"أترضَوْنَ أن تكونوا رُبُعَ أهلِ الجنة؟ أترضَوْن أن تكونوا ثُلُث أهلِ الجنَّةِ؟ والذي نفسى بيده إنى لأرجو أن تكونوا شَطْرَ أهل الجنَّةِ، وسأخْبِرُكمْ عن ذلك، إنه لا يدخل الجنَّة إلا نفسٌ مسلِمَةٌ، وإنَّ قِلةَ المسلمين في الكفَّار يوم القيامةِ كالشعرةِ السوداء في الثورِ الأبيضِ، وكالشعرة البيضاءِ في الثور الأسودِ".
See similar narrations below:
Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Bayhaqī, SuyūṭīWhile we were in the company of the Prophet ﷺ in a tent he said, ''Would it please you to be one fourth of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Would It please you to be one-third of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Would it please you to be half of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." Thereupon he said, "I hope that you will be one half of the people of Paradise, for none will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and you people, in comparison to the people who associate others in worship with Allah, are like a white hair on the skin of a black ox, or a black hair on the skin of a red ox."
كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ تَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لاَ يَدْخُلُهَا إِلاَّ نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ إِلاَّ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَحْمَرِ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressing us said: Aren't you pleased that you should constitute one-fourth of the inhabitants of Paradise? He (the narrator) said: We glorified (our Lord, i. e. we called aloud Allah-o Akbar, Allah is the Greatest). He, then, again said: Aren't you pleased that you should constitute one-third of the inhabitants of Paradise? He (the narrator) said: We glorified (our Lord) and he (the Holy Prophet) then again said: I hope that you would constitute half of the inhabitants of Paradise and I shall explain to you its (reason). The believers among the unbelievers would not be more than a white hair on (the body of a) black ox or a black hair on (the body of a) white ox.
لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمَا تَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ فَكَبَّرْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَا تَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ فَكَبَّرْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَسَأُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ مَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِي الْكُفَّارِ إِلاَّ كَشَعْرَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ فِي ثَوْرٍ أَسْوَدَ أَوْ كَشَعْرَةٍ سَوْدَاءَ فِي ثَوْرٍ أَبْيَضَ
We, about forty men, were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a camp when he said: Aren't you pleased that they should constitute one-fourth of the inhabitants of Paradise? He (the narrator) said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet) again said: Aren't you pleased that you should constitute one-third of the inhabitants of Paradise? They said: Yes. Upon this he again said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, I hope that you would constitute one-half of the inhabitants of Paradise and the reason is that no one would be admitted into Paradise but a believer and you are no more among the polytheists than as a white hair on the skin of a black ox or a black hair on the skin of a red ox.
كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلاً فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالَ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَقُلْنَا نَعَمْ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَاكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لاَ يَدْخُلُهَا إِلاَّ نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ إِلاَّ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَحْمَرِ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us and then supported his back (by reclining) against a leather tent and said: Behold, no one but a believing person would enter Paradise. O Allah, (see) have I conveyed (it not)? 0 Allah, be witness (to it that I have conveyed it). (Then addressing the companions) he said: Don't you like that you should constitute one-fourth of the inhabitants of Paradise? We said: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He again said: Don't you like that you should constitute one-third of the inhabitants of Paradise? They said: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: I hope that you would constitute one- half of the inhabitants of Paradise and you would be among the peoples of the world, like a black hair on (the body of) a white ox or like a white hair on the body of a black ox.
خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَسْنَدَ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى قُبَّةِ أَدَمٍ فَقَالَ أَلاَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنَّكُمْ رُبُعُ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَقُلْنَا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ مَا أَنْتُمْ فِي سِوَاكُمْ مِنَ الأُمَمِ إِلاَّ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الأَبْيَضِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ
"We were in a tent with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, about forty of us when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us: 'Would you be pleased to be a quarter of the people of Paradise?' They said:'Yes.' He said: 'Would you be pleased to be a third of the people of Paradise?' They said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Would you be pleased to be one half of the people of Paradise? Verily none shall enter Paradise except a Muslim soul. And you are not with relation to Shirk except like the white hair on the hide of a black bull or like the black hair on the hide of a red bull." Other chains report similar narrations.
كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ فَقَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ إِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لاَ يَدْخُلُهَا إِلاَّ نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ مَا أَنْتُمْ فِي الشِّرْكِ إِلاَّ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَحْمَرِ
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a tent, and he said: ‘Will it not please you to be one quarter of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Will it not please you to be one third of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. For no one will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and among the people of polytheism you are like a white hair on the hide of a black bull, or like a black hair on the hide of a red bull.’”
كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لاَ يَدْخُلُهَا إِلاَّ نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ إِلاَّ كَالشَّعَرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعَرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَحْمَرِ
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a tent, and he said: ‘Will it not please you to be one quarter of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Will it not please you to be one third of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. For no one will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and among the people of polytheism you are like a white hair on the hide of a black bull, or like a black hair on the hide of a red bull.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4283)
كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ نَحْوٌ مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَاكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لَا يَدْخُلُهَا إِلَّا نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي الشِّرْكِ إِلَّا كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ ثَوْرٍ أَسْوَدَ أَوِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ ثَوْرٍ أَحْمَرَ
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a tent, and he said: ‘Will it not please you to be one quarter of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Will it not please you to be one third of the people of Paradise?’ We said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. For no one will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and among the people of polytheism you are like a white hair on the hide of a black bull, or like a black hair on the hide of a red bull.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 4283)
أَنَّهُ قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالَ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ فَقُلْنَا نَعَمْ فَقَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَاكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لَا يَدْخُلُهَا إِلَّا نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ إِلَّا كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ أَوِ الشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَحْمَرِ
[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated to us that he was sitting by the Red Dome in Mina with his back against it. He said, "Wouldn't you be pleased to be one quarter of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." He then said, "Wouldn't you be pleased to be one third of the people of Paradise?" We answered, "Yes." He then said, "By Allah, I hope that you would be half of the people of Paradise. And I will tell you about this due to the scarcity of Muslims amongst the people on that day. On that day, they would be like a white hair on a black ox or like a black hair on a white ox. Only a Muslim soul shall enter Paradise."
حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِمِنًى وَهُوَ مُسْنِدٌ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى قُبَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ قَالَ أَلَمْ تَرْضَوْا أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قُلْنَا بَلَى قَالَ أَلَمْ تَرْضَوْا أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَسَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ عَنْ ذَلِكَ عَنْ قِلَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فِي النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَا هُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي النَّاسِ إِلَّا كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الْأَبْيَضِ وَلَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا نَفْسٌ مُسْلِمَةٌ
ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ بِتَحْرِيمِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا الْجَنَّةَ، عَلَى الْأَنْفُسِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُسْلِمْ فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا
[Machine] I heard Ibn Mas'ood saying, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon, leaning his back on a dome made of adobe, and then he said, 'Would you be satisfied with being one-fourth of the people of Paradise?'" We replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "By the One in whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. Verily, no one enters Paradise except every Muslim soul, and the example of the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection is like a black hair on a white ox or a white hair on a black ox."
سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَسْنَدَ ظَهْرَهُ إِلَى قُبَّةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبْعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ » قُلْنَا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مُسْلِمَةٍ وَإِنَّ مَثَلَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي الْكُفَّارِ فِي الْعَدَدِ كَمَثَلِ الشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ أَوِ الشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي الثَّوْرِ الْأَبْيَضِ»
While we were in the company of the Prophet ﷺ in a tent he said, ''Would it please you to be one fourth of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Would It please you to be one-third of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Would it please you to be half of the people of Paradise?" We said, "Yes." Thereupon he said, "I hope that you will be one half of the people of Paradise, for none will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and you people, in comparison to the people who associate others in worship with Allah, are like a white hair on the skin of a black ox, or a black hair on the skin of a red ox." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6528)
كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي قُبَّةٍ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ فَقَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبْعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ أَتَرْضَوْنَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا نِصْفَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لَا يَدْخُلُهَا إِلَّا نَفْسٌ مَسْلَمَةٌ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي الشِّرْكِ إِلَّا كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَحْمَرِ
"We were in a tent with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, about forty of us when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to us: 'Would you be pleased to be a quarter of the people of Paradise?' They said:'Yes.' He said: 'Would you be pleased to be a third of the people of Paradise?' They said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Would you be pleased to be one half of the people of Paradise? Verily none shall enter Paradise except a Muslim soul. And you are not with relation to Shirk except like the white hair on the hide of a black bull or like the black hair on the hide of a red bull." Other chains report similar narrations. (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2547)
"أترضون أن تكونوا ربعَ أهلِ الجنةِ؟ أترضون أن تكونوا ثلث أهل الجنةِ؟ أترضون أن تكونوا شطْرَ أهلِ الجنَّةِ؟ إن الجنةَ لا يدخُلها إلا نفسٌ مسلمةٌ، ما أنتم إلا كالشَعرةِ البيضاءِ في جلدِ الثورِ الأسودِ، أو كالشعرة السوداء في جلد الثورِ الأحمرِ".