The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The people were displayed in front of me and I saw one prophet passing by with a large group of his followers, and another prophet passing by with only a small group of people, and another prophet passing by with only ten (persons), and another prophet passing by with only five (persons), and another prophet passed by alone. And then I looked and saw a large multitude of people, so I asked Gabriel, "Are these people my followers?' He said, 'No, but look towards the horizon.' I looked and saw a very large multitude of people. Gabriel said. 'Those are your followers, and those are seventy thousand (persons) in front of them who will neither have any reckoning of their accounts nor will receive any punishment.' I asked, 'Why?' He said, 'For they used not to treat themselves with branding (cauterization) nor with Ruqya (get oneself treated by the recitation of some Verses of the Qur'an) and not to see evil omen in things, and they used to put their trust (only) in their Lord." On hearing that, 'Ukasha bin Mihsan got up and said (to the Prophet), "Invoke Allah to make me one of them." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah, make him one of them." Then another man got up and said (to the Prophet), "Invoke Allah to make me one of them." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Ukasha has preceded you."
The Vision of the Prophets and Their Followers
This profound hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (6541) presents the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ celestial vision where he witnessed various prophets with their respective followers. The decreasing numbers - from large groups to solitary prophets - demonstrates the varying challenges faced by divine messengers throughout history. Some nations embraced their prophets wholeheartedly, while others rejected them, leaving the prophets with few followers.
The Special Group of Seventy Thousand
The most remarkable aspect of this vision is the identification of seventy thousand from the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ who will enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment. This indicates a special category of believers whose faith was so pure and complete that they bypass the detailed examination of deeds on Judgment Day.
Scholars explain that these are not necessarily the most knowledgeable or outwardly pious, but those who achieved the highest level of tawakkul (complete reliance on Allah). Their avoidance of cauterization, ruqya, and superstition demonstrates their absolute trust in divine decree and protection.
The Conditions for This Special Status
The three conditions mentioned - not using cauterization for healing, not seeking ruqya from others, and not believing in evil omens - all point to the perfection of tawakkul. Cauterization and ruqya, while permissible in Islam, when abandoned for the sake of complete reliance on Allah, indicate an extraordinary level of faith.
The prohibition against tatayyur (believing in evil omens) emphasizes that true believers see all events as coming from Allah's wisdom and decree, not from random signs or superstitions.
The Lesson in Ukasha's Precedence
The incident with Ukasha bin Mihsan teaches us about the importance of hastening to good deeds and spiritual opportunities. His immediate response to seek this special status demonstrates the zeal of the Companions for higher spiritual stations. The Prophet's ﷺ response to the second seeker - "Ukasha has preceded you" - shows that spiritual ranks are attained through timely action and earnest supplication.
This teaches us that while the door of Allah's mercy is always open, the specific blessings and ranks are granted to those who seek them with urgency and sincerity.