حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ أَدْنَى أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ مَنْزِلَةً رَجُلٌ صَرَفَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ قِبَلَ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَثَّلَ لَهُ شَجَرَةً ذَاتَ ظِلٍّ فَقَالَ أَىْ رَبِّ قَدِّمْنِي إِلَى هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ أَكُونُ فِي ظِلِّهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَلَمْ يُذْكُرْ ‏"‏ فَيَقُولُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ مَا يَصْرِينِي مِنْكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْحَدِيثِ وَزَادَ فِيهِ ‏"‏ وَيُذَكِّرُهُ اللَّهُ سَلْ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَإِذَا انْقَطَعَتْ بِهِ الأَمَانِيُّ قَالَ اللَّهُ هُوَ لَكَ وَعَشَرَةُ أَمْثَالِهِ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ يَدْخُلُ بَيْتَهُ فَتَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِ زَوْجَتَاهُ مِنَ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ فَتَقُولاَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَاكَ لَنَا وَأَحْيَانَا لَكَ - قَالَ - فَيَقُولُ مَا أُعْطِيَ أَحَدٌ مِثْلَ مَا أُعْطِيتُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
Translation
Abu Huraira reported

Meat was one day brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a foreleg was offered to him, a part which he liked. He sliced with his teeth a piece out of it and said: I shall be the leader of mankind on the Day of Resurrection. Do you know why? Allah would gather in one plain the earlier and the later (of the human race) on the Day of Resurrection. Then the voice of the proclaimer would be heard by all of them and the eyesight would penetrate through all of them and the sun would come near. People would then experience a degree of anguish, anxiety and agony which they shall not be able to bear and they shall not be able to stand. Some people would say to the others: Don you see in which trouble you are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken you? Why don't you find one who should intercede for you with your Lord? Some would say to the others: Go to Adam. And they would go to Adam and say: O Adam, thou art the father of mankind. Allah created thee by His own Hand and breathed in thee of His spirit and ordered the angels to prostrate before thee. Intercede for us with thy Lord Don't you see in what (trouble) we are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken us? Adam would say: Verily, my Lord is angry, to an extent to which He had never been angry before nor would He be angry afterward. Verily, He forbade me (to go near) that tree and I disobeyed Him. I am concerned with my own self. Go to someone else; go to Noah. They would come to Noah and would say: O Noah, thou art the first of the Messengers (sent) on the earth (after Adam), and Allah named thee as a" Grateful Servant," intercede for us with thy Lord. Don't you see in what (trouble) we are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken us? He would say: Verily, my Lord is angry today as He had never been angry before, and would never be angry afterwards. There had emanated a curse from me with which I cursed my people. I am concerned with only myself, I am concerned only with myself; you better go to Ibrahim (peace be upon him). They would go to Ibrahim and say: Thou art the apostle of Allah and His Friend amongst the inhabitants of the earth; intercede for us with thy Lord. Don't you see in which (trouble) we are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken us? Ibrahim would say to them: Verily, my Lord is today angry as He had never been angry before and would never be angry afterwards. and (Ibrahim) would mention his lies (and then say): I am concerned only with myself, I am concerned only with myself. You better go to someone else: go to Moses. They would come to Moses (peace be upon him) and say: O Moses, thou art Allah's messenger, Allah blessed thee with His messengership and His conversation amongst people. Intercede for us with thy Lord. Don't you see in what (trouble) we are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken us? Moses (peace be upon him) would say to them: Verily. my Lord is angry as He had never been angry before and would never be angry afterwards. I, in fact, killed a person whom I had not been ordered to kill. I am concerned with myself, I am concerned with myself. You better go to Jesus (peace be upon him). They would come to Jesus and would say: O Jesus, thou art the messenger of Allah and thou conversed with people in the cradle, (thou art) His Word which I-Ie sent down upon Mary. and (thou art) the Spirit from Him; so intercede for us with thy Lord. Don't you see (the trouble) in which we are? Don't you see (the misfortune) that has overtaken us? Jesus (peace be upon him) would say: Verily, my Lord is angry today as He had never been angry before or would ever be angry afterwards. He mentioned no sin of his. (He simply said: ) I am concerned with myself, I am concerned with myself; you go to someone else: better go to Muhammad (ﷺ). They would come to me and say: O Mahammad, thou art the messenger of Allah and the last of the apostles. Allah has pardoned thee all thy previous and later sins. Intercede for us with thy Lord; don't you see in which (trouble) we are? Don't you see what (misfortune) has overtaken us? I shall then set off and come below the Throne and fall down prostrate before my Lord; then Allah would reveal to me and inspire me with some of His Praises and Glorifications which He had not revealed to anyone before me. He would then say: Muhammad, raise thy head; ask and it would be granted; intercede and intercession would be accepted I would then raise my head and say: O my Lord, my people, my people. It would be said: O Muhammad, bring in by the right gate of Paradise those of your people who would have no account to render. They would share with the people some other door besides this door. The Prophet then said: By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, verify the distance between two door leaves of the Paradise is as great as between Mecca and Hajar, or as between Mecca and Busra.

Comment

The Book of Faith - Sahih Muslim 194a

This narration from Sahih Muslim describes the profound intercession (Shafa'ah) granted exclusively to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) on the Day of Judgment, establishing his unique station as the leader of mankind.

Contextual Analysis

The Prophet's declaration while eating meat establishes the gravity of his forthcoming statement. This moment of physical nourishment parallels the spiritual nourishment he provides humanity through his intercession.

The detailed description of Judgment Day's terror - with the sun drawing near and universal distress - emphasizes humanity's desperate need for divine mercy through intercession.

Progressive Intercession Attempts

Adam acknowledges his disobedience regarding the forbidden tree, demonstrating how even prophets recognize their limitations before Allah's majesty.

Noah references his curse upon his people, showing how prophets bear responsibility for their communities' guidance.

Abraham mentions his "lies" (referring to diplomatic statements to protect his mission), highlighting prophetic humility.

Moses confesses to killing the Egyptian, illustrating how major prophets acknowledge their human imperfections.

Jesus, though sinless, still defers intercession, showing complete submission to Allah's will.

The Prophet's Unique Intercession

Muhammad (ﷺ) is distinguished by Allah's complete forgiveness of his past and future sins, making him uniquely qualified for this supreme intercession.

His prostration under the Divine Throne represents the ultimate humility, while the special praises granted to him demonstrate his exclusive proximity to Allah.

The immediate acceptance of his intercession without any self-concern shows his complete dedication to his ummah.

Spiritual Implications

This hadith establishes the doctrine of the Greater Intercession (Ash-Shafa'ah al-Kubra) exclusive to Prophet Muhammad.

The vast distance between Paradise's gates illustrates the unimaginable scale of divine reward and the Prophet's concern for his followers' salvation.

This narration serves as profound consolation for believers, knowing their Prophet will intercede for them on humanity's most difficult day.