The angels’ parable of the invitation to Paradise
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».
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