37/38. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4323 — Intercession and the Fire
Description of Hell
Hadith About Intercession and the Fire
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4323
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4323
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحِيمِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أُقَيْشٍ فَحَدَّثَنَا الْحَارِثُ، لَيْلَتَئِذٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " إِنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ بِشَفَاعَتِهِ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مُضَرَ وَإِنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَنْ يَعْظُمُ لِلنَّارِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ أَحَدَ زَوَايَاهَا " .
`Abdullah bin Qais Narrated from:
I was with Abu Burdah one night, and Harith bin Uqaish entered upon us. Harith told us that night that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Among my nation are some by whose intercession more (than the members of the tribe of) Mudar will enter Paradise, and among my nation are some who will be made huge for the Fire until they fill one of its corners.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4323In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 224English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4323
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4323
This Hadith about intercession carries both hope and warning in one report. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that among his nation there will be some through whose intercession more than the tribe of Mudar will enter Paradise. The same narration also says that among his nation there will be some who are made huge for the Fire until one of them fills one of its corners. The wording should be kept together as it is: it speaks about intercession and also about the Fire. A reader searching for Hadith about intercession should notice the balance. The Hadith gives hope through intercession, but it also warns that belonging to the nation does not make a person careless about the Hereafter.
What we learn from this hadith
- Intercession is mentioned as a means through which many enter Paradise.
- The same Hadith also warns about punishment in the Fire.
- Hope and fear are both present in the wording of the narration.
- A person should not use hope as an excuse to ignore accountability.
