Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim 222a
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ الْعَبْسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا آدَمُ فَيَقُولُ لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ فِي يَدَيْكَ - قَالَ - يَقُولُ أَخْرِجْ بَعْثَ النَّارِ . قَالَ وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ قَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ تِسْعَمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ . قَالَ فَذَاكَ حِينَ يَشِيبُ الصَّغِيرُ وَتَضَعُ كُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَهَا وَتَرَى النَّاسَ سُكَارَى وَمَا هُمْ بِسُكَارَى وَلَكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللَّهِ شَدِيدٌ " . قَالَ فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّنَا ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ " أَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّ مِنْ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ أَلْفًا وَمِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ " . قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَطْمَعُ أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ " . فَحَمِدْنَا اللَّهَ وَكَبَّرْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَطْمَعُ أَنْ تَكُونُوا ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ " . فَحَمِدْنَا اللَّهَ وَكَبَّرْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَطْمَعُ أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ إِنَّ مَثَلَكُمْ فِي الأُمَمِ كَمَثَلِ الشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالرَّقْمَةِ فِي ذِرَاعِ الْحِمَارِ " .
Abu Saeed reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say: “O Adam!” He will reply: “At Your service and ready to obey; all good is in Your hands.” He will say: “Bring forth those destined for the Fire.” Adam will ask: “Who are those destined for the Fire?” He will be told: “Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand.” At that, every child will turn gray-haired, every pregnant woman will miscarry, and you will see people appearing drunk, though they are not drunk; rather, Allah’s punishment is severe.’ This weighed heavily on them, and they asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, which of us is that one?’ He replied: ‘Rejoice! One thousand will be from Gog and Magog, and one man from among you.’ He then said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, I hope that you will make up one-quarter of the people of Paradise.’ We praised Allah and declared His greatness. He said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, I hope that you will make up one-third of the people of Paradise.’ We praised Allah and declared His greatness. He said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, I hope that you will make up half of the people of Paradise. Your likeness among the nations is that of a white hair on the skin of a black ox, or a distinctive mark on a donkey’s foreleg.’
Translation notes
فَحَمِدْنَا اللَّهَ وَكَبَّرْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَطْمَعُ أَنْ تَكُونُوا شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ إِنَّ مَثَلَكُمْ فِي الأُمَمِ كَمَثَلِ الشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جِلْدِ الثَّوْرِ الأَسْوَدِ أَوْ كَالرَّقْمَةِ فِي ذِرَاعِ الْحِمَارِ " .
The exact image denoted by الرَّقْمَة in the closing simile is uncertain; it appears to refer to a mark or spot.
Should الرَّقْمَة be understood as a distinctive mark on the donkey’s foreleg here?