from Ibn Mas'ud who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed 'Isha, then he turned and took the hand of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud until he went with him to the wide valley of Makkah. He sat him down, then he drew a line around him. Then he said: 'Do not go beyond your line, for indeed there shall come some men to you, but do not speak to them for they shall not speak to you.'" He said: "Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to where he wanted to go, and while I was sitting within the line, some men came to me that appeared as if they were from Az-Zut (A dark people, either from North Africa or India. See Tuhfat Al-Ahwadhi and An-Nihayah), both their hair and their bodies. I did not see nakedness nor covering. They ended up before me but they did not pass the line. Then they returned toward the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

And when it was near the end of the night, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to me while I was sitting, and he said: "I have been awake watching all night' then he entered into the line with me and lay down on my thigh to sleep. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would snore when he slept. So while I was sitting there, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sleeping (with his head resting) on my thigh, there appeared some men wearing white garments, and Allah knows best just how handsome they were. They came towards me, and a group of them sat at the head of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and a group at his feet. Then they said to each other: 'We have not ever seen a slave (of Allah) who was given the likes of what this Prophet has been given. Indeed his eyes sleep but his heart remains awake. His parable is that of a chief who built a castle, then he placed a table-spread in it, and invited the people to eat from his food and drink. So whoever answers his invitation, he eats from his food and drinks from his drink. Whoever does not answer, he is punished - or he said - he is chastised.'

Then they alighted and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke at that time, and said: 'I heard what they were saying. Do you know who they were?' I said: 'Allah and His Messenger know better.' He said: 'They were the angels. Do you know the meaning of the parable they stated?' I said: 'Allah and His Messenger know better.' He said: 'The meaning is that Ar-Rahman [Most Blessed and Most High] built Paradise, and He invited His Slaves to it. Whoever replies he shall enter Paradise, and whoever does not reply, he shall be punished or chastised.'"

صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ حَتَّى خَرَجَ بِهِ إِلَى بَطْحَاءِ مَكَّةَ فَأَجْلَسَهُ ثُمَّ خَطَّ عَلَيْهِ خَطًّا ثُمَّ قَالَ لاَ تَبْرَحَنَّ خَطَّكَ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَنْتَهِي إِلَيْكَ رِجَالٌ فَلاَ تُكَلِّمْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يُكَلِّمُونَكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَيْثُ أَرَادَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ فِي خَطِّي إِذْ أَتَانِي رِجَالٌ كَأَنَّهُمُ الزُّطُّ أَشْعَارُهُمْ وَأَجْسَامُهُمْ لاَ أَرَى عَوْرَةً وَلاَ أَرَى قِشْرًا وَيَنْتَهُونَ إِلَىَّ لاَ يُجَاوِزُونَ الْخَطَّ ثُمَّ يَصْدُرُونَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ

حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ لَكِنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ جَاءَنِي وَأَنَا جَالِسٌ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ أَرَانِي مُنْذُ اللَّيْلَةَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَىَّ فِي خَطِّي فَتَوَسَّدَ فَخِذِي فَرَقَدَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا رَقَدَ نَفَخَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا قَاعِدٌ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَسِّدٌ فَخِذِي إِذَا أَنَا بِرِجَالٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ بِيضٌ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا بِهِمْ مِنَ الْجَمَالِ فَانْتَهَوْا إِلَىَّ فَجَلَسَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ مَا رَأَيْنَا عَبْدًا قَطُّ أُوتِيَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ هَذَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّ عَيْنَيْهِ تَنَامَانِ وَقَلْبُهُ يَقْظَانُ اضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلاً مَثَلُ سَيِّدٍ بَنَى قَصْرًا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مَأْدُبَةً فَدَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ وَشَرَابِهِ فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ أَكَلَ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ وَشَرِبَ مِنْ شَرَابِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ عَاقَبَهُ أَوْ قَالَ عَذَّبَهُ

ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعُوا وَاسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتَ مَا قَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَنْ هَؤُلاَءِ قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ هُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ فَتَدْرِي مَا الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوا قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوا الرَّحْمَنُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَنَى الْجَنَّةَ وَدَعَا إِلَيْهَا عِبَادَهُ فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ عَاقَبَهُ أَوْ عَذَّبَهُ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out to al-Batha with Ibn Masud. He seated him and drew a line around him, then said, "Do not leave; men will come up to you, so do not speak to them, for they will not speak to you." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then went on to wherever he wished, and they began coming up to the line without crossing it, then departing toward the Prophet ﷺ.

When it was near the end of the night, he came to me and rested his head on my thigh. When he slept, he would breathe audibly in his sleep. While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was resting his head on my thigh, asleep, men came to me as though they were camels, wearing white garments—Allah knows best how beautiful they were—until one group of them sat by his head and another group by his feet. They said among themselves, "We have never seen a servant given the like of what this Prophet ﷺ has been given. His two eyes sleep, but his heart remains awake. Set forth a parable for him: a master built a palace, then prepared a banquet and invited people to his food and drink." Then they rose up and departed.

At that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up and said, "Do you know who these were?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said, "They were the angels." He said, "Do you know what parable they set forth?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said, "The Most Merciful built Paradise and invited His servants to it. Whoever responds to Him enters His Paradise, and whoever does not respond, He punishes and chastises him."

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْبَطْحَاءِ، وَمَعَهُ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، فَأَقْعَدَهُ وَخَطَّ عَلَيْهِ خَطًّا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «لَا تَبْرَحَنَّ؛ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَنْتَهِي إِلَيْكَ رِجَالٌ، فَلَا تُكَلِّمْهُمْ؛ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُكَلِّمُوكَ». فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَيْثُ أَرَادَ، ثُمَّ جَعَلُوا يَنْتَهُونَ إِلَى الْخَطِّ لَا يُجَاوِزُونَهُ، ثُمَّ يَصْدُرُونَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ.

حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ جَاءَ إِلَيَّ، فَتَوَسَّدَ فَخِذِي، وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ نَفَخَ فِي النَّوْمِ نَفْخًا، فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَسِّدٌ فَخِذِي رَاقِدٌ، إِذْ أَتَانِي رِجَالٌ كَأَنَّهُمُ الْجِمَالُ، عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ بِيضٌ، اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا بِهِمْ مِنَ الْجَمَالِ، حَتَّى قَعَدَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ، وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ، فَقَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ: مَا رَأَيْنَا عَبْدًا أُوتِيَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ هَذَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ؛ إِنَّ عَيْنَيْهِ لَتَنَامَانِ، وَإِنَّ قَلْبَهُ لَيَقْظَانُ، اضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلًا: سَيِّدٌ بَنَى قَصْرًا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مَأْدُبَةً، فَدَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ وَشَرَابِهِ. ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعُوا.

وَاسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: «أَتَدْرِي مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «هُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ». قَالَ: «وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَا الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوهُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «الرَّحْمَنُ بَنَى الْجَنَّةَ، فَدَعَا إِلَيْهَا عِبَادَهُ؛ فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ دَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْ عَاقَبَهُ وَعَذَّبَهُ».

[AI] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in the Isha prayer, then he turned away, took me by the hand, and went out to the Batha, the Batha of Mecca. Then he drew a line around him—that is, around Abdullah ibn Masud—and then said: "Do not leave your line, and if anyone reaches you, do not speak to him." Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went on to wherever he wished. While I was sitting within my line, men came to me as though they were the Zutt in their hair and bodies. They would not cross the line, then they would go on toward the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When it was near the end of the night, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came while I was sitting, and he said: "These have troubled me tonight." Then he came in to me within my line, used my thigh as a pillow, and slept. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ slept, he would breathe audibly in sleep.

While I was sitting and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was resting his head on my thigh, suddenly I saw men who looked like men of the Hijaz. They wore white garments, and Allah knows best the beauty they possessed. A group of them sat by the head of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and a group by his feet. Then they said among themselves, "We have never seen anyone given what this Prophet has been given. His eyes are asleep, but his heart is awake. So strike a parable for him." I think he said: "Of a man who built a palace, then prepared a banquet and invited people to his food. Whoever answered him ate from his food and drank from his drink, and whoever did not answer him, he punished him—or he was punished." Then they rose up.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke and said to me: "Did you hear what these said? And do you know who they are?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "They are the angels." He said: "Do you know the parable that they struck?" I said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "The parable they struck is this: the Lord ﷻ built Paradise and called His servants to it. Whoever answered Him entered Paradise, and whoever did not answer Him, He punished him—or chastised him."

We do not know this hadith to be narrated from Abdullah except through this route. Al-Taymi narrated it and differed with Jafar ibn Maymun in its chain of transmission, saying: from Amr al-Bikali, from Abu Uthman.

صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَاةَ الْعِشَاءِ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ، فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي، وَخَرَجَ إِلَى الْبَطْحَاءِ بَطْحَاءَ مَكَّةَ، ثُمَّ خَطَّ عَلَيْهِ خَطًّا، يَعْنِي عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «لَا تَبْرَحَنَّ خَطَّكَ، فَإِنِ انْتَهَى إِلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ فَلَا تُكَلِّمْهُ». ثُمَّ مَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَيْثُ أَرَادَ، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ فِي خُطًى، إِذْ أَتَانِي رِجَالٌ كَأَنَّهُمُ الزُّطُّ، أَشْعَارُهُمْ وَأَجْسَادُهُمْ، لَا يُجَاوِزُونَ الْخَطَّ، ثُمَّ يَصِيرُونَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ، جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا جَالِسٌ، فَقَالَ: «لَقَدْ آذَانِي هَؤُلَاءِ اللَّيْلَةَ». ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ فِي خَطِّي، فَتَوَسَّدَ فَخِذِي فَرَقَدَ، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا رَقَدَ نَفَخَ النَّوْمَ نَفْخًا.

فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا قَاعِدٌ، وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَسِّدٌ فَخِذِي، إِذَا أَنَا بِرِجَالٍ كَأَنَّهُمْ رِجَالُ الْحِجَازِ، عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ بِيضٌ، اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا بِهِمْ مِنَ الْجَمَالِ، فَجَلَسَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَطَائِفَةٌ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ: مَا رَأَيْنَا أَحَدًا قَطُّ أُوتِيَ مَا أُوتِيَ هَذَا النَّبِيُّ، إِنَّ عَيْنَيْهَ نَائِمَةٌ وَقَلْبَهُ يَقْظَانُ، فَاضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلًا، أَحْسَبُهُ قَالَ: بِرَجُلٍ بَنَى قَصْرًا، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مَأْدُبَةً، وَدَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ، فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ أَكَلَ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ، وَشَرِبَ مِنْ شَرَابِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ عَاقَبَهُ أَوْ عُوقِبَ. ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعُوا.

فَاسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ لِي: «سَمِعْتَ مَا قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ؟ وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَنْ هُمْ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «هُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ». قَالَ: «فَتَدْرِي مَا الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوهُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ: «مَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوا: الرَّبُّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَنَى الْجَنَّةَ، وَدَعَا إِلَيْهَا عِبَادَهُ، فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْهُ عَاقَبَهُ أَوْ عَذَّبَهُ».

وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَا نَعْلَمُهُ يُرْوَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ، وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ التَّيْمِيُّ فَخَالَفَ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مَيْمُونٍ فِي إِسْنَادِهِ، وَقَالَ: عَنْ عَمْرٍو الْبِكَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ.

[AI] The Prophet ﷺ followed me, and we went until we reached a place where he drew a line for me and said: "Stay within this; do not leave it, for if you leave, you will perish." So, I stayed there, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked on or went farther.

He then mentioned some small beings, as if they were people from India or however Allah willed, without clothes, yet I could not see their private parts, tall and thin. They came and began to ride on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he recited to them. They would come and surround me, making sounds that frightened me greatly, so I sat there or as it was said. When the dawn broke, they started to leave.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then returned heavily burdened or was in some pain from what they did. He said: "I feel heavily burdened," and placed his head in my lap. Then those small beings came again, now wearing white clothes and tall, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had dozed off. I was more frightened than the first time. Some of them said to others: "This man has been given something good," or as they said: "His eyes are sleeping, yet his heart is awake."

Then one of them said to the others: "Let us present him with a parable." They suggested: "Present him with a parable, and we will interpret it," or "we will present, and you will interpret." One said: "He is like a noble man or master who built a strong structure and sent to the people food. Whoever did not attend his food—or they said did not follow him—was punished severely." The others said: "The noble man is the Lord of the worlds, the structure is Islam, the food is Paradise, and this one is the caller. Whoever follows him will be in Paradise, and whoever does not follow him will be punished."

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke and asked: "What did you see, O son of Umm Abd?" I said: "I saw such and such," and he replied: "O Prophet of Allah! Nothing of what they said was hidden from me." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Nothing of what they said was hidden from me. They are a group of angels or as Allah wills."

"اسْتَتْبَعَنِى النَّبِىُّ ﷺ فَانْطَلَقْنا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا مَوْضِعًا، فَخَطَّ لِى خُطَّةً، فَقَالَ لِى: كُنْ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَىْ هَذِهِ لا تَخْرُجْ منْهَا فَإنَّكَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ هَلَكْتَ، فَكُنْتُ فِيهَا، وَمَضَى رَسُولُ الله ﷺ أَوْ قَاَلَ أَبْعَدْ شَيئًا،

قَالَ: ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ ذَكَرَ هُنيْنًا () كَأَنَّهُمُ الزُّطُّ ( ) أَوْ كَمَا شَاءَ اللهُ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِم ثيَابٌ وَلا أَرَى سَوْآتَهُمْ، طِوالٌ قَلِيلٌ لَحْمُهُمْ، فَأَتَوْا فَجَعَلُوا يَرْكَبُونَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَجَعَلُوا يَأتُونَ فَيَخْلِبُونَ ( * ) حَوْلَى وَيَضْرَطونَ ( * * *) بِى فَأُرْعِبْتُ مِنْهُمْ رُعْبًا شَدِيدًا، فَجَلَسْتُ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، فَلَمَّا انْشَقَّ عَمُودُ الصُّبْح جَعَلُوا يَذْهَبُونَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ جَاءَ ثَقِيلًا وَجِعًا - أَوْ يَكُونُ وَجِعًا - مِمَّا رَكِبُوهُ، قَالَ: إِنِّى أَجِدُنِى ثَقيلًا، فَوَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ رَأسَهُ فِى حجْرِى، ثُمَّ إِنَّ هُنَيْنًا أَتَوا عَلَيْهِمْ ثيَابٌ بيضٌ طِوالٌ وَقَدْ أَغْفَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَأُرْعِبْتُ أَشَدّ مِمَّا أَرْعِبْتُ الْمَرَّةَ الأُولَى، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: لَقَدْ أُعْطِىَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ خَيْرًا - أَوْ كَمَا قَالُوا: إِنَّ عَيْنَيْه نَائِمَتانِ، أَوْ قَالَ: عَينهُ نَائِمَةٌ وَقَلْبُهُ يَقْظَانُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ، هَلُمَّ فَلْنَضْرِبْ لَهُ مَثَلًا، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ: اضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلًا وَنُوَوِّلُ نَحْنُ أَوْ نَضْرِبُ نَحْنُ وَتُأوِّلُونَ أَنْتُمْ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: مَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ سيِّد أَوْ قَالُوا: هُوَ سيِّدُ بَنى بُنْيَانًا حَصِينًا ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى النَّاسِ الطَّعَامَ، فَمَنْ لَمْ يَأت طَعَامَهُ - أَوْ قَالُوا: لَمْ يَتَّبِعْهُ عَذَّبَهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا، وقَالَ الآخَرُونَ: أمَّا السَّيِّدُ فَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَأَمَّا الْبُنْيَانُ فَهُوَ الإِسْلامُ وَالطَّعَامُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَهَذَا الدَّاعِى، فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَهُ كَانَ فِى الْجَنَّةِ، وَمنْ لَمْ يَتَّبِعْهُ عُذِّبَ،

قَالَ: ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ اسْتَيْقَظَ، قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتَ يَابْنَ أمِّ عْبِدٍ؟ قُلْتُ: رَأَيْتُ كَذَاَ وَكَذَا فَقَالَ: يَا نَبِّىَ اللهِ! مَا خَفِى عَلَىَّ مِمَّا قَالُوا شَىْءٌ. قَالَ نَبِىُّ اللهِ ﷺ : ما خَفِىَ عَلَىَّ مِمَا قَالُوا شَىْءٌ، قَالَ نَبِىُّ الله ﷺ : هُمْ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْملائِكَةِ، أَوْ كَمَا شَاءَ اللهُ".