Mishkat al-Masabih 5286 — (Ar-riqaq) Words that soften the heart

Ubayd ibn Khalid Narrated from:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم established ties of fraternity between two men. (Both the sahabah رضى الله عنه were declared to be brothers.). One of them was martyred in Allah's path (in jihad (crusade)). Then, the other died (on his bed) after a week or thereabouts.The sahabah (Prophet's Companions) رضى الله عنهم offered his funeral salah (prayer) and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked them, "what did you pray (in the salah (prayer))?" They submitted, "We prayed to Allah to forgive him, have mercy on him and join him with his (martyred) companion."The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked, "Then what about the salah (prayer) (that he offered) after the salah (prayer) the other (who died) had offered (before his death), and the good deeds (that he performed) after those performed by the other?" – Or, he asked, "His fasting after the fasting of the other? (How do you put them at par when the second one has offered more salah (prayer) and done more good deeds after the death of the first?) The distance between them (in paradise or near to Allah) is more than the distance between heaven and earth." [2]