمْ ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّ فِيهِمْ فُلاَنًا الْخَطَّاءَ لَمْ يُرِدْهُمْ إِنَّمَا جَاءَهُمْ لِحَاجَةٍ ‏.‏ فَيَقُولُ هُمُ الْقَوْمُ لاَ يَشْقَى لَهُمْ جَلِيسٌ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏

Abu Hurairah or Abu Sa`eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, Allah has angels who go about on the earth in addition to the Kuttab of people. So when they find groups of people remembering Allah, they call to one another: ‘Come to that which you have been seeking.’ They will come and cover them up to the lowest heaven. Allah will say: ‘What were My worshippers doing when you left them?’ They will say: ‘We left them as they were praising You, glorifying You, and remembering You.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘Have they seen Me?’ They say: ‘No.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘How would it be had they seen Me?’ They will say: ‘Had they seen You, they would have been more ardent in praise of You, more ardent in glorification of You, more ardent in remembrance of You.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘And what do they seek?’” He (ﷺ) said: “They will say: ‘They seek Paradise.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘So have they seen it?’” He (ﷺ) said: “So they will say: ‘No.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘So how would it be had they seen it?’” He (ﷺ) said: “They will say: ‘Had they seen it, they would be more ardent in seeking it, and more eager for it.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘So from what thing do they seek refuge?’ They will say: ‘They seek refuge from the Fire.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘And have they seen it?’ So they will say: ‘No.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘So how would it be had they seen it?’ So they will say: ‘Had they seen it, they would be more ardent in fear of it, and more ardent in seeking refuge from it.’” He (ﷺ) said: “So He will say: ‘So I do call You to witness that I have forgiven them.’ So they will say: ‘Indeed among them is so-and-so, a sinner, he did not intend them, he only came to them for some need.’ So He will say: ‘They are the people, that none who sits with them shall be miserable.’”