Last man to enter Jannah: Sahih al-Bukhari

Originally published at alBostoni

I was reading in Bukhari’s book of authentic Prophetic sayings, when I encountered this one. I felt that I must share it, so here’s a translation. The entire Hadith is narrated by Abu Hurayra.

Abu Hurayra once said that people asked the Messenger of God, “Will we see our Lord on the Day of Judgment?”
To which Prophet Muhammad replied, “Do you find any difficulty seeing a full-moon on a cloud-less night?”
They said, “No, Messenger of God”.
He said, “How about the Sun, do you find any difficulty seeing it on a cloud-less day?”
They said, “No”.
The Prophet said, “That’s how it will be. People will be resurrected on the day of Judgment and it will be said, ‘Follow whatever you used to worship!’ So some people will follow the Sun, and others will follow the moon, and others will follow Tyrants. However, this Ummah, along with its hypocrites, will stay put, and God will come and say ‘I am your Lord’. [Not having seen God before, and confused by the whole experience] They will say ‘We’re not going anywhere until our Lord comes, and when He comes, we will recognize Him’. Then God will come to them and say ‘I am your Lord’. Then they will [realize and] say ‘[Wow!!!] You are our Lord!’, and they will follow Him.
[The Messenger of God then continued] “Then the Sirat (Path) will be cast across Jahannam (Hell), and I and my Ummah will be the first to cross it. No one on that day will speak expect the Messengers [of God], and all what they will say on that day will be ‘Please God, get us out of this safely!’ (Allahumma Sallim Sallim). Jahannam will be full of hooks and thorns that snatch people, all according to their deeds. Some will fall in because of their deeds, and others will be cut and shredded until they cross to the other side. Then when God would want to have mercy over the people in the Fire, He will command the Angels to take out everyone who used to worship God, and they will do so. The Angels will recognize them by their prostration marks, as God has prohibited the Fire from burning them and the son of Adam will be consumed by the Fire except for his prostration marks. They will come out charred and the Water of Life will be poured on them after which they will rise again the way a seed germinates after rain.
[Continuing] “Then, after God judges between everyone, a man will remain between the Fire and Paradise*. He will be removed from the Fire but his face will be fixed towards it, so he will cry: ‘Please God, let me face elsewhere! Its heat has dried me and its wind has burnt me!’
God will say: ‘If you are granted this wish, will you ask for anything else?’
He will cry: ‘No!! I swear by your Greatness I will not!’
And he will continue to promise and pledge not to ask anything else, until his face will be directed away from the Fire and towards Paradise. He will see its beauty… but [remembering his promise] will remain silent. He will stay silent for a long, long, time, then eventually [unable to bear any longer] will cry: ‘Please Lord, please bring me forward… just to the Gate of Paradise!! …’
God will say: ‘Didn’t you promise that you wouldn’t ask for anything else?’
The man will cry: ‘But Lord, please don’t make me the most miserable of your creation!’
God will say: ‘If I grant you your wish then do not ask for anything else?!’
He will cry: ‘I won’t!!! I promise, I swear by you Greatness I will not!’
And he will continue to promise and pledge not to ask for anything else, until he is brought to the Gate of Paradise. When he reaches it, he will look inside and see its vigor, charm and pleasure… but [remembering his promise] will remain silent. He will stay silent for a long, long time, then eventually [unable to bear any longer] will cry: ‘O Lord… please… please let me enter Paradise!!’
God will say: ‘You’re unbelievable! How treacherous can you get Son of Adam?! Didn’t you make all those promises and pledges not to ask for anything else?’
But the man will cry: ‘But Lord, please don’t make me the most miserable of your creation!’
So God, the exalted, will Laugh, and allow the man to enter Paradise. Then God will tell him, ‘Make a wish!’
And the man will keep on wishing and wishing and asking for so many things until he can’t find anything else to ask for. Then God will help him out and remind him saying, ‘How about this… and how about that?’ And then, when the man is completely satisfied, God will say, ‘All your wishes will be granted… and doubled!’

When Abu Hurayra finished narrating this prophetic saying, Abu Saeed interjected:
“But Abu Hurayra! The Messenger of God said, ‘All your wishes will be granted… and multiplied by ten!’
Abu Hurayra: “I only remember that they will be doubled.”
Abu Saeed: “No, no… [trust me]… they will be multiplied by ten!”

Source: Al-Bukhari’s Book of Authentic Prophetic Sayings (Sahih al-Bukhari) #806 (or #770 depending on copy)
*”he is the last of the People of Fire to enter Paradise” (omitted above but restored here)