There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you).

So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitent and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy.  

أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: «كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا۔ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ۔ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنَ تَوْبَةٍ۔ فَقَالَ لاَ، فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلَ بِهِ مِائَةً۔ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عَالِمٍ۔ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ۔ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ؟ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى أَرْضِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنَّ بِهَا أُنَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ، فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مَعَهُمْ وَلاَ تَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَرْضِكَ فَإِنَّهَا أَرْضُ سَوْءٍ۔

فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذَا نَصَفَ الطَّرِيقَ أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ، فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ۔ فَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ: جَاءَ تَائِبًا مُقْبِلاً بِقَلْبِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ۔ وَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْرًا قَطُّ۔ فَأَتَاهُمْ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ۔ فَقَالَ: قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَ الأَرْضَيْنِ فَإِلَى أَيَّتِهِمَا كَانَ أَدْنَى فَهُوَ لَهُ۔ فَقَاسُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَى إِلَى الأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ، فَقَبَضَتْهُ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ۔

قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ ذُكِرَ لَنَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ نَأَى بِصَدْرِهِ  

“Shall I not tell you what I heard directly from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? I heard it and memorized it: 'A man killed ninety-nine people, then the idea of repentance occurred to him. He asked who was the most knowledgeable of people on earth, and he was told of a man so he went to him and said: “I have killed ninety-nine people. Can I repent?” He said: “After ninety-nine people?!” He said: 'So he drew his sword and killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then the idea of repentance occurred to him (again), so he asked who was the most knowledgeable of people, and he was told of a man (so he went to him) and said: “I have killed one hundred people. Can I repent?” He said: “Woe to you, what is stopping you from repenting? Leave the evil town where you are living and go to a good town, such and such town and worship your Lord there.” So he went out, heading for the good town, but death came to him on the road. The angels of mercy and angels of punishment argued over him. Iblis (Satan) said: “I have more right to him, for he never disobeyed me for a moment.” But the angels of mercy said: “He went out repenting.” (One of the narrators) Hammam said: “Humaid At-Tawil narrated to me from Bakr bin Abdullah that Abu Rafi said: 'So Allah (SWT) sent an angel to whom they referred (the case). He said: “Look and see which of the two towns was he closer, and put him with its people.” (One of the narrators) Qatadah said: “Hasan narrated to us: 'When death came to him he strove and drew closer to the good town, and farther away from the evil town, so they put him with the people of the good town.”  

سَمِعْتُ مِنْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي إِنَّ عَبْدًا قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا ثُمَّ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ التَّوْبَةُ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ بَعْدَ تِسْعَةٍ وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا قَالَ فَانْتَضَى سَيْفَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَكْمَلَ بِهِ الْمِائَةَ ثُمَّ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ التَّوْبَةُ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ اخْرُجْ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الْخَبِيثَةِ الَّتِي أَنْتَ فِيهَا إِلَى الْقَرْيَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ قَرْيَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ فِيهَا فَخَرَجَ يُرِيدُ الْقَرْيَةَ الصَّالِحَةَ فَعَرَضَ لَهُ أَجَلُهُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ قَالَ إِبْلِيسُ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِهِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْصِنِي سَاعَةً قَطُّ قَالَ فَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ إِنَّهُ خَرَجَ تَائِبًا قَالَ هَمَّامٌ فَحَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ ﷻ مَلَكًا فَاخْتَصَمُوا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا فَقَالَ انْظُرُوا أَىَّ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ أَقْرَبَ فَأَلْحِقُوهُ بِأَهْلِهَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ أَنْبَأَنَا هَمَّامُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الصِّدِّيقِ النَّاجِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَاىَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي إِنَّ عَبْدًا قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا ثُمَّ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ التَّوْبَةُ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ بَعْدَ تِسْعَةٍ وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا قَالَ فَانْتَضَى سَيْفَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَكْمَلَ بِهِ الْمِائَةَ ثُمَّ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ التَّوْبَةُ فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ اخْرُجْ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الْخَبِيثَةِ الَّتِي أَنْتَ فِيهَا إِلَى الْقَرْيَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ قَرْيَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ فِيهَا فَخَرَجَ يُرِيدُ الْقَرْيَةَ الصَّالِحَةَ فَعَرَضَ لَهُ أَجَلُهُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلاَئِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ قَالَ إِبْلِيسُ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِهِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْصِنِي سَاعَةً قَطُّ قَالَ فَقَالَتْ مَلاَئِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ إِنَّهُ خَرَجَ تَائِبًا قَالَ هَمَّامٌ فَحَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ الطَّوِيلُ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ ﷻ مَلَكًا فَاخْتَصَمُوا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا فَقَالَ انْظُرُوا أَىَّ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ أَقْرَبَ فَأَلْحِقُوهُ بِأَهْلِهَا قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَحَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ قَالَ لَمَّا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ احْتَفَزَ بِنَفْسِهِ فَقَرُبَ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ وَبَاعَدَ مِنْهُ الْقَرْيَةَ الْخَبِيثَةَ فَأَلْحَقُوهُ بِأَهْلِ الْقَرْيَةِ الصَّالِحَةِ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْقَطَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَهُ  

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, there was a man who killed ninety-nine people and then he asked about the most knowledgeable person on earth. He was directed to a monk, so he went to him and said: 'I have killed ninety-nine people, is there any chance for me to repent?' The monk said, 'No, there is no chance for you to repent.' So, the man killed the monk, completing the number to one hundred. Then he still felt remorseful and asked again about the most knowledgeable person, and he was directed to a scholar. He asked the scholar, 'I have killed one hundred people, is there any chance for me to repent?' The scholar replied, 'Who stands between you and repentance? Leave this evil town you are in and go to such and such place and worship your Lord there.' So, the man left and death approached him. Satan and the angels of punishment argued over him. Satan said, 'He has never disobeyed me for a moment.' The angels of mercy said, 'He has repented and is going to Allah with a sincere heart.' Then, they appointed an angel to decide between them. The angel said, 'Measure the distance between him and the two towns - the town he intended to go and the town he left. Whichever town is closer to him, that will determine his destination.' They found him closer to the town he intended to go, so Allah brought him close to it and kept the evil town away from him. Thus, he died and was buried in the town he intended to go."  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قَالَ لَقَدْ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَلَيْسَتْ لَهُ تَوْبَةٌ؟ قَالَ فَانْتَضَى سَيْفَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلَ مِائَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ مَكَثَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْأَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ قَتَلَ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ فَقَالَ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ اخْرُجْ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الْخَبِيثَةِ الَّتِي أَنْتَ بِهَا إِلَى قَرْيَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ ﷻ فِيهَا قَالَ فَخَرَجَ وَعَرَضَ لَهُ أَجَلُهُ فَاخْتَصَمَ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ قَالَ إِبْلِيسُ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْصِنِي سَاعَةً قَطُّ قَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ إِنَّهُ خَرَجَ تَائِبًا فَزَعَمَ حُمَيْدٌ أَنَّ بَكْرًا حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ فَبَعَثَ اللهُ مَلَكًا فَاخْتَصَمَا إِلَيْهِ رَجَعَ الْحَدِيثُ إِلَى حَدِيثِ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ انْظُرُوا إِلَى أَيِّ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ كَانَ أَقْرَبَ فَأَلْحِقُوهُ بِهَا قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقَرَّبَ اللهُ مِنْهُ الْقَرْيَةَ الصَّالِحَةَ وَبَاعَدَ عَنْهُ الْقَرْيَةَ الْخَبِيثَةَ فَأَلْحَقُوهُ بِأَهْلِهَا  

There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and the repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you). So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitant and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy. (Using translation from Muslim 2766a)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ فَأَتَاهُ فقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قَالَ لَا فَقَتَلَهُ وَكَمَّلَ بِهِ مِائَةً ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ فقَالَ أَنَّهُ قَتَلَ مِئَةً فَهَلْ لَهُ تَوْبَةٌ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ مَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ؟ ائْتِ أَرْضَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنَّ بِهَا نَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ وَلَا تَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَرْضِكَ فَإِنَّهَا أَرْضُ سُوءٍ فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذَا انْتَصَفَ الطَّرِيقَ أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ فَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ جَاءَنَا تَائِبًا مُقْبِلًا بِقَلْبِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا وَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْرًا قَطُّ فَأَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ فقَالَ قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَ الْأَرْضَيْنِ أَيُّهُمَا كَانَ أَقْرَبَ فَهِيَ لَهُ فَقَاسُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَى إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ فَقَبَضَتْهُ بِهَا مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ»  

There was a person before you who had killed ninety-nine persons and then made an inquiry about the learned persons of the world (who could show him the way to salvation). He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: No. He killed him also and thus completed one hundred. He then asked about the learned persons of the earth and he was directed to a scholar, and he told him that he had killed one hundred persons and asked him whether there was any scope for his repentance to be accepted. He said: Yes; what stands between you and the repentance? You better go to such and such land; there are people devoted to prayer and worship and you also worship along with them and do not come to the land of yours since it was an evil land (for you). So he went away and he had hardly covered half the distance when death came to him and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment. The angels of mercy said: This man has come as a penitant and remorseful to Allah and the angels of punishment said: He has done no good at all. Then there came another angel in the form of a human being in order to decide between them. He said: You measure the land to which he has drawn near. They measured it and found him nearer to the land where he intended to go (the land of piety), and so the angels of mercy took possession of it. Qatada said that Hasan told him that it was said to them that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest (and managed) to slip in the land of mercy. (Using translation from Muslim 2766a)   

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ كَانَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قَالَ لَا فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلَ بِهَ مِائَةً ثُمَّ سَأَلَ عَنْ أَعْلَمِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فَدُلَّ عَلَى رَجُلٍ عَالِمٍ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ قَتَلَ مِائَةَ نَفْسٍ فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَمَنْ يَحُولُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ التَّوْبَةِ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى أَرْضِ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِنَّ بِهَا نَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللهَ فَاعْبُدْ مَعَهُمْ وَلَا تَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَرْضِكَ فَإِنَّهَا أَرْضُ سُوءٍ فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَى نِصْفَ الطَّرِيقِ أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ فَاخْتَصَمَتْ فِيهِ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ فَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ جَاءَ تَائِبًا مُقْبِلًا بِقَلْبِهِ إِلَى اللهِ ﷻ وَقَالَتْ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ خَيْرًا قَطُّ فَأَتَاهُمْ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَيْنَهُمْ فَقَالَ قِيسُوا مَا بَيْنَ الْأَرَضِينَ فَإِلَى أَيِّهَا كَانَ أَدْنَى فَهُوَ لَهُ فَقَاسُوا فَوَجَدُوهُ أَدْنَى إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي أَرَادَ فَقَبَضَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ ذُكِرَ لَنَا أَنَّهُ لَمَّا أَتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ نَاءَ بِصَدْرِهِ  

"كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَان قَبْلكمْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ تِسْعَةً وتِسْعِينَ نفْسًا، فسأَلَ عَنْ أعْلَمِ أهْلِ الأرْضِ فدُلَّ عَلَى رَاهِبٍ فأَتَاهُ (*) فَقال: إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ تسْعَةً وتِسْعِينَ نَفْسًا فَهلْ لَهُ منْ توْبَة؟ فَقَال: لا، فَقَتَلَهُ وكَمَّلَ بِه الْمِائة، ثمَّ سأَلَ عن أعْلَمِ أهْلِ الأرْضِ فدُلِّ عَلى رَجُلٍ

فَقال: إِنَّهُ قَتَلَ مَائةً فَهَلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ؟ قال: نَعَمْ مَنْ يَحُول بَينَكَ وبَينَ التَّوْبَةِ؟ ، إِيتِ أرْضَ كَذَا وكَذَا فإِنَّ بِهَا نَاسًا يَعْبُدُونَ اللهَ فاعْبَدِ اللهَ ولا تَرْجعْ إِلَى أرْضِكَ، فإِنَّهَا أرْض سُوءٍ، فَانْطَلَقَ حَتَّى إِذا أنْصفَ الطَّريقَ أتَاهُ الْمَوْتُ، فاخْتَصَمَتْ فيه ملائِكة الرَّحْمَةِ ومَلائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ، فَقالتْ مَلائكَةُ الرَّحْمَة: جَاءَنَا تَائبًا مقْبلًا بِقَلْبه إِلى الله، وَقَالتْ مَلائِكَة الْعَذَابِ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْمَل خَيرًا قطُّ، فأَتَاهُمْ مَلَكٌ فِي صُورَةِ آدَمِيٍّ فَجَعَلُوهُ بَينَهُمْ، فَقَال: قِيسُوا مَا بَينَ الأرْضَينِ أيهما كان أقرب فهي له، فقاسوه فوجدوه أدنى إلى الأرض الَّتِي أرَادَ فَقَبَضَتْهُ بِها مَلائِكِة الرَّحَمْةِ".  

"إِنّ رَجُلًا قتلَ تِسْعَة وَتِسْعينَ نفْسًا، ثُمَ عَرَضَتْ لَهُ التَّوْبَةُ فسأَل عَنْ أعْلَم، أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ، فَدُلَّ على رَاهِبٍ، فَأتَاهُ، فَقَالَ: إِنه قتلَ تسعةً وتسعين نَفْسًا، فهلْ لَهُ مِنْ تَوْبَة؟ فَقال: لا، فَقَتَلَهُ فَكَمَّلِ بِه مائة، ثم سأَل عن أَعْلَم أَهْل الأَرض فَدُلَّ على رجُل عالم (فَأَتَاهُ) فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ قتلَ مائةَ نفس، فَهَلْ له من توبةِ؟ فقال: نَعَمْ، وَمَنْ يحولُ بينَهُ وبينَ التوبة؟ انْطَلِقْ إِلى أرْض كذا (وكذا) فإِن بها أُنَاسًا يعْبُدونَ اللَّهَ، فَاعْبُد اللَّهَ معهم ولَا ترْجع إِلى أَرْضكَ؛ فَإِنَّهَا أرْضُ سُوءٍ، فَانْطَلَق حتَّى إِذَا نَصَفَ الطَّريقَ أَتَاهُ الموتُ، فَاخْتصمتْ فيه ملَائكةُ الرحمة وملائكةُ العذاب، فقالت ملائكةُ الرحمة: جاءَ تائبًا مُقْبلًا بقَلْبه إِلى اللَّه تعالى، وقالت ملائكةُ العذابِ: إِنَّهُ لم يعمل خيرًا قطُّ، فَأَتَاهُم مَلَكٌ في صُورَةِ آدمىِّ فَجعَلُوهُ بيْنَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: قِيسوا ما بَيْنَ الأرْضَيْن فإِلَى أيَّتهمَا كان أَدْنَى فَهُوَ له، فَقَاسُوا، فوجدوه أَدْنى إِلى الأَرض التى أَراد، فقبضَته ملائكةُ الرَّحَمة".