Faith in the Heart and the Stages of Intercession

 

(67) Belief in this Worldly Life is Considerable

The Prophetic aḥādīth clarify that only those who had faith in their hearts during their worldly lives will be released from the Fire, not those who had no faith in their hearts during their worldly lives.

Those who declared belief in the unicity of Allah merely with their tongues, while their hearts remained empty of faith, will not be released from Hell. This discussion also clearly concludes that people are of different grades regarding their inner faith. This thesis goes against the view of those of the extremist Murjites who think that faith does not exist in the heart. It also contradicts the view of those other than the Murjites who hold that people are of different grades only regarding the belief obtained by their deeds which is obtained by the employment of the physical bodies. Thus, this latter group holds that people are equal, all of them, as far as their inner faith, belief in the hearts and declaration by their tongues is concerned. This discussion will also cover the fact that the Prophet will have more than one instance of intercession disproving those who say that he will intercede only once.

1. Al-Rabīᶜ b. Sulaymān and Ibrāhīm b. ᶜĪsā b. ᶜAbd Allāh (Scribe of al-Ḥārith b. Miskīn) → Ibn Wahb and also reported to me Aḥmad b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Wahb → His uncle → Mālik → ᶜAmr b. Yaḥyā b. ᶜUmārah → his father → Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī → the Prophet:

He will put those deserving Paradise into Paradise. He will put into it those whom He wills through His mercy. He will put those deserving Hell into Hell. Then He will say, “Behold, whoever you find with an amount of faith equalling a rye, get him out of it [Hell].” The Prophet said, “They will then be brought out of it while they will have been burnt and turned into charcoal. They will then be cast in the rivers of haỵāt (life) or ḥayāᵓ (modesty). Then they will come out as a seed (or a living body, Rabīᶜ is doubtful) comes out from the silt carried by flood.” The Prophet said, “Do you not see how it comes out of [the silt] while it is yellowish and is curved?”

Ibrāhīm b. ᶜĪsā said [in his version, that the Prophet said], “Allāh puts those who deserve Paradise into Paradise.” He used the words, “[They will grow] like a grain at the bank of a flood.” Aḥmad used the word al-ḥabbah (seed) without betraying doubt. He also used the words “thanā Mālik” (Mālik narrated to us) instead of “akhbaranī Mālik” (Mālik told me).

Abū Bakr said: This is a brief report. The narrator has cut the first part of the story which deals with the intercession for those of the monotheists who will be first put in Hell. He then related the last part of the story. When I say this report is a short version of another detailed one, I base myself on the report of Zayd b. Aslam from ᶜAṭāᵓ b. Yasār from Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī from the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Allāh will say, “See if you can find in the heart of a man faith equal to the weight of a dinār, bring him out of the Fire.”” Then, [in the second instance], he mentioned the words “zinata qīrāṭ” (weight of another coin), then [in the third instance], he mentioned “zinata mithqāla ḥabbah” weight of a rye grain.

I have included this whole narrative in another chapter.

2. Yūsuf b. Mūsā → Abū Muᶜāwiyah → ᶜĀṣim al-Aḥwal → Abū ᶜUthmān al-Nahdī → Salmān al-Fārisī:

They will come to the Prophet and say, “O Prophet of Allāh! You are the one with whom Allāh started (prophethood) and finished (it). He forgave you sins of the past and future. Come and intercede to your Lord for us.” He will say, “Alright. I am the one you need.” He will then proceed among the people to the gate of Paradise. Here he will hold a ring of the gate made of gold and knock at it. It will be inquired, “Who is there?” It will be said, “It is Muhammad.” He said that would then be opened for him. He said, “He will come and stand in front of Allah and will ask His permission while falling in prostration. He will be granted permission.” He said, “Allāh will reveal to him expressions to praise, extol and glorify Him, expressions which would never have been told to any of the creatures before him. Then He will say, “O Muhammad, lift your head and ask. You will be given. Pray for your prayer will be answered.” He will raise his head and say, “My Lord, my ummah, my ummah.” He will again seek permission while in prostration. He will be granted permission. Allāh will open to him expressions to praise, extol, and glorify Allah, expressions which have never been told to any of the creatures before him. Then He will say, “O Muhammad, lift your head and ask; you will be given. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Pray; your prayer will be answered.”” He said, “He will do so twice or thrice and will intercede for everyone who had faith in his heart weighing a grain of barley or cereal or a grain of rye.” Sulaymān said, “It is the Praised Station (al-muqām al-maḥmūd).”

Abū Bakr said: This report covers the issue of those of the dwellers of Hell who will later be released from it more exhaustively than the report of Yaḥyā b. ᶜUmārah from Abū Saᶜīd al-Khudrī. It mentions the state of those who will have faith equal to seed of rye, grain of cereal, and also of barley. As for the report of Yaḥyā b. ᶜUmārah, that does not mention the last two. The report of ᶜUbayd Allāh b. Abī Bakr from Anas also makes a mention of barley and cereal as well as an atom. It does not mention the grain of rye. These narratives support our view. The aḥādīth are conventionally memorized. Some of the narrators memorize a tradition comprehensively including all the parts while others only remember it in brief. It is only after the detailed versions are studied in combination with the brief ones and the brief ones are explained [by the help of the detailed ones] that we obtain knowledge and wisdom.

3. The narrative reported by ᶜUbayd Allāh b. Abī Bakr, which I mentioned, has also been narrated to us by Maḥmūd b. Ghaylān → al-Muᵓammal b. Ismāᶜīl → al-Mubārak b. Faḍālah → ᶜUbayd Allāh b. Abī Bakr b. Anas → his grandfather, Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:

Allāh will say, “Get every such person out of the Fire who has in his heart faith equal to a grain of cereal. Get every such person out of the Fire who has in his heart faith weighing even a grain of barley. Get every such person out of the Fire who witnessed, “There is no god but Allāh” or “the one who remembered Me or feared Me anywhere.””

4. Naṣr b. Marzūq al-Miṣrī → al-Khuṣayb b. Nāṣiḥ → al-Mubārak → Ibn Abī Bakr → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:

From the Fire will be released…….

He related the entire narrative, and mentioned the words “yukhraju min al-nār” (will be released from the Fire) in all instances. He also used the words “qadru khardalah” (equal to a mustard seed) instead of “dharrah” (an atom). He also used the words “akhrijū min al-nār man dhakaranī yawman aw khāfanī fī maqāmin” (Get out of the Fire every such person who remembered Me or feared Me anywhere.) He did not mention the words, “There is no god save Allāh” at this place. Abū Dāwūd too has reported this report in brief form.

5. Muhammad b. Rāfiᶜ → Abū Dāwūd → Mubārak b. Faḍālah and also another chain including ᶜAbdah b. ᶜAbd Allāh al-Khuzāᶜī → Abū Dāwūd al-Ṭiyālisī → Mubārak b. Faḍālah → ᶜUbayd Allāh b. Abī Bakr b. Anas → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:

Allāh will say, “Get those out of the Fire who remembered Me any day or feared me at any place.”

Abū Dāwūd has shortened this narrative. He did not relate the first part of the text and mentioned only the last part.

6. Muhammad b. ᶜAbd Allāh b. ᶜAbd al-Ḥakam → his father and Shuᶜayb b. al-Layth → al-Layth → Ibn al-Hād → ᶜAmr (b. Abī ᶜAmr) → Anas b. Mālik:

I heard the Prophet saying, “I will be the first to spring forth from the earth by splitting it apart by my skull on the Last Day; I am not proud of it. I have been given the flag of praise (ḥamd) and I am not proud of it. I will be the leader of all the Prophets on the Day of Judgment, and I am not proud of it. I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Judgment Day and I am not proud of it. I will come to the gate of Paradise, and they will open it for me. I will prostrate in front of Allāh and He will say, “Raise your head O Muhammad, and speak; you will be listened to. Say; your request will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will raise my head and say, “My ummah, my ummah! O my Lord!” He will say, “Go to your people and let every such person enter into Paradise who has faith in his heart equal to a grain of cereal.” Then I will proceed and whoever I find with this (amount of faith), I will make him enter Paradise. I will again come to the Exalted Lord and prostrate before Him and He will say, “Raise your head, O Muhammad, and speak; you will be listened to. Say; your request will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will raise my head and say, “My ummah, my ummah! O my Lord!” He will say, “Go to your people and whoever you find with faith in his heart, similar to half of a cereal grain, take him to Paradise.” I will go and whoever I will find fulfilling these conditions I will let them enter Paradise. [He said:] I will come to the Mighty Lord again and prostrate before Him and say, “My ummah, my ummah! O my Lord!” He will say, “Go and whoever you find with this, send them to Paradise” and then the accountability of the people will be completed.”

He related the rest of the narrative.

7. The same report has been reported to us by Aḥmad b. ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Wahb → his uncle → ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān b. Sulaymān al-Ḥujrī → ᶜAmr b. Abī ᶜAmr → Anas b. Mālik:

I heard the Prophet saying……

He related the same ḥadīth except that he used the following words:

And I will be the leader of all the Prophets on the Day of Judgment. I am not proud of it. I will come to the gate of Paradise and hold its ring. The angels will say, “Who is there?” I will say, “I am Muhammad.” They will open it for me. I will enter and find the Exalted One facing me. I will prostrate before Him and He will say, “Raise your head O Muhammad!...”

He related some parts of the narrative and used the following words:

I will bring whom I find with this [amount of faith]. The Almighty will be facing me, and I will prostrate before Him and He will say, “Raise your head O Muhammad!”

He related this part of the narrative and then said that [the Prophet] said:

“In whose heart I will find this amount of faith. The Almighty will be facing me, and I will prostrate before Him.”

He related the narrative up to the prophetic saying, “He will finish the accountability of the people.” He said, “I will let the remaining people of my ummah stay in Hell with the permanent dwellers and the latter will say to them ‘people from my ummah cast in Hell’, “It did not do you any good to worship Him and make no partners with Him. Here you are with us now.” Then the Almighty would say, “By my Grace, I will save them from the Fire, and they will be sent for.” And they will be brought out of the Fire while they would have become charcoal. They will be put into the rivers of Paradise. They will then grow like the sprouting of a seed in the silt of the flood. It will then be written between their eyes, “These are the people freed by Allāh.” Then they will be carried away and admitted into Paradise. And it will be said, “These are al-jahannamiyyūn (the people of Hell).” The Almighty will say, “These are the ones freed by Me.””

Abū Bakr said: In this version of the report (i.e. from ᶜAmr b. Abī ᶜAmr from Anas), there is a mention of half of the barley. Other narratives in this regard do not contain this wording. This report also does not mention caryopsis. It is, however, possible that the actual word used was “half of a barley seed” or “half of a wheat grain”.

8. Muhammad b. Yaḥyā al-Dhuhlī → al-Khalīl b. ᶜUmar → ᶜUmar b. Saᶜīd al-Ashajj → Saᶜīd b. Abī ᶜArūbah → Qatādah → Anas → the Prophet:

Whoever carries faith equalling a mustard seed or a caryopsis seed or an atom will be taken out of the Fire.

Abū Bakr said: The narrative of Qatādah from Anas which says, “Take out of the Fire those who declare there is no god except Allāh and have good (khayr) weighing a caryopsis seed”, does not contradict the reports which refer to the people having faith (īmān) in their hearts weighing such and such thing. This is because it is absolutely and certainly clear that īmān belongs to khayr (good) and not sharr (evil). Those of the extremist Murjites, who think the word khayr (good) mentioned in this verse does not refer to īmān (faith), reject and falsify these narratives which say, “Get out of the Fire those people who have in their hearts faith weighing such and such thing.” It entails that these extremist Murjites declare all these reports as unreliable. Or alternatively they must declare that īmān is not īmān. Or they must admit that īmān is not khayr (good). We know that whatever is not khayr (good) must be sharr (evil). We know that no Muslim can hold that īmān is not khayr. So understand and do not be mistaken.

9. Aḥmad b. ᶜAbdah → Ḥammād (Ibn Zayd) → Maᶜbad b. Hilāl al-ᶜAnazī:

We went to Anas b. Mālik in summer. Thābit al-Bunānī was also with us. Thābit asked for permission, and he (that is, Anas) allowed us. We entered upon him. He seated Thābit beside him on his bed (sarīr or firāsh).

(He (Maᶜbad) said:) I asked my companions not to ask him anything except this ḥadīth. We have come for this alone. Thābit said, “O Abū Ḥamzah, these are your brothers from al-Baṣrah. They have come to ask you about the ḥadīth of the Prophet related to intercession.” He (Anas b. Mālik) said, “Yes. The Prophet related it to us. He (the Prophet) said, “When the people will be packed and thrust into one another on the Day of Judgment, they will come to Adam. It will be said to Adam, “Intercede for your progeny.”” He (the Prophet) said, “Adam will tell them that he is not fit for the undertaking and that they should ask Abraham. He is the friend of Allāh. They will come to Abraham. He will say, “I am not fit to do this. But you must ask Moses as he is the one to whom Allāh spoke directly.” They will come to Moses, and he will refuse saying, “I am not fit to do this. But you can go to Jesus Christ who is the Spirit and Word of Allah.” They will come to Jesus Christ, and he will say, “I am not fit to do this. Go to Muhammad.”

They will come to me, and I will say, “Yes, I am the person who is fit to do this.” Then I will go with them and will ask permission from my Lord and He will let me in. I will stand in front of Him. He will teach me some words to extol Him, words which I will not have learnt until then. I will praise Him with these words, and I will prostrate before Him. It will be said to me, “O Muhammad! Raise your head and say; you will be listened to. Ask; you will be given. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will say, “O My Lord! My ummah! My ummah!” It will be said to me, “Go, and bring forth from it (that is, Hell) him who has in his heart faith equal to the weight of a caryopsis grain or barley seed.” It will be said three times. I will go and do that.””

Maᶜbad said, “We proceeded from there till we reached beyond (the hill) al-Jabbān. I said, “It would be better if we met al-Ḥasan who is residing in the house of Abū Khalīfah.” We entered upon him and said, “O Abū Saᶜīd, we have come to you from your brother Abū Ḥamzah. He related this ḥadīth to us.”

When we had finished narrating the ḥadīth to him, he said, “What? Did he narrate other than this?” We said, “He did not add anything to it.””

He (the narrator) said that al-Ḥasan said, “He related this ḥadīth to me twenty years ago [with certain additions] and I do not understand if he forgot or disliked relating it all to you fearing that you would depend on it [and stop doing good deeds].” He (the narrator) added, “They (the group) asked Abū Saᶜīd to narrate that [missing] part to them. He smiled and recited, “For man is given to hasty (deeds)” (Q 17:11). I have not related this to anyone earlier. It is only you that I am going to relate what he related to me twenty years ago.” He had added the following statement of the Prophet, “I will then stand the fourth time and praise Him in those very words. Then I will fall in prostration before Him.” He (the Prophet) said, “It will be said to me, “Raise your head and say; you will be listened to. Put your request; your request will be granted. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.”” The Prophet said, “I will raise my head and say, “My Lord, allow me to intercede for every such man who declared that there is no god but Allāh.”” He said, “It will be said, “That is not your right. By My Grace and Greatness and Power, I will get every such person out of it (Hell) who declared there is no god except Allāh.””

Abū Bakr said: This report has no mention of a penny or a half. In the last part, however, there is a mention of the words “adnā min mithqāla ḥabbatin min khardalin (less than a tiny mustard seed)”.

9. al-Ḥusayn b. al-Ḥasan → al-Muᶜtamir b. Sulaymān → Ḥumayd al-Ṭawīl → Anas b. Mālik:

On the Day of Judgment, people will face confinement as long as Allāh will decide. Then they will suggest [to each other] to approach Adam. They will go to Adam and say, “O Adam, Intercede for us to your Lord.” He will say, “I am not fit to do this. Go to the friend of Allāh, Abraham.” They will go to Abraham and say, “O Abraham, intercede to your Lord for us.” He will say, “I am not fit to do this. Go to Moses whom Allāh chose as His interlocutor and a Messenger.” They will go to Moses and say, “O Moses, intercede to your Lord for us.” He will say, “I am not fit to do this. You better go to the one who came here already forgiven, without carrying a sin.” They will then go to Muhammad and say, “O Muhammad, intercede to your Lord for us.” He will say, “I will do this for I am the one who is fit for this undertaking.”

He (the Prophet) said:

I will go and seek permission to open the gate of Paradise. It will be opened for me, and I will enter. My Lord will be seated on His Throne. I will fall in prostration and praise Him in such words that no one would have ever praised Him before me.

[The narrator says], I think he said, “Not even after me.”

[The Prophet continued]:

It will be said, “O Muhammad, raise your head and say; you will be listened to. Make your request; it will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will say, “O my Lord. O my Lord.” Allah will say, “take out [of Hell] every such person as has in his heart faith equalling a barley seed.” I will fall in prostration and praise Him with words that will not have been used before me to praise Him.”

[The narrator says], “And I think he said, “Not even after me.””

[The Prophet continued]:

It will be then said, “O Muhammad, raise your head and say; you will be listened to. Make your request; it will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will say, “O my Lord. O my Lord.” He will say, “Take out [of it] every such person as has in his heart faith equalling a barley seed.” I will fall in prostration and praise Him in words that will not have been used before me to praise Him.”

[The narrator says], “I think he said, “Not even after me.””

[The Prophet continued]:

It will be then said, “O Muhammad. Raise your head and say; you will be listened to. Make your request; it will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will say, “O my Lord. O my Lord.” He will say, “Take out [of it] everybody who has the smallest amount of faith in his heart.” Then a lot of people will be released from the Fire. They will be called al-jahannamiyyūn in Paradise.

The narrators said:

Someone asked Anas b. Mālik, “O Abū Ḥamzah! Did you really hear it from the Prophet?” This question fell hard on him, and the colour of his face changed. He said, “It has never been the case that all we narrate we heard from the Prophet. Still however, we would not falsify each other.”

Abū Bakr said: This report does not mention Jesus Christ.

It is possible that someone, on hearing this report, becomes confused. For we see that in this report Anas b. Mālik says, “We did not always narrate only that we received from the Prophet.” This statement apparently contradicts the report of Maᶜbad b. Hilāl in which he explicitly mentioned that he heard from the Prophet Muhammad say this [part about Jesus]. It also contradicts what has been reported by ᶜAmr b. Abī ᶜAmr from Anas where the last mentioned clearly ascribed the ḥadīth to the Prophet. This is not the case. We express gratitude to Allah and state that the true status of the matter is that it is traced back to the Prophet. This I can say because in the beginning of the ḥadīth, reported by ᶜAmr b. Abī ᶜAmr from Anas, it has been stated that he would be the first person to sprout from the earth through his skull. Thus, in that report there is a fact which has not been mentioned in the ḥadīth reported by Ḥumayd from Anas. Similarly, we find that in the ḥadīth reported by Maᶜbad it has been stated, “on the Day of Judgment, people will be jam-packed.” If we collate all these reports and observe them, we can find conformity among them. The Prophet stated a fact to some of his Companions, Anas being one of those who heard him. He heard some parts of the statement himself and some other parts he received from the Companions who were seated closer to the Prophet and who were senior to himself in age. Thus he heard and memorized the narrative. Thus he narrated a ḥadīth which he heard from the Prophet partly while he was present in the meeting in which the Prophet stated that. Some parts, however, he received from someone who had received from the Prophet. This is just as sometimes a narrator states, “I heard from so-and-so and confirmed it from so-and-so.” By this he means that he could not receive all from the Prophet and he received that part from someone else. Seen in this perspective we state that when a man asked Anas about the source of the ḥadīth he meant to ask whether Anas had received all parts of the narrative from the Prophet. Anas responded that it is not the case that all they narrate is what they personally received from the Prophet. Thus we see that Anas did not say that he heard all the parts of the report from the Prophet. Nor did he claim that he did not hear it all from the Prophet. Also note that another Companion explicitly stated, in the beginning of the ḥadīth, that he heard it from the Prophet. This makes it a legitimate and true statement. For it is possible, according to the conventions of the Arabic language, to say that I heard someone recite Sūrah Baqarah when I have heard the latter recite the Sūrah partly. Similarly, it is possible to say that I have heard so-and-so recite Sūrah al-Baqarah when I heard him recite the whole of the Sūrah, not parts of it. This follows the conventions of the Arabic language as I have explained in many parts of my books that a noun can be applied to something as a whole and also to the parts of it. Similarly, the word ḥadīth is a noun which can be applied to parts of a ḥadīth or the whole of it. So understand and do not be mistaken.

10. Muhammad b. Bashshār (Bundār) and Muhammad b. Rāfiᶜ → Ḥammād b. Masᶜadah → Ibn ᶜAjlān → Jūthah b. ᶜUbayd → Anas b. Mālik → the Prophet:

Adam will be approached on the Day of Judgment, and it will be said to him, “Intercede for your children.” He will say, “I am not the man to do this. Go to Noah as he is the first Prophet and the most senior among them.” Noah will be approached, and he will say, “I am not the one to do this. You should go to Abraham who is the friend of Allāh.” Then Abraham will be approached who will say, “I am not the one to do this. You must go to Moses for Allāh has spoken to him directly.”

He (the Prophet) said:

They will go to Moses, and he will say, “I cannot do this. You must go to Jesus Christ because he is the Spirit and the Word of Allah.” They will come to Jesus Christ, and he will say, “I am not the one to do this. However, I guide you to the one who is fit for this undertaking. Approach Muhammad, peace be upon him and upon all the Prophets.”

He (the Prophet) said:

They will come to me, and I will seek that [the gate of Paradise] is opened. Seeing my Lord, I will fall in prostration. It will be said to me, “O Muhammad, raise your head and speak; you will be listened to. Make your request; it will be fulfilled. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained.” I will say, “O my Lord. My ummah!”

He said:

It will be said, “Go and do not leave in the Fire anyone who has in his heart faith equal to a dinar. Get all such persons out of it.” By this command such a number of them will be taken out of it as Allāh will like. Then I will prostrate before Him the second time.

He said:

It will be said, “O Muhammad, raise your head and speak; you will be listened to. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Make your request and it will be fulfilled.” I will say, “O my Lord. My ummah!”

He said:

It will be said, “Go and do not leave anybody in the Fire but take him out of it, everyone who has in his heart faith equal to half of a dinar.”

He said:

By this command an amount of people will be released from the Fire as Allah will desire. Then I will prostrate before Him the third time. It will be said, “O Muhammad, raise your head and speak; you will be listened to. Intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Make your request; it will be fulfilled.” I will say, “O my Lord. My ummah!” It will be said, “Go and do not leave anyone but take him out of the Fire as has in his heart faith equal to an atom.” Nobody will remain in the Fire except those who have no good (khayr) in their heart.

Bundār said:

[The Prophet] said: Allah to Jesus Christ. He also said, “He will say, “I am not the person fit for this undertaking.”” He said, “Faith equaling an atom.”

I have heard this report from Bundār twice; once in the discussion on Kitāb al-Qawāᶜid (chapter on rulings) and the second time while on Kitāb of Ibn ᶜAjlān.

Abū Bakr said: The muḥaddithūn have differed over the name of this transmitter. Some say he is Jūthah b. ᶜUbayd as has been narrated to us by Yūnus b. ᶜAbd al-Aᶜlā → ᶜAbd Allāh b. Wahb → ᶜAmr b. al-Ḥārith → Yazīd b. Abī Ḥabīb → Jūthah b. ᶜUbayd al-Laythī → Anas b. Mālik:

When Allāh Almighty will have decided the fates of His creatures, and will have put in Paradise those who deserve it and into Hell those who deserve it, Muhammad will fall in prostration. He will prolong his prostration. It will be said, “O Muhammad, raise your head and intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Speak; you will be listened to.” He will raise his head and say, “O my Lord! My ummah!” Allāh will order the angels, “For Muhammad, get those people of his ummah who have in their hearts faith equal to a qīrāṭ.” They will get them out of the Fire. Then he will prostrate a second time and prolong it even more.

The Prophet said:

It will be announced, “O Muhammad, raise your head and intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Speak; you will be listened to.” I will say, “O my Lord! My ummah!” Allāh will say to the angels, “Get out of [the Fire] every such man from the ummah of Muhammad who has in his heart faith equal to a barley seed.”

The narrator says:

Then he will prostrate a third time even longer than the previous two instances. It will be called, “Raise your head and intercede; your intercession will be entertained. Speak; you will be listened to.” He will say, “O my Lord! My ummah!” Allāh will then say to the angels, “Get those for Muhammad who have in their hearts faith equal to a mustard seed.” They will be presented in front of Him, and they will be brought out of the Fire while they will have been blackened like burnt arrowheads. They will be let into Paradise. The habitants of Paradise will call them and say, “Who are these giving displeasing smells?” The angels will say, “These are the al-jahannamiyyūn. They have been brought [out of Hell] by the intercession by Muhammad.”

They will take them to the river of life (al-ḥaywān). There they will bathe and make ablution. They will return like other humans except that they will be marked.

I said, “O Abū Ḥamzah! What is al-ḥaywān?” He said, “It is one of the rivers in Paradise. It is the lowest of all in station.”

Abū Bakr said: The words: ᶜādū ka al-niṣāl al-muḥriqah means they will become like the burnt arrowheads. The word ᶜawd (returning) has been used to mean ṣārū (become, turned into).

Abū Bakr said: The name of this man is Jūthah b. ᶜUbayd as given by ᶜAmr b. al-Ḥārith from Yazīd b. Abī Ḥabīb. ᶜAyyāsh b. ᶜUqbah al-Ḥaḍramī has reported another narrative from him: Abū Hāshim Ziyād b. Ayyūb → Abū ᶜAbd al-Raḥmān al-Muqrī → ᶜAyyāsh b. ᶜUqbah al-Ḥaḍramī (who was one of the great scholars I met in Egypt) → Jūthah b. ᶜUbayd al-Laythī → Anas b. Mālik → The Prophet:

A people will recite the Qurᵓān, but it would not go beyond their collarbones. They would pass through the religious teachings [so hurriedly] just as the arrow passes through the prey.

The above passage is translated from Kitāb al-Tawḥīd by Imām Abū Bakr Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311 AH). English translation by Dr Tariq Mahmood Hashmi.